EXECUTION
2025 Year-in-Review
2025: A Year of Hesitation, Not Inactivity
For owners of smaller, privately-held companies, the last two years have been especially tough. Private sellers often have choices that are both a luxury and a burden: they don’t have to sell, so many potential deals never came to market as sellers chose to wait for clearer market conditions.
M&A activity did start picking up late in the year, driven initially by larger public transactions. History shows this momentum eventually trickles down to mid-sized private companies. By Q4, data suggested the market was turning, raising an important question for owners: what’s changed, and what does it mean for you?
Markets Are Adapting
Don't Wait for Perfect Conditions
What This Means for 2026
If you’re considering a transaction in the next six months to two years, start preparing now. Being 80–90% ready reduces risk and gives you control over timing. That means building your managerial bench, keeping financials current, addressing customer or supplier concentration, ensuring contracts are in order, and pressure-testing your story before going to market.
At CriticalPoint, we help clients navigate complexity and execute with precision. In a market where preparation matters more than prediction, we’re here to help you take control of your outcomes.
