This week Sidley Austin released the results of a survey sent to 150 US-based executives on the prospects for dealmaking. They include leaders of 75 with firms that have more than $1 billion in assets under management and another 75 business development execs from companies with annual revenues of $1 billion or more.
The survey was conducted in November in partnership with Mergermarket, so their perspectives should be handicapped accordingly. On the one hand, the pandemic was in full roar with about 1,600 deaths each day and election results included a new president-elect and unresolved control of the senate at the time the survey was underway. On the other hand, transactions were bouncing back from a truly miserable summer to levels that were beginning to approach normal. In fact, the fourth quarter of 2020 was one of the best in the past few years.
So, what did the executives think about the 12 months to follow?
A full 90% of respondents thought deal volumes would be down from pre-pandemic levels, including 30% who thought they’d fall short by as much as 25-50%, with 17% predicting an even greater decline. The corporate executives were gloomier than their private equity counterparts. And almost no one from either group expected volumes to improve.
Likewise, they expected significant changes in the nature of activity: smaller, but more creative types of deals. All but 8% expected that average deal values would be the same or worse than pre-pandemic values.
More than half of the respondents (53%) said deals themselves would be more creative in their structure because of Covid-19 strictures. But 22% said deal structures would likely change with, or without, the pandemic. Think SPACs. And distressed debt.
The inventory for optimism included several factors for the executives surveyed: Ranking highest as a hope for better times was the likelihood of distressed debt opportunities. Nearly 90% said consolidation transactions with debt-stricken targets would lead the way. Likewise, lower valuation of assets would make targets more attractive (53%), and more than half (52%) said better deal terms would help fuel transactions.
There was at least one major area of disagreement between the corporate and PE executives, and that involved the question of structures. Where 68% of the PE group cited greater acceptance of creative structures as a source of optimism, only 39% of the corporate group said that would be a difference maker.
In the week ending March 13, there were 15 total transactions valued at $3.2 billion. That meant work for 9 different firms and 109 lawyers. As noted, the week’s transactions included 6 M&A deals worth $538 million. There were nine capital markets deals worth $2.7 billion.
Weekly Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup Stats
A compilation of weekly stats from The Lawbook's CDT Weekly Roundup
(Deal Values in Millions)
(Deal Values in Millions)
Deal Count | Amount | Firms | Lawyers | M&A Count | M&A Value $M | CapM Count | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23-Nov-24 | 15 | $4,553 | 15 | 153 | 11 | $3,379 | 4 | $1,174 |
16-Nov-24 | 17 | $11,488 | 11 | 245 | 13 | $10,186 | 4 | $1,303 |
09-Nov-24 | 14 | $2,110 | 12 | 139 | 12 | $1,410 | 2 | $700 |
02-Nov-24 | 12 | $52,788 | 11 | 107 | 11 | $52,738 | 1 | $50 |
26-Oct-24 | 8 | $3,160 | 8 | 65 | 7 | $3,065 | 1 | $75 |
19-Oct-24 | 12 | $5,304 | 11 | 136 | 11 | $4,554 | 1 | $750 |
12-Oct-24 | 17 | $8,438 | 12 | 150 | 15 | $8,116 | 2 | $322 |
05-Oct-24 | 22 | $23,181 | 12 | 189 | 15 | $19,980 | 7 | $3,201 |
28-Sep-24 | 11 | $2,356 | 7 | 144 | 7 | $53 | 4 | $2,303 |
21-Sep-24 | 12 | $9,568 | 10 | 169 | 5 | $4,101 | 7 | $5,467 |
14-Sep-24 | 24 | $10,988 | 12 | 235 | 16 | $7,175 | 8 | $3,813 |
7-Sep-24 | 12 | $20,420 | 16 | 168 | 11 | $20,307 | 1 | $112.9 |
31-Aug-24 | 13 | $20,631 | 9 | 134 | 12 | $14,775 | 1 | $5,856 |
24-Aug-24 | 19 | $8,452 | 21 | 325 | 16 | $7,102 | 3 | $1,350 |
17-Aug-24 | 25 | $49,196 | 16 | 304 | 11 | $39,386 | 14 | $9,810 |
10-Aug-24 | 20 | $12,264 | 15 | 312 | 16 | $9,794 | 4 | $2,470 |
03-Aug-24 | 26 | $16,498 | 16 | 334 | 18 | $8,137 | 8 | $8,361 |
27-Jul-24 | 19 | $16,442 | 21 | 271 | 15 | $13,838 | 4 | $2,604 |
20-Jul-24 | 15 | $16,016 | 14 | 184 | 10 | $14,232 | 5 | $1,784 |
13-Jul-24 | 20 | $17,220 | 14 | 265 | 18 | $7,146 | 2 | $10,074 |
6-Jul-24 | 11 | $3,941 | 11 | 95 | 8 | $2,650 | 3 | $1,291 |
29-Jun-24 | 14 | $6,296 | 15 | 224 | 8 | $6,296 | 6 | $1,927 |
22-Jun-24 | 12 | $5,679 | 8 | 137 | 5 | $210 | 7 | $5,469 |
15-Jun-24 | 13 | $9,895 | 16 | 214 | 10 | $5,280 | 3 | $4,615 |
8-Jun-24 | 19 | $23,859 | 13 | 239 | 12 | $19,436 | 7 | $4,423 |
1-Jun-24 | 12 | $34,510 | 11 | 147 | 9 | $26,110 | 3 | $8,400 |
