A takeover refers to a situation where one company acquires or gains control over another existing company. This can happen in various ways, such as through a merger, acquisition, or hostile takeover. In a merger, two companies voluntarily come together to form a new entity, while in an acquisition, one company buys out another and takes ownership of it. A hostile takeover occurs when one company attempts to gain control over another without the consent of its management or board of directors. The target company may resist the takeover through various means such as increasing its share price, making it more expensive for the acquiring company to buy them out. Takeovers can happen in any industry and can have significant impacts on employees, customers, and competitors.