Today's Investment Banking Pulse

SpaceX’s $1 trillion IPO filing faces scrutiny over AI‑compute lease claims
SpaceX filed a massive S‑1 targeting a $1 trillion IPO. Elon Musk’s recent X post described the company’s lease with Anthropic as a short‑term 180‑day arrangement, contradicting the prospectus that outlines a multi‑year $1.25 billion‑per‑month deal. The AI‑compute partnership cited could contribute up to $15 billion.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Credit Agricole raises $670M via Samurai bond

SEDEMAC Raises ₹325.9 Cr From Anchor Investors
SEDEMAC Mechatronics secured ₹325.9 crore from anchor investors at the top of its ₹1,287‑₹1,352 price band, allocating 24.10 lakh shares. The anchor tranche was 68% held by domestic mutual funds, while the OFS‑only IPO totals ₹1,087 crore and targets a valuation of about ₹5,970 crore. The company, an IIT‑Bombay incubated deep‑tech firm, will list on March 11 after reporting a net profit of ₹71.4 crore in FY26’s first nine months. Its mobility business accounts for roughly 86% of revenue, serving major OEMs like Tata Motors and Mahindra.
System Glitch Hides Form D—Perfect Filing Window
Good time to file a Form D that you don't want seen, since the system has been returning "file not found" all day.

Finding Value in Numbers With Ehsan Ehsani – The Special Situations Report Episode 56
Episode 56 of the Special Situations Report features Ehsan Ehsani, executive director at Crescendo Partners and Columbia Business School adjunct, promoting his new book "Finding Value in Numbers." The interview delves into quantitative investing tools, the Kelly Criterion for portfolio...

CCMP at Early-Stage Sale Process for Facilities Manager BGIS, Sources Say
Canadian facilities‑management firm BGIS has entered an early‑stage sale process led by private‑equity sponsor CCMP. Sources indicate the transaction could be priced at roughly 12 times EBITDA, valuing the business near $2.2 billion. The move reflects heightened interest in stable, cash‑generating...

BC Partners: Tariffs Are Number One Risk Factor for PE Industry
BC Partners' Europe chairman Nikos Stathopoulos says tariffs are the top risk for private equity. He adds that despite regulatory complexities, Europe currently serves as a safe‑haven for investors. The firm highlights that tariff volatility threatens deal pricing and exit...
Manulife Launches New Equity Income and Growth Strategy Under EQDP
Manulife Investments has launched the Singapore Opportunities Income Strategy under the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Equity Market Development Programme. The fund will invest exclusively in Singapore‑listed equities, emphasizing small and mid‑cap stocks where research coverage is thin and valuation gaps...

Side Letter: Gulf Disruption
The Private Equity International (PEI) Awards 2025 honored firms that excelled in emerging markets, underscoring a shift toward Middle East opportunities. Global general partners (GPs) are now scrutinizing the Gulf’s evolving regulatory and economic landscape. Limited partners (LPs) report difficulty...

February 2026 Corporate Actions Analysis
February 2026 saw a surge in SPAC‑related corporate actions, with 45 vehicles filing deadline extensions and redemption requests climbing 30% year‑over‑year to $1.2 billion. Twelve de‑SPAC mergers closed, delivering a median post‑merger share price uplift of roughly 15%. The activity reflects...

Newmark Arranges $172.5M Acquisition Financing for The Ben, Autograph Collection
Newmark arranged a $172.5 million acquisition loan for The Ben, Autograph Collection, a 208‑key luxury hotel in West Palm Beach, on behalf of Related Ross. The financing was supplied by Nomura and led by Newmark’s senior debt team. The Ben, delivered...
The Framework Awaiting Berkshire’s Next CFO: Trial Balance
Berkshire Hathaway’s 2024 shareholder letter outlines a new finance leadership mandate as long‑time CFO Marc Hamburg prepares to retire, with Charles Chang, current Energy CFO, slated to take over in June 2026. The letter reiterates the conglomerate’s stewardship ethos, massive liquidity—over...
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,...

