DB LevFin in 2026

Copying from another thread but still applicable:

DB LevFin is left holding the Conga debt from the Conga - PROS deal. Not a good look to not be able to offload TB debt; and I am sure that will harm their reputation in the tech sponsor's world. It also lowers how much they can lend in the short-term until they can get the debt off the books. Would say that the following banks are materially better than them in the LevFin/Sponsors world in the US (purely from a sponsor perspective / mostly single-B perspective and in no order) : GS, JPM, BoFA, Citi, Barclays, MS, and UBS.  Jefferies is probably a better analyst experience than them too given they are more aggressive with terms than the afforementioned names.

DB LevFin/Sponsors is only good insofar as the rest of the bank is really weak in the US. The LevFin team does have some leads; but pretty clearly below the top players in the space, and in a next-tier of good but not great names. Have seen the creds pages for all the banks listed here with their lead financings and the broad ranking of where DB LevFin more or less tracks across the board.