GlobalData has announced the latest Financial and Legal Adviser League Tables, in terms of the total value and volume of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals they advised on in the consumer sector during Q1 2026.
Financial Advisers
Morgan Stanley top M&A financial adviser in consumer sector during Q1 2026
Morgan Stanley was the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) financial adviser in the consumer sector during the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 by both value and volume, according to the latest financial advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database reveals that Morgan Stanley achieved the leading position having advised on seven deals worth $51.6 billion.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Morgan Stanley showcased improvement in both volume and value of deals advised by it during Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025. However, the growth was more prominent in terms of value primarily driven by its involvement in a single very high-value deal ($44.8 billion deal for the merger of Unilever’s foods business with McCormick). Interestingly, the other advisers that were also involved in this deal occupied the next three top spots in the value ranking chart and were significantly ahead of their peers.”
Goldman Sachs occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $49 billion worth of deals, followed by Rothschild & Co with $46.7 billion, Citi with $44.8 billion whereas and Centerview Partners with $3.8 billion.
Meanwhile, PWC occupied the second position in terms of volume with seven deals, followed by Goldman Sachs with six deals, Rothschild & Co with six deals and Raymond James Financial with five deals.
Legal Advisers
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and Baker McKenzie top M&A legal advisers in consumer sector during Q1 2026
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and Baker McKenzie were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal advisers in the consumer sector during the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 by value and volume, respectively according to the latest legal advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database reveals that Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $46.2 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Baker McKenzie led in terms of volume by advising on a total of nine deals.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “There was a slight improvement in deal volume for Baker McKenzie in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025 and its ranking by this metric improved from the second to the top position during this period.
“Meanwhile, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, despite advising on much lesser number of deals, managed to lead by value in Q1 2026. The involvement in $44.8 billion deal for the merger of Unilever’s foods business with McCormick played a pivotal role in Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson securing the top spot by value. In fact, the next five advisers in the value ranking chart were also involved in this high-value deal.”
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $45.2 billion worth of deals, followed by Hogan Lovells with $44.9 billion whereas Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Clifford Chance and Sullivan & Cromwell jointly held the fourth position with each of them advising on one deal worth $44.8 billion.
Meanwhile, Ropes & Gray occupied the second position in terms of volume with seven deals, followed by Kirkland & Ellis with seven deals, Greenberg Traurig with six deals and Latham & Watkins with five deals.
