How to find out who acquired a company
To find out who acquired a company, check the target's own announcement and the acquirer's press releases first, then regulatory filings and deal databases, and confirm any price or date against a primary source.
Key takeaways
- Start with the primary source: the company or acquirer's announcement.
- Public companies disclose material acquisitions in filings; private deals are often only partly disclosed.
- Prices for private deals are frequently undisclosed or estimated, so treat them as unverified unless sourced.
- An acquirer's full history shows its strategy: what it buys, how often and in which sectors.
Start from the announcement
Most acquisitions are announced by the buyer, the seller or both. Search the company's news page and the acquirer's press releases. Trade press often adds context, but check it against the original statement.
Filings, databases and the directory
Public companies file reports that list material acquisitions and often the price. For private deals, deal databases and curated lists fill gaps. WhoBoughtWho keeps a public acquisition history of who bought whom, with the source linked on every entry, so you can verify each deal yourself.
Be careful with prices and dates
Private transaction values are often undisclosed, and reported figures can be estimates. Prefer figures that cite a primary source, and note whether a date is the announcement or the completion.
Frequently asked questions
Often you can build a good picture from announcements, filings and curated databases, but private acquisitions are not always disclosed, so any list can be incomplete.
Last reviewed . General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
From the WhoBoughtWho directory
- Acquisition history (who bought whom)
- Directory of marketplaces, brokers and funds
- Private equity firms