Clear Channel Buyers Reach Funding Deal

It appears Clear Channel Communications (CCU - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) shareholders won't get as much as they were promised by the two firms looking to take the company private, but at least they're going to get a deal.

CNBC reported late Tuesday that private-equity companies Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital have agreed to a new pact with a group of banks that had initially balked at fully funding the deal, settling on a purchase price of $18 billion, or $36 a share. That compares to the earlier buyout price that was set at $39.20 a share.

Shares of Clear Channel were recently up $1.37, or 4.2%, at $34.25. The stock is now up nearly 15% over the last two sessions.

The private-equity firms had filed a lawsuit against the banks earlier this year, and a court proceeding pending in Texas that was scheduled to get underway Monday was postponed until Tuesday as settlement talks heated up.

Citigroup (C - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr), Morgan Stanley (MS - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr), Wachovia (WB - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr), Deutsche Bank (DB - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr), Credit Suisse (CS - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) are in the bank group.

The settlement could mark the end of a roller-coaster ride for the Clear Channel acquisition. Since the deal was initially presented in December 2006, various parties have disputed the price, the sale of certain assets and financing arrangements.