×

Subscribe Today

Get our free articles delivered directly to your email!

Continue reading

Merger Arbitrage Mondays – More Than 10 Deals With Spreads Of Over 25%

  • March 30, 2020

Merger activity ground to a halt last week with no new deals announced and two active deals completed. Merger spreads continued to remain wide for a second week in a row and at one point even AbbVie’s acquisition of Allergan (AGN) was trading at a spread of over 12% as you can see below from our spread history chart for that deal.

AbbVie Allergan Spread History Chart
AbbVie Allergan Spread History Chart (click to enlarge)

With 10 deals trading at spreads of over 25% and 26 deals trading with spreads of over 10%, the merger arbitrage space is rife with both opportunity and risk. If the economic situation deteriorates further and impacted industries are not able to benefit from the massive $2 trillion stimulus package that has now passed both houses of congress, there is a good possibility that several of these deals will fall apart.

Studying the material adverse change (MAC) clause of a merger agreement may not be sufficient, as acquirers could choose to walk away from deals and take their chances in the courts. Paying attention to the kind of acquirer, the macro environment and industry specific issues is very important at this juncture. We wrote the following in last week’s Merger Arbitrage Mondays article about industry specific risks,

As the COVID-19 outbreak escalates globally, we saw significant changes in the spreads for the active deals in our table. Companies belonging to the consumer discretionary sector, like Stein Mart (SMRT), Tiffany & Co (TIF) and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (CZR) had to shut down stores and operations in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Tiffany situation was interesting with the spread on the merger jumping over 20% early last week before settling lower towards the end of the week. There was some chatter about the drop in Tiffany being related to Citadel Investment unwinding its merger arbitrage position after the head of its merger arbitrage desk, Maulin Shah, leaving the company following a bad bet on the Sprint – T-Mobile merger. There was also some chatter about LVMH approaching Tiffany’s board to acquire shares on the open market at a discount, which frankly felt far fetched.

You can find all the active deals listed below in our Merger Arbitrage Tool (MAT) that automatically updates itself during market hours.

There was one new deal announced in the Deals in the Works section last week.

Weekly Spread Changes:

The table below shows weekly spread changes between March 20, 2020 and March 27, 2020.

SymbolQuoteAcquiring
Company
Acquiring
Company Quote
Current
Spread
Last Week
Spread
Spread Change
Weekly
Deal
Type
YTRA1.08Ebix, Inc. (EBIX)17.4861.85%28.57%33.28%All Stock
CDOR4.47NexPoint Hospitality Trust (N/A)148.32%120.24%28.08%All Cash
POPE79.15Rayonier Inc. (RYN)21.8523.32%11.26%12.06%Cash Plus Stock
NTGN2.26BioNTech SE (BNTX)5553.32%41.52%11.80%All Stock
TIVO6.7Xperi Corporation (XPER)13.57-7.85%-16.64%8.79%All Stock
SORL4.04Ruili International Inc. (N/A)16.83%47.96%-31.13%All Cash
PGNX3.59Lantheus Holdings, Inc. (LNTH)12.124.66%41.37%-36.71%All Stock
GILT7.34Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (CMTL)14.9915.03%52.96%-37.93%Cash Plus Stock
CETV3.18PPF Group N.V. (N/A)44.03%84.68%-40.65%All Cash
SMRT0.488Kingswood Capital Management, L.P. (N/A)84.43%221.43%-137.00%All Cash

Deal Statistics:

Total Number of Deals Closed in 202037
Total Number of Deals Not Completed in 20203
Total Number of Pending Deals
Cash Deals37
Stock Deals27
Stock & Cash Deals5
Special Conditions4
Total Number of Pending Deals73
Aggregate Deal Consideration$538.81 billion

Deal Updates:

