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Bennett Thrasher

Buyers Raise the Bar: Five Trends Reshaping Middle-Market M&A

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Buyers Raise the Bar: Five Trends Reshaping Middle-Market M&A

Atlanta – September 13, 2026 -- Middle-market M&A buyers are tightening acquisition criteria even as deal activity persists, with recurring revenue, cash conversion and AI exposure now central to valuation decisions, according to Bennett Thrasher, an Atlanta-based accounting and advisory firm.

The firm's Transaction Advisory Services practice, which supports deals ranging from $20 million to $250 million in enterprise value, identified five trends driving buyer behavior in the current cycle.