25-May-24 | 13 | $9,684 | 15 | 171 | 10 | $4,434 | 3 | $5,250 |
18-May-24 | 11 | $5,490 | 11 | 173 | 8 | $3,129 | 3 | $2,361 |
11-May-24 | 22 | $14,855 | 14 | 227 | 16 | $11,105 | 6 | $3,750 |
4-May-24 | 13 | $3,139 | 9 | 87 | 10 | $1,297 | 3 | $1,842 |
27-Apr-24 | 10 | $6,684 | 6 | 28 | 10 | $6,684 | 0 | 0 |
20-Apr-24 | 19 | $15,989 | 11 | 147 | 9 | $5,208 | 10 | $10,781 |
13-Apr-24 | 13 | $8,952 | 9 | 76 | 10 | $1,652 | 3 | $7,300 |
6-Apr-24 | 22 | $22,616 | 14 | 222 | 14 | $13,501 | 8 | $13,116 |
30-Mar-24 | 12 | $9,286 | 8 | 136 | 8 | $4,299 | 4 | $4,987 |
23-Mar-24 | 18 | $5,451 | 17 | 266 | 16 | $4,759 | 2 | $692 |
16-Mar-24 | 21 | $11,437 | 13 | 186 | 14 | $9,316 | 6 | $2,070 |
9-Mar-24 | 23 | $4,695 | 21 | 218 | 19 | $2,723 | 4 | $1,972 |
2-Mar-24 | 20 | $9,108 | 19 | 372 | 14 | $4,558 | 6 | $4,550 |
24-Feb-24 | 19 | $16,382 | 12 | 248 | 15 | $9,507 | 4 | $6,875 |
17-Feb-24 | 16 | $29,932 | 15 | 157 | 12 | $29,216 | 4 | $716 |
10-Feb-24 | 25 | $10,750 | 17 | 196 | 19 | $5,372 | 6 | $5,379 |
3-Feb-24 | 12 | $8,416 | 18 | 125 | 9 | $3,416 | 3 | $5,000 |
27-Jan-24 | 9 | $8,165 | 9 | 87 | 8 | $7,815 | 1 | $800 |
20-Jan-24 | 14 | $4,084 | 12 | 109 | 12 | $3,219 | 2 | $865 |
13-Jan-24 | 17 | $33,588 | 12 | 256 | 12 | $26,765 | 5 | $6,823 |
6-Jan-24 | 8 | $7,915 | 8 | 84 | 6 | $7,265 | 2 | $650 |
30-Dec-23 | 17 | $14,599 | 12 | 99 | 15 | $2,714 | 2 | $11,885 |
23-Dec-23 | 23 | $4,182 | 13 | 219 | 16 | $1,813 | 7 | $2,370 |
16-Dec-23 | 13 | $16,436 | 13 | 280 | 7 | $15,150 | 5 | $1,286 |
9-Dec-23 | 26 | $14,633.90 | 17 | 244 | 16 | $8,095 | 10 | $6,538.90 |
2-Dec-23 | 13 | $6,720 | 9 | 57 | 12 | $6,630 | 1 | $90 |
25-Nov-23 | 9 | $4,835 | 9 | 131 | 6 | $1,785 | 3 | $3,050 |
18-Nov-23 | 22 | $6,568.70 | 17 | 184 | 14 | $4,709.20 | 8 | $1,859.50 |
11-Nov-23 | 15 | $9,825 | 13 | 179 | 12 | $6,581 | 3 | $3,244 |
4-Nov-23 | 15 | $20,582.50 | 14 | 193 | 12 | $19,417.50 | 3 | $1,165 |
28-Oct-23 | 18 | $68,419.10 | 18 | 152 | 15 | $66,646 | 3 | $1,773.10 |
21-Oct-23 | 16 | $6,755.90 | 16 | 165 | 15 | $6,755.90 | 1 | $3 |
14-Oct-23 | 14 | $67,851.20 | 13 | 125 | 9 | $61,998.50 | 5 | $5,852.70 |
7-Oct-23 | 17 | $6,595.50 | 13 | 228 | 16 | $5,995.50 | 1 | $600 |
30-Sep-23 | 17 | $1,896.45 | 13 | 189 | 14 | $806.45 | 3 | $1,090 |
23-Sep-23 | 23 | $6,432.70 | 17 | 230 | 16 | $1,402.80 | 7 | $5,029.90 |
16-Sep-23 | 25 | $23,226.70 | 23 | 353 | 16 | $17,239 | 9 | $5,987.70 |
9-Sep-23 | 12 | $6,369 | 8 | 102 | 7 | $4,311 | 5 | $2,058 |
2-Sep-23 | 14 | $2,522 | 6 | 92 | 13 | $1,322 | 1 | $1,200 |
26-Aug-23 | 17 | $12,160.25 | 13 | 202 | 15 | $6,573.25 | 2 | $5,587.00 |
19-Aug-23 | 19 | $11,505 | 13 | 213 | 15 | $11,255 | 4 | $250 |
12-Aug-23 | 19 | $9,698.80 | 13 | 184 | 7 | $3,270 | 12 | $6,428.80 |
5-Aug-23 | 13 | $5,201 | 12 | 118 | 12 | $5,051 | 1 | $150 |
29-Jul-23 | 15 | $21,031.60 | 13 | 196 | 11 | $18,292.00 | 4 | $2,739.60 |
22-Jul-23 | 18 | $3,992 | 12 | 130 | 13 | $2,808 | 5 | $1,184 |
15-Jul-23 | 13 | $8,254.95 | 13 | 81 | 13 | $8,254.95 | 0 | 0 |
8-Jul-23 | 16 | $5,441.45 | 12 | 172 | 11 | $2,443 | 5 | $2,998.45 |
1-Jul-23 | 16 | $6,872 | 10 | 105 | 12 | $5,474 | 4 | $1,398 |
24-Jun-23 | 13 | $10,914 | 16 | 201 | 10 | $7,874 | 3 | $3,040 |
17-Jun-23 | 17 | $5,880.70 | 15 | 151 | 15 | $4,705.70 | 2 | $1,175 |
10-Jun-23 | 19 | $8,516.10 | 13 | 111 | 16 | $6,252.40 | 3 | $2,263.70 |
June 3 2023 | 12 | $6,104.42 | 12 | 138 | 8 | $4,256.92 | 4 | $1,847.50 |
27-May-23 | 17 | $12,200 | 10 | 67 | 11 | $6,165 | 6 | $6,035 |
20-May-23 | 11 | $22,458.10 | 8 | 103 | 4 | $19,455 | 7 | $3,003 |
13-May-23 | 12 | $7,034 | 10 | 101 | 8 | $5,460 | 4 | $1,574 |
6-May-23 | 20 | $3,297.60 | 18 | 196 | 17 | $2,985.60 | 3 | $312 |
29-Apr-23 | 23 | $3,691.20 | 18 | 135 | 17 | $1,969.70 | 6 | $1,721.50 |
22-Apr-23 | 16 | $5,570 | 14 | 104 | 14 | $4,750 | 2 | $1,000 |
15-Apr-23 | 12 | $23,818.10 | 9 | 59 | 10 | $21,618.10 | 2 | $2,200 |
8-Apr-23 | 16 | $7,949 | 9 | 173 | 9 | $5,472 | 7 | $3,477 |
1-Apr-23 | 21 | $18,676.70 | 12 | 175 | 11 | $10,926.70 | 10 | $7,750 |
25-Mar-23 | 15 | $8,779.50 | 10 | 141 | 5 | $2,362 | 10 | $6,416.50 |
18-Mar-23 | 7 | $14,048.80 | 6 | 69 | 5 | $13,345 | 2 | $703.80 |
11-Mar-23 | 21 | $11,576 | 16 | 165 | 16 | $8,131 | 5 | $3,445 |
4-Mar-23 | 20 | $9,668 | 11 | 228 | 16 | $8,209 | 4 | $1,459 |
25-Feb-23 | 13 | $5,335 | 13 | 130 | 12 | $4,235 | 1 | $1,200 |
18-Feb-23 | 14 | $5,743.70 | 13 | 158 | 8 | $898.70 | 6 | $4,845 |
11-Feb-23 | 16 | $12,088 | 12 | 137 | 12 | $9,965 | 4 | $2,123 |
4-Feb-23 | 17 | $8,066 | 15 | 140 | 13 | $5,614 | 4 | $2,452 |
28-Jan-23 | 7 | $2,180 | 7 | 75 | 5 | $1,692.75 | 2 | $488 |
21-Jan-23 | 17 | $5,768 | 16 | 174 | 12 | $1,918 | 5 | $3,850 |