  1. On March 24, 2020, the Board of Directors of SORL Auto Parts (SORLresolved to hold the special meeting of the Company’s stockholders ‎at on May 8, 2020.
  2. On March 24, 2020, Aircastle Limited (AYR) announced the receipt of the final regulatory approval that is a condition to closing Aircastle’s previously announced merger with an entity controlled by affiliates of Marubeni Corporation and Mizuho Leasing Company, Limited.
  3. On March 24, 2020, Telaria (TLRA) announced that, due to the rapidly evolving public health concerns relating to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it intends to convene and then immediately adjourn, without conducting any business, its special meeting of stockholders scheduled to occur on March 30, 2020 in a virtual meeting format only.
  4. On March 24, 2020, Condor Hospitality Trust (CDOR) provided an update on the previously announced acquisition by merger of the Company by NexPoint Hospitality Trust. Closing of the acquisition did not occur on March 23, 2020, as extended to such date at the request of NHT pursuant to a previously announced amendment to the merger agreement. The Company is in discussions with NHT concerning the closing of the acquisition, and the Company is also reviewing its options and reserves all rights under the merger agreement.
  5. On March 24, 2020, Genworth Financial (GNW) and China Oceanwide Holdings Group announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has reapproved the proposed acquisition of control by Oceanwide of Genworth’s New York-domiciled insurance company, Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York (GLICNY).
  6. On March 27, 2020, shareholders of Southwest Georgia Financial Corporation (SGBapproved the company’s merger with The First Bancshares (FBMS) at a special meeting of shareholders.
  7. On March 27, 2020, The Stars Group (TSG) announced that its special meeting of shareholders to approve the proposed all-share combination with Flutter Entertainment will be held on Friday, April 24, 2020.

Closed Deals:

  1. The acquisition of Instructure (INST) by Thoma Bravo on March 24, 2020. It took 111 days for this deal to be completed.
  2. The acquisition of Aircastle Limited (AYR) by Marubeni Corporation and Mizuho Leasing Company, Limited on March 27, 2020. It took 142 days for this deal to be completed.

Top 10 deals with largest spreads:

SymbolAnnounced
Date
Acquiring
Company
Closing
Price
Last
Price
Closing
Date
ProfitAnnualized
Profit
CDOR07/22/2019NexPoint Hospitality Trust (N/A)$11.10$4.4706/30/2020148.32%582.12%
SMRT01/31/2020Kingswood Capital Management, L.P. (N/A)$0.90$0.48806/30/202084.43%331.35%
YTRA07/17/2019Ebix, Inc. (EBIX)$1.75$1.0803/31/202061.85%11287.96%
NTGN01/16/2020BioNTech SE (BNTX)$3.47$2.2606/30/202053.32%209.26%
GNW10/23/2016China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (N/A)$5.43$3.7503/31/202044.80%8176.00%
CETV10/27/2019PPF Group N.V. (N/A)$4.58$3.1806/30/202044.03%172.79%
CZR06/24/2019Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (ERI)$9.76$6.8506/30/202042.50%166.79%
FSBC12/19/2019Evans Bancorp, Inc. (EVBN)$17.80$13.3906/30/202032.94%129.26%
FG02/07/2020Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (FNF)$12.50$9.5109/30/202031.44%62.03%
TGE12/17/2019Blackstone Infrastructure Partners (N/A)$22.45$17.4406/30/202028.73%112.75%

List of all pending deals:

The list of all pending deals is only available to InsideArbitrage Premium and Plus members.

