• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
NewslettersTerm Sheet

What to know about Elon Musk’s $12.5 billion margin loan

By
Jessica Mathews
Jessica Mathews
Former Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jessica Mathews
Jessica Mathews
Former Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 2, 2022, 11:45 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Big deals always pose risk. This one is different.

Elon Musk, who submitted the letter to buy Twitter in April, effectively rolled the dice to land the billions of dollars in loans he needed to get his offer in front of the social media network’s board. In order to secure the $12.5 billion margin loan on his Tesla shares, Musk gave a personal guarantee, according to reporting from my Fortune colleagues, published this weekend. Here’s what that means: If Musk can’t repay the loan by selling shares of Tesla, banks could take Musk’s equity stake in Twitter, his 46% stake in SpaceX, his sundry personal assets—anything.

No one could claim Musk is risk-averse. He has a history of taking big swings where he has skin in the game, even if the odds don’t stack up. Look at Tesla. Musk, as an investor in the company, appointed himself as CEO of the company after a rocky couple years at the company in which he pushed out the company’s cofounder and first chief executive. As he said at the time, in 2008: “That’s part of the reason I decided to take over as CEO. I have so many chips on the table. I need to steer the boat completely.”

Now he is taking a big bet—with his personal assets on the line—for the social media platform he frequents (sometimes to his own detriment). The fine print indicates that Musk has pledged $62.5 billion as collateral—five times that $12.5 billion figure. At the time when Musk made the deal, Tesla shares were trading at $1,001, and he would have needed to put down 62 million shares as collateral. Since then, Tesla share prices dropped to $871 per share, meaning that Musk will need to put down approximately 72 million shares (or an additional 16%). That’s about 44% of his current holdings in the stock.

Where that could get messy, per my colleagues’ reporting: If Tesla’s stock price falls more than 40%, Musk would face a margin call. He’d need to come up with either $14 billion in cash, or quickly sell enough shares to pay down the margin loan. That could be to the tune of 10 million shares. While it’s unlikely shares would fall so drastically, I’ll leave it at this: Yikes.

But while Musk may be fronting a whole lot to get this deal done, the dozen banks involved are still taking a bet on Musk, too. Namely—Morgan Stanley, which is leading the financing. The investment bank’s largest margin loans to clients typically fall below $1 billion, per the Financial Times. This time around? Try $2 billion.

Morgan Stanley, which owns more than 8% of Twitter stock, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data, has come in fast to win the fervor of the world’s wealthiest man—part of a years-long effort to do so, per the Financial Times and court documents. In the past, Musk has turned to Goldman Sachs first. Goldman led Tesla’s IPO in 2010. In 2018, he turned to Goldman first when he was weighing taking Tesla private. Will the tables turn after Morgan Stanley puts its neck out for Musk—lending a whopping $2 billion to seal the deal? The bank reportedly helped coordinate calls between Musk’s family office (run by ex-Morgan Stanley senior vice president Jared Birchall) and other lenders. 

As my colleagues write: “It’s only evident in hindsight whether big, counterintuitive leaps are going to pay off.”

And now… for this month’s cartoon from Ian Foley.

Until tomorrow,

Jessica Mathews
Twitter: @jessicakmathews
Email: jessica.mathews@fortune.com
Submit a deal for the Term Sheet newsletter here.

Jackson Fordyce curated the deals section of today’s newsletter.

VENTURE DEALS

- Hello Heart, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based heart health-focused digital therapeutics company, raised $70 million in Series D funding led by Stripes and was joined by investors including IVP, Resolute, and BlueRun Ventures.

- Ashvattha Therapeutics, a Redwood City, Calif.-based clinical-stage therapeutics platform treating ophthalmology, neurology, inflammation and neuro-oncology diseases, raised $69 million in Series B funding led by Huadong Medicine Investment Holding Co. and was joined by investors including Natural Capital, Plum Alley, and Tribe Capital. 

- Clerk, an Austin-based retail marketing and merchandising solution, raised $30 million in Series B funding led by Sageview Capital. 

- Concerto, an Austin-based credit card partnerships platform, raised $21 million in Series A funding led by Matrix Partners and was joined by investors including PayPal Ventures and GoldenTree Asset Management. 

- Federated Wireless, an Arlington, Va.-based shared spectrum and CBRS technology company, raised $14 million in additional Series D funding from investors including Fortress Investment Group, Giant Leap Capital, LightShed Ventures, GIC, and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund.

- Switchboard, a remote-based collaboration platform for remote work, raised $13.8 million in funding from Sequoia, XYZ Ventures, The General Partnership, Spark Capital, and other angel investors. 

- Baseten, a remote-based machine learning models developer for full-stack apps, raised $12 million in Series A funding led by Greylock.