14-Jan-23 | 11 | $2, 800 | 10 | 102 | 8 | $421 | 3 | $2,400 |
7-Jan-23 | 18 | $8,296 | 11 | 167 | 14 | $6,461 | 3 | $1,835 |
31-Dec-22 | 14 | $2,732 | 11 | 99 | 12 | $2,092 | 2 | $640 |
17-Dec | 14 | $7,919 | 13 | 115 | 12 | $7,419 | 1 | $500 |
10-Dec-22 | 14 | $10,093 | 12 | 88 | 11 | $7,093 | 3 | $3,000 |
3-Dec-22 | 26 | $12,800.90 | 11 | 172 | 20 | $4,141 | 6 | $8,659.90 |
26-Nov-22 | 8 | $2,266.70 | 8 | 5 | 3 | $76 | 5 | $2,190.70 |
19-Nov-22 | 21 | $2,886 | 15 | 212 | 19 | $2,550 | 2 | $336 |
12-Nov-22 | 13 | $15,093.70 | 9 | 81 | 9 | $14,200 | 4 | $893.70 |
5-Nov-22 | 25 | 19,337.20 | 16 | 509 | 22 | $8,267.20 | 3 | $11,070 |
29-Oct-22 | 15 | $7,805.30 | 9 | 116 | 14 | $7,180.30 | 1 | $625 |
22-Oct-22 | 20 | $8,193.50 | 13 | 253 | 13 | $5,442 | 7 | $2,751.50 |
15-Oct-22 | 9 | $3,046.10 | 9 | 139 | 7 | $2,588.30 | 2 | $457.80 |
8-Oct-22 | 19 | $2,011.80 | 12 | 114 | 16 | $833.80 | 3 | $1,178 |
1-Oct-22 | 23 | $5,532.90 | 16 | 156 | 18 | $4,952.30 | 5 | $580.60 |
24-Sep-22 | 18 | $5,194 | 14 | 216 | 15 | $4,050 | 3 | $1,144 |
17-Sep-22 | 21 | $8,352.30 | 12 | 320 | 15 | $4,759.60 | 6 | $3,592.70 |
10-Sep-22 | 15 | $19,853.50 | 10 | 126 | 13 | $19,403.60 | 2 | $450 |
3-Sep-22 | 9 | $2,312 | 9 | 62 | 9 | $2,312 | 0 | 0 |
27-Aug-22 | 16 | $30,891.70 | 10 | 135 | 15 | $30,666.40 | 1 | 227.7 |
20-Aug-22 | 12 | $1,977 | 8 | 152 | 9 | 925 | 3 | $1,052 |
13-Aug-22 | 18 | $8,004.70 | 11 | 242 | 11 | $2,844.70 | 7 | $5,160 |
6-Aug-22 | 24 | $7,948.90 | 12 | 240 | 17 | $3,577 | 7 | $4,371.90 |
30-Jul-22 | 8 | $6,941 | 9 | 78 | 7 | $6,839 | 1 | $102 |
23-Jul-22 | 11 | $801 | 11 | 92 | 10 | $801 | 1 | 0 |
16-Jul-22 | 14 | $3,650 | 10 | 122 | 14 | $3,650 | 0 | 0 |
9-Jul-22 | 10 | $3,557.70 | 7 | 68 | 9 | $3,557.70 | 1 | 0 |
2-Jul-22 | 18 | $8,609.40 | 13 | 152 | 15 | $2,754.40 | 3 | $5,855 |
25-Jun-22 | 15 | $6,142 | 13 | 146 | 9 | $2,017 | 6 | $4,125 |
18-Jun-22 | 17 | $11,890.10 | 14 | 228 | 15 | $11,410 | 2 | 479.7 |
11-Jun-22 | 17 | $7,600 | 12 | 123 | 10 | $2,300 | 7 | $5,300 |
4-Jun-22 | 12 | $2,937 | 10 | 127 | 9 | $692 | 3 | $2,245 |
28-May-22 | 9 | $3,197.60 | 11 | 86 | 9 | $3,197.60 | 0 | 0 |
21-May-22 | 14 | $7,284.50 | 12 | 185 | 11 | $6,609 | 3 | $675.50 |
14-May-22 | 11 | $306.60 | 9 | 80 | 10 | $306.60 | 1 | $225 |
7-May-22 | 16 | $10,451.75 | 12 | 108 | 12 | $1,827 | 4 | $8,624.75 |
30-Apr-22 | 16 | $2,296.50 | 16 | 157 | 12 | $895.50 | 4 | $1,401 |
23-Apr-22 | 10 | $2,241 | 11 | 58 | 8 | $1,641 | 2 | $600 |
16-Apr-22 | 11 | $6,643 | 7 | 156 | 8 | $2,359 | 3 | $4,284 |
9-Apr-22 | 17 | $4,429 | 14 | 184 | 11 | $1,690 | 6 | $2,739 |
2-Apr-22 | 13 | $1,755 | 8 | 84 | 10 | $1,145 | 3 | $610 |
26-Mar-22 | 11 | $3,205 | 8 | 65 | 6 | $200 | 5 | $3,005 |
19-Mar-22 | 13 | $2,239.17 | 9 | 106 | 13 | $2,239.17 | 0 | 0 |
12-Mar-22 | 18 | $12,016 | 11 | 239 | 15 | $11,965 | 2 | $51.35 |
5-Mar-22 | 17 | $6,786 | 13 | 137 | 13 | $5,161 | 4 | $1,625 |
26-Feb-22 | 12 | $5,095 | 8 | 149 | 9 | $4,437.50 | 3 | $658 |
19-Feb-22 | 17 | $22,229 | 17 | 174 | 14 | $21,354 | 3 | $875 |
12-Feb-22 | 12 | $2,344.70 | 10 | 73 | 8 | $641.70 | 4 | $1,703 |
5-Feb-22 | 11 | $2,503 | 8 | 99 | 11 | $2,503 | 0 | 0 |
29-Jan-22 | 11 | $3,872 | 12 | 101 | 12 | $3,872 | 0 | 0 |
22-Jan-22 | 13 | $5,143.50 | 10 | 99 | 12 | $4,842.50 | 1 | $301 |
15-Jan-22 | 12 | $7,605 | 9 | 155 | 9 | $6,480 | 3 | $1,025 |
8-Jan-22 | 13 | $8,256.20 | 11 | 102 | 13 | $8,256.20 | 0 | 0 |
1-Jan-22 | 9 | $1,273.80 | 6 | 50 | 9 | $1,273.80 | 0 | 0 |
25-Dec-21 | 21 | $4,734.75 | 11 | 176 | 16 | $3,410 | 5 | $1,324.75 |
18-Dec-21 | 26 | $7,325.20 | 15 | 193 | 18 | $3,640.20 | 8 | $3,685.20 |
11-Dec-21 | 16 | $5,017 | 10 | 109 | 13 | $1,417 | 3 | $3,600 |
4-Dec-21 | 14 | $2,310 | 8 | 86 | 8 | $2,310 | 6 | $1,882.05 |
27-Nov-21 | 9 | $3.460.1 | 10 | 101 | 6 | $1,758 | 3 | $1,702.60 |
20-Nov-21 | 20 | $22,792 | 15 | 157 | 12 | $18,864.50 | 8 | $3,928 |
13-Nov-21 | 21 | $26,729 | 12 | 178 | 13 | $11,822 | 8 | $14,907 |
6-Nov-21 | 12 | $8,303 | 13 | 157 | 10 | $6,682 | 3 | $1,621 |
30-Oct-21 | 21 | $10,368 | 15 | 218 | 15 | $9,24.4 | 6 | $1,103.00 |
23-Oct-21 | 21 | $18.783.1 | 15 | 222 | 11 | $12,314 | 10 | $6,468.60 |
16-Oct-21 | 15 | $3,868 | 11 | 118 | 15 | $2,293 | 2 | $1,575 |
9-Oct-21 | 20 | $8,610 | 16 | 175 | 16 | $7,795 | 4 | $815 |
2-Oct-21 | 14 | $6,250 | 11 | 137 | 10 | $5,200 | 4 | $1,050 |
25-Sep-21 | 11 | $11,460 | 9 | 93 | 7 | $10,200 | 4 | $1,250 |
18-Sep-21 | 11 | $16,603 | 8 | 99 | 8 | $15,084 | 3 | $1,519 |
11-Sep-21 | 17 | $10,653 | 11 | 103 | 13 | $8,503 | 4 | $2,150 |
4-Sep-21 | 13 | $7,222 | 10 | 89 | 11 | $6,715 | 2 | $507 |
28-Aug-21 | 12 | $763 | 9 | 63 | 11 | $663 | 1 | $100 |
21-Aug-21 | 12 | $29,659 | 7 | 79 | 11 | $29,579 | 1 | $80 |
14-Aug-21 | 22 | $17,845 | 11 | 199 | 12 | $12,805 | 10 | $5,04 |
