Today's Investment Banking Pulse
Autodesk to acquire MaintainX for $3.6B, expanding into operations software
Autodesk announced an all‑cash $3.6 billion purchase of MaintainX, a mobile‑first maintenance and operations platform. The transaction is funded with cash on hand, new debt and includes a $150 million restricted‑stock grant to retain staff. CEO Andrew Anagnost said the deal unlocks a $40 billion addressable market and extends Autodesk’s portfolio beyond design into building operations.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Credit Agricole raises $670M via Samurai bond issuance
Chamelidevi Flour Mills Received In-Principle Approval From BSE SME
Chamelidevi Flour Mills Limited has secured in‑principle approval for its Draft Red Herring Prospectus, paving the way for an IPO of 5.82 million equity shares at a ₹10 face value (≈ $0.12 each). The company plans to raise fresh capital to build a new chakki atta line, a Daliya and Kesariya Rawa/Suji plant, and a storage silo, while allocating remaining funds to working capital. With an installed capacity of 85,000 metric tonnes per annum, the firm posted FY 2025 revenue of about $27 million, EBITDA $2.5 million and PAT $1.55 million. Lead manager Beeline Capital and registrar MUFG Intime are handling the issue.
Unilever Closer to Mega Food Spin‑off as McCormick Talks Advance
Unilever is advancing talks with McCormick to spin off its Foods division, valued at roughly $33 billion, using a reverse Morris trust that sidesteps capital‑gains tax. McCormick, worth about $14.5 billion, would acquire the unit and grant Unilever shareholders a majority stake...
Centre to Borrow ₹8.2 Trillion in FY27 First Half; No Impact of Iran War — Yet
The Indian government has announced a borrowing plan of ₹8.2 trillion (about $99 billion) for the first half of FY27, keeping the target unchanged despite the ongoing West Asia conflict. The plan calls for 26 weekly auctions of securities ranging from three...
Morgan Stanley Gets Fed Green Light to Realign German Unit
The Federal Reserve voted 4‑3 to grant Morgan Stanley an exception allowing its German investment bank to be folded into its U.S. holding company, sidestepping Section 23A limits on foreign affiliate ownership. All three Democratic board members dissented, arguing the move...
Vensure Secures $450 Million to Accelerate M&A and AI‑Driven HR Solutions
Vensure Employer Solutions announced a $450 million senior secured financing led by Stone Point Capital Markets. The capital will fund a wave of acquisitions and expand the company's AI‑powered payroll, benefits and compliance tools, cementing Vensure’s position as a fast‑growing private...
Dubai Climbs to 7th Spot in Global Financial Centres Index, Highest Ever Ranking
Dubai has surged to seventh place in the Global Financial Centres Index, its highest position ever and the top ranking for any centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The rise reflects rapid growth at the Dubai International...
Harvey Secures $200 Million Series C, Valuing Legal AI Platform at $11 Billion
Harvey announced a $200 million Series C funding round that lifts its valuation to $11 billion. The round, co‑led by GIC and Sequoia, will fund the expansion of AI agents that automate complex legal workflows for law firms and in‑house teams worldwide.
IDB Invest Backs Rentandes to Increase MSME Access to Machinery in Colombia
IDB Invest has approved up to $12 million in senior‑loan financing for rentandes S.A.S., a Colombian operating‑lease specialist. The funds, split into an $8 million committed tranche and a $4 million optional tranche, will be disbursed in local pesos over six years. Rentandes...
Evercore Builds Out Europe-Based Credit Secondaries Team
Evercore has announced the formation of a Europe‑focused credit secondaries team, hiring four professionals to bolster its capabilities. Among the new hires, two come from rival advisory firm PJT Partners, bringing deep experience in secondary market transactions. The move reflects...
Boards Can't Unilaterally Cancel Mergers; Shareholder Vote Required
I am dumbfounded that an institutional investor could think that a board of directors can just terminate a definitive merger agreement. I am even more shocked that they would admit this publicly in the media. For the uninitiated, a merger agreement can...
Exclusive: UAE CFDs Broker Amana Sells UK Arm to Max Koretskiy’s 11:FS
UAE‑based CFDs broker Amana, through its Dubai holding 180 Capital, has sold its FCA‑licensed UK subsidiary to 11:FS Holdings, a partnership between David Brear and Max Koretskiy. The UK operation will be rebranded as Kinsworth Investments Ltd and will expand...
