Beyond The Obvious

Market certainty drives businesses to take action, and returning confidence has led to a flurry of transactions across several sectors.

In part one of this installment of M&A Corner, Mizuho | Greenhill's Co-Head of Corporate Finance and Head of Greenhill International, Kevin Costantino, sat down with Stephen Amdur, Partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, to discuss the recent resurgence in dealmaking and what is driving it.

Stephen reflects on the uptick in activity his law firm has seen in recent months, touching on:

• The uptick in deal activity as private equity sponsors are becoming more comfortable with new market conditions following an extended period of uncertainty
• How Mizuho | Greenhill has navigated inconsistent markets to successfully advise our clients on recently announced deals
• New statute changes in the state of Delaware and how they will impact businesses looking to incorporate there

Over the past few weeks, Equity Capital Markets have seen a rebound in activity, presenting windows of opportunity for issuers following a wave of volatility.

In our latest episode of Markets Mindset, Mizuho's Head of Equity Capital Markets, Josh Weismer and Managing Director of Equity Capital Markets, Mariano Gaut reflect on current transactions and trends in the IPO, secondary and convertible markets, highlighting some of Mizuho’s recent deals. With positive signals in the equity market and expected wave of refinancings from Covid-era convertibles, we expect an uptick in issuance activity.
 
Hear our projections ahead of a busy summer as we take a deep dive into the IPO, follow-on and convertible markets.

In this episode, host Andy Laszlo, Head of Technology, Media & Telecom at Mizuho Americas, talks to Rick Fox, Co-Founder & CEO of Partanna, actor and former professional basketball player. 

A three-time NBA champion, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, Rick has brought his learnings from sports leadership and acting into the business world, driving several successful ventures across industries as varied as esports and chemical manufacturing.

In conversation with Andy, Rick reflects on the influence of teamwork on his career, the importance of humility in leadership and how finding his purpose in entrepreneurship and sustainability led to the founding of Partanna.

As the market reopens following post-April 2nd volatility, what should Leveraged Finance issuers prioritize as we move into Q2 and beyond?
 
Our latest episode of Markets Mindset features Mizuho's Head of Leveraged Finance, Jeb Slowik, joined by Head of High Yield Capital Markets, Phil Tamplin, and Managing Director, Derivatives Risk Solutions Americas, Andrew Simon as they discuss high yield and loan fund flows, issuance and pricing as well as examine hung transactions resulting from the market uncertainty.
 
Join our experts as they unpack Mizuho’s recent deals and give their outlook on navigating Leveraged Finance markets going forward.

In the wake of the April 2nd tariff announcements, the last few weeks have seen market fluctuations impacting Debt Capital Markets, from widening spreads to the U.S. dollar hitting a three-year low.

While market conditions continue to shift rapidly, several themes remain true and present timely opportunities for both issuers and investors.

Our latest episode of Markets Mindset features Mizuho's Head of Syndicate and IG Capital Markets, Victor Forte, joined by Head of IG Debt Capital Markets, Moshe Tomkiewicz, and Head of U.S. Debt Syndicate, Colby Griffith. This segment was recorded on April 21st and the commentary reflects the market conditions at that time.

They discuss the impact of the tariff announcements on the current state of liquidity and the credit curve and provide recommendations on how issuers should act in both the short and long term.

Hear from our experts as they examine the fallout from recent macro volatility and give their outlook on how Debt Capital Markets will recalibrate over the next quarter.

The face of shareholder activism is constantly changing, and against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, CEOs and board chairs need proactive strategies to help them avoid and prepare for potential activist campaigns.  

In this installment of M&A Corner, Mizuho | Greenhill's Co-Head of U.S. M&A, Doug Jackson, sits down with Peter da Silva Vint, Managing Partner at Jasper Street Partners, to look at M&A industry trends through the lens of activism preparedness and response. 

Join us as we discuss the current state of the activism environment, the key elements of corporate takeover defense, common corporate governance mistakes to avoid, and proactive approaches you can take to strengthen your activism preparedness strategy.

It’s time for our Leveraged Finance market 2025 outlook.

In this episode of Markets Mindset, Mizuho's Head of Leveraged Finance Jeb Slowik sits down with Head of High Yield Capital Markets Phil Tamplin and Head of Leveraged Loan Capital Markets Jackson Merchant.

The three reflect on the impact of last year’s rate cuts on the Leveraged Loan and High-Yield markets, as well as the recent pickup in both treasuries and dividend recaps, and what to expect from M&A activity in 2025.

Hybrid capital has gained favor with corporates and investors alike after a change in ratings agency equity consideration coupled with higher yields has made the securities more attractive. 

Join our expert panel as they seek to answer: ‘What is the art of the possible in hybrid capital?‘ Will demand for capital by utilities remain at the heart of its growth? And what will the volumes look like in 2025?

Meet the panel:

• Moshe Tomkiewicz, Head of Investment Grade Debt Capital Markets
• Victor Forte, Head of Investment Grade Capital Markets & Syndicate
• Katie Lavino, Managing Director, Investment Grade Debt Capital Markets Syndicate
• Jee-Won Yang, Managing Director, Investment Grade Debt Capital Markets

Trump’s reelection will undoubtedly result in a shift in the U.S.’s regulatory environment, but who will benefit in this new M&A landscape? 

In this installment of M&A Corner, Mizuho | Greenhill's Co-Head of Corporate Finance and Head of M&A Kevin Costantino sits down with Igor Kirman, Partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to explore what Trump’s second term and its wider global context will mean for M&A. Join us as we look at how previously shelved deals may now make it out of the boardroom.

This year’s Investor Survey results are in and some of them are surprising.

In this installment of Markets Mindset, Mizuho's Head of Investment Grade Capital Markets and Syndicate Victor Forte and Head of Investment Grade Debt Capital Markets Moshe Tomkiewicz pit themselves against the survey to see how closely investor perspectives align with their own predictions, and explore how the incoming presidential administration’s policies could influence activity in Q1.