HSBC - UBS Merger!

Check this out: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/in…

Hey everyone, I've been following this forum now for a while and have always secretly wanted to post. I saw this article in the Times and thought it was remarkable. I don't know if anyone else is following financial services M&A activity (unless, of course, you work for a merger arb hedge fund!). But have you guys seen the amount of buyout speculation that is HSBC related?

First it was HSBC-DLJ, HSBC-Paine Webber, HSBC-Merrill Lynch, then HSBC-Morgan Stanley, now HSBC-UBS?? Looks like everyone on the street is really expecting HSBC to finally spend their 'war chest' of $25B cash they have on their balance sheet. I know they've been doing pretty poorly lately with the US subprime debacle. Any opinions?

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Best Response

My gut reaction is that a UBS/HSBC merger wouldn't happen. My first guess is that UBS bankers wouldn't be happy about it -- if the investment bank is acquired, I suspect that bankers will want to be acquired by an institution whose investment bank currently runs the show in the firm (not the case at UBS right now).

However, I can see how UBS would be an attractive target: 1. UBS is 4th in global M&A revenues -- not a bad way for HSBC to grab a piece of the action 2. Potential synergy: HSBC's huge balance sheet could be used to expand UBS's leveraged loan abilities. We all know that UBS has been extremely tight when it comes to lending -- sacrificing huge fees, potential relationships with sponsors, and (depending on how you look at it) banking talent (example: Moelis??) 3. UBS's absurdly strong presence in Hong Kong and China -- especially given their (near-impossible to replicate) underwriting license in China

Thoughts, anyone?

 

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