The Alta Group CEO John C. Deane is presenting at the ELFA-IMN Investors' Conference on Equipment Finance March 22 in New York on a panel providing an outlook on capital markets, current trends and market conditions, as well as a look back at significant M&A deals within the asset-finance industry in the past year.

The panel, scheduled for 9:45 a.m. at the Union League Club, will address risks and opportunities in asset financing, business performance indicators, continuing competitive pressures, levels of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity and transforming trends, including digital innovation, fintech and the rise of managed solutions transactions (MSTs).

Stewart Hayes, senior vice president at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, is moderating the capital markets panel with Deane presenting along with Andrea Zana, co-president and chief risk officer of AmurEF; David D’Antonio, managing director at EverBank; Miles Herman, president of Leaf Commercial Capital; and Chuck Weilamann, managing director at DBRS. 

“The M&A market in 2016 was very strong and valuations remained relatively high given the favorable interest rate climate, the lack of quality independent equipment financing companies available for sale and the opportunity for buyers to increase their market share,” said Deane.  “We expect that these conditions will continue into 2017 given this positive business climate.”

Select deals to be noted include six corporate restructurings, four private equity investments in independent lessors and one acquisition of an independent expected to close in June.

This is an annual one-day conference that is expected to attract some 250 issuers and investors, hosted by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) and Information Management Network (IMN). The Alta Group is one of the conference sponsors.

The agenda also includes speakers who report on the state of major equipment classes, including transportation, energy, and aircraft, and the current level of investor appetite. The keynoter this year is Michael Gregory, deputy chief economist and head of US Economics, BMO Capital Markets.

Other U.S. consultants attending from The Alta Group will include Jim Jackson, who leads the consultancy’s M&A division, and Bruce Kropschot, a distinguished M&A expert in the equipment leasing and finance industry. The Alta Group had an advisory role in four major transactions last year and Kropschot said he is expecting another strong year because of the number of deals “already in the pipeline.” Alta’s M&A Practice page includes articles about the last few years of activity relevant to the equipment leasing and finance industry.