The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Dec. 11, edition that on Dec. 2, Laurentian Bank of Canada finally ended years of strategic wandering and announced it would be acquired, heading for the public-market exit. The Globe's guest columnist Caellum Gallander writes that the $1.9-billion deal will see National Bank of Canada acquire Laurentian's retail, small- and medium-enterprise banking portfolios, along with its syndicated-loan business. Meanwhile, Fairstone Bank of Canada will take the remaining commercial bank and, importantly, will buy all outstanding common shares for $40.50 apiece. The Laurentian name, brand and Montreal headquarters will remain unchanged. The announcement clarified what such sales typically entail. After years of dealing with outdated technology, operational challenges and a retail footprint overshadowed by much larger competitors, the bank's final form is starting to take shape. Laurentian has not traded at the offer price since mid-2023, when it first announced it was exploring strategic alternatives, effectively saying, "Yes, we're taking offers." The $40.50 bid represents about a 22-per-cent premium to the pre-deal share price. Laurentian's book value stands at $61.90.