OUR 9TH YEAR OF PROVIDING PROPRIETARY CAPITAL MARKETS INTELLIGENCE ON THE CANNABIS / HEMP / PSYCHEDELIC SECTORS

Mergers & Acquisitions

Mergers & Acquisitions Summary

Each week, Viridian publishes insights and analysis on completed M&A transactions in the prior week. Our analysis includes:

    • M&A Market Commentary
    • Public and Private Companies
    • Buyers & Sellers
    • YTD M&A Analysis
    • M&A by Industry Sector
    • Deal Structure and Valuation Analysis
    • Pending Deal Risk Arb Analysis
    • Valuation Gap Analysis

Quick Links

Transaction Activities

Week ended 08/16/2024

  • Two deals closed this week ended 8/16/24 for an undisclosed amount, mirroring the 2 M&A deals during this week last year.

 

YTD Activities

  • YTD, 42 M&A transactions have closed with a total disclosed value of $313.44M, down sharply from the 80 deals for $1,242.60M in 2023. M&A is off to the lowest start of the last six years.

Pending Risk Deal Arb Analysis

    • Cansortium/RIV Arb Spread
      • The chart below shows the risk arb spread for the Cansortium/RIV merger announced on May 30, 2024. RIV shareholders are to get 1.245 Cansortium shares for each RIV share owned. The arb spread narrowed during the week, ending at approximately 52% on 8/9/24, a level suggesting modest confidence about the deal.

 

  

Valuation Gap Analysis

  • The Valuation Gap
  • The Valuation Gap measures the difference between the EV/ NTM EBITDA multiple for the largest MSOs and the same multiple for the next smaller group. This measure has been a significant driver of M&A activity since a larger gap creates an opportunity for more accretive transactions.
  • The companies used in the large-cap index now include Cresco (CL: CSE), Curaleaf (CURA: CSE), Green Thumb (GTII: CSE), TerrAscend (TSND: TSX), Trulieve (TRUL: CSE), and Verano (VRNO: CSE). The small company index now includes Ascend (AAWH: OTCQX), AYR (AYR.A: CSE), Cannabist (CBST: Cboe), Front (FFNT: CSE), Jushi (JUSHF: OTCQX), and Schwazze (SHWX: OTC).
  • The gap increased by 2bps to 0.72, the lowest since May 2023. Following the DEA announcement, it reached a recent peak of 3.55 on April 30. At 1.15, the gap indicates a relatively inhospitable climate for transactions in which Tier 1 MSOs purchase Tier 2 MSOs. We expect the gap to increase, however, as the markets become more comfortable with the timing of 280e relief.

  • Cansortium/RIV Arb Spread
    • The chart below shows the risk arb spread for the Cansortium/RIV merger announced on May 30, 2024. RIV shareholders are to get 1.245 Cansortium shares for each RIV share owned. The arb spread narrowed during the week, ending at approximately 32% on 8/16/24, a level suggesting modest confidence about the deal.

Please login to your account to view data charts.