By Breakingviews
There just might be $100 billion of cash looking for a deal. JPMorgan's (JPM) global mergers chairman, Kurt Simon, recently dangled the audacious notion that the capital markets could fully finance a 12-figure acquisition. He didn't suggest such a transaction was in the works, though, and there aren't many plausible targets.
Simon's exuberance is understandable. A record $6.6 trillion of debt was raised globally last year, about half of it the investment-grade corporate variety, according to Thomson Reuters data. JPMorgan helped arrange more of these dollars than any other bank. And just over six months ago, Bayer (OTCPK:BAYZF) clinched its takeover of U.S. seeds producer Monsanto in the largest-ever all-cash deal at $66 billion.
It's nevertheless a big leap to the sum Simon suggested among his "2017 predictions," even if he hedged it with a question mark. A scan of the S&P 500 Index constituents turns up a few dozen companies in the $60-90 billion range, leaving room for a premium. Some, including DuPont (DD) and Time Warner (TWX), are already spoken for in deals. Others, such as Goldman Sachs (GS) and Starbucks (SBUX), would be challenging takeover targets.
The list also includes retailers Lowe's (LOW) and Walgreens (WBA), arguably more appealing to strategic buyers using at least some stock. Elsewhere, one intriguing target could be Abbott Laboratories (ABT). The $75 billion medical device maker recently bought St. Jude Medical, adding over $14 billion in net debt to its balance sheet, according to estimates culled by Thomson Reuters. The combination should produce over $7 billion of EBITDA next year.
To stretch the hypothesis further, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is one of few plausible buyers. The $320 billion conglomerate, which reported disappointing first-quarter results on Tuesday, might be reluctant to use shares for fear of diluting earnings. And it will retain its AAA
