There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented social and economic ramifications, including a decline in M&A activity in Canada. The pandemic has also brought in changes to the way agreements are being drafted in light
Financial institutions
Let’s see the money! Debt finance options in M&A
In many cases purchasers in an M&A deal will obtain debt financing to cover a portion of the purchase price. Fortunately, in Canada the options for acquisition financing are plentiful. Common ‘types’ include:
Senior Debt: the Bank Loan
Banks and…
Location, location, location: Where’s your chief executive office?
In the context of cross-border secured financing transactions involving Canada and the United States, the rules relating to perfection and priority of personal property pledged in favour of a lender or agent are similar. In the U.S., Article 9 of…
2019 M&A activity off to a strong start in financial services
M&A activity in the financial services sector has opened with a solid start. According to a KPMG quarterly update, the Q1 2019 report is the second highest than any other quarter since 2016 by deal volume. This positive start…
Borrowers, beware: Bank of Canada announces interest rate hike
Recently, Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz announced an increase in the interest rate from 1.25% to 1.5%. The increase comes as the Bank of Canada predicts a continued growth in the Canadian economy from exports and business investments. However,…
Regulatory reform signals potential spike in M&A activity involving US financial institutions
On March 14, 2018, the US Senate voted (67-31) to advance S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (the Bill). The Bill, which will only become law with approval from the House and Congress, marks…
Big data analytics in the context of M&A
Big data analytics (big data) has established a reputation as a tool useful in the financial services arena, where it has enhanced banks’ abilities to personalize data of their customers to predict trends. More recently, big data…
Financing with non-bank lenders
Non-bank lenders are increasing their market presence in both acquisition financing and the provision of financial solutions for ongoing operations, including in the asset-based lending context. The increased presence of non-bank lenders seems to be driven by both the benefits…
FinTech M&A: a wave or just a ripple?
While the rapid and exponential growth of Financial Technology (FinTech) companies appear to signal an impending wave of M&A, certain impediments exist that may mitigate these projections. FinTech companies develop and market technologies that facilitate a variety…
Spotlight on Ukraine: a promising future for M&A activity
In March 2014, this blog featured an article discussing the effect of the recent crisis in Ukraine on M&A activity. The crisis began in November 2013 when Ukrainians protested en masse after then-president Viktor Yanukovych failed to sign an…