UK companies attracted a surge of interest from foreign buyers eager to capitalise on cheap valuations this year, driving British dealmaking to a postpandemic high.
Overseas bidders agreed $142bn in takeovers of British companies, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group — a 74 per cent uptick from 2024. The sharp rise outpaced a 20 per cent increase in overall UK mergers and acquisitions to a total value of $367bn, the highest level since the pandemic-era boom.
“The UK stock market remains materially undervalued,” said Philip Noblet, head of UK and Ireland investment banking at Jefferies.
“The ratings are still poor [compared] to rival companies in the US but also in Europe, so people keep coming . . . We’re going to see more strategic interest from overseas in 2026 and for bigger companies,” he added.
