Target Firm

The one being acquired: that company is the target.

Bankers have lives filled with spreadsheets, accounting and regulatory affirmations. Think: watching paint dry. So whenever they can make a term seem more adventurous, even sexy, they'll do it. In this case, we're thinking: big game hunter. Elephants. Rhinos. Buffalo. Firms that are, yes, targets in our gun sights, and we're anxious to go after them and hunt them down.