PR M&A activity picked up in the first half of 2026, with 44 completed deals compared to 34 during the first half of 2026. This represents a more than 20% increase in completed transactions. Both the data and the experience from Davis+Gilbert indicate some other significant trends:
- More deals, but generally smaller sellers. Over 60% of sellers in 2026 generated less than $6 million in revenue, up 8% from 2025. At the other end of the size spectrum, there were half as many transactions involving sellers with more than $25 million in revenue.
- PE Buyers Gain Momentum. PE buyers accounted for 34% of all deal activity – an increase of 10% from the first half of 2025, reflecting an appetite for a wide range of deal sizes and specialties. PE took market share away almost evenly from independent and public buyers.
- Integrated and full-service firms are gaining momentum. The share of acquired agencies offering integrated/full-service capabilities nearly doubled year over year, rising from 18% of sellers in 2025 to 34% in 2026.
- Influencer and celebrity partnerships continue to climb the priority list. Among acquired firms, influencer/celebrity partnership capabilities ranked among the most sought-after service offerings, reflecting brands’ continued investment in creator-led marketing strategies.
- Certain capabilities remain consistently in demand. Data analytics, reputation and crisis management, and content strategy and development continued to rank among the leading service offerings represented in completed transactions, underscoring buyers’ ongoing interest in firms that can help clients navigate complex reputational challenges, leverage data-driven insights, and create impactful content.
As agency buyers look for growth, diversified capabilities and specialized expertise appear to be driving transaction activity as much as scale.
See how the first half of 2026 compares with the same period in 2025 in Davis+Gilbert’s latest PR/Earned Media M&A Activity Tracker.