SymbolAnnounced
Date
Acquiring
Company
Deal
Type
Closing
Value
Closing
Price
Last
Price
VolumeClosing
Date
ProfitAnnu.
Profit
+CDOR07/22/2019NexPoint Hospitality Trust (N/A)All Cash$318 million$11.10$4.4737,55506/30/2020148.32%588.45%
+SMRT01/31/2020Kingswood Capital Management, L.P. (N/A)All Cash$819.29 million$0.90$0.488206,39606/30/202084.43%334.95%
+YTRA07/17/2019Ebix, Inc. (EBIX)All Stock$239 million$1.75$1.08110,99903/31/202061.85%22575.93%
+NTGN01/16/2020BioNTech SE (BNTX)All Stock$67 million$3.47$2.26158,70506/30/202053.32%211.54%
+GNW10/23/2016China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (N/A)All Cash$2.7 billion$5.43$3.757,586,13703/31/202044.80%16352.00%
+CETV10/27/2019PPF Group N.V. (N/A)All Cash$2.1 billion$4.58$3.181,094,19306/30/202044.03%174.67%
+CZR06/24/2019Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (ERI)Cash Plus Stock$17.3 billion$9.76$6.8513,631,88806/30/202042.50%168.60%
+FSBC12/19/2019Evans Bancorp, Inc. (EVBN)All Cash$34.7 million$17.80$13.3934106/30/202032.94%130.67%
+FG02/07/2020Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (FNF)Special Conditions$2.7 billion$12.50$9.513,058,60309/30/202031.44%62.37%
+TGE12/17/2019Blackstone Infrastructure Partners (N/A)All Cash$7.93 billion$22.45$17.443,254,38106/30/202028.73%113.97%
+POPE01/15/2020Rayonier Inc. (RYN)Cash Plus Stock$656 million$97.61$79.1519,38606/30/202023.32%92.53%
+CORV03/16/2020ADVANZ PHARMA (N/A)Special Conditions$76 million$0.42$0.3551,618,98406/30/202018.31%72.64%
+SORL11/29/2019Ruili International Inc. (N/A)All Cash$351.05 million$4.72$4.04103,40006/30/202016.83%66.78%
+GILT01/29/2020Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (CMTL)Cash Plus Stock$532.5 million$8.44$7.34276,38010/31/202115.03%9.46%
+WEBK12/05/2019Cambridge Bancorp (CATC)All Stock$122 million$29.00$25.392,24506/30/202014.22%56.41%
+AXE01/13/2020WESCO International, Inc. (WCC)Special Conditions$4.5 billion$100.00$87.66348,58209/30/202014.08%27.92%
+FIT11/01/2019Google LLC (GOOG)All Cash$2.1 billion$7.35$6.465,421,03306/30/202013.78%54.66%
+TSG10/02/2019Flutter Entertainment PLC (PDYPF)All Stock$12.25 billion$20.06$17.682,603,63009/30/202013.48%26.74%
+KEM11/11/2019Yageo Corporation (N/A)All Cash$1.8 billion$27.20$23.98572,83712/31/202013.43%17.76%
+TCO02/10/2020Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG)All Cash$8.79 billion$52.50$46.391,182,75306/30/202013.17%52.25%
+MEET03/05/2020NuCom Group (N/A)All Cash$500 million$6.30$5.61,543,69612/31/202012.50%16.53%
+IOTS02/20/2020Dialog Semiconductor Plc (DLGNF)All Cash$500 million$12.55$11.2535,35109/30/202012.05%23.91%
+BREW11/12/2019Anheuser-Busch (N/A)All Cash$321 million$16.50$14.85354,20706/30/202011.11%44.08%
+TECD11/13/2019Apollo Global Management (APO)All Cash$5.4 billion$145.00$130.64356,34406/30/202010.99%43.61%
+SBBX03/12/2020Provident Financial Services, Inc. (PFS)All Stock$208.9 million$18.10$16.3920,53409/30/202010.45%20.73%
+DLPH01/28/2020BorgWarner Inc. (BWA)All Stock$3.3 billion$10.75$9.731,761,28212/31/202010.44%13.80%
+TCBI12/09/2019Independent Bank Group, Inc. (IBTX)All Stock$3 billion$24.81$22.73789,58506/30/20209.14%36.27%
+JMEI02/25/2020Super ROI Global Holding Limited and Jumei Investment Holding Limited (N/A)All Cash$299.19 million$20.00$18.3124,46206/30/20208.96%35.54%
+RESI02/18/2020Amherst Residential, LLC (N/A)All Cash$2.3 billion$12.50$11.5542,01506/30/20208.70%34.50%
+GCAP02/27/2020INTL FCStone Inc. (INTL)All Cash$236 million$6.00$5.57144,81506/30/20207.72%30.63%
+QGEN03/03/2020Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO)All Cash$11.5 billion$43.34$40.452,163,99306/30/20217.14%5.71%
+WLTW03/09/2020Aon plc (AON)All Stock$34.45 billion$178.65$167.211,289,91206/30/20216.84%5.47%
+WMGI11/04/2019Stryker Corporation (SYK)All Cash$5.4 billion$30.75$293,123,10012/31/20206.03%7.98%
+TIF11/25/2019LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMUY)All Cash$16.2 billion$135.00$127.441,670,24706/30/20205.93%23.54%
+AGN06/25/2019AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)Cash Plus Stock$63 billion$183.23$1732,533,18203/31/20205.91%2158.82%
+FSCT02/06/2020Advent International (N/A)All Cash$1.9 billion$33.00$31.22849,11506/30/20205.70%22.62%
+AMTD11/25/2019The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW)All Stock$26 billion$36.42$34.513,432,89312/31/20205.54%7.33%
+PBBI10/22/2019Centreville Bank (N/A)All Cash$115.5 million$15.25$14.4621,66506/30/20205.46%21.68%
