Firm Deal

Categories: Incorporation

We’ll start with “Firm Commit.” And there's the ultimate version, "I do." But we shan't go there for now.

The whole notion of a firm commit applies on a few fronts. Like…If a lender is lending dough, usually there is a contractual agreement, cleverly called a firm commitment letter, which specifies the amount of money the lender is willing to lend at a given interest rate with all the other terms spelled out…for a given time.

Like...“this offer is good for 30 days, or until June first, or until the werewolf crows.” What? They crow, don't they? Okay...howl. Whatever.

In an IPO, when a bank is selling shares on behalf of a company issuing them, a Firm Commit basically says that the bank is responsible for selling any unsold shares. That is, it’s called a “bought deal”...and the bank either sells those IPO shares to investors, or they buy them for their own account.

In a firm quote, the commitment involved usually refers to a broker dealer’s bid ask spread in selling shares. Like…she holds a few million shares of Amazon in inventory, and publishes to her constituency that she is firm as a buyer at eleven hundred two and 20, and a seller at eleven hundred eight and fifty.

If anyone matches those numbers, then she is legally obligated to sell to them. And just in case someone wants to buy a gajillion shares, i.e. more than she carries in her inventory...there is usually a limit number attached. “I stand firm on 100,000 at this price.” Something like that, anyway.

So…Firm. Think: obligated. Confirmed. Legally binding. And sometimes that last one'll give ya cramps. Try prunes.

Related or Semi-related Video

Finance: What is a Firm Deal: Commit, Qu...7 Views

00:00

Finance allah shmoop What are a firm deal Ah firm

00:06

commit and a firm quote No a lot of firms

00:11

here is by agra involved in this one No Well

00:14

okay people Yes You knew we were going to go

00:16

there We'll start with firm commit Well the whole notion

00:19

of a firm commit applies on a few fronts Like

00:22

if a lender is lending dough Well usually there is

00:25

a contractual agreement cleverly called a firm commitment letter and

00:31

it derives a firm deal like the deal will follow

00:34

that commitment And that letter specifies the amount of money

00:38

the lender is willing to lend at a given interest

00:41

rate With all the terms you know spelled out for

00:44

given time like this offer is good for thirty days

00:47

or until june first Or until the where wolf grows

00:51

What they crow Don't they Okay howl whatever In an

00:53

ai po when a bank is selling shares on behalf

00:56

of a company issuing them a firm commit gives rise

01:00

to a firm deal And it basically says that the

01:03

bank is responsible for selling any unsold shares That is

01:07

It's called a quote bought deal unquote And the bank

01:10

Either sells those aipo shares to investors or well they

01:13

buy them for their own account In a firm quote

01:16

the commitment involved usually refers to a broker dealers bid

01:20

ask spread in selling those shares like she holds a

01:24

few million shares of amazon in inventory and publishes to

01:27

her constituency that she is firm as a buyer at

01:32

eleven hundred two and twenty and a seller at eleven

01:35

hundred eight and fifty Got it sets one one zero

01:39

two point two zero in a cellar at one one

01:42

zero eight point five oh yeah that's how it would

01:44

look well if anyone matches those numbers then she is

01:48

legally obligated to sell them And just in case someone

01:51

wants to buy a good gillian shares i am or

01:54

than she carries in inventory well there's usually a limit

01:58

number attached to her offer for like i stand firm

02:01

on one hundred thousand at this price like a hundred

02:04

thousand shares and not a hundred thousand won something like

02:07

that anyway so firm think obligated confirmed contracted for legally

02:13

binding and sometimes yeah that'll give you cramps Just try 00:02:17.1 --> [endTime] prunes

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)