The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, July 18, edition that Laurentian Bank of Canada's timing could not be worse. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that not only did Laurentian put up a "For Sale" sign in the middle of summer, when executives at rival banks are on vacation, but it picked a period when most potential bidders are hamstrung by strategic or capital issues. Analysts are already handicapping the potential players, and can count them on the fingers of one hand. There are two major challenges facing any buyer of Laurentian. The first is money. With the notable exceptions of Toronto-Dominion Bank and Desjardins Group, other major lenders will need to raise capital, likely by selling stock, to pay for the acquisition. The second, more elusive issue, is fit, or strategic rationale. Laurentian is a regional bank that is less efficient and profitable than rivals. The chief executive officer of any buyer is going to need a compelling argument for how they plan to turn around this struggling 57-branch operation, and retain customers, especially if they are diluting existing shareholders to do so.