For my latest for Bloomberg News, I spoke to Qualcomm CFO Akash Palkhiwala about the outlook for M&A, valuations and why the company hasn’t done a blockbuster deal yet.

Logistics provider XPO is working to reduce leverage after it purchased assets from defunct Yellow and might consider buying back some of its debt at par.

Deal makers are turning to artificial intelligence and generative AI tools to source data, screen targets and conduct due diligence, with 80% of practitioners expecting to use the technology in the coming three years.

Newell, the company behind the Rubbermaid, Sharpie and Elmer’s brands, plans to pay off the $200 million of bonds it has maturing this year with cash.

Synopsys plans to finance its $34 billion purchase of software maker Ansys in part with a term loan as it seeks flexibility to pay down debt piecemeal after the acquisition has closed.

Wall Street’s corporate bond desks are seeing a major increase in demand for hedges as debt issuers grapple with soaring interest-rate volatility.

CFOs are taking on more operational responsibilities. That helped a record number reach the top job last year at America’s biggest companies. “The more you can grab as CFO, the more likely you will have chances at the top gig.”

US finance leaders expect they will have to pay slightly more in 2024 and 2025 to refinance maturing debt but see funding costs decline after that.

Companies that relied on cheap credit to fund big deals during the easy money era are now struggling to keep those promises.

Honeywell plans to use cash and debt to pay for the $4.95 billion acquisition of Carrier’s security business and tap the bond market next year.