Massive M&A Spree: Premium Deals Across Sectors
Today's M&A notes - $WBD to be acquired by $PSKY for $31.00, 147.2% premium, $110bn - $AES to be acquired by GIP / EQT / CalPERS / QIA for $15.00, 35.5% premium, $33.4bn - $ASCU.to to be acquired by $HBM.to for 0.242x shares, 29.5% premium, $2.0bn https://t.co/CGxv90AjIP

Private Credit Crash Already Evident in BDC NAV Discounts
Many calling/hoping for a crash in private credit. While loan performance has mostly been ok, secondary prices tell a different story. A crash has already happened in the listed BDC market, with NAV discounts previously only seen during Covid and the GFC,...

Record $7 B Reverse Break Fee Tops All Deals
We have a new record, folks. $PSKY's now friendly acquisition of $WBD comes with a $7 billion reverse break fee - the largest in history. https://t.co/GNoyWI0tl0
Private Credit’s Worst Deals: Aggregators, Roll‑ups, Soccer, Education
The worst segments of private credit (hint: it's not software*): Amazon aggregators Dental roll-ups Veterinary roll-ups Soccer teams Education *except for Pluralsight, which may be the worst private credit deal of all time

SPAC IPOs Raise $10B in First Two Months
Just two months into the year and there have been 51 SPAC IPOs, which have raised a total of more than $10 billion, exceeding the total blank check IPO issuance in all of 2024. https://t.co/qkcICZwFet

Private Credit BDCs Plunge From Premium to Deep Discount
In just 12 months, private credit went from red hot to ice cold One year ago, the average BDC traded at a +6.2% premium to NAV Now, the average BDC trades at nearly a -20% discount to NAV, a level only exceeded...
Major M&A Moves: NATL, KORE, RNA/NVS Deals Announced
Today's M&A notes $NATL to be acquired by $BCO for $30.00 cash + 0.1574x shares, 22.6% premium, $6.6 billion $KORE to be acquired by Searchlight Capital / Abry Partners for $9.25 cash per share, 132.4% premium, $726 million $RNA / $NVS deal closed https://t.co/J7D2HirSUh
Warner Backs Paramount's Superior Offer, NLFX Should Exit
*WARNER BROS. SAYS PARAMOUNT OFFER IS 'SUPERIOR PROPOSAL' Seems like a good opportunity for $NLFX to graciously bow out of the $WBD bidding war and take the break fee paid for by $PSKY
Blackstone's Medallia Loan Downgrade Erases $5B Equity
Surprised no journalists have read $BXSL's 10-K filed this am, but I'll front run them with the story: Blackstone marked the Medallia loan at 78 in Q4, down from 82 in Q3. It's safe to say the PE sponsor's (and co-investors') $5...

SpaceX Stake Lifts Blue Owl NAV Amid Credit Slump
Why is the Blue Owl Tech BDC's NAV going UP when private credit sentiment is so bad? While it is primarily a private credit fund, the BDC does have a small equity portfolio, which mostly consists of a large chunk of...

Three AI‑Resilient Stocks Offer Bullish Opportunities
I joined @BNNBloomberg this morning to discuss Stocks Resistant to AI Disruption, where I gave the bull case for 3 equities that we are long. We also chatted about "AI agent vs AI agent combat" Here's the link: https://t.co/ZhP0KSAQtz https://t.co/kvEc8YnfTy
M&A Spree Sees Premiums up to 79%, One Discount
Today's M&A and SPAC notes $ACLX to be acquired by GILD for $115 cash + CVR worth up to $5, 79.4% premium, $7.8 billion $VRE to be acquired by Affinius Capital / Vista Hill Partners for $19.00 cash per share, 23.2% premium,...
Wells Fargo Confirms No Hidden Incentives in $1.4B Loan Sale
Finian O'Shea of Wells Fargo just asked this question on this morning's $OBDC conference call and mgmt confirmed nothing behind the scenes, no bonus economics or shenanigans behind the $1.4bn private credit loan sale at par value to 4 institutional...
SPAC Activity Slumps: 21 IPOs, Just One Deal
Month-to-date SPAC statistics: IPOs: 21 Definitive agreements: 1 As Jerry Seinfeld said, "That's not gonna be good for anybody."
Pentwater Leads Merger Arbitrage with $10.6 B Book
Largest merger arbitrage books (by 13-F*) Pentwater: $10.6 billion HBK: $8.1 billion Millennium: $7.8 billion Balyasny: $5.3 billion Fidelity: $4.4 billion Citadel: $2.9 billion Qube: $2.7 billion AQR: $2.4 billion Glazer: $2.3 billion Magnetar: $2.1 billion h/t Cantor
Major M&A Moves: IHS, MCW Deals and New IPO
Today's M&A and SPAC notes $IHS to be acquired by MTN Group for $8.50 cash, 3.3% premium, $6.2 billion $MCW to be acquired by Leonard Green & Partners for $7.00 cash, 16.5% premium, $3.1 billion $POLE / StoreDot deal terminated $AACIU $225 million IPO https://t.co/ugQ3GsLFCw
Massive M&A Premiums: MASI, KW, ZIM Deals
Today's M&A notes $MASI to be acquired by $DHR for $180.00 cash, 38.3% premium, $9.9 billion $KW to be acquired by $FFH.to for $10.90 cash, 45.9% premium, $6.5 billion $ZIM to be acquired by $HLAGF for $35.00 cash, 125.8% premium, $4.2 billion https://t.co/ayupP5Rv2J

Walmart's EBITDA Multiple Jumps From 6x to 23x
What a re-rating for Walmart stock. From 6x EBITDA in 2011 to 23x today. Sometimes buying good businesses cheaply just works. https://t.co/ORuNNv1HBY
Unclear if Gains Stem From Profit or Restructuring
Unsure whether this will be because they're in the money or via an out-of-court restructuring