ABB agrees to buy UK’s Rotork in $5.5 billion deal

Swiss industrial technology giant ABB announced on Thursday its largest-ever acquisition, agreeing to buy British flow-control equipment maker Rotork in an all-cash deal valued at an enterprise value of approximately $5.5 billion. The news sent Rotork shares surging roughly 67% in London trading.investing+1

The Deal

Under the agreement, Rotork shareholders will receive £5.03 per share, representing a premium of around 60% to the company's latest three-month average share price, according to ABB's press release. The Wall Street Journal News Corp ↘ 0.83% reported that the per-share price equates to approximately $6.81. Rotork's board has recommended the offer, and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027.new.abb+1

The acquisition, which ABB described as expanding its automation offering, adds Rotork's flow-control expertise — including actuators and instrumentation used in water, energy, and industrial processes — to ABB's existing portfolio. Rotork, listed on the FTSE 250, joins a growing list of UK companies being acquired by foreign buyers, as the Financial Times noted.bloomberg+3

Record Q2 Results

ABB announced the deal alongside record second-quarter 2026 results. The company reported orders of $12.04 billion, up 30%, driven by what it called "exceptional data center growth". Total revenue rose 14% to $9.48 billion, while the operational margin expanded 90 basis points to 20.2%. CEO Morten Wierod highlighted the record order intake and strong operational execution.global+4

Market Reaction

The dual catalyst of the Rotork acquisition and ABB's strong quarterly results also lifted ABB India shares, which jumped as much as 10% on Thursday, according to Moneycontrol. Bloomberg described the Rotork deal as a move by ABB to strengthen its position in automation amid growing demand from electrification and digitalization trends across industrial markets.moneycontrol+1