7-Aug-21 | 17 | $13,670 | 12 | 139 | 15 | $11,766 | 2 | $1,904 |
31-Jul-21 | 21 | $8,160 | 11 | 134 | 10 | $3,574 | 10 | $4,586 |
July 24,2021 | 21 | $6,367 | 11 | 139 | 15 | $3,712 | 6 | $2,655 |
17-Jul-21 | 14 | $4,009 | 11 | 124 | 12 | $2,015 | 2 | $1,994 |
10-Jul-21 | 16 | $3,997 | 13 | 143 | 11 | $1,597 | 4 | $2,4 |
3-Jul-21 | 24 | $7,492 | 13 | 94 | 16 | $3,769 | 8 | $3,722 |
26-Jun-21 | 10 | $4,995 | 7 | 85 | 8 | $3,847 | 2 | $1,148 |
19-Jun-21 | 28 | $16,830 | 8 | 228 | 9 | $1,861 | 19 | $14,968 |
12-Jun-21 | 26 | $27,238 | 15 | 209 | 19 | $25,602 | 7 | $1,636 |
5-Jun-21 | 15 | $15,539 | 13 | 100 | 13 | $14,709 | 2 | $600 |
29-May-21 | 35 | $20,279 | 11 | 145 | 28 | $18,64 | 7 | $1,639 |
22-May-21 | 24 | $53,208 | 14 | 174 | 17 | $51,047 | 7 | $2,161 |
15-May-21 | 18 | $10,620 | 13 | 220 | 11 | $5,870 | 7 | $4,809 |
8-May-21 | 17 | $10,400 | 11 | 156 | 15 | $8,386 | 2 | $2,500 |
1-May-21 | 21 | $7,200 | 16 | 115 | 12 | $3,808 | 9 | $3,392 |
24-Apr-21 | 8 | $20,200 | 9 | 31 | 8 | $20,200 | 0 | 0 |
17-Apr-21 | 14 | $6,270 | 8 | 102 | 11 | $40,180 | 3 | $2,260 |
10-Apr-21 | 15 | $8,940 | 13 | 129 | 14 | $7,990 | 1 | $950 |
3-Apr-21 | 18 | $19,513 | 10 | 151 | 12 | $16,923 | 6 | $2,590 |
27-Mar-21 | 27 | $13,942 | 15 | 244 | 14 | $4,300 | 13 | $9,633.50 |
20-Mar-21 | 11 | $2,046 | 4 | 102 | 3 | $270 | 8 | $1,776 |
13-Mar-21 | 15 | $3,270 | 9 | 109 | 6 | $538 | 9 | $2,732 |
6-Mar-21 | 24 | $13,617 | 10 | 196 | 13 | $10,395 | 11 | $3,222 |
27-Feb-21 | 19 | $8,105 | 12 | 139 | 15 | $4,970 | 4 | $3,135 |
20-Feb-21 | 9 | $8,820 | 9 | 153 | 8 | $8,520 | 1 | $300 |
13-Feb-21 | 12 | $4,852.60 | 7 | 81 | 7 | 2,766 | 5 | $2,086.60 |
6-Feb-21 | 18 | $9,752 | 13 | 153 | 14 | $5,222 | 4 | $4,530 |
30-Jan-21 | 18 | $9,449 | 9 | 182 | 15 | $8,753.80 | 3 | $695.30 |
23-Jan-21 | 14 | $8,150 | 8 | 118 | 6 | $4,000 | 8 | $4,150 |
16-Jan-21 | 17 | $6,783 | 13 | 138 | 11 | $2,400 | 6 | $4,382.90 |
9-Jan-21 | 22 | $6,829 | 14 | 135 | 18 | $3,139.30 | 4 | $3,690 |
2-Jan-21 | 7 | $1,466 | 7 | 60 | 7 | $1,466 | 0 | 0 |
26-Dec-20 | 18 | $15,900 | 12 | 163 | 16 | $5,300 | 1 | $600 |
19-Dec-20 | 18 | $9,769 | 14 | 110 | 14 | $8,426 | 4 | $1,343 |
12-Dec-20 | 10 | $7,200 | 9 | 100 | 9 | $3,325 | 1 | $3,830 |
5-Dec-20 | 15 | $4,261 | 9 | 122 | 9 | $2,780 | 6 | $1,481 |
28-Nov-20 | 19 | $7,758 | 10 | 110 | 13 | $4,003 | 6 | $3,755 |
14-Nov-20 | 14 | $864.10 | 14 | 157 | 12 | $289.10 | 2 | $575 |
7-Nov-20 | 13 | $6,332 | 9 | 129 | 9 | $2,483.50 | 4 | $3,849 |
31-Oct-20 | 10 | $3,995.80 | 8 | 103 | 6 | $3,231.10 | 4 | $754.70 |
24-Oct-20 | 6 | $18,100 | 6 | 58 | 5 | $17,709 | 1 | $350 |
17-Oct-20 | 8 | $351.90 | 5 | 55 | 8 | $351.90 | 0 | 0 |
10-Oct-20 | 7 | $5,229 | 3 | 50 | 4 | $735 | 3 | $4,494 |
3-Oct-20 | 14 | $21,428 | 9 | 173 | 9 | $17,535 | 5 | $3,893 |
26-Sep-20 | 10 | $12,770 | 8 | 93 | 5 | $10,300 | 5 | $2,470 |
19-Sep-20 | 14 | $8,365 | 9 | 101 | 6 | $1,020 | 8 | $7,345 |
12-Sep-20 | 6 | $4,406 | 8 | 59 | 3 | $1,270 | 3 | $3,136 |
5-Sep-20 | 11 | $5,191 | 8 | 117 | 9 | $4,061 | 2 | $1,130 |
29-Aug-20 | 11 | $2,531 | 9 | 94 | 5 | $1,130 | 6 | $1,401 |
22-Aug-20 | 18 | $6,574 | 12 | 140 | 7 | $1,930 | 11 | $4,644 |
15-Aug-20 | 13 | $4,991 | 10 | 97 | 7 | $1,216 | 6 | $3,775 |
8-Aug-20 | 12 | $32,092 | 11 | 112 | 9 | $30,457 | 3 | $1,635 |
1-Aug-20 | 7 | $5,287 | 8 | 76 | 5 | $3,687 | 2 | $1,600 |
25-Jul-20 | 9 | $18,751 | 6 | 67 | 7 | $18,403 | 2 | $348 |
18-Jul-20 | 6 | $1,982.50 | 5 | 50 | 4 | $1,407.50 | 2 | $575 |
11-Jul-20 | 11 | $565.10 | 12 | 75 | 10 | $65.10 | 1 | $500 |
4-Jul-20 | 10 | $8,889 | 8 | 98 | 9 | $8,788 | 1 | $100.30 |
27-Jun-20 | 8 | $6,874 | 10 | 50 | 5 | $4,972.50 | 3 | $2,081.50 |
20-Jun-20 | 12 | $4,444 | 9 | 115 | 7 | $2,829 | 5 | $1,615 |
13-Jun-20 | 6 | $3,582 | 4 | 37 | 2 | $350 | 4 | $3,232 |
6-Jun-20 | 11 | $3,213.70 | 8 | 65 | 7 | $470 | 4 | $2,743.70 |
30-May-20 | 8 | $7,335 | 7 | 48 | 6 | $4,639 | 2 | $2,697 |
23-May-20 | 4 | $432.40 | 4 | 34 | 3 | $432.40 | 1 | 0 |
16-May-20 | 6 | $310 | 6 | 34 | 5 | $310 | 1 | 0 |
9-May-20 | 18 | $5,630 | 16 | 124 | 14 | $3,180 | 4 | $2,450 |
2-May-20 | 15 | 10,400 | 10 | 90 | 8 | $1,900 | 7 | $,8,500 |
25-Apr-20 | 8 | $3,400 | 9 | 36 | 5 | $1,000 | 3 | $2,450 |
18-Apr-20 | 19 | $9,500 | 14 | 92 | 8 | $185.70 | 11 | $9,360 |
11-Apr-20 | 12 | $6,000 | 9 | 40 | 5 | $190 | 7 | $5,800 |
4-Apr-20 | 14 | $8,200 | 11 | 68 | 10 | $2,200 | 4 | $6,000 |
28-Mar-20 | 16 | $6,500 | 13 | 96 | 10 | $3,700 | 6 | $2,800 |
21-Mar-20 | 11 | $11,910 | 7 | 33 | 7 | $2,250 | 4 | $9,960 |
14-Mar-20 | 7 | 809.8 | 6 | 34 | 6 | 684.8 | 1 | 125 |
7-Mar-20 | 16 | $2,500 | 15 | 70 | 13 | $669 | 3 | $1,400 |
29-Feb-20 | 13 | $15,260 | 13 | 128 | 11 | $11,760 | 2 | $3,500 |
