Consolidation continues to shape Malta’s M&A market

This is the third part of a five-part series exploring the various facets of Malta’s evolving M&A landscape

Malta’s M&A market is evolving into a more mature and dynamic space, driven by both local consolidation and cross-border activity. The push for sector consolidation is set to continue, particularly in food and grocery retail, as businesses strive to manage pricing pressures.

“Operators are pursuing cost savings to sustain pricing pressure in a more consolidated sector,” explains Matthew Xuereb, Director at Deloitte in Malta, adding that consolidation in fragmented sectors such as home retail also presents opportunities to eliminate duplicate costs and streamline operations.

Valuation trends in Malta are also reflecting this evolving landscape. While deal valuations have remained relatively stable, buyers and sellers often face a gap in expectations.

“Vendors who are committed to selling can mitigate this by preparing detailed information memorandums and vendor due diligence reports,” Matthew advises. “This approach better aligns expectations, mitigates costs for prospective buyers and enhances investor interest.”

Beyond traditional metrics, increasing emphasis is being placed on assessing synergies that can create post-merger value.

This forms part of a feature first published on Malta CEOs 2025, the sister print brand to MaltaCEOs.mt, both owned by Content House.