AI to Transform How Credit Market Works, JPMorgan Banker Says
JPMorgan’s global head of credit trading, Sanjay Jhamna, says generative AI will overhaul credit trading by efficiently processing the asset class’s massive unstructured data. He described credit markets as the last frontier for automation, noting that conventional AI models have...

Goldman Sachs Turns Bullish on This Coffee Chain After Recent Pullback, Calls Growth Rate ‘Best in Class’
Dutch Bros. Coffee, the fast‑growing U.S. coffee chain, has attracted fresh Wall Street attention after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to a buy. The investment bank kept its 12‑month price target at $75, implying roughly 40 % upside from current levels....
Bain Capital Invests in Tingstad
Private equity firm Bain Capital announced it will acquire a majority stake in Tingstad, the Gothenburg‑based Swedish distributor of non‑food consumables. The deal, advised by Jefferies and others, keeps founder Paul Jigberg and the management team on board with a...

Vermont Bond Bank Brings Modernized Indenture to Market
The Vermont Bond Bank has overhauled its general‑obligation bond indenture for the first time in nearly four decades, moving from a reserve‑based to a cash‑flow model. The new structure creates three lien tiers—Legacy, Community Revenue and Enhanced Community Revenue—backed by...

Rank Taps Former Anchoria MD to Lead Its Wealth Management Division
Nigerian fintech Rank has appointed former Anchoria Managing Director Lucky Djebah as Executive Director, Investment to head Rank Capital’s new wealth‑management and investment‑banking division. Djebah brings more than 15 years of investment‑banking experience and will oversee equity, treasury and high‑net‑worth...

Hong Kong to Move Forwards with Tax Exemption for ILS Investments
Hong Kong's Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui announced plans to broaden the SAR's preferential tax regime to cover insurance-linked securities (ILS) such as catastrophe bonds. The proposal expands the definition of “funds” to include pensions, endowments and single‑investor vehicles, and adds...

Brightline West Cites Construction Progress, Still No Federal Loan
Brightline West, the privately‑owned high‑speed rail venture linking Southern California to Las Vegas, still awaits a $6 billion federal Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan. The company is simultaneously pursuing a $4 billion senior loan from a banking consortium while construction...
Henry Costa Strengthens Team with Two Partners
Henry Costa Partners, a specialist merchant bank serving European financial institutions, announced two senior appointments. Jeanie Kim joins as partner and head of Advice & Principal Investments, while Katherine Rainwood becomes partner and group Chief Operating Officer. The hires broaden...

Sweden’s Skandia on What It Looks for in a Replacement GP
Sweden’s Skandia, through head of private equity Stefan Fällgren, outlined its criteria for selecting a replacement general partner (GP) in a brief video. The insurer emphasized that a GP must demonstrate a strategy capable of delivering outperformance over an extended...

Two Landmark Vietnam Hotels Sold for Combined 53 7million
Two landmark hotel assets in Vietnam were sold for a combined $53.7 million. Singapore‑based UOL Group off‑loaded the 186‑room Park Royal Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City to a domestic investor, while the five‑star Hotel Perle D’Orient Cat Ba on Cat Ba Island was...