DZ Bank Launches Bond Framework for Civil Defence and Resilience
DZ Bank announced a new bond framework dedicated to financing civil defence and resilience projects. The structure emphasizes a use‑of‑proceeds label that directs capital toward security‑related infrastructure while explicitly excluding armaments. The bank is consulting with development finance institutions (DFIs)...
Great Pacific Gold Raising $20 Million From Upsized Financing
Great Pacific Gold Corp. announced it is upsizing its public unit offering to raise approximately $20 million, up from the previously targeted $15 million. The company will issue up to 42.6 million units at 47 cents each, each unit comprising one common share and...
‘$1 Trillion Gap’ Attracts Private Equity to Women’s Health, Says Kearney’s Paula Bellostas Muguerza; Astorg, Cinven, Nordic Target Pathology Assets
Private equity firms are flocking to women’s health, drawn by a projected $1 trillion spend gap that creates lucrative growth opportunities. Dealmakers such as Astorg, Cinven and Nordic Capital are also targeting pathology assets, citing rising demand for diagnostic services and...
ACME Solar Shares Rally 6% on Brokerage Optimism, Investec Sees over 18% Upside Potential
ACME Solar shares surged about 6% after brokerages initiated coverage with buy ratings. Investec set a target price of ₹319 (≈$3.8), implying roughly 18% upside from the closing price of ₹269.41 (≈$3.2). The firm’s focus on firm and dispatchable renewable...
Zelestra Secures $600 Million Green Credit Facility for 440 MW Texas Solar Portfolio
Zelestra obtained a $600 million green credit facility led by Societe Generale and HSBC to develop two 440 MW solar projects in Texas. The financing is underpinned by long‑term power purchase agreements with Meta, giving the projects stable cash flows and underscoring the...
Advent to Sell Hair Care Brand Olaplex to Henkel for $1.4bn
Advent International is selling its hair‑care brand Olaplex to German conglomerate Henkel for $1.4 billion, ending Olaplex’s Nasdaq listing and Advent’s ownership. The deal values Olaplex at roughly $1.4 billion, reflecting its strong consumer base and premium pricing. Henkel will integrate Olaplex’s...
Lenders Backed Big Manhattan Office Towers in February
Lenders poured over $2.5 billion into Manhattan’s top‑tier office assets in February, with Brookfield and Olayan each securing $800 million refinancings and Vornado obtaining a $525 million loan. The deals featured higher‑interest rates near 5.9 percent but were backed by strong occupancy and fresh...
Profit From the EBITDA Multiple Spread in M&A
M&A basics nobody teaches you: – buy at 3–5x EBITDA – combine into platform – sell at 10–12x – personal capital: $0 the spread between those two multiples is the entire game
Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI (IPFXU) Prices $220M IPO
Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI priced a $220 million IPO and will begin trading on Nasdaq under the ticker IPFXU on March 27, 2026. The SPAC targets North American and European companies in disruptive growth sectors, leveraging the expertise of its senior management team....
Sunway's 387% Surge Beats IJM's 9% Loss
Sunway is showing IJM how to actually make money. A 387% return vs a 9% loss? This isn't just a merger; it's a rescue mission for your portfolio. Let’s break this down: 1. Sunway's 387% dominance. 2. IJM's wealth destruction. 3. The national champion play. 🧵👇🏼
FGS Reps Brown-Forman as It Talks Merger
Brown‑Forman, represented by FGS Global, announced it is in merger discussions with French liquor giant Pernod Ricard. Both companies describe the potential deal as a merger of equals that would create a global spirits leader with a balanced geographic footprint. Pernod Ricard...
Fullerton Fund Management, 65 Equity Partners to Manage Second Anchor Fund Tranche
Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry and Temasek have appointed Fullerton Fund Management and 65 Equity Partners to manage the second tranche of the Anchor Fund, a S$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) pool launched to anchor high‑quality listings. Fullerton will serve as a...
SoftBank Secures US$40 Billion Loan to Boost OpenAI Investments
SoftBank Group announced a $40 billion unsecured bridge loan to fund its OpenAI stake and broader corporate needs. The loan, arranged with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho, Sumitomo Mitsui and MUFG, matures in March 2027. This financing follows a prior $30 billion commitment...