22-Feb-20 | 12 | $3,700 | 10 | 92 | 10 | $2,560 | 2 | $1,130 |
15-Feb-20 | 16 | $1,250 | 10 | 84 | 12 | $35 | 4 | $1,222 |
8-Feb-20 | 18 | $6,080 | 14 | 123 | 14 | $2,595 | 4 | $3,485 |
1-Feb-20 | 21 | $20,900 | 12 | 101 | 14 | $17,860 | 7 | $3,060 |
25-Jan-20 | 13 | $7,430 | 13 | 62 | 12 | $6,430 | 1 | $1,000 |
18-Jan-20 | 23 | $9,580 | 15 | 120 | 19 | $6,580 | 4 | $3,000 |
11-Jan-20 | 21 | $14,200 | 18 | 199 | 16 | $1,020 | 5 | $13,200 |
4-Jan-20 | 22 | $6,400 | 11 | 119 | 16 | $3,204 | 6 | $3,245 |
28-Dec-19 | 22 | $7,150 | 19 | 175 | 18 | $6,800 | 4 | $327.40 |
14-Dec-19 | 24 | $36,300 | 23 | 167 | 19 | $9,500 | 5 | $26,800 |
7-Dec-19 | 11 | $10,400 | 11 | 55 | 7 | $1,082 | 4 | $9,370 |
November 30. 2019 | 14 | $2,450 | 12 | 126 | 12 | $1,760 | 2 | $692.50 |
23-Nov-19 | 16 | $1,995 | 10 | 41 | 11 | $615 | 5 | $1,380 |
16-Nov-19 | 15 | $3,820 | 13 | 135 | 11 | $2,500 | 4 | $1,271 |
9-Nov-19 | 25 | $12,900 | 17 | 182 | 23 | $12,200 | 2 | $575 |
2-Nov-19 | 10 | $2,470 | 12 | 61 | 9 | 2,450 | 3 | $22 |
26-Oct-19 | 12 | $5,560 | 14 | 70 | 11 | $3,860 | 1 | $1,700 |
19-Oct-19 | 8 | $6,600 | 8 | 138 | 8 | $6,600 | 0 | 0 |
12-Oct-19 | 19 | $4,300 | 14 | 55 | 16 | $3,800 | 3 | $500 |
5-Oct-19 | 18 | $14,500 | 19 | 166 | 15 | $11,100 | 3 | $3,400 |
28-Sep-19 | 19 | $8,100 | 18 | 132 | 18 | $7,560 | 1 | $550 |
21-Sep-19 | 14 | $6,300 | 16 | 66 | 11 | $2,160 | 3 | $4,170 |
14-Sep-19 | 15 | $23,800 | 12 | 56 | 11 | $21,250 | 4 | $2,570 |
7-Sep-19 | 17 | $3,500 | 15 | 98 | 14 | $1,900 | 3 | $1,600 |
31-Aug-19 | 5 | $8,700 | 6 | 50 | 5 | $8,700 | 0 | 0 |
24-Aug-19 | 16 | $10,000 | 14 | 82 | 15 | $4,250 | 1 | $5,750 |
16-Aug-19 | 10 | $1,680 | 5 | 52 | 7 | $650 | 3 | $950 |
9-Aug-19 | 17 | $17,700 | 15 | 68 | 14 | $3,900 | 3 | $13,800 |
2-Aug-19 | 13 | $5,760 | 12 | 108 | 13 | $5,760 | NA | NA |
27-Jul-19 | 11 | $7,300 | 13 | 76 | 8 | $6,570 | 3 | $730 |
20-Jul-19 | 13 | $11,800 | 13 | 125 | 11 | $5,300 | 2 | $6,500 |
13-Jul-19 | 10 | $775 | 7 | 46 | 8 | $542.50 | 2 | $233 |
6-Jul-19 | 7 | $2,500 | 9 | 85 | 7 | $2,500 | 0 | 0 |
29-Jun-19 | 23 | $8,290 | 15 | 154 | 17 | $2,300 | 6 | $5,970 |
22-Jun-19 | 17 | $10,700 | 10 | 139 | 14 | $7,700 | 3 | $3,000 |
15-Jun-19 | 11 | $13,500 | 14 | 160 | 11 | $13,500 | NA | NA |
8-Jun-19 | 13 | $2,870 | 17 | 55 | 11 | $1,570 | 2 | $1,300 |
1-Jun-19 | 10 | $4,460 | 11 | 60 | 8 | $4,140 | 2 | $315 |
25-May-19 | 17 | $4,360 | 14 | 79 | 14 | $3,700 | 3 | $612 |
18-May-19 | 22 | $9,000 | 17 | 150 | 16 | $3,400 | 6 | $5,600 |
11-May-19 | 18 | $19,800 | 17 | 177 | 15 | $18,300 | 3 | $1,500 |
4-May-19 | 10 | $7,075 | 6 | 32 | 8 | $6,900 | 2 | $175 |
27-Apr-19 | 15 | $3,200 | 14 | 117 | 14 | $3,160 | 1 | $40 |
20-Apr-19 | 13 | $13,500 | 10 | 90 | 9 | $12,200 | 4 | $1,300 |
13-Apr-19 | 16 | $38,900 | 14 | 91 | 14 | $37,800 | 2 | $1,100 |
6-Apr-19 | 12 | $6,870 | 11 | 94 | 10 | $6,730 | 2 | $50 |
30-Mar-19 | 15 | $6,470 | 12 | 84 | 10 | $7,91.5 | 5 | $5,677 |
23-Mar-19 | 18 | $6,450 | 14 | 91 | 14 | $5,042 | 4 | $1,408 |
16-Mar-19 | 14 | $10,180 | 12 | 115 | 11 | $8,800 | 3 | $1,300 |
9-Mar-19 | 9 | $1,800 | 6 | 49 | 8 | $1,300 | 1 | $500 |
2-Mar-19 | 20 | $3,033 | 16 | 107 | 14 | $1,817 | 6 | $1,262 |
23-Feb-19 | 12 | $2,040 | 8 | 69 | 9 | $614.60 | 3 | $1,430 |
16-Feb-19 | 16 | $9,970 | 18 | 77 | 16 | $9,970 | 0 | 0 |
9-Feb-19 | 14 | $6,400 | 10 | 110 | 14 | $6,400 | 0 | 0 |
2-Feb-19 | 18 | $6,740 | 15 | 99 | 16 | $5,720 | 2 | $950 |
26-Jan-19 | 13 | $2,770 | 11 | 67 | 11 | $918.95 | 2 | $1,850 |
19-Jan-19 | 15 | $3,819 | 16 | 76 | 12 | $2,594 | 3 | $1,225 |
12-Jan-19 | 18 | $7,283 | 14 | 92 | 15 | $1,683 | 3 | $5,600 |
5-Jan-19 | 10 | $529 | 12 | 50 | 10 | $529 | 0 | 0 |
22-Dec-18 | 17 | $2,570 | 13 | 87 | 14 | $941 | 3 | $1,629 |
15-Dec-18 | 10 | $2,860 | 8 | 26 | 8 | $264 | 2 | $2,600 |
8-Dec-18 | 15 | $1,819 | 16 | 65 | 12 | $552 | 3 | $1,267 |
1-Dec-18 | 12 | $7,500 | 10 | 90 | 9 | $1,200 | 3 | $6,200 |
28-Nov-18 | 15 | $4,500 | 11 | 107 | 14 | $4,000 | 1 | $500 |
19-Nov-18 | 18 | $6,137 | 13 | 98 | 13 | $2,142 | 5 | $3,995 |
14-Nov-18 | 18 | $9,200 | 13 | 152 | 15 | $8,500 | 3 | $694 |
6-Nov-18 | 16 | $17,300 | 16 | 183 | 14 | $16,361 | 2 | $950 |
29-Oct-18 | 14 | $14,400 | 18 | 127 | 17 | $13,800 | 1 | $600 |
24-Oct-18 | 13 | $6,140 | 13 | 126 | 11 | $5,122 | 2 | $1,018 |
17-Oct-18 | 18 | $18,390 | 15 | 125 | 14 | $12,292 | 4 | $6,098 |
10-Oct-18 | 29 | $3,149 | 18 | 104 | 20 | $1,647 | 9 | $819 |
2-Oct-18 | 18 | $9,300 | 11 | 67 | 14 | $7,300 | 4 | $2,000 |
25-Sep-18 | 13 | $7,000 | 11 | 75 | 10 | $6,000 | 3 | $995 |
18-Sep-18 | 9 | $3,570 | 7 | 44 | 9 | $3,570 | 0 | 0 |
11-Sep-18 | 13 | $5,900 | 10 | 132 | 13 | $5,900 | 0 | 0 |
7-Sep-18 | 14 | $5,000 | 15 | 86 | 11 | $4,000 | 3 | $1,000 |
