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Bayer Feeds a 'Happy Meal' to the Hedge Funds
$4.3 billion note sale exploits post-Trump pharma rally.
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The post-election rally in pharmaceutical stocks has created an opportunity for drug-makers to raise money. Step forward Bayer AG. The German life sciences group needs to find $19 billion of equity to help fund its all-cash $66 billion takeover of U.S. seeds giant Monsanto Co. This week it found nearly a quarter of that -- and got a decent deal too.
Late on Tuesday, Bayer sold 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) of an unusual security called a mandatory convertible note. These start life as bonds, but investors get repaid in shares instead of cash at maturity.