Strategic Alternatives RBC Capital Markets

After the tech IPO drought of 2023, what is the state of the market this year? Do software and AI companies have a path to go public? Jesse Chasse, MD and Head of Technology, Equity Capital Markets at RBC, joins Dan Nathan on the Okay, Computer podcast to analyze the prospects for a market revival.

Looming elections are likely to be a barrier to M&A deal activity beyond September. But deal activity across non-banking areas of the sector remains robust, and attendees at RBC Capital Markets’ Financial Institutions Conference suggest a positive sentiment. Vinnie Badinehal, Head of Financial Institutions, and Jason Braunstein, Head of Financial Institutions M&A, assess the sector’s progress.

With fewer, more gradual interest rate cuts than expected now on the cards, what does the remainder of 2024 have in store for financial sector M&A? And how will the regulators’ evolving response to proposed deals affect the banks’ appetite? Vinnie Badinehal, Head of Financial Institutions, and Jason Braunstein, Head of Financial Institutions M&A, join to assess the sector’s mood.

Consolidation may be the theme of 2024 for retail’s most fragmented sectors. But how will the regulatory atmosphere, the U.S. election and geopolitical tensions affect potential deals? Douglas Trauber, Global Head of Consumer and Retail, and Hugh Paisley, Co-Head, U.S. Consumer and Retail Investing, join to identify high-activity sectors and assess the external challenges retailers face.

With a soft economic landing more likely, consumers seem ready to spend. However, retailers need to find ways to provide better customer experiences while managing costs. As they seek to capture extra capabilities, not least in tech, does this herald a new wave of deals in the sector? Douglas Trauber, Global Head of Consumer and Retail, and Hugh Paisley, Co-Head, U.S. Consumer and Retail Investing, join to analyze how retailers can stay competitive in 2024.

Familiar fixtures are set to return to private equity M&A. Conventional financing is starting to look more attractive again; traditional sales are poised to return to the mix. Meanwhile, cyclical industrials are among the sectors well placed to lead the way in deal activity. John Cokinos, Global Head of Leveraged Finance and Capital Markets, and Hank Johnson, Co-Head of U.S. Mergers & Acquisitions, join to explore the factors impacting the private equity M&A environment and what we can expect in 2024.