-Jefferies Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF) (“Jefferies”) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: SMFG) (“SMFG”), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (“SMBC”), and other group companies (collectively, “SMBC Group”) announced today that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to further expand their global strategic alliance to now include enhanced collaboration across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) on future corporate and investment banking business opportunities.

First Business Bank is pleased to welcome Cooper Wage to its Southeast Wisconsin office as Vice President – Commercial Banking.

Huntington Business Credit announced it closed a $20,000,000 new credit facility with Energy Alloys Global Solutions Americas, LLC on December 8, 2023. Proceeds of the facility were used to refinance existing debt and provide ongoing working capital financing.

Legacy Corporate Lending, LLC (“Legacy”), an independent asset-based lending (ABL) company focused on serving the needs of middle market companies across North America, today announced the closing of a robust slate of asset-based lending transactions during the second half of 2023.

A&G Real Estate Partners, in its capacity as real estate advisor to Rite Aid Corporation (“Rite Aid” or the “Company”), today announced plans to market for sale an additional tranche of neighborhood pharmacy leases and fee-owned properties, pending approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.

eCapital Corp. (“eCapital” or “the Company”), a leading technology-enabled provider of financing to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across North America and the U.K., announces the recent funding of a $12MM asset-based lending facility tailored to support a US-based manufacturing company experiencing financial stress.

Austin Financial Services, Inc. (AFS) is pleased to announce the closing of a $15MM ABL facility, comprised of an AR and Inventory revolver to a Custom Poultry Processor & Distributor. The Company was seeking a lending partner who could provide greater flexibility than its current bank lender, while also understanding the unique challenges inherent to its business and their industry.

BizCap®, a commercial finance firm established in 2002, is thrilled to welcome Jeffrey K. Scott as Managing Director, based in Los Angeles. With an illustrious career spanning three decades in banking, finance, and advisory roles at esteemed institutions, Jeff brings unparalleled expertise and strategic vision to the BizCap team.

Sallyport Commercial Finance is delighted to announce the first funding for 2024 - $500,000 in financing for a chemicals importer experiencing a common challenge for newer businesses. With no payment terms from their suppliers and extended payment terms from their customers, the client had a bottleneck in working capital preventing them fulfilling orders.

More and more businesses in need of fast, flexible working capital solutions beyond typical bank lending are turning to Culain Capital Funding. The latest is an Ohio-based food company, which recently received a $250,000 purchase order financing and accounts receivable factoring facility through Culain.

Momnt, a leading fintech company specializing in real-time lending and payment solutions for businesses, and Saluda Grade, a synergistic and vertically integrated investment platform investing in emerging asset classes within the U.S. real estate sector, have closed an asset-backed revolving warehouse facility of up to $200 million from Macquarie Group (“Macquarie”).

Leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has announced the promotion of 69 professionals, across Europe and Middle East, India, Latin America, North America, North Asia and Southeast Asia & Australia to the position of Managing Director.

Ares Management is set to close the largest ever direct lending fund, which will be valued at more than €20bn (£17.2bn). The investment firm is looking to raise at least €15bn from investors, according to sources cited by Bloomberg, with additional leverage of around €5bn.

NXT Capital announced today that it has provided a senior credit facility to support Sentinel Capital Partners’ recapitalization of Online Labels Group. NXT Capital acted as the Administrative Agent, Joint Lead Arranger, and Joint Bookrunner on this transaction.

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) and Global Infrastructure Partners (“GIP”), a leading independent infrastructure fund manager, jointly announce that they have entered into an agreement for BlackRock to acquire GIP for total consideration of $3 billion of cash and approximately 12 million shares of BlackRock common stock.

CHICAGO (January 11, 2024) ––SG Credit Partners, through its Consumer Products division, is excited to partner with 4th & Heart, an emerging premium food brand. The brand is focused on disrupting the $5.6 billion butter category through its ghee products including sticks, jars and sprays. Their products can be found nationwide in major retailers like Whole Foods and Kroger as well as specialty stores like Citarella and Erewhon.

Castlelake, L.P., a global alternative investment firm specializing in asset-based opportunities and Vervent, a leading fintech servicing company, today announced the entry into a new forward flow agreement whereby certain Castlelake funds and affiliates will provide up to $180 million to Vervent and its affiliates.

DecisionRx, Inc., a value-based healthcare company reducing the cost of care by helping physicians eliminate medication failure, today announced that it has entered into a $100 million credit facility with global investment firm Carlyle.

KeyBank has named Erica Choi Senior Vice President, Commercial Team Leader for the Capital Region. Choi joined KeyBank in 2020 and most recently served as Senior Commercial Relationship Manager. She has 20 plus years of leadership, business and banking experiences across both the public and private sector.

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), its consumer product investment platform PearlRock Partners (“PearlRock”), and MidOcean Partners (“MidOcean”), a premier New York-based alternative asset manager specializing in middle-market private equity and alternative credit investments, today announced the formation of MPearlRock, a strategic collaboration to introduce emerging consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) brands to new customers.