- Pando, a San Francisco-based career progression platform, raised $6.9 million in seed funding from investors including Lerer Hippeau, Craft Ventures, and others.

- hampr, a Lafayette, La.-based on-demand laundry marketplace, raised $5 million in funding from investors including Gurtin Ventures, Benson Capital Partners, Ochsner Ventures and Techstars.

- Kahoona, a San Diego-based first-party data generation and activation platform, raised $4.5 million in Seed funding led by Global Founders Capital and was joined by investors including Cardumen Capital, Plug and Play, and Fourth Realm. 

- JackBe, an Edmond, Okla.-based on-demand pick-up-only grocery service, raised $3.75 million in Seed funding led by RCC Ventures and was joined by Purpose Equity.

- WILE, a Portland-based hormonal wellness brand for women 40+, raised $3 million in pre-seed funding led by Serena Ventures and is joined by investors including Springdale Ventures, angel investor Sara Bright, Coyote Ventures, and others. 

PRIVATE EQUITY

- Industrial Opportunity Partners acquired Raven Engineered Films, a Sioux Falls, S.D.-based flexible films and sheeting provider. Financial terms were not disclosed.

EXITS

- Adnoc acquired a minority stake in Borealis, a Vienna-based chemicals company, from Mubadala Investment Co. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

- Florida Food Products acquired T-Bev, a Eugene, Ore.-based tea extracts, instant tea, natural, and organic caffeine and other botanical extracts manufacturer and distributor, from Swander Pace Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed.  

- SK Capital Partners acquired Florachem Holdings, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based plant-based ingredients including citrus, pine, and specialty rosin resins manufacturer and supplier, from an affiliate of Carmelina Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

OTHER

- Itau acquired a minority stake in XP, a São Paulo-based brokerage firm, for $1.6 billion. 

- Shell agreed to acquire Sprng Energy, a Pune, India-based renewable power supplier, for $1.55 billion. 

- MGM Grand offered to acquire LeoVegas, a Stockholm-based online gaming company, for $607 million. 

- G-III agreed to acquired a majority stake in Karl Lagerfeld, a Paris-based fashion brand, for $210 million. 

- Helen of Troy agreed to acquire Recipe Products, a London-based maker of Curlsmith, for $150 million. As part of the deal, BFG Partners exited. 

- Google Cloud acquired Mobiledgex, a San Jose, Calif.-based computing management company. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

- Snap! Mobile acquired 8to18 Digital, a Lombard, Ill.-based sports and activities software service for athletic directors, and SchoolCNXT, a Lombard, Ill.-based family engagement language platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.

PEOPLE

- Churchill Asset Management, a New York-based investment firm, hired Jason Quinn as managing director of origination. Formerly, he was with Antares Capital. 

- HarbourView Equity Partners, a Newark, N.J.-based global investment firm, hired Vincent Searcy as an advisor.

- Transformation Capital, a Boston and San Francisco-based growth equity firm, promoted Scott Rosen to partner.

This is the web version of Term Sheet, a daily newsletter on the biggest deals and dealmakers. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

About the Author
By Jessica MathewsFormer Senior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jessica Mathews is a former senior writer for Fortune, where she covered transportation, defense tech, and Elon Musk’s companies.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
NewslettersMPW Daily
Lisa Cook and E. Jean Carroll win against Trump at the Supreme Court
By Emma HinchliffeJune 29, 2026
3 hours ago
Coworkers watching World Cup at a bar
NewslettersFortune Workplace Innovation
How smart employers are turning the World Cup into a workplace win
By Emma BurleighJune 29, 2026
7 hours ago
The sell-off in Strategy’s preferred stock has investors questioning everything
NewslettersFortune Crypto
The sell-off in Strategy’s preferred stock has investors questioning everything
By Ben WeissJune 29, 2026
8 hours ago
As JPMorgan’s CEO race heats up, the case for a two-person succession contest is put to the test
C-SuiteNext to Lead
As JPMorgan’s CEO race heats up, the case for a two-person succession contest is put to the test
By Ruth UmohJune 29, 2026
9 hours ago
CEOs have forgotten the moderate playbook. The stakes for relearning it have never been higher
NewslettersCEO Daily
CEOs have forgotten the moderate playbook. The stakes for relearning it have never been higher
By Diane BradyJune 29, 2026
10 hours ago
The Google Midlothian Data Center in Midlothian, Texas, on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Alphabet's Google plans to invest $40 billion in three new Texas data centers. (Photo: Jonathan Johnson/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Google: Thank you Meta! But your AI capacity is in another data center!
By Andrew NuscaJune 29, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
2 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
1 day ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.