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Chapter 110: Shares Swap.
🕑 Added 2024-12-24 15:45:35 +0000 UTC“Josh, do you know what the Continental Illinois Bank is?” John Leibler asked the young man in front of him with a somewhat amused look.
In his opinion, Josh Kahn was undoubtedly a very outstanding young man—far more outstanding than his own eldest son, whom he had always considered his pride.
However, he had to admit that the young man was still a bit arrogant. Thinking that he had some money, could he buy a bank?
Of course, he knew that Josh had received a major military order in Europe, worth $200 million dollars.
In addition to this order, he estimated that Josh's other businesses in Europe might have also earned hundreds of millions of dollars.
To be honest, with $200-$300 million dollars, it is not impossible to acquire a top bank in the United States.
But the problem is that the Continental Illinois Bank was not just any top-notch bank.
In later generations, compared to famous banks such as Bank of America, Mellon, Morgan, Wells Fargo, etc., many people may be unfamiliar with the Continental Illinois Bank.
This is normal, because this bank went bankrupt in the 1980s.
However, do not think that the bank was weak just because it went bankrupt.
In fact, before it went bankrupt, the Continental Illinois Bank was the largest bank in the Midwest and the seventh largest in the United States. With a market value of 2.3 billion US dollars and assets of over 42 billion US dollars, it was one of the top ten financial institutions in the United States.
This may not be obvious, but if we compare it to another bank, Wells Fargo, which ranked third in the United States in 2022, the difference becomes clear.
In 1986, Wells Fargo had a market value of just under 1 billion and assets of just over 20 billion.
However, in 2022, Wells Fargo's market value had reached 180 billion and its assets were close to 2 trillion.
This comparison shows just how powerful the Continental Illinois Bank was.
The reason for the collapse of the Continental Illinois Bank was precisely because it was too strong.
It was so strong that management became overconfident and blindly expanded a variety of highly leveraged projects, which led to a debt crisis and a wave of bank runs.
The collapse of this bank ultimately became a classic example in the history of world finance, and for the first time, it broke the perception that 'a bank too big will not collapse.'
Its collapse was also one of the important reasons for the decline of the original Chicago Conglomerate.
The current Continental Illinois Bank is naturally not as strong as it was in the 1980s, but its market value is still over one billion, and it remains the core bank of the Chicago Conglomerate.
No wonder John Leibler thinks Josh is being a little arrogant. With such an important bank, what makes Josh think he can buy it and that the tycoons of the Chicago conglomerate will sell it?
“Of course I know what the Continental Illinois Bank means. It is the core bank of the Chicago Conglomerate and has a market value of over 1 billion,” Josh replied.
“You know? Then why do you think you can take over the Continental Illinois Bank? And why do you think the shareholders will sell? Josh, I know you want to join the Chicago Conglomerate, and in fact, you have absolute qualifications to join us, but taking over the Continental Illinois Bank? is too much!” John shook his head and said.
“Uncle John, don't be so quick to dismiss it. Of course I understand the importance of Continental Bank to the Chicago Conglomerates, and I also know that what I have in my hands is not enough to buy Continental Bank. I have no intention of buying it all, just enough controlling interest. Besides, I don't plan to buy it with cash, but through a swap,” Josh explained with a smile. (TL/N: A controlling interest is when a person or entity owns enough shares in a company to control its management and direction)
It would be completely unrealistic to buy Continental Illinois Bank for cash. It may seem to have a market value of only a few billion, but because of its importance, the other party would only sell at a higher price of more than 50% or even more.
At such a high price, even if Josh counted in all his gray income and cashed in all his assets, it might not be enough.
But if he did a swap, the situation would be different.
Not only would he not have to spend any money, but he would also save a lot of money.
“Swap? What are you going to swap it with?” John asked, puzzled.
“The Austrian National Bank, the Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich, the Bayerische Landesbank, the Banque Nationale de Paris, and Lloyds Bank of London!” Josh named five banks in a row.
They were all world-renowned banks.
The Austrian National Bank, in particular, John was sure he had remembered correctly, was the central bank of Austria!
There is also the Bayerische Landesbank, which is a state-owned bank with extremely rare shares in circulation.
War is war, but who would sell assets of a bank of this caliber?
How did Josh come to own shares in these banks?
Actually, it's very simple. The two banks in France and the UK were exchanged for supplies because the two banks were struggling due to the war, and most of their shareholders were going bankrupt. For them, it was far more practical for Josh to exchange stocks for supplies than to pay with money.
As for the Austrian National Bank, the Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich, and the Bayerische Landesbank, those were assets of the Hydra...
Well, to be precise, they were originally the personal assets of Schmidt.
Although Schmidt was taken out by the Avengers and the SSR, this part of the theoretically state-owned assets is not yet up for the Americans to take control of.
After all, Austria is only cooperating with the United States, not under its occupation.
And since Josh has already gathered the remnants of Schmidt's forces, it is only natural that this part of the assets should fall into his hands.
Although Josh's shareholding in the five banks is not high, and the total value is far less than one billion U.S. dollars, the significance it represents for the Chicago Conglomerate is far greater than a billion dollars.
“Are you serious?” John face suddenly became extremely serious.
“Of course I'm serious. Although the shares are not many, they are real!” Josh nodded and said that he would not feel any pain in swapping these shares, because the swap is not a sale.
In exchange for these shares, he would get shares and a say in the Continental Bank. These shares would still belong to the Continental Bank, not to a private individual. In other words, the actual say in these shares would still be in Josh's hands. What would be shared is only the income these shares may bring.
You can't make enough money, so Josh cares more about the say than the money.
“Josh, set a time for the children's baptism. How about setting it at the Cathedral of the Holy Name? I have a good relationship with Archbishop Cody, and I will convince him to personally baptize the two children. In addition, I guarantee that on that day, all the core members of the Chicago Conglomerate will appear at the baptism ceremony!” John mused for a long time and said.
The Chicago Conglomerate may be a little slow in responding to capital compared to other conglomerates, but that doesn't mean they're all idiots.
Josh's offer to hand over the shares of these banks is like putting half of this big piece of European fat in their mouths. If they don't take it, the members of the consortium led by John won't be able to forgive themselves.
However, the specific method and amount of the swap could not be decided casually by the two of them, and negotiations were definitely required.
But this did not prevent the Chicago Conglomerates from establishing Josh's status in the Chicago Conglomerates through this baptism ceremony.
“Why don't Uncle John come over to my place for dinner tonight to discuss the baptism and also to see the baby? Margaret also hasn't seen you in a long time!”
Hearing John assurances, Josh knew that the matter was settled, and he immediately took the opportunity to extend an invitation.
“Of course, I would be very happy to accept this invitation!” Josh's invitation made John feel very happy, and he began to think about what gifts he would take for the two children and Margot.
