Years ago the humorist Robert Benchley was traveling in Italy on summer vacation. Upon arriving in Venice, he cabled his agent: “Streets flooded. Please advise.” In a similar vein, leveraged loan investors should not be surprised at effects of ample liquidity flowing through credit markets today. As we head into the second quarter’s final weeks,…
Confusion over where we are in the cycle was clarified a bit last week. The chief of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, said at a NYC investor conference, “We’re probably in the sixth inning. It’s very possible you’re going to see stronger growth in the U.S.” Mr. Dimon’s bullish view was supported by Friday’s job…
In a move that’s bound to suggest we’re late in some kind of cycle, the US Postal Service announced last week it would soon be issuing the first-ever “scratch-and-sniff” stamps. “Frozen Treats Forever” are designed as popsicles in ten flavors including kiwi and watermelon fruit bars, as well as chocolate and root beer ice cream…
That’s the perennial question that leading direct lenders addressed last week on a panel moderated by your correspondent at the 25th Annual Atlantic Conferences Middle Market Symposium. As the event was technically closed to the press, we can’t report on what was discussed. Instead, let’s cover the broad themes confronting market observers as they focus…
McDonald’s reported surprisingly strong earnings for the first quarter. An RBC piece last week said the burger giant’s results were driven by better sales in international markets, as well as the addition of value-priced options on its menu. Bank analysts did not mention Don Gorske. The retired prison guard from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin just…
We close our special healthcare series with a discussion of risk. “Increased risk is one of the primary concerns we consider,” said Rod Rivera, managing director in Capstone Headwaters’ healthcare practice. “The world of healthcare, as you’ve been detailing, is changing. All the subsectors that have great CEOs and built the best platforms are asking,…
We caught up recently with a banker friend – a veteran of the healthcare industry – to ask him for his thoughts on the state of the sector today: “You’ve touched on a key trend in your series,” he told us: “the transition from fee-for-service to fee-for-value. Providers used to be reimbursed for costs incurred…
So far in our healthcare series, we’ve shown a sampling of private equity and advisory perspectives. This week we get views from lenders in the sector. One specialist was instructive. “Healthcare remains local,” she told us. “Florida, for example, is a very different market than the rest of the country. This makes it tough for…
One of the most interesting features of the new healthcare landscape is the evolving relationship between patients and doctors. As we detailed in our first instalment of this special Lead Left series, retail giants are teaming with healthcare behemoths to capture patients wherever they go. That fits well with the 24/7, wanting everything all the…
“Everyone is fighting for the primary care patient right now.” So said the CEO of a large independent physician practice in New Jersey. This battleground is taking place not just in doctors’ offices, but increasingly in malls, drug store chains, corporate headquarters, urgent care clinics, and retail care centers. Peter Magas, a managing director at…