Mergers and acquisitions hit an all-time high in 2015 as the total value of deals hit $5 trillion. Deal value increased 37 percent from 2014. The previous record was $4.29 trillion set in 2007. The $5 trillion also shatters analysts' expectations for 2015, which were set at $4.3 trillion. And, just as impressive, the fourth quarter of 2015 scored the highest figure of any single quarter on record.

"The acquisition of TeraLogics and GATR represents powerful next steps in achieving our C4ISR growth strategy as they expand our footprint in the C4ISR and SATCOM markets," said Feldmann. "The transformation of Cubic Global Defense Systems is well under way with these acquisitions, coupled with the excellent performance from DTECH, which we acquired in fiscal year 2015.

Mergers and acquisitions hit an all-time high in 2015 as the total value of deals hit $5 trillion. Deal value increased 37 percent from 2014. The previous record was $4.29 trillion set in 2007. The $5 trillion also shatters analysts' expectations for 2015, which were set at $4.3 trillion. And, just as impressive, the fourth quarter of 2015 scored the highest figure of any single quarter on record.

Raba Kistner, a project management, engineering, testing and environmental firm in San Antonio, Texas, is acquiring Dallas-based archeology firm Red River Archaeology (RRA). The latter specializes in cultural resource compliance service to engineering and consulting firms. It also services energy and transportation clients.

Henry Ford Health System answered speculation around a possible merger by issuing a statement saying the company is constantly looking to grow and improve. However it did not comment on the rumors. Henry Ford CEO Nancy Schlichting, President Wright Lassiter and Kaiser spokesman Marc Brown all declined interviews on the matter with the Detroit news publication Crain.

Shell and BG Group are going forward with their planned merger after they received approval from a number of world regulators in recent weeks. The merger of the two energy companies will be the largest since Exxon and Mobil joined forces in the 1990s.

"Devon has made several bold moves over the past few years transforming the company into a leading North American onshore producer with a portfolio that provides an advantaged platform to generate long-term value growth for shareholders," said Hager. "These acquisitions materially core up our position in two of the best emerging North America development oil plays and further upgrade our asset portfolio."

The deal was struck for a number of reasons. First, it provides Marriott much better leverage in negotiations with online travel sites. A recent example of the company struggling to gain leverage with sites was when it negotiated its deal with TripAdvisor. Many analysts saw the deal as a way for Marriott to better position itself when it eventually sat down in contract negotiations with Expedia.

With two large brands joining forces under one name, this will mean less options for consumers in terms of pricing, amenities and in the preferred guest programs. Both of these companies currently boast impressive loyalty rewards programs, yet Starwood members are wondering how this merger will affect their current rewards they have earned.

The Pfizer-Allegran is one of the most recent mergers and the most expensive with a price tag of $160 billion. To put this figure into perspective, Zacks Investment Research compared this deal with the GDP statistics of many countries. Shockingly, countries such as Serbia, Uruguay, Morocco and Angola do not have GDP numbers exceeding the price of the Pfizer-Allegran deal.

Despite all the talk surrounding these expansive mergers, data from PitchBook, an M&A, private equity and venture capital database, tracked some of the trends in terms of enterprise tech/IT/software deals. Comparing the number of deals from 2010 to 2012 and then from 2013 to 2015, Erez Ofer at TechCrunch writes about the decline, steadiness and rise of certain enterprise mergers.

"Our integration philosophy is straightforward," Marriott Chief Financial Officer Carl Berquist said to Forbes. "We expect to choose the best from each company: systems, designs, operations and talent. Our similar organization structures should help to integrate the work more easily."

EMC currently operates in four particular sectors of the tech industry as: EMC Information Infrastructure, Pivotal, VMware Virtual Infrastructure and a newly launched Virtustream unit, according to Forbes. As part of the deal VMware, a provider of cloud and virtualization software and services, became an acquired tracking stock.

The Dell-EMC deal has been at the forefront in the minds of many in the tech industry. Not only because of its hefty $67 billion cost, but also because what it will mean for the main three companies this transition will affect.

This wave of mergers is not a new concept, James F. Peltz writes for the Los Angeles Times, as they are the natural result of evolution and market competition. Many years ago, one of the major trends shaping a variety of industries was bringing together multiple companies in an effort to diversify. Experts conclude that this current spike in deals is another cycle in the ongoing trend of companies looking to expand their operations and reach..

According to a company press release, this deal will allow Fossil Group to broaden its market through Misfit's scalable app platform, highly recognizable brand and innovative product & hardware engineering team. This acquisition will also help Fossil Group solve its current problem with the battery longevity of its wearable, and allow it to market to new brands and gain new partnerships in the fitness, healthcare, digital and music industries.

The largest tech industry merger ever, valued at $67 billion, has hit a new snag that might affect the outlook of this costly deal. Computer giant Dell is seeking to buy the computer storage provider EMC, yet Dell does not have the revenue to do so.

Fossil Group, a worldwide-recognized marketing and distribution company for lifestyle and fashion accessories, recently confirmed that it will be acquiring Misfit, a manufacturer of connected wearable products, for $260 million.

This week, popular booking site Expedia announced that it will acquire HomeAway, the publicly traded vacation rental service, for $3.9 billion. HomeAway is often described as a competitor to Airbnb and other discount lodging sites with listings by homeowners. However, several other companies and sites fall under the HomeAway umbrella.

Few industries have been more transformed by technology than travel. Gone are the days when travel agents in physical offices meet with customers to arrange business and leisure trips. All the details, from booking flights to finding a place to crash, can now be worked out online by the consumer. In addition to driving prices down through cost comparison tools and online discounts, lodging, booking and itinerary systems have made taking a trip less cumbersome.