Kartesia Asset Finance on Why Private Credit Has only Scratched the Surface of ABF
Kartesia Asset Finance’s Fabrice Fraikin argues that private‑credit‑backed asset‑backed finance (ABF) is entering a rapid expansion phase in 2026. He highlights that while capital inflows are surging, the sector’s success hinges on meticulous underwriting and granular data analysis. Fraikin warns...
GJF, GJF 04: Exercising Option to Call Restricted Bond, Tier 1 (ISIN NO0010965429)
Gjensidige Forsikring ASA announced on 2 March 2026 that it will exercise its call option to redeem the entire outstanding issue of Tier 1 restricted bonds (ISIN NO0010965429). The redemption, approved by Norway's Financial Supervisory Authority, covers a loan amount of NOK 713 million and will...
NO0013735787
A loan agreement (ISIN NO0013735787) was filed on 2 March 2026 for a Norwegian issuer, with the instrument listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under MIC XOSL. The filing includes a detailed loan description and the full agreement in PDF format, providing...
Borregaard ASA: Shares for Employees 2026
Borregaard ASA announced that it transferred 212,596 shares to 503 employees participating in its 2026 employee share programme. The allocation follows earlier exchange notices in February and represents a significant portion of the company's treasury stock. After the transfer, Borregaard...
Euronext Appoints Judith Stein as Head of Investor Relations
Euronext announced that Judith Stein will serve as Head of Investor Relations, reporting to CFO Giorgio Modica from its Paris office. Stein, who joined Euronext in 2020 after a career at the European Court of Auditors, previously held the role...
OSLO BØRS - STATUS COMPANIES PLACED IN RECOVERY BOX AND PENALTY BENCH
Oslo Børs announced that Hynion AS and PCI Biotech Holding ASA have been placed in the Recovery Box, while Hynion AS and Grøntvedt AS are on the Penalty Bench. The Recovery Box isolates securities with uncertain pricing due to extraordinary...

Download the March 2026 Issue of Buyouts
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Cleary Gottlieb Discusses Delaware Chancery’s Refusal to Dismiss Aiding, Abetting in De-SPAC Transaction
The Delaware Court of Chancery refused to dismiss a claim that Jefferies, the financial advisor to Forum III, aided and abetted fiduciary breaches in a de‑SPAC merger. The court applied the Dole factors, inferring that Jefferies knowingly participated by preparing...

‘Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver On Paramount Buying Warner Bros. Discovery: “Not Great News”
John Oliver mocked Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that outbid Netflix after the streaming giant raised its offer to $31 per share. The merger creates a media powerhouse combining Paramount’s film and TV assets with Warner’s extensive library...
Reits that Don’t Trade Well Should Be Privatised, or Sell Assets and Be Liquidated
OUE Real Estate Investment Trust is weighing a sale of its flagship asset, One Raffles Place, which is priced between S$2.3 billion and S$2.4 billion. The trust holds an effective 68 percent interest, contributing roughly 25 percent of its portfolio revenue, yet trades S$0.56 below net...

Pantheon on the Charm of Smaller CVs
Pantheon’s Amyn Hassanally and Charlotte Morris argue that continuation vehicles are increasingly appealing to sponsors targeting small and mid‑cap companies. As more investors explore this structure, the pool of opportunities in the lower‑mid market deepens. The firm highlights that smaller...

QIC: Taking a No-Compromise Approach to CV Underwriting
QIC partner Zach Jackson stresses that secondary buyers must fully underwrite both the sponsor and the underlying asset when assessing continuation vehicle (CV) opportunities. The firm adopts a no‑compromise stance, insisting on comprehensive due diligence rather than relying on surface...

StepStone on Why CVs Will Stay on the Menu
StepStone Group executives Adam Johnston and Ted Black argue that continuation vehicles (CVs) continue to be a preferred exit option for private equity firms. They cite CVs’ ability to consistently outperform the broader buyout market as the primary driver. Even...

UBS: Secondaries Deal Growth Points to Depth of Demand
UBS reports a surge in secondary market activity, with general partners and limited partners bringing larger trophy assets and full portfolios to market. Deal sizes and transaction volumes have expanded markedly, reflecting deepening investor appetite for secondary exposure. Thomas Roche...

Kirkland & Ellis on the Art of Continuation Vehicle Negotiation
Kirkland & Ellis partners observe that GP‑led continuation vehicles have become increasingly standardized within the secondary market. Yet negotiations still reveal tension as secondary buyers apply M&A‑style rigor while sellers favor more flexible terms. The firm highlights the growing importance...

