Mergermarket Law Firm H1 2017 M&A Rankings: V&E, Kirkland, Latham – and a lot of Non-Texas Firms

The Texas Lawbook has exclusive new Mergermarket M&A data on the law firms doing the most deals for Texas companies during the first half of 2017. Twenty-three of the top 30 law firms advised on more transactions than they did one year earlier. Four law firms did fewer deals than they did in H1 2016. Eight firms doubled the number of transactions they handled and 21 of the 30 firms doing the most deals are based outside of Texas. The Lawbook has all the details.

July 24, 2017 Mark Curriden

Gibson Dunn, Jones Day Advise on $170M Propane Deal

Houston-based American Midstream Partners said Monday that it will sell its propane marketing and services business to Netherlands-based SHV Energy NV for $170 million in cash.

July 24, 2017 Natalie Posgate

Baker Botts, Locke Lord Advise on $450M Quanta-Stronghold Deal

A cluster of Houston-based lawyers from Baker Botts and Locke Lord said Friday that they closed Quanta Services’ $450 million acquisition of Stronghold Specialty, a La Porte-based services provider for clients in the refining and petrochemical industries.

July 21, 2017 Natalie Posgate

Houston attorneys from Kirkland, Bracewell Counsel on $5.3B Hydro One-Avista Combo

Several Texas attorneys were involved in the big utility merger announced late Wednesday in which Canada’s Hydro One Ltd. is acquiring Avista Corp. of Spokane, Wash., for $5.3 billion. The Lawbook has the details on legal teams and an analyst's outlook on the deal going through.

July 20, 2017 Claire Poole

V&E Works on TPG Affiliate’s $220M IPO

New York-based TPG RE Finance Trust, a REIT (real estate investment trust), said Monday evening that it priced its IPO at $220 million. The company is offering 11 million shares of common stock at $20 per share. It began trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker, “TRTX.”

July 20, 2017 Natalie Posgate

Baker Botts, V&E and Gibson Dunn Advise on $1.3B Select-Rockwater Merger

Under the agreement, Select will issue 37.95 million shares of common stock in exchange for all outstanding shares of Rockwater common stock. The Texas Lawbook has the details on the deal teams, the firms' history with the companies, and info on both GCs here.

July 19, 2017 Natalie Posgate

Mergermarket Expert: TX M&A Market in ‘Real Danger of Developing Congestion or Heartburn’

The Texas market has seen 15 consecutive quarters with about 200 or more deals. "Before the third quarter of 2013, 200 deals was the high water mark. Since then, 200 deals has been the floor," says Mergermarket M&A analyst Chad Watt. “We’ve had so many deals completed [during the past couple years] that the market may need a period to digest it all. “There’s a real danger of developing M&A congestion or heartburn.”

July 18, 2017 Mark Curriden

Experts: Texas M&A Activity Unpredictable for H2 2017

How will M&A activity shape up in the second half of the year? The Texas Lawbook interviewed nearly a dozen of the leading corporate and private equity lawyers in the state to gauge their view on the M&A market for the first half of 2017 and what they forecast for the remainder of the year. This is their analysis.

July 16, 2017 Claire Poole

Mergermarket: Texas M&A Flat but Solid in H1 2017

Merger and acquisition activity among Texas-based businesses remained healthy during the first half of 2017, but far from the exuberant pace of dealmaking in 2014. Deal count has been flat, but deal value is up significantly over 2016, fueled by steady oil and gas M&A and Whole Foods' sale to Amazon. The Texas Lawbook has the exclusive data from Mergermarket, along with a list of the 30 biggest deals during the first six months of 2017.

July 16, 2017 Claire Poole

Lone Star Funds Buys Ceramic Glaze Maker for $693M

Dallas-based Lone Star Funds said Thursday that it will purchase Esmalglass, a supplier of intermediate products for the ceramic industry, to Bahrain-based Investcorp for 605 million euros ($693 million).

July 13, 2017 Natalie Posgate

Houston Energy M&A Journalist Claire Poole Joins Lawbook Team

Respected energy M&A journalist Claire Poole is joining The Texas Lawbook team as a contributing correspondent in Houston covering corporate transactions and the legal profession. Claire spent 16 years at The Deal covering M&A, private equity and securities offerings in the oil patch. We are honored to have her join our team.

July 12, 2017 Mark Curriden

Bracewell Advises Apache in $713M Exit from Canada

Apache has exited Canada through the closing of three different transactions. The Houston-based energy company said it will use the $713 million in proceeds to focus on the Permian Basin, fund its capital program, and reduce debt.

July 12, 2017 Natalie Posgate