29-Aug-18 | 15 | $20,700 | 14 | 79 | 13 | $4,700 | 2 | $16,000 |
20-Aug-18 | 10 | $12,400 | 11 | 53 | 8 | $11,380 | 3 | $1,057 |
14-Aug-18 | 12 | $19,900 | 12 | 132 | 9 | $18,889 | 3 | $1,011 |
7-Aug-18 | 16 | $68,600 | 11 | 106 | 13 | $67,259 | 3 | $1,340 |
31-Jul-18 | 15 | $15,100 | 15 | 95 | 11 | $13,060 | 4 | $2,060 |
23-Jul-18 | 13 | $2,130 | 15 | 60 | 10 | $1,804 | 3 | $1,100 |
17-Jul-18 | 14 | $5,370 | 17 | 98 | 9 | $4,310 | 5 | $1,100 |
9-Jul-18 | 16 | $11,200 | 15 | 74 | 10 | $11,080 | 6 | $862 |
3-Jul-18 | 13 | $7,000 | 7 | 81 | 12 | $6,330 | 1 | $750 |
25-Jun-18 | 15 | $8,800 | 13 | 97 | 9 | $4,970 | 6 | $3,930 |
18-Jun-18 | 13 | $14,200 | 14 | 80 | 7 | $221 | 6 | $14,290 |
11-Jun-18 | 12 | $6,300 | 8 | 96 | 8 | $5,910 | 4 | $803 |
6-Jun-18 | 13 | $14,500 | 10 | 88 | 8 | $14,154 | 5 | $579 |
31-May-18 | 11 | $4,890 | 10 | 63 | 8 | $3,240 | 3 | $1,790 |
22-May-18 | 15 | $20,400 | 11 | 63 | 9 | $19,808 | 6 | $885 |
15-May-18 | 15 | $4,700 | 15 | 106 | 10 | $3,900 | 5 | $643 |
9-May-18 | 11 | $1,400 | 13 | 88 | 9 | $1,300 | 2 | $560 |
1-May-18 | 8 | $14,250 | 7 | 88 | 7 | $13,400 | 1 | $450 |
24-Apr-18 | 12 | $5,300 | 6 | 61 | 11 | $4,470 | 1 | $800 |
17-Apr-18 | 9 | $1,800 | 10 | 44 | 7 | $2,330 | 2 | $1,434 |
11-Apr-18 | 11 | $2,500 | 8 | 32 | 6 | $1,690 | 5 | $809 |
3-Apr-18 | 15 | $13,400 | 11 | 121 | 9 | $12,020 | 6 | $1,090 |
28-Mar-18 | 10 | $4,000 | 10 | 92 | 7 | $3,870 | 3 | $215 |
19-Mar-18 | 17 | $5,800 | 13 | 51 | 10 | $590 | 7 | $5,165 |
12-Mar-18 | 15 | $3,130 | 11 | 43 | 11 | $2,360 | 4 | $788 |
6-Mar-18 | 19 | $5,400 | 13 | 116 | 10 | $1,530 | 9 | $4,860 |
27-Feb-18 | 20 | $6,600 | 13 | 69 | 14 | $5,530 | 6 | $1,030 |
19-Feb-18 | 15 | $5,500 | 14 | 111 | 10 | $3,990 | 6 | $1,980 |
12-Feb-18 | 23 | $10,900 | 17 | 157 | 12 | $7,110 | 11 | $3,840 |
5-Feb-18 | 16 | $8,600 | 13 | 100 | 7 | $1,330 | 9 | $7,800 |
30-Jan-18 | 11 | $12,600 | 11 | 68 | 5 | $7,300 | 6 | $4,982 |
24-Jan-18 | 19 | $9,400 | 15 | 129 | 5 | $2,010 | 14 | $7,337 |
18-Jan-18 | 10 | $6,280 | 8 | 49 | 2 | $2,100 | 8 | $4,188 |
9-Jan-18 | 12 | $16,500 | 12 | 92 | 9 | $15,890 | 3 | $475 |
3-Jan-18 | 10 | $2,500 | 9 | 47 | 8 | $2,350 | 2 | $150 |
27-Dec-17 | 15 | $9,000 | 15 | 113 | 9 | $7,568 | 6 | $1,784 |
18-Dec-17 | 15 | $13,800 | 16 | 164 | 9 | $13,010 | 7 | $1,118 |
11-Dec-17 | 14 | $9,700 | 10 | 126 | 12 | $2,940 | 4 | $8,500 |
4-Dec-17 | 6 | $1,800 | 6 | 31 | 5 | $1,510 | 1 | $300 |
28-Nov-17 | 7 | $3,850 | 8 | 76 | 4 | $3,260 | 3 | $285 |
16-Nov-17 | 10 | $2,700 | 10 | 48 | 6 | $1,840 | 4 | $856 |
8-Nov-17 | 15 | $2,380 | 17 | 91 | 10 | $1,860 | 5 | $516 |
1-Nov-17 | 12 | $4,700 | 17 | 94 | 9 | $3,400 | 4 | $1,300 |
23-Oct-17 | 15 | $10,500 | 10 | 67 | 10 | $9,780 | 4 | $1,530 |
18-Oct-17 | 6 | $2,000 | 37 | 3 | $225 | 3 | $1,820 | |
10-Oct-17 | 12 | $6,570 | 100 | 9 | $3,880 | 3 | $3,360 | |
2-Oct-17 | 8 | $3,100 | 11 | 19 | 3 | $1,630 | 5 | $1,750 |
25-Sep-17 | 8 | $4,880 | 8 | 79 | 5 | $2,660 | 5 | $2,070 |
18-Sep-17 | 9 | $4,770 | 3 | $300 | 6 | $4,470 | ||
12-Sep-17 | 11 | $4,430 | 8 | $2,030 | 3 | $2,400 | ||
1-Sep-17 | 4 | $1,310 | 3 | $317 | 1 | $1,000 | ||
23-Aug-17 | 11 | $13,640 | 9 | 8 | $11,840 | 3 | $1,800 |
It would have been hard to top the week prior, when we logged a massive 24 deals worth $13.6 billion on work done by a whopping 196 lawyers — the most deals reported in a week since mid-December 2019.
But just a year ago, as the seriousness of the pandemic began to set in, there were only 7 deals worth $810 million. That’s not the quietest things would get, but it was the beginning of a really rugged summer.
M&A/PE FUNDING
Evolv Technology, providers of AI-driven “touchless” crowd-screening, announced March 5 that it is taking the SPAC route to become publicly traded, merging with NewHold Investment Corp. The transaction will result in a company valued at $1.7 billion.
Backed by such luminaries as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the company will trade on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker “EVLV.”
The deal involves about $472 million in gross cash proceeds, including $172 million from NewHold’s trust acquisition trust account and another $300 million in a fully committed PIPE.
Evolv Technology was advised by Latham & Watkins with a team led from Houston by SPAC expert Ryan Maierson and from Boston by partners Stephen Ranere and Daniel Hoffman. The team was filled out with lawyers from New York, Boston and Washington D.C.
Cowan acted as sole financial advisor to Evolv, which is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, and as placement agent to NewHold for the PIPE. Loeb & Loeb was legal advisor to NewHold, with Stifel providing financial advice.
