(MRK; Aa3/A+/NR)
• FT is now reporting that Merck is in talks to buy Revolution Medicines.
• The deal could be valued at up to $32bn
• The WSJ had been reporting that AbbVie was the suitor. This could get competitive.
• Revolution Medicine is developing treatments for RAS Mutations in Cancer, an area which has largely been difficult to solve.
• Merck has a significant patent cliff with Keytruda and Gardasil losing exclusivity ~2028. These represent 56% of sales.
• Recent M&A from Merck includes Cidara $9.2bn; Verona $10bn; SpringWorks $3.4bn in the past 12 months.
• $32bn would be ~1.3x EBITDA. The company raised $8bn to pay for Cidara.
• Issuance would be the immediate concern.
FT Link
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BTP futures have this week traded through an important support at 120.17, the Nov 20 low. This highlights the fact that a bearish phase remains in play for now, signalling scope for a deeper short-term retracement. The impulsive sell-off on Monday opens 119.30 next, a Fibonacci projection. The contract is oversold, a recovery would allow this set-up to unwind. Initial firm resistance to watch is 120.17, the Nov 20 low.
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