TPG on the Rise of Sector Specialism in CVs
TPG GP Solutions co‑managing partners Matt Jones and Michael Woolhouse say firms with deep sector expertise and direct underwriting are reshaping the single‑asset continuation vehicle (CV) market. They argue that specialist managers can price assets more accurately and execute faster...

Permira on Why It Is Prioritising Specialisation and Performance
Permira’s co‑CEO Dipan Patel says the firm will double‑down on specialization and performance in the next private‑equity cycle. The firm plans to simplify its mission, focusing on a narrower set of sectors where it can add deep expertise. By tightening...

Churchill Asset Management on Secondaries’ Evolving Use Case
Churchill Asset Management’s head of secondaries, Nick Lawler, said secondaries technology is evolving into a multi‑faceted tool for both general partners and limited partners. The latest platforms combine real‑time data, automated pricing models and machine‑learning analytics to improve liquidity and...

Hellman & Friedman on the Art of the Exit
Hellman & Friedman CEO Patrick Healy says that even as distributions to limited partners remain sluggish, the firm can still close sizable sponsor exits. Healy highlights that strategic timing and asset positioning enable multi‑billion‑dollar exits despite a broader market slowdown....

Nuveen Private Markets on Structuring ABF Deals to Meet LP Demand
Nuveen Private Markets executives Laura Parrott and Jessica Bailey outlined how the firm is structuring Asset‑Backed Financing (ABF) deals to satisfy growing limited‑partner demand for private‑credit exposure. They highlighted the importance of predictable cash flows, tranche‑level risk allocation, and ESG...
Intermediaries See Shift to Fixed Income Ahead of Rate Cuts, Eye New Markets for Growth: BOS Survey
A Bank of Singapore survey of 90 senior intermediaries across Singapore, Greater China and Dubai shows a clear shift toward fixed‑income products as investors brace for anticipated rate cuts. One‑third of respondents expect rising demand for bonds, while alternative investments...
LBO Debt Market Faces $20B Nerve‑Testing Stress Test
The LBO debt market is freaking out. Here comes a $20B test of nerves https://t.co/MiXTnEB2pK

The Fintech Showdown Before PhonePe’s IPO
PhonePe is positioning an IPO for FY27, with an April filing window being discussed, while investors scrutinize its path to sustainable profitability. The fintech’s latest filing shows a shift from consumer‑centric payments to a higher share of merchant transactions and...
Ares-Prices-Second-European-Direct-Lending-CLO
Ares Management priced its second European direct‑lending CLO on 2 March 2026, marking a follow‑up to its £305 million debut less than a year earlier. The new issuance targets the European middle‑market loan pool, aiming to capture the surge in private‑credit activity across...

Cohere Poised to Become AI Powerhouse, IPO Possible
Is Cohere the Next AI Powerhouse? I sat down with co-founder Nick Frosst to talk about enterprise models, why chat changed everything, and whether an IPO is on the horizon. Watch Here: https://youtu.be/JqGAQMYwuzQ?si=JS3OpcK1egyIAeFg

Budget-Focused Electric Bike Maker Set to Go Public with IPO
Electric bike maker Tenways has filed for a main‑board listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, backed by investors such as Hillhouse Ventures, Tencent and Alibaba. The company’s revenue rose from €48 million in 2023 to €61 million in 2024, with gross...
Use a 1.5× DSCR to Fund $2‑3M Deals
The one number that unlocks business acquisition finance: DSCR — Debt Service Coverage Ratio Formula: EBITDA ÷ Annual Debt Repayments Lenders want ≥ 1.5x What this means: For every $1 you owe the bank, the business earns $1.50. Find a business with $500K EBITDA? You can service...
Retiring Owners Value Trust over Price in Exits
What retiring business owners actually want: • To know their staff will be looked after • To feel proud of who they sell to • A clean exit with no complications • Someone who "gets" their industry • Monthly payments that feel like a pension Notice...