Aimed at securing the safety of large gatherings without traditional lines for metal detectors, Evolv’s security systems use a combination of sensors and artificial intelligence to discern the presence of threats posed by weapons, explosives and even health-related threats. The company boasts such crowd-intensive clients as Six Flags, Hershey Park, the Chicago White Sox and New York’s Metropolitan Museum.
All of the current Evolv stockholders are expected to retain their equity holdings through closing. In addition to Gates and Bush, those stockholders include Lux Capital, General Catalyst, DCVC, Motorola Solutions, STANLEY futures, Finback Partners (Jeb Bush’s investment vehicle) and SineWave Ventures.
NewHold, based in Houston, is headed by Kevin Charlton, chair of F&S Tool Inc., a compression molds manufacturer. He was formerly a managing partner at River Hollow Partners and managing director of Macquarie Capital.
The proceeds are expected to be used to accelerate company growth through partnerships and acquisitions, including public health dangers.
Gray Television Leads $40M Investment Round for Envy Gaming as Jones Day Advises
Dallas-based Envy Gaming Inc. announced March 10 completion of $40 million in Round C funding led by Gray Television.
Envy Gaming is a leader in online competitive gaming and esports competition, as well content creators and streamers. It owns top-level teams that compete playing such games as Call of Duty. Its owners include entertainer Post Malone, esports entrepreneur Mike Rufail, and Ken Hersh, a minority owner in the Texas Rangers MLB team.
The $40 million round included a $28.5 million investment by Atlanta-based Gray.
Gray Television was advised in the transaction by Jones Day with a team led from Atlanta by partners Patrick Baldwin and Mark Hanson.
Although Gray Television is headquartered in Atlanta, its chairman and CEO, Hilton Howell Jr., has deep roots in Texas with undergrad and law degrees from Baylor University and a master’s degree in business from the University of Texas. At Baylor Law, Howell graduated cum laude in 1988.
Envy was founded by Rufail in 2007 as a professional Call of Duty team. In 2019, the company was ranked as the eighth most valuable esports organization in the world.
Gibson, V&E Advise on Merger of Expro Group and Frank’s International
In an effort to capture what they anticipate is a recovering world market for energy, two global energy services companies, Expro Group and Frank’s International, announced March 11 that they have agreed to combine in an all-stock transaction.
Terms of the agreement include an exchange ratio of 7.272 shares of Frank’s International for each share of Expro. Upon closing, shareholders in Houston-based Expro will control approximately 65% of the combined company. Shareholders in UK-headquartered Frank’s International will hold 35%. The new company will be headquartered in Houston.
Gibson Dunn served as advisors for Expro with a corporate team led by Houston partner Tull Florey and includes Orange County associate Darren Kerstien, Houston associate Monika Kluziak, New York associate Tracey Tomlinson and Houston associate Zain Hassan. Houston partner James Chenoweth advised on taxes, and Dallas partner Krista Hanvey and Dallas associate Gina Hancock advised on benefits. The team also included firm lawyers from London, Washington, D.C. and Brussels.
J.P. Morgan Securities is serving as financial advisor to Expro.
Vinson & Elkins LLP is serving as legal counsel to Frank’s with a team led from Houston. The V&E corporate team was led by partners Mark Kelly, Steve Gill and Mike Telle with assistance from senior associate Alex Robertson and associates Mariam Boxwala, David Lassetter, Elizabeth Janicki, Josh Blankenship and Maria Black. Also advising from Houston were partners Lina Dimachkieh and John Lynch with associate Dan Henderson; partner David D’Alessandro, counsel Regina Ibarra and associates Mary Daniel Morgan and Maddison Riddick; partner Sean Becker, counsel Martin Luff and associate Peter Goetschel; associates Charlie Fitzpatrick, Nina Bhatia and Travis Ewing; partner Devika Kornbacher and associate Briana Falcon; partner Matt Dobbins and associate Austin Pierce; partner Darin Schultz, senior associates Alex Cross and associate Erin Webb; and firm lawyers from New York, London and Washington, D.C.
Moelis & Company is serving as financial advisor to Frank’s International.
Based on the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2020, the combined company says it will have a debt-free balance sheet and pro forma revenue and adjusted EBITDA, excluding identified synergies, of more than $1 billion and $107 million.
The two companies see themselves as offering complementary specialties in well construction and operation. Frank’s International specializes in engineered tubular services, tubular fabrication and well construction. Expro focuses on well optimization and flow solutions.
“This transaction unites two established industry players to create a leading service provider with an extensive portfolio of capabilities across the well lifecycle,” said Expro CEO Mike Jardon.
V&E Advises SEA Electric on $42M in Private Funding
SEA Electric, an Australian global provider of parts and systems for the electrification of commercial grade vehicles, announced March 9 that it had obtained $42 million in a private placement equity financing.
The company, now headquartered in Los Angeles, says it intends to use the funds bolster its position as a leader in the electrification of commercial vehicles. It also announced plans to take the company public.
Vinson & Elkins advised SEA Holdings Pty Ltd. in the private placement of Series A preferred shares. The V&E corporate team was led from Houston by partner Creighton Smith and associate Olivia Espy Huntington, with assistance from partner Kaam Sahely and associate Alan Albrecht.
President and Founder Tony Fairweather stated, “We are very pleased to have completed a heavily oversubscribed equity financing and are excited to welcome aboard a global set of institutional investors as partners. The financing allows SEA Electric to accelerate our sales efforts and grow our backlog as we explore options to seek a public listing in the United States this year.”
SEA Electric currently partners with commercial vehicle OEM’s, dealers, operators and upfitters to deliver a new range of zero-emissions trucks and is on schedule to deliver more than 1,000 electric commercial vehicles this year. The company forecasts it will have more than 15,000 vehicles on the road by the end of 2023.
“2021 will see a paradigm shift in the way developed markets facilitate uptake of commercial electric vehicles and the unstoppable momentum will build year-after-year” said Fairweather.
SEA Electric also announced a strategic collaboration with shareholder Exro Technologies, a Canadian technology. The collaboration will focus on the development of electric truck batteries for extended electric storage and management, especially Exro’s Battery Control System.
In the placement transaction, SEA Electric issued approximately 1.1 million Series A Preferred Shares at a price of US $40.1995 per share, convertible into common shares of SEA Electric at the option of subscribers and automatically convert to common shares under certain conditions, including SEA Electric completing a public transaction.
SEA Electric was founded in Australia in 2012, creating its proprietary electric power-system technology (known as SEA-Drive®) for the world’s urban delivery and distribution fleets.
Gray Reed Advises in $44M Sale of Interest to PQ Group Holdings
The founders of Chem32, an Orange, Texas provider of sulfides and catalyst pre-activation services used in traditional and renewable refining processes, have sold their membership interest to PQ Group Holdings for $44 million.
The deal, announced March 4, follows completion of the acquisition of Chem32 by Eco Services announced a few days earlier.
Gray Reed advised on the transaction led by deal team transaction partner Wes Dorman and included Amy Lott, Toni Meier, Dan Kroll, Marcus Fettinger, Robbie Morris, Grace Rollinger, and Chad Kell.
PQ is the parent of Eco Services and a performance chemical provider for products with such uses as cleaning and whitening agents in toothpaste, finish on matte surface coatings and remove impurities from beer and edible oils.
Winston Advises NOW, Inc. in Master Corp. Acquisition
In its second transaction within a week, Houston-based NOW Inc. dba Distribution NOW, announced March 4 that it has acquired Master Corporation, a West Texas engineering, procurement and construction firm.
Terms of the transaction were undisclosed.
Days earlier, NOW said it acquired all the assets of Flex Flow, an oil field pumping sales and service company in Midland, from GR Energy Services.
NOW was advised by Winston & Strawn with a team based in Houston, led by transactions associate Louis Savage, along with partner Eric Johnson and associate Bradley Ratliff.