Deadline for Simba Telecom's M1 Acquisition Pushed Back
Keppel and Simba Telecom have agreed to push back the long‑stop date for Simba's acquisition of M1's telecom business to May 21 2026, after the Infocomm Media Development Authority extended its regulatory review. The transaction, announced in August 2025, values M1's enterprise...
Warner Bros. Discovery Schedules Shareholder Vote on Paramount‑Skydance Merger Backed by $40 Billion
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that shareholders will vote on its proposed merger with Paramount Global and Skydance Media, a transaction underpinned by a $40 billion commitment from Larry Ellison. The vote date was not disclosed, but the move pushes the deal...
Ackerman Hires CRE Veteran Charles Pledger to Lead Investment Sales
Ackerman & Co. announced the hire of commercial‑real‑estate veteran Charles Pledger to head a newly created Investment Sales Division. The move deepens the firm’s capital markets franchise and adds a slate of seasoned brokers to serve investors in the Southeast.
L Catterton and Cedar Capital Launch Luxury Hotel JV, Acquiring Two Iconic Properties
L Catterton Real Estate and Cedar Capital Partners announced a strategic joint venture to build a luxury hospitality platform, immediately acquiring the 177‑key Garden Beach Hotel on the French Riviera and the 204‑key Penha Longa Resort near Lisbon. The partnership...
Pernod Ricard Wants to Acquire Jack Daniel’s
French spirits giant Pernod Ricard and U.S. producer Brown‑Forman are in advanced talks to merge, which would combine Pernod’s €15 billion (≈$16.2 billion) valuation with Brown‑Forman’s $12 billion market cap. The combined entity would own a broad portfolio including Absolut Vodka, Havana Club rum,...
InsideArbitrage Event Driven Monitor – March 27, 2026
The InsideArbitrage Event Driven Monitor highlights a series of high‑profile M&A moves, including the $22 billion merger‑of‑equals between Equitable Holdings and Corebridge Financial, and Henkel's $1.4 billion cash acquisition of Olaplex at a 55% premium. Servier has opened a tender offer for...
Wolfspeed Reduces Senior Secured Note Balance by 43% After Raising $475.9m in Private Placements
Wolfspeed Inc. raised $475.9 million through a $379 million 3.5% convertible senior secured note offering and $96.9 million of equity and pre‑funded warrants. The proceeds were used to redeem $475.9 million of its 2030 senior secured notes, slashing the outstanding balance by 43%. The...
HKEX, Bursa Malaysia Launch Co-Branded Index, Sign MOU to Enhance Market Connectivity
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) and Bursa Malaysia signed an MOU to deepen market connectivity, launching the co‑branded HKEX Bursa Malaysia Large Cap Index. The index tracks the 60 largest listed firms, allocating roughly 60% weight to Hong Kong companies and 40%...
Farewell but Not Goodbye to ‘GlenTinto’, Analysts Say
The $240 billion proposed merger between Rio Tinto and Glencore fell apart in February, with both sides unable to agree on valuation splits. While Australian shareholders celebrated the breakup, rising thermal coal prices—up roughly 25% to about $130‑$150 per tonne—have revived...
Novartis Agrees to Acquire Excellergy, Building on Allergy Leadership With Next-Generation Anti-Ige Innovation
Novartis announced a definitive agreement to acquire Excellergy, a private biotech developing next‑generation anti‑IgE therapies. The deal values Excellergy at up to $2 billion in upfront and milestone payments, with closing targeted for the second half of 2026. Exl‑111, Excellergy’s lead...
Avoid All Three IPOs, Even Top Pick
3 - IPO : Closing Today 🚨 1) Amir Chand (Best among all 3) 2) Sai Parental 3) Powerica Ltd My Final Decision - AVOID ❌ @champ_trader
Helios Consortium Offer for CAB
On 12 February 2026 the Helios Consortium announced a cash offer to acquire all outstanding CAB Payments shares at US$1.15 per share. The offer is now backed by shareholders controlling roughly 52.7% of CAB’s capital, making it the only firm, deliverable bid...