+CBB03/13/2020Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (N/A)All Cash$2.9 billion$15.50$14.73583,01606/30/20215.23%4.18%
+QUMU02/11/2020Synacor, Inc. (SYNC)All Stock$24.06 million$1.46$1.39539,06106/30/20204.81%19.07%
+PGNX10/02/2019Lantheus Holdings, Inc. (LNTH)All Stock$486.85 million$3.76$3.59662,00105/15/20204.66%36.96%
+ETFC02/20/2020Morgan Stanley (MS)All Stock$13 billion$35.48$33.985,112,13212/31/20204.41%5.83%
+MLNX03/11/2019NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)All Cash$6.9 billion$125.00$119.791,593,91403/31/20204.35%1587.49%
+CSFL01/27/2020South State Corporation (SSB)All Stock$3.29 billion$17.91$17.18421,90909/30/20204.23%8.39%
+IBKC11/04/2019First Horizon National Corporation (FHN)All Stock$5.28 billion$38.14$36.63467,25406/30/20204.12%16.34%
+ACIA07/08/2019Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO)All Cash$2.6 billion$70.00$67.41522,95707/31/20203.84%11.40%
+TERP03/16/2020Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (BEP)All Stock$10.5 billion$15.70$15.16845,51909/30/20203.57%7.08%
+LM02/18/2020Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN)All Cash$6.5 billion$50.00$48.322,801,20209/30/20203.48%6.90%
+CY06/02/2019Infineon Technologies AG (IFNNY)All Cash$9.56 billion$23.85$23.125,094,59103/31/20203.16%1152.47%
+OPB02/03/2020Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. (PPBI)All Stock$1 billion$16.33$15.83143,07506/30/20203.13%12.43%
+LOGM12/17/2019Francisco Partners (N/A)All Cash$4.3 billion$86.05$83.59640,08306/30/20202.94%11.68%
+CYOU01/24/2020Sohu.com Limited (SOHU)All Cash$579 million$10.80$10.5167,75506/30/20202.76%10.95%
+LACQ12/30/2019GTWY Holdings Limited (N/A)Special Conditions$1.115 billion$11.50$11.2106/30/20202.68%10.63%
+RARX10/09/2019UCB (N/A)All Cash$2.1 billion$48.00$46.91,179,19103/31/20202.35%856.08%
+ADSW04/15/2019Waste Management, Inc. (WM)All Cash$4.9 billion$33.15$32.461,524,31203/31/20202.13%775.88%
+FSB01/21/2020FB Financial Corporation (FBK)Cash Plus Stock$611 million$21.07$20.6849,91409/30/20201.88%3.73%
+MFSF10/29/2019Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI)All Stock$346 million$27.24$26.7715,11106/30/20201.76%6.97%
+WBC03/28/2019ZF Friedrichshafen AG (N/A)All Cash$7.29 billion$136.50$134.34887,33103/31/20201.61%586.87%
+EQM02/27/2020Equitrans Midstream Corporation (ETRN)All Stock$10.03 billion$10.25$10.091,273,48506/30/20201.57%6.21%
+EE06/03/2019J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (N/A)All Cash$4.3 billion$68.25$67.26558,05806/30/20201.47%5.84%
+MINI03/02/2020WillScot Corporation (WSC)All Stock$2.89 billion$26.48$26.17339,75709/30/20201.18%2.34%
+S04/29/2018T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS)All Stock$59 billion$8.38$8.2918,102,47107/01/20201.10%4.32%
+FTSV03/02/2020Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD)All Cash$4.9 billion$95.50$94.551,555,10406/30/20201.00%3.99%
+CARO11/18/2019United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI)All Stock$1.1 billion$24.89$24.7184,43506/30/20200.79%3.11%
+HXL01/12/2020Woodward, Inc. (WWD)All Stock$7.63 billion$38.76$38.491,867,95609/30/20200.69%1.37%
+AVX02/21/2020Kyocera Corporation (N/A)All Cash$2.95 billion$21.75$21.661,788,70403/31/20200.42%151.66%
+WAAS12/23/2019Culligan (N/A)All Cash$1.1 billion$27.10$27.03912,21203/31/20200.26%94.52%
+OMN07/02/2019Synthomer plc (N/A)All Cash$909.23 million$10.15$10.14655,60803/31/20200.10%36.00%
+TLRA12/19/2019the Rubicon Project, Inc. (RUBI)All Stock$373.92 million$6.49$6.561,084,29506/30/2020-1.04%-4.11%
+MSBF12/18/2019Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY)All Stock$94 million$10.96$11.251,94106/30/2020-2.59%-10.26%
+SGB12/18/2019The First Bancshares, Inc. (FBMS)All Stock$85.22 million$19.25$20.8166906/30/2020-7.50%-29.74%
+TIVO12/19/2019Xperi Corporation (XPER)All Stock$2.04 billion$6.17$6.7871,90306/30/2020-7.85%-31.13%
+TTPH03/16/2020AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ACRX)All Stock$14.4 million$0.80$1.2551,65306/30/2020-33.29%-132.09%

Disclaimer: I hold a long position in Mellanox Technologies (MLNX). Please do your own due diligence before buying or selling any securities mentioned in this article. We do not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the content or data provided in this article.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/asifsuria or follow me on Twitter@asifsuria