MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (PCS)

[bowonwing]

"As long as both metroPCS and Leap are both independent, potential acquirers can be expected to play them off against one another ... we remain skeptical that this combination can proceed. With its substantial debt load and cash needs, Leap is easier for a larger player to digest. We also wonder whether the substantial dilution that a stock for stock deal
would impose on metroPCS would make sense for their shareholders.
Looking further down the road, the combined firm would also be large
enough that it could be substantially more difficult for Verizon or AT&T to
get regulatory approval to acquire it, reducing the potential bidding pool by
50%. Assuming that hurdle could be cleared, the merged firm would
benefit from bidders playing off Leap and metroPCS against each other."

from Near Earth, last paragraph of post 169

IMO PCS is not going to buy LEAP, but some other wireless telco may. The point is, if LEAP is bought, PCS' "position of strength" increases.

To me, a lot depends if Lundquist wants to sell PCS or go it alone over the long term. If he is positioning PCS to be sold, the LEAP deal does not make sense, higher regulatory hurtles of the combined companies to another potential buyer sometime in the future. If he is positioning PCS is go it alone for the long term, then maybe buying LEAP makes some sense, but in the short term there would be pain to shareholders. Comments?