Maximus to acquire Agile Defense for $660M
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By
Ross Wilkers
Maximus has traditionally focused on civilian work but has sought to ramp up its defense portfolio over the past two years.
Maximus has agreed to acquire Agile Defense, a provider of digital transformation and cybersecurity services, for $660 million in cash as part of an ongoing push to expand across the defense and national security markets.
With this transaction announced Monday, Maximus is adding approximately 1,800 employees and also looking to increase its portfolio of technology-centric work with agencies.
Both companies expect to close the transaction during this calendar quarter, which is the first quarter of Maximus’ 2027 fiscal year.
Traditionally focused on civilian, Maximus has gradually added more defense work since the company stood up a growth leadership team in 2024 to focus on efforts with that customer set. One year later, Maximus secured a potential $77 million cyber contract with the Air Force the company viewed as a first big step to growing its defense business.
Agile Defense opened for business in 1998 and touts 50 federal agencies as customers. Agile Defense has been owned by the private investment firm Enlightenment Capital since 2022 and combined with fellow portfolio company IntelliBridge in early 2025.
Applied research-and-development is a core focus area for Agile Defense, which stood up its Agile Labs innovation engine to work on challenging tech problems for customers. Maximus views Agile Labs as bringing to it a base of specialized talent, emerging tech and delivery methods.
Maximus is scheduled to host a conference call with investors at 9 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday to discuss the transaction.
Holland & Knight was legal counsel, and Ernst & Young acted as accounting and due diligence adviser to Maximus. Piper Sandler was financial adviser, Moore & VanAllen was legal counsel, and RSM US was accounting adviser to Agile Defense.