U.S. M&A Market: News & Trends


27% profit every 20 days?

This is what Nic Chahine averages with his option buys. Not selling covered calls or spreads… BUYING options. Most traders don’t even have a winning percentage of 27% buying options. He has an 83% win rate. Here’s how he does it.


In its monthly US M&A News and Trends repot, FactSet Research Systems provides an update on the space. The note highlights seven trends seen over the past few months.

  • M&A deal activity in the U.S. fell 6.3 percent in May, which saw 903 announcements – versus April’s 964. Nonetheless, aggregate M&A spending rose: May saw spending double in comparison to April.
  • Over the past 3 months, the sectors that witnessed the largest year-over-year increases in M&A activity are Technology Services (526 vs. 477), Distribution Services (173 vs. 129), Finance (411 vs. 370), Health Services (144 vs. 125), and Communications (42 vs. 30).
  • In the past three-month period, the largest year-over-year declines were registered in the Commercial Services (443 vs. 476), Consumer Services (207 vs. 234), Producer Manufacturing (171 vs. 195), Consumer Non-Durables (68 vs. 86), and Industrial Services (101 vs. 117) sectors.
  • The biggest deals announced last month are: Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR)’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable Inc (NYSE: TWC) for $55 billion; Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) offer of $44 billion to purchase Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE: SYT); Avago Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ: AVGO)’s deal to buy Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) for $35 billion; Williams Companies Inc (NYSE: WMB)’s agreement to get its hands on the remaining 42 percent it did not own Williams Partners LP (NYSE: WPZ) for $13.8 billion; and Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) purchase of Pall Corporation (NYSE: PLL) for $13.6 billion
  • U.S. private equity activity rose 2.2 percent month-over-month in May.
  • “Canadian firms were the biggest buyers of U.S. companies in May. They announced 30 deals for the month, with U.K. companies in second with 19 deals, followed by Japan, China, and Germany.”
  • The top financial advisors for this year, based on deal announcements and “the aggregate transaction value of the deals worked on,” are: Goldman Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup.
  • The top legal advisors for 2015 include: Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, among others.

27% profit every 20 days?

This is what Nic Chahine averages with his option buys. Not selling covered calls or spreads… BUYING options. Most traders don’t even have a winning percentage of 27% buying options. He has an 83% win rate. Here’s how he does it.


ENTER TO WIN $500 IN STOCK OR CRYPTO

Enter your email and you'll also get Benzinga's ultimate morning update AND a free $30 gift card and more!

Posted In: Analyst ColorNewsM&AAnalyst RatingsMoversTechArpsBank of America Merrill LynchCitigroupDavis Polk & Wardwell LLPFactSetfactset research systemsGoldman Sachs & Co.JPMorgan Chase & CoKirkland & Ellis LLPMeagher & Flom LLPMorgan StanleySkaddenSlateSullivan & Cromwell LLP