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. – Falcon Provides Update on Transaction with Tamboran
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. announced that the British Columbia Supreme Court approved the final order needed to complete its pending transaction with Tamboran Resources, subject to amendments addressing shareholders under sanctions. The court’s decision follows shareholder Lamesa Holding’s opposition...
Cantor Fitzgerald Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Zillow Group (NASDAQ:ZG) Stock Price
Cantor Fitzgerald lowered its Zillow Group price target to $46 from $56, maintaining a neutral rating, while other analysts also trimmed their targets, leaving an average consensus of $77.05 and a Hold rating. The stock opened at $42.04, near its...
Tong Ren Tang Healthcare Unit Pulls Hong Kong IPO Scheduled for Monday
Beijing Tong Ren Tang Healthcare Investment postponed its Hong Kong IPO, citing volatile market conditions and weak subscription. The offering aimed to raise up to HK$897.7 million (approximately US$115 million) by selling 108.15 million shares at HK$7.30‑HK$8.30 each. Investor demand was tepid, with the public tranche...
The Big Problem with UK Investment Trusts
UK investment trusts, a £250bn (≈$317bn) market, face chronic discounts of 20‑40% to net asset value, eroding investor confidence. The article attributes the discount to entrenched external managers and fee structures that reward assets under management rather than performance. Ben...
Air India Express Raises Borrowing Limit to ₹17,500 Crore Amid Losses, Turbulence
Air India Express lifted its borrowing limit by 25% to ₹17,500 crore (≈ $2.1 billion) to fund near‑term operations after FY25 losses surged to ₹5,822 crore (≈ $702 million) despite a 26% revenue rise. Debt climbed 61% to ₹10,087 crore (≈ $1.2 billion), now exceeding the airline’s ₹16,033 crore (≈ $1.9 billion)...
Car Insurer First Central Is Said to Tap Banks for London IPO
First Central Group Ltd., a UK motor and home insurer serving 1.5 million customers, has engaged Deutsche Bank and UBS to advise on a potential London IPO that could value the company at roughly £1 billion ($1.3 billion). The insurer reported 2024 gross...
BDC Discounts Suggest Default Rates 5‑10× GFC Levels
Historical recovery rates for middle market direct lending is 65% to 85%. Currently, if one assumes this recovery rate holds, listed BDCs trading at an average -25% discount to NAV imply a 34% to 79% cumulative default rate, which is 5x...
SpaceX and Tesla Set to Merge, Become “X”
Prediction: SpaceX and Tesla merge within the next 12 months @CCM_Ryan thinks it will be renamed to "X"
EQT‑McKinsey Study Shows European Tech Exodus Wiped Out $1.4 Trillion in Value
Swedish private‑equity firm EQT and consulting giant McKinsey released a study that quantifies a €1.2 trillion ($1.4 trillion) loss in value from European technology companies that have either listed overseas or been acquired by foreign buyers since 2014. The findings highlight a...
Versant Joins Talks to Buy Vox Media's Podcast Unit
scoop w/@jtes: CNBC and MS Now parent Versant is among the companies in talks to acquire Vox Media's podcast biz https://t.co/sWkoNWwPEH
Moonshot AI Targets Hong Kong IPO Amid Tight Scrutiny
China’s Moonshot AI Seeks Listing in Hong Kong Under Heightened Scrutiny—Markets will be watching to see if the company can replicate the success of recent listings by other Chinese AI companies @Tracyyyqu @raffaelehuang https://t.co/ECrREtfSD7 https://t.co/ECrREtfSD7
Tom Gores Joins Final Four Bidders for San Diego Padres
Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores has entered the final four bidders for the San Diego Padres as the MLB team's sale narrows. The bid reflects a growing trend of private‑equity‑style investors targeting marquee sports assets.
China Mulls Loosening Investor Limits to Aid Banks
Reuters: "China is considering easing shareholding restrictions for some major investors, people with knowledge of the matter said, in a move aimed at broadening capital-raising options for commercial banks reeling from an economic slowdown." https://t.co/HCdl6eFRCX
Software Loans Keep Default Rates Below 2% Amid AI Panic
AI fears have flipped the direct lending business on its head. Historically, software has exhibited the lowest default rate in private credit at 1.4%, below the average of 2-3%. https://t.co/Ff7NdOcqJI