The fourth quarter of 2024 showed a decline in M&A transactions in Texas and, it turns out, everywhere else. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that M&A deals are heading for problems this year, says Pitchbook in its annual review of global M&A activity. The CDT Roundup takes a particular look at what it might mean for PE activity, which has been a soft spot in recent years. And, of course, we include the usual list of deals reported last week in Texas.
Diversified Energy Acquires Houston’s Maverick Natural Resources for Nearly $1.3B
Diversified Energy Company has agreed to acquire a private Houston-based oil and gas company, Maverick Natural Resources, for $1.275 billion from EIG Partners. Lawyers from Kirkland, Latham and Gibson Dunn are advising on the deal.
CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 10 Firms, 125 Lawyers, $10.3B
Last year was a year of transition, particularly in M&A. According to a recent report by Goldman Sachs, that augurs a really optimistic outlook for M&A in 2025. Simplifications in strategies, governance and geography are driving a surge in M&A, particularly the corporate variety. This week’s Roundup looks at the data behind the Goldman optimism, as well as the deals that shaped last week.
Steve Gill Heading to Skadden
A 23-year veteran of Vinson & Elkins is leaving the firm for Skadden, his new firm confirmed Monday morning. The move is a big one. Gill has been co-head of V&E’s corporate practice group and has been involved in some of the firm’s largest transactions in recent years.
M&A in 2024: A Big Bite for Small Deals
The roster of M&A deals in 2024 suggests that we should be thankful for small things. Or, at least, small deals, according to the Corporate Deal Tracker.
From Blockbuster to a Billion-Dollar Deal: Bryan Stevenson’s Journey to Arcosa
Bryan Stevenson’s career has been marked by bold moves and transformative moments, culminating in his role as chief legal officer at Arcosa, where his strategic vision helped orchestrate the largest deal in the company’s history, earning him recognition as a finalist for the 2024 DFW M&A Deal of the Year Award.
CDT Roundup: 19 Deals, 15 Firms, 316 Lawyers, $7.4B
Along with the explosion of investment in AI comes a parallel eruption of potential threats. As a result, consultants at McKinsey suggest that the current, addressable market for cybersecurity is $2 trillion — about 10 times what is actually being spent. This week’s CDT Roundup looks at a noticeable uptick in cybersecurity deals as well as the usual roll call of the Texas lawyers involved in last week’s reported deals.
How Private Equity Will Shape M&A in 2025
With questions looming over the fate of the IRA, the likelihood of tariffs and more than a few geopolitical tensions muddying the view forward, many lawyers in the deal space are wary of describing what awaits them in the M&A market of 2025. However, one market area that almost all law firms and lawyers agree on, despite those serious variables, is that private equity will continue to help shape the world of Texas M&A.