Take-overs and mergers are not uncommon. Sometimes because companies encounter financial difficulties or need an financial injection to be able to develop their business, and sometimes just because there is no successor to be found in the family. The first big take-over is Courvoisier’s in 1964.
Underneath is a table with some of the most prominent take-overs and mergers of the past fifty years. As an illustration of what can happen to a company I drew some connection lines for three different companies.