Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, M&A activity among commercial lenders was strong. However, as the pandemic unfolded and continues to evolve, M&A activity among banks, specialty lenders, BDCs and other commercial finance specialists has been impacted by new and unique challenges. In this exclusive interview, Tim Stute, Managing Director, Head of Specialty Finance, with Hovde Group describes the current M&A market and provides his insights into the forces driving M&A activity today. Stute also discusses how BDCs will likely perform in this environment, the impact of the Paycheck Protection Program, and provides his thoughts on the M&A market for 2021.