The Signing-to-Closing Window

What this video covers

• Why signing the definitive agreement is not the same as closing, and why the deal is not consummated until conditions are satisfied or waived
• The six mandatory gap-period workstreams: public announcement, disclosure filings, regulatory clearances, shareholder approval, bring-down, and closing mechanics
• The banker's role during the gap period: drafting or reviewing proxy and prospectus disclosure, monitoring closing conditions, and developing external communications materials
• Why the banker's action is limited to "assist" and does not include signing proxies, clearing regulators, or distributing press releases
• Why the gap-period workstream applies to both buy-side and sell-side bankers, and trap answers that suggest one side clocks out at signing
• The typical 3-9 month timeline for large public-company mergers and the specific HSR antitrust waiting periods: 30 calendar days for standard mergers and 15 calendar days for cash tender offers
• Why SEC review stretches for weeks: the comment-and-response cycle beyond the initial 10-day review period