Goldman's 48 potential M&A candidates

[M&A - concept waiting for mergers and acquisitions.3D rendering on yellow background.]

Deal activity will rise by 15% in 2026, according to Goldman Sachs.

Strategist David Kostin says M&A activity will increase next year "alongside accelerating US economic growth, improving CEO confidence, and a rising equity market."

That should benefit the valuations of the stock in Goldman's U.S. M&A Candidates basket, which "has outperformed the equal-weight S&P 1500 (NYSEARCA:SPTM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPTM]) by 7 pp since the start of September."

The following are the 48 stocks in the basket with their M&A rank. A rank of 1 denotes analysts see a 30%-50% probability of M&A activity in the next 12 months and 2 denotes a 15%-30% probability.

COMPANY & TICKER
M&A RANK

Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INSM])
1

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:MDGL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MDGL])
1

Krystal Biotech (NASDAQ:KRYS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/KRYS])
1

Mineralys Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MLYS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MLYS])
1

TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TRIP])
1

Vera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VERA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VERA])
1

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/EA])
2

Zoom Communications (NASDAQ:ZM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ZM])
2

Unity Software (NYSE:U [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/U])
2

Summit Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SMMT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SMMT])
2

Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ACI])
2

Parsons Corporation (NYSE:PSN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PSN])
2

Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE:TAP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TAP])
2

iRhythm Technologies (NASDAQ:IRTC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IRTC])
NA

Merus N.V. (NASDAQ:MRUS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MRUS])
2

Hexcel Corporation (NYSE:HXL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HXL])
2

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp. (NYSE:MGY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MGY])
2

Workiva Inc. (NYSE:WK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/WK])
2

Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ:SAIC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SAIC])
2

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARWR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ARWR])
2

Option Care Health Inc. (NASDAQ:OPCH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/OPCH])
2

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MLTX])
2

Braze (NASDAQ:BRZE [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BRZE])
NA

Lantheus Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:LNTH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LNTH])
2

BlackLine (NASDAQ:BL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BL])
2

nCino Inc (NASDAQ:NCNO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NCNO])
2

AvePoint (NASDAQ:AVPT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AVPT])
2

Privia Health Group (NASDAQ:PRVA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PRVA])
2

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:XENE [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/XENE])
2

Kinetik Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KNTK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/KNTK])
2

RingCentral (NYSE:RNG [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RNG])
2

Denali Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:DNLI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DNLI])
2

Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE:KOS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/KOS])
2

Sprout Social (NASDAQ:SPT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SPT])
2

Relay Therapeutics (NASDAQ:RLAY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RLAY])
2

Olema Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:OLMA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/OLMA])
2

Commerce.com (NASDAQ:CMRC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CMRC])
2

Kaltura (NASDAQ:KLTR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/KLTR])
2

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ALNY])
NA

Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TTWO])
NA

Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ:TRMB [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TRMB])
NA

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/KTOS])
NA

89bio Inc (NASDAQ:ETNB [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ETNB])
NA

Groupon (NASDAQ:GRPN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GRPN])
NA

Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:IOVA [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IOVA])
NA

Day One Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:DAWN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DAWN])
NA

Maravai Lifesciences Holdings (NASDAQ:MRVI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MRVI])
NA

Manitowoc Company (NYSE:MTW [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MTW])
NA

MORE ON M&A

* Electronic Arts: Sell The Takeover News [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4826348-electronic-arts-sell-takeover-news]
* Molson Coors: It's Reasonably Valued Now, But Weak Growth Prospects May Not Support An Upside Yet [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4826174-molson-coors-its-reasonably-valued-now-but-weak-growth-prospects-may-not-support-an-upside-yet]
* Occidental in talks to sell petrochemical business for $10 billion: FT [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4499685-occidental-in-talks-to-sell-petrochemical-business-for-10-billion-ft]
* Jared Kushner could be part of EA's historic $50B leveraged buyout; here are the top LBOs [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4499654-jared-kushner-could-be-part-of-eas-historic-50b-leveraged-buyout-here-are-the-top-lbos]
* Electronic Arts jumps on report of $50 billion deal to go private [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4499589-electronic-arts-jumps-on-report-of-50-billlion-deal-to-go-private]