A Quick And Dirty LBO Screen

With each day bringing new and more ridiculous M&A, and now LBO rumors, we thought it would be a good idea to highlight the public companies that have at least a fighting chance of going private. Using a simplistic template from UBS, we present the thirty companies which would generate the highest stock return should they get acquired, assuming a 4.5x Debt/EBITDA pro forma leverage (as much as TPG would like, 10x leverage is not coming back...Unless Joe Cassano is hired to run Chrysler's take private group), and also assuming a 40% equity portion in the transaction. In other words, these are the companies that at least on paper have the highest equity expansion potential in a 7.5x EV/EBITDA. While this analysis ignores whether or not any of these companies actually generate substantial cash flow to cover pro forma interest, or are a logical fit for any financial acquiror, any company not on this list is likely already equity heavy and as a result even if acquired will not result in material upside. As the chart below shows, the maximum stock upside ranges between over 200% in the case of R, to just over 22% in the case of BBY. This below list by no means suggests that any of these companies on it will be LBOed: it should merely be used a benchmark for modeling purposes.

Fixed Income Trade Recommendation

Following our focus yesterday on key supports in Fixed income, we feel that the risk is that on a rally here the curve could flatten. Indeed 2Y yields even though they rose recently, remain very low, and we feel that if the next leg is up in fixed income then the long end should outperform. We have attached a chart of 2/10 for US treasuries, as can be seen we just retested the 50-dma. - Nic Lenoir

PIMCO Tells Investors To Take Advantage Of Tight Credit Spreads And Sell

The U.S. economy’s recent growth has been underpinned
significantly by government policy, yet this short-term cyclical
support will likely fade in the second half of 2010. As a result,
investors should take advantage of the tighter credit spreads and focus
on de-risking their portfolios in order to prepare for the increasing
long-term secular headwinds stemming from the growing deterioration in
public sector balance sheets in many developed economies.

Mark Kiesel, PIMCO Managing Director

IMF Is Now Rejecting Prospective Buyers For Its Gold Stash

In an exclusive report, Kitco has just released yet another stunner in the world of precious metals. It turns out that Eric Sprott has attempted to purchase gold from the IMF, according to information provided to Kitco by Frank Holmes, CEO of US Global Investors. "I just spoke with Eric Sprott, who bid to buy [the IMF's remaining gold on the block] and they refuse to sell it." As Kitco points out, "the IMF might be holding out for a bigger buyer or a central bank or for higher prices. But Holmes argues the IMF's rejection of Sprott's bid means markets are being manipulated." Back to Holmes: "I think there is a lot of manipulation done by governments around the world in the currency markets which affect the bond markets so to me it's just normal course." Holmes concludes "with an election year there may be a gold rally that could be two standard deviations, or $300 dollars, to the upside. So you could see gold run to $1300 to $1500 quite easily." This all isoccurring as ever more pundits finally realize that as fiats are discredited across the world, the only safe, non- dilutable resource is gold.

Evil, Vicious, Smelly, Satan-Worshipping CDS Speculators Take South Korea CDS 6 Bps Wider To 84

You see it wasn't North Korean torpedoes, it was the South Korea Sovereign Destabilization Fund, LLC. Its principals are all about to be exiled by the SEC to St. Helena for life.

Geopoltical Update: South Korean Ship Likely Hit By North Korean Torpedo, Emergency Security Meeting Held In Seoul

Several South Korean sailors were killed and one of its naval ships with more than 100 aboard was sinking on Friday after possibly being hit by a North Korean torpedo, South Korean media reported.

A South Korean vessel fired at an unidentified vessel towards the north and the South's presidential Blue House was holding an emergency security meeting, Yonhap news agency said.

Pimco's McCulley Discusses 10-Years, The Yield Curve, The Shadow Economy, Minsky Journeys And The Deflation Beast

"I cringe when I hear men like Kansas City Fed President Tom Hoenig muse that the Fed will ultimately need to get the Fed funds rate back up to a 3.5-4.5% zone. I deeply respect Mr. Hoenig, both as an economist and as a man, but I just don't see why the Taylor Rule of the Forward Minsky Journey should apply to the Reverse Minsky Journey. Simply put, the 2% real Fed funds rate constant in the Taylor Rule should, in my view, be considered toast. In a world of deleveraging and hoarding cash it makes absolutely no sense to reward holders of cash with an after-tax real rate of return." - Paul McCulley, Pimco.