Barring another recession or material reduction in bank stock valuations in the public markets, M&A activity should improve as 2021 progresses.
However, some boards that would like to sell may have a hard time accepting a lower price versus what was obtainable a couple of years ago.
One way to bridge the bid-ask gap is to consider transactions with more rather than less consideration consisting of the buyer’s common shares. Cash deals “cash-out” shareholders who then reinvest after-tax proceeds. Stock deals allow the target’s shareholders to remain invested in a sector that still trades cheap to longer-term valuations.
This session, presented as part of the 2021 Acquire or Be Acquired Conference sponsored by Bank Director, addresses these issues.
