Audrey Elsberry

Christy Owens started UTap2, a digital business card company, in the Wilmington area last year. (Photo by Madeline Gray)

The first six months of 2024 were the busiest half-year since 2022 for worldwide M&A transactions larger than $10 billion, despite a slowdown in May and June.

Shareholder activism at nonbank financial institutions spiked in 2023 and continues to soar in 2024.

Renasant Corp. 's proposed $1.18 billion acquisition of First Bancshares Inc. is t he third $1 billion-plus bank deal in three months and the fourth-largest deal since the start of 2022.

The largest deal announced in 2024 through August came a fter a drought in $10 billion-plus global M&A deals in July.

A vote against proposed change-in-control payments by shareholders at Independent Bank Group Inc. hinged in part on the future employment status of the executives set to receive those payments.

Of the four M&A deals announced worldwide in September with transaction values of more than $10 billion, three were in the technology, media and telecommunications sector.

The fourth quarter is off to a slow start on large transactions after one M&A deal of more than $10 billion in value was announced in October.

A de novo bank veteran shortened the runway of the launch of his third banking venture by purchasing and recapitalizing Michigan-based First State Bank of Decatur to secure quicker regulatory approval.

Headed into the final month, the fourth quarter is already the second-most active period in 2024 for $10 billion-plus M&A announcements.