The FTC vs. M&A

July 21, 2023 | Chad Sheaffer, CFA, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst

Higher interest rates have broadly impacted capital markets, including M&A deal flow given the significant increase in financing costs. Along with that, elevated regulatory risk has been another headwind for the space.

Since her appointment as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in June 2021, Lina Khan has emerged as one of the most aggressive anti-trust leaders the U.S. and Wall Street have seen in some time. For large corporations seeking growth via M&A, the regulatory requirements for FTC approval have increased significantly. Deals that would likely have been approved with ease in prior administrations now face costly lawsuits, injunctions, and other challenges by the Commission. Coupled with higher financing costs, the FTC’s aggressive agenda has significantly prolonged the timeline for deals to close. In the second quarter of 2023, completed M&A deal volumes came in at mere $95 billion, just above the $83 billion of deals closed at the height of COVID in the second quarter 2022. At the same time, the volume of pending deals awaiting regulatory approval has substantially increased, reaching $183 billion in the second quarter.

The FTC’s actions have had a clear impact on the M&A environment, leading to significantly wider deal spreads in 2023 amid increased uncertainty. This is both an opportunity and a risk for hedge funds specializing in merger arbitrage. While deal spreads appear attractive, they come with heightened risks that require expertise to successfully navigate. For investors, selecting experienced managers with a proven track record of success across different regulatory regimes is critical to achieving favorable risk-adjusted returns.

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The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.