Bank mergers in America are becoming simpler. Investment bankers would be well advised to catch up on their sleep over the holidays—next year could be busy https://t.co/ats2mZkXXi ...

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance Corp. is attempting to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. but faces significant challenges due to a planned $54 billion debt load [1] Financing Structure - Paramount has a temporary financing package but lacks a maximum rate for permanent borrowings, risking spiraling expenses if debt markets worsen [2] - The financing is structured as a bridge loan with both investment-grade secured and non-investment-grade unsecured components, aiming to attract liquidity [6] - Long-term financing lacks interest rate caps, exposing Paramount to potential cost increases if market conditions deteriorate [7] Competitive Landscape - Paramount's hostile bid competes with a friendly offer from Netflix, which has already been approved by Warner's board, potentially driving up the acquisition cost and debt [4] - Paramount is positioned as an aspiring investment-grade borrower, needing to implement cost cuts and efficiency measures to achieve this status [3] Debt and Ratings - Paramount's debt leverage is projected to be around four times earnings at the acquisition's closing, with a target to reduce it to two times within two years [14] - Credit raters expect the leverage to be much higher, around seven times EBITDA, after the deal closes, indicating a potential downgrade to junk status [15][16] - Paramount's pro forma net leverage is estimated at 5.5 times, with analysts expressing skepticism about the realization of cost savings [16] Market Context - The current environment shows banks regaining risk appetite, with forecasts suggesting a record year for M&A activity in 2026 following a downturn in 2022 [9] - Paramount's financing will be equally split among three lenders, with Apollo acting as a traditional bank lender rather than through its private credit arm [10] Comparison with Netflix - Netflix's bid involves a bridge loan that will be replaced by bonds, with its loan being unsecured due to a stronger balance sheet and credit ratings [11][12] - Paramount is expected to pay more for its debt compared to Netflix, which is rated higher and has a $59 billion loan [10]

The financing offered by the trio of lenders is a bridge loan, which will come in the form of investment-grade secured debt and non-investment-grade unsecured components, denominated in dollars and euros to capture as much liquidity as possible, according to people familiar with the matter. This unusual hybrid structure is expected to offer investors more yield than is typically seen in an investment-grade deal, the people said.Bankers have seen this movie before. The money provided by Bank of America Corp. ...

You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. The M&A announcements are coming fast and furious to round out a very busy 2025. This week, Wealth Enhancement acquired a registered investment advisor with a broker/dealer managing $2.2 billion in assets, Dynasty Financial Partners firm Procyon acquired a $500 million RIA in Michigan and Texas, and a doctor and healthcare professional-focused practice, Earned, acquired an Ohio RIA managing $900 ...

Core Insights - Perimeter Solutions, Inc. (PRM) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Medical Manufacturing Technologies LLC (MMT) for approximately $685 million in an all-cash deal, expected to close by the first quarter of 2026 [1][7] - The acquisition aligns with PRM's strategy of focusing on businesses in secular growth markets, with MMT projected to generate around $140 million in revenues and $50 million in adjusted EBITDA for 2025 [2][3] Financial Details - The transaction will be funded through $500 million in new secured debt financing and $185 million in cash on hand, with an expected net leverage ratio of about 2.7x net debt to combined adjusted EBITDA for the last 12 months ending September 30, 2025 [1][3][7] - MMT has a strong history of organic and M&A driven growth, with about half of its revenues derived from aftermarket consumables [2] Market Performance - PRM's shares have increased by 124.5% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry, which has seen an 8.5% decline [4] - PRM currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong market confidence in the company's future performance [5]

America has far more commercial banks than other rich countries. Recently pressure to merge and unlock the benefits of scale has grown, while the regulatory and financial hurdles have shrunk https://t.co/ezCps8kE78 ...

This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter. Global M&A activity returned in force in 2025, revealing new patterns that every finance team and CFO will need to understand as they approach 2026. Total global deal value is on track to reach $4.8 trillion, which would be the second-highest total on record, according to a new report from Bain and Company. The data shows a market that is active again with clearer pricing sign ...

This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter. For most publicly held companies, growth isn’t an option but rather is central to their mission. Indeed, the very reason they sought equity investment in the first place was to fund growth strategies designed to boost shareholder value. It’s the job of a company’s board to establish growth-oriented priorities, and in the current demanding business environment, two stand out. ...

Indian banks are pushing to relax a key cap on financing for mergers, as domestic lenders seek to win more business from global rivals in a surging deals market https://t.co/WerkjcMYrJ ...

The boutique investment management firm is being sold.Shares of Diamond Hill Investment Group (DHIL +44.40%) leaped 44% on Thursday after the asset manager struck a deal to be acquired by First Eagle Investments for $473 million. Diamond Hill's investment team is slated to stay on boardUnder the terms of the deal, First Eagle will purchase all of Diamond Hill's outstanding stock for $175 per share in cash. That's a premium of more than 49% compared to Diamond Hill's closing stock price on Dec. 10."This par ...