Financial Education Center

M&A: A Lender's View on What's Trending Now—and What's Next

As 2025 reaches its midpoint, Paul Spearing, Managing Director at First Bank Sponsor Finance, draws on recent interactions with private equity firms and portfolio companies to provide a candid assessment of the current M&A landscape and broader economic trends. Spearing offers his perspective in the following Q&A.

Leveraging Debt: A Busy Executive’s Guide to Wealth Creation

Most successful executives build a circle of trusted advisors, including attorneys, Certified Professional Accountants (CPAs), and financial planners. Key areas of wealth management often go overlooked, which leads to the potential for higher taxes or missed opportunities. That’s where a professional wealth advisor providing true comprehensive management for both sides of a client’s balance sheet shines.

The Power of Perspective: Long-View Strategies in Privately Held Businesses

Private ownership allows privately held businesses to cultivate a long-term vision, invest in sustainable growth, build up reserves, attract top talent, and build lasting partnerships; ultimately, creating a competitive edge that sets them apart. Learn more.

First Bank’s Back-to-Basics Approach: Knowledgeable Relationship Managers Turning Challenges into Opportunities

At First Bank, we’re proud of our multi-generational, family-owned, and St. Louis, MO-based heritage. As a one-stop financial resource and strategic partner for businesses across various backgrounds and industries, we proudly help clients turn challenges into opportunities.

A Focus on Retirement Plan Fiduciary Responsibility

Over time, there has been an increased focus on fiduciary responsibility. Why? Defined contribution plans, such as 401(k) plans that were originally designed to supplement traditional defined benefit pension plans or other employer-funded plans, have become the primary retirement savings vehicle for most Americans. Professionals at First Bank have extensive knowledge and experience of fiduciary issues. As such, we are in a unique position to assist plan sponsors.

Tariffs, Overblown or a Threat to the Commercial Real Estate Markets?

The newest challenge to present itself, and the hot topic for discussion at the moment, are trade tariffs enacted by the current administration. As tariffs pertain to CRE, the most immediate impact is escalating construction costs and the potential for new supply chain disruptions contributing to overall uncertainty in the near-term.