Quote from flytiger:
11:40 BSC Bear Stearns: Additional Market Chatter (7.51 +2.70) -Update-
Additional chatter in BSC that bondholders are buying stock up to these levels so they can own enough equity to vote the deal through. $150b in face bonds vs $600mm in market cap in order to save billions in bond value. Recall 9% holder Joe Lewis threatening to vote down the deal.
Briefing Trader. Here. I'll give them a free plug
Quote from Cutten:
That seems unlikely. If the equity is worthless without the JPM deal, then shareholders have a choice of getting $2 or getting $0 if they oppose the deal.The only rational reason to oppose the deal is if the stock is worth more than $2.
Also, if the bondholders are the only buyers and are going to vote the deal through, then every other investor would be selling like mad at $8-$8.50, and hedge funds would be shorting the crap out of it. Bond holders would only need to pay a little over $2 for it to be rational to sell all the equity to them in the event of JPM being the only thing on the table.
BSC trading at $8 and higher is a clear sign that someone believes the equity is worth >$2 and is prepared to back their view with over $1 billion.
A short squeeze or dead cat bounce could account for say a 50 or even 100% pop, but not a rally to FOUR TIMES the takeover price.
.Quote from RAY:
Bond Holders might be protecting their end of the deal. Paying-off any longs/shorts.
To them it is a lot more that $2 or $0
If the shareholders succeeded somehow the bond holders would/could be out 10's of billions.
And you are right about being able to short and hope that everything stays the same. Feel free.
if I had 10's of billions of bonds i would be willing to pay off the brave shorts and the disgruntled longs.
Quote from S2007S:
the equity is worth more than $2.00
$2 is not a done deal...
Quote from flytiger:
Shorts circulated rumors Friday helping the BSC crater.
Today, on Cnbc, I heard Leisman say the feds said, do that shit again, you answer to us.
Thought that was remarkable. the clip was at 8:58, but I can't find it.
Quote from Cutten:
How many more posters are going to regurgitate this? Stop cribbing off websites and passing it off as your own insight - try thinking for yourself and you might actually make money instead of watching and then using after-the-fact explanations from journalists.
It makes no sense to pay $7-8 if the stock can only be worth $2 or $0. Paying $7-8 only makes sense for bondholders if someone else is also prepared to pay those prices. Who is that someone else? Either is is a bidder or short-covering. If the latter, the bond holders can just wait a few days and pay $2.