The time it takes to finalize M&A deals has been on the rise over the past two decades. From 2005 through 2024, the median time between signing and closing stretched to about 6.4 months, a 25 percent increase from 20 years ago, explain Partner Anthony Luu and coauthors. Across geographies and industries, regulatory scrutiny is a primary cause of the delays. To close the gap, organizations can consider incorporating “clean teams” that focus on integration planning, day-one readiness, and value capture before the deal closes.
Image description:
A combined bar and line chart illustrates the trends in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals from 2005 to 2024. The left-side chart displays the average time to close M&A deals, with the median time marked by a dotted white line. The median time increased from approximately 5 months in 2005 to around 6.4 months in 2024, representing a 25% increase. The chart on the right side shows the share of M&A deals taking more than a year between signing and closing by five-year period, rising from 6% from 2005–10 to nearly 11% from 2010–15, 15% from 2015–20, and 16% from 2020–24. The charts are based on an analysis of 808 closed transactions valued at over $5 billion in Europe and the US between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2024.
Note: This image description was completed with the assistance of Writer, a gen AI tool.
Source: S&P Capital IQ, S&P Global Market Intelligence, accessed September 2025.
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To read the article, see “Deal delays are the new normal. Clean teams are the fix,” October 14, 2025.