Corebridge Financial and Equitable Holdings Announce ~$22B All-Stock Merger to Create Scaled Retirement and Wealth Platform

Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality Merge

May 6, 2025

Restaurants & Hospitality

Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality announced a strategic merger effective May 1 to create a scaled, owner-focused hotel management company operating across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Ben Rafter (formerly CEO of Springboard) will serve as CEO of the combined company and Brad Rahinsky (former Hotel Equities CEO) will serve as chairman, with the combined firm leveraging complementary strengths in branded and independent/lifestyle hotel management.

NewSpring Holdings Acquires Bridge Core to Launch Intelligence Services Platform

July 26, 2023

Government & Public Sector

NewSpring Holdings, the majority investment strategy of private equity firm NewSpring, has acquired Bridge Core, a provider of visual intelligence, cybersecurity, and technical solutions to the U.S. intelligence community. NewSpring intends to use Bridge Core as the foundation of a buy-and-build platform, supporting disciplined M&A and organic growth to create a full‑spectrum, technology‑enabled intelligence company.

AllianceBernstein to Acquire CarVal Investors

March 17, 2022

Financial Services

AllianceBernstein, a subsidiary of Equitable Holdings, has entered into an agreement to acquire CarVal Investors for an upfront purchase price of $750 million plus a multi-year earnout. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

American Water and Essential Utilities to Merge in $63 Billion All-Stock Deal

October 28, 2025

Infrastructure

American Water Works Company and Essential Utilities announced a definitive, all-stock, tax-free merger to create the largest regulated U.S. water and wastewater utility. The combined company is expected to serve about 4.7 million water and wastewater connections across 17 states with an implied enterprise value of approximately $63 billion, with closing expected by end of Q1 2027 subject to approvals.

Esquire Financial Holdings to Acquire Signature Bancorporation in $348.4M All-Stock Deal

March 18, 2026

Financial Services

Esquire Financial Holdings announced a definitive, all-stock agreement to acquire Signature Bancorporation for approximately $348.4 million. The merger combines Esquire’s national, litigation-focused banking platform with Signature’s established Midwest (Chicago) relationship banking franchise, targeting a combined institution with roughly $4.8 billion in assets at closing.

Equitable (affiliate) to Acquire Stifel Independent Advisors

October 28, 2025

Financial Services

Equitable, via an affiliate (Equitable Distribution Holding Corporation), has entered into an agreement to acquire Stifel Independent Advisors, a subsidiary of Stifel Financial. The deal is expected to close in Q1 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, and will bring Stifel’s more than 110 independent advisors (about $9 billion in client assets) into Equitable Advisors’ platform.