Square to acquire APT for $39b, page-13

Personally I understand the talk of a takeover but it’s all too premature IMO. Yes the Market Cap has been battered but from a T/O perspective there’s still a lot of risk involved in buying IOU; that’s partly reflected in the current SP. I think a buyer would wait to see more data in app takeups etc. Trying a (hostile) takeover based on 5 weeks of data would be irresponsible.

Also remember, IOU management have a charter to do what’s right by shareholders. A completely low-ball offer would be rejected. But ultimately, who owns your shares? You do. It’s your vote, if it came to it.

Anyway, the proposed APT buyout is great news for the sector IMO. BNPL is here to stay. It’s one thing to have a bunch of dedicated upstarts (Afterpay, Zip, Sezzle etc) all having a crack, but when big guns join (Apple + GS, major banks, etc) it shows this is the next form of consumer credit. It will eventually go fully global. We’re in a massive population area with huge internet connectivity and relatively immature competitors. Good times ahead I believe.