The (Artificial) Intelligent Investor

Investor advice platforms, at both the retail and institutional level, have evolved in recent years – from the use of classic literature to expanded services offered by brick-and-mortar firms. However, with the growth of app-induced innovation, various robo-advising platforms have taken the lead in providing investors with seamless, efficient, and cost-effective means of advice. We … Continue reading

Successful Mini-Tenders

By Kiri Buchanan on April 30, 2021 Posted in Corporate finance

While controversial, mini-tenders are permitted in the Canadian markets. This blog provides a brief overview of mini-tenders and summarizes two recent examples, which demonstrate the considerations surrounding whether or not a mini-tender will succeed. What is a mini-tender? A mini-tender is an unsolicited and widely disseminated offer to purchase less than 20% of the outstanding … Continue reading

Full Speed Ahead: Post-Pandemic Trends in M&A

By Brandon Schupp on April 19, 2021 Posted in M&A

After a nine-year low in 2020, M&A activity in Canada made a strong rebound in the first quarter of 2021. As reported by BNN Bloomberg, in the first three months of 2021, Canadian companies were involved in 1,168 deals that together totalled US $115 billion in value, dwarfing the US $44.3 billion in deal value … Continue reading

Funding M&A Deals with Bitcoin

By Alexandra David on April 1, 2021 Posted in M&A, Technology and innovation

As Bitcoin gains increasing traction since its inception 11 years ago, we begin to question whether it will slowly replace traditional dollar funding in M&A deals. Whether Bitcoin will be used to fund large M&A deals will likely depend on its ability to stabilize in value. One of the most common concerns of using Bitcoin … Continue reading

Transforming Adversity into Opportunity: The Need for New Technologies Fuels Insurance M&A

By nrfdigitalteam on March 18, 2021 Posted in M&A, Technology and innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way in which we interact with the world. From working, to shopping, to socializing, most aspects of our daily lives have moved to the online world. Consumers now expect effective online platforms for all goods and services, and businesses have been forced to adapt quickly. The need for robust … Continue reading

Visiting the Doctor in a Virtual World Provides Business Opportunities in Telehealth

By nrfdigitalteam on March 11, 2021 Posted in M&A, Technology and innovation

It is no secret that during 2020 and into 2021 the COVID-19 pandemic has created massive disruptions for a variety of industries. One such example is the movement of health care services online in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines. A wide variety of technology and applications to facilitate this, referred to as telehealth … Continue reading

Earn-outs and reverse earn-outs

By Kiri Buchanan on February 23, 2021 Posted in M&A

In May, we wrote about the increased focus on earn-out provisions during the pandemic as a method to mitigate the risk of a target’s post-closing under-performance and to bridge any valuation gap between the purchaser and seller. More recently, we discussed post-closing balance sheet adjustments as a separate tool to address the same risk. In … Continue reading

Lower 2021 thresholds announced for merger reviews under Competition Act and Investment Canada Act

By nrfdigitalteam on February 12, 2021 Posted in Antitrust, competition and regulatory

The threshold for certain pre-closing net benefit reviews under the Investment Canada Act (ICA) and the threshold for a pre-closing merger notification under the Competition Act have now both been released for 2021. Thresholds under both statutes decreased slightly, meaning more transactions may be reviewable or notifiable, respectively, than in 2020. Competition Act Canada uses a two-part test … Continue reading

“To the Moon”: The Rise of the Retail Investor and What this Means for Dealmakers

By nrfdigitalteam on February 9, 2021 Posted in Corporate finance, M&A

Retail investors are becoming an increasingly significant source of capital on public markets, and dealmakers should be aware of how this development can impact M&A transactions and the decision to go public. After the latest garnering of widespread attention in the news, the retail investment community has been estimated to constitute as much as 25% … Continue reading

A Slow Burn: The Cannabis Sector May be Ready for Market Consolidation

By Brandon Schupp on January 19, 2021 Posted in Cannabis, M&A

The first half of 2020 saw a significant decline in M&A activity as capital markets were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the second half of the year saw a surge in M&A activity that is expected to continue into 2021. One industry that may be particularly well primed for M&A activity in 2021 is … Continue reading