Now Inc., which is based in Houston, distributes downstream energy and industrial products for petroleum refining, chemical processing, LNG terminals, power generation utilities, and industrial manufacturing operations in the United States, Canada, and internationally.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Kirkland Counsel Summit Midstream on Double E Pipeline
Summit Midstream Partners said March 8 that it had closed a previously announced $175 million offering of senior secured credit facilities of its subsidiary Summit Permian Transmission used to finance development of the Double E Pipeline project.
The company also posted a $16 million letter of credit to support back-end equity contributions which may or may not be needed for the estimated $425 million project, which the company says continues to be at or under budget.
Double E Pipeline is a 135-mile natural gas pipeline project that will link the Summit Lane gas processing plant in New Mexico with the WaHa Hub of West Texas. The project is being constructed by a joint venture of Summit Permian (70%) and ExxonMobil Permian (30%).
Kirkland advised Summit with a team led from New York by debt finance partners Rohit Chaudhry and Jared Joyce-Schleimer. The team also included Texas lawyers Yasin Khan; Dallas environmental transactions partner Jonathan Kidwell and Houston associate James Dolphin, as well as lawyers from New York, Chicago and Washington D.C.
Houston-based Summit is an energy infrastructure company that operates midstream assets in unconventional resource basins.
Baker Botts Advises on Summit Midstream Exchange Offer
In a separate equitization transaction, Summit Midstream also announced March 10 that it was offering an exchange of its 9.50% Series A fixed-to-floating rate cumulative redeemable perpetual preferred units for as many as 2,160,000 newly issued common units in the partnership.
Qualifying holders will receive 27 of the new common units for each Series A unit. The offer requires that holders of at least 15,000 of the Series A units agree to the tender without withdrawing before the April 6 closing date. The maximum number of units eligible for the exchange is 80,000.
A Baker Botts team led from Houston is advising on the exchange, led by Houston partner Josh Davidson and Clint Rancher. The team also includes senior associate Rachel Ratcliffe and associates Emmie Proctor and Rachel Collier. Partner Michael Bresson and senior associate Jared Meier and providing tax advice. All but Ratcliffe are based in Houston.
D.F. King & Co. is acting as the Information Agent and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company is acting as the Depositary for the Exchange Offer.
Baker Botts Advises Clearway Energy Closes $925M “Green Bond” Refinance
Clearway Energy Operating, a subsidiary of Clearway Energy, announced March 9, the close of its $925 million offering of 3.750% senior notes due 2031.
The company plans to finance or refinance projects that meet the criteria for “green bond” eligibility for its renewable energy projects. Specifically, the company’s subsidiary used proceeds from the offering to finance its tender offer for $600 million in 5.75% senior notes due in 2025 and to pay on the outstanding borrowings under its existing credit facility.
Clearway Energy is one of the largest renewable energy owners in the US with more than 4,200 net MW of installed wind and solar generation projects, as well as high-efficiency natural gas generation facilities.
Baker Botts represented Clearway Operating in both the notes offering and the tender offer with a team led by Dallas corporate partner Preston Bernhisel with associates Rosemary Maberry, Derek Gabriel and Rusty Shellhorn. Lawyers from Washington D.C. and New York assisted on finance and tax.
Morgan Stanley & Co., Goldman Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. acted as joint bookrunning managers for the offering.
Kirkland Counsels Vector Acquisition II in $450M IPO
Blank check company Vector Acquisition II, led by Alex Slusky, closed its upsized initial public offering with gross proceeds of $450 million. The 45,000,000 shares began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on March 10.
The SPAC is the second sponsored by Vector Capital. Vector Acquisition raised $300 million in its IPO in September 2020, and on March 1 announced its merger with Rocket Lab in a $790 million transaction.
As in the prior SPAC, Vector II plans to seek a target in technology.
Both Acquisition and Acquisition II were advised by Kirkland and Ellis. The Kirkland team for Vector Acquisition II was led by Houston-based transactional partners Debbie Yee, Christian Nagler and Cephas Sekhar and associates Sami Ghubril and Jake Haskins.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and BofA Securities acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.
Kirkland Advises Peridot II on Upsized IPO of $360M
Peridot Acquisition Corp. II, a blank check company sponsored by Carnelian Energy announced March 11 the closing of its initial public offering of 36,000,000 shares. The units began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
The company says it plans to seek targets in the energy sector with an emphasis on “environmentally sound infrastructure, industrial applications and disruptive technologies that eliminate or mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and/or enhance resilience to climate change.
Kirkland and Ellis advised the Houston-based SPAC with a team led by Houston-based transactional partners Debbie Yee and Cephas Sekhar and associate Cecilia Turchetti; tax advice was provided by partners David Wheat and Stephen Butler and associate Victoria Chang.
UBS Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. acted as joint book running managers for the offering.
Latham & Watkins Advises Hess Midstream in $126M Secondary Offering of Class A Shares
Houston-based Hess Midstream announced March 10 set pricing of an underwritten secondary public offering of 6,000,000 Class A shares in HESM by a subsidiary of Hess Corporation and an affiliate of Global Infrastructure Partners.
Priced at $21.00 per share, the offering is expected to yield gross proceeds of $126 million to the selling shareholders.
Latham & Watkins represents Hess Midstream in the offering with a corporate deal team led by Houston partner Thomas Brandt with associates Ryan Lynch, Denny Lee, Kate Wang and Anthony Tan. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Houston partners Tim Fenn and Bryant Lee with associates Jared Grimley and Marianne Standley.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Citigroup are acting as joint bookrunning managers of the offering.
HESM is a fee-based, growth-oriented midstream company that operates, develops and acquires a diverse set of midstream assets to provide services to Hess Corporation and third-party customers. HESM owns oil, gas and produced water handling assets that are primarily located in the Bakken and Three Forks Shale plays in the Williston Basin area of North Dakota.
Baker Botts Advises on $173M Secondary Offering by Cactus Inc.
Houston-headquartered Cactus, Inc., a manufacturer of wellhead equipment, on March 9 announced the pricing of a secondary offering by several stockholders of 5.5 million shares of its common stock. Pricing was set at $31.50 per share for total gross proceeds of $173 million.
Baker Botts advised Cactus and certain selling stockholders in the offering, which was set to close March 12. The New York-based team was led by partner Adorys Velazquez, but it included Houston-based tax partner Michael Bresson and senior tax associate Jared Meier.
Citigroup and Credit Suisse acted as joint book-running managers for the Offering.
V&E, Kirkland Advise on First Reserve SPAC $222M IPO
First Reserve Sustainable Growth Corp., a blank check company affiliated with Connecticut-headquartered First Reserve Management, announced the close of its $222 million IPO. The company said it intends to focus its search for a merger partner within emerging sustainable energy companies.
The company’s units began listing on the Nasdaq exchange on March 5.
Vinson & Elkins advised First Reserve with a team led from Houston by partners Ramey Layne and Alan Beck with senior associate Zach Swartz and associate Tyler Johnson. Also advising were partner Emily Stephens and senior staff attorney Ashton Harris (corporate); and partner Jason McIntosh, senior associate Allyson Seger and associate Lauren Nieman (tax).
According to SEC documents Kirkland & Ellis is advising the underwriters with a team led from Houston by partners Debbie Yee and Matthew Pacey.
Barclays and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as joint book running managers of the offering.
Shearman Advises ESM Acquisition in $300M SPAC IPO
ESM Acquisition Corporation, a blank check company sponsored by London-headquartered Vision Blue Resources and Texas-based Energy & Minerals Group, closed its IPO March 12 with $300 million. The company plans to use the money in search of a merger-ready decarbonization firm.
Vision Blue Resources is a vehicle for Sir Michael Davis, former head of the head of the mining company Xstrata. Davis is teaming up in the investment with John T. Raymond, a familiar figure in Texas energy and mining circles. Raymond, founder and CEO of Energy & Metals Group, currently sits as a director for a number of energy companies, including Plains All American, Tallgrass and NGL Energy Partners, among others.
Shearman & Sterling advised on the transaction with a deal with an all-Texas team led by Bill Nelson, Alain Dermarkar, Omar Samji and Bobby Cardone.
Credit Suisse acted as bookrunner for the offering. They were represented by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.