In 2020, and for the first time in more than two decades, there were no FIDs made in LNG projects in the US. Blame that on the pandemic. But not to worry, there are enough projects on the boards to make LNG increasingly relevant, even under a Biden administration. The CDT Roundup explains.
Mergermarket Q3 Law Firm Deal Value Leaders: Alston & Bird, White & Case and Simpson Thacher
Nearly all the firms handling the largest M&A deals in Texas are based outside of the state. Nearly a half of them have no office in Texas. And only three of the top 40 are headquartered in Dallas or Houston. The deal value rankings can be highly misleading, and all legal analysts agree it is an inferior measure to deal count rankings. Even so, it is a fun number to discuss. So, we do.
Weil, Latham Advise on Topgolf/Callaway Merger
A Weil team from Dallas co-led the $2.5 billion merger of Topgolf with Callaway. A California-led team from Latham advised Callaway. The Texas Lawbook has the names of the lawyers involved.
CDT Roundup: 6 Deals, 6 Firms, 58 Lawyers, $18.1B
There were two massive deals this past week in the energy space which together were worth $17.1 billion. Does this mark a change in the current M&A environment? Maybe. But the real change may lie much deeper in the numbers. The CDT Roundup explains.
Dykema M&A Survey Reveals Guarded Optimism
Dykema’s 16th Annual M&A Survey is out, and the results are upbeat — but cautious. COVID-19 is the culprit, of course, but respondents were considerably more positive than this time last year. In a week that began with a stock market tumble fueled by a mixed government response to COVID-19, more than 70% of the nation’s top business executives surveyed said they are essentially optimistic that the market for mergers and acquisitions will strengthen in the next 12 months. The Lawbook has the details.
CDT Roundup: 8 Deals, 55 Lawyers, 5 Firms, $352M
The second week of October recorded the lowest total value for transactions ever recorded by the CDT Roundup. But with two major M&A deals already reported this week, there is absolute certainty that next week’s report will be better.
Mergermarket: Two-Thirds of Law Firms Handled Fewer M&A Deals in 2020
The battle of law firms in Texas for M&A has been turbulent so far this year. Nine of the top 10 firms and 33 of the top 40 firms saw a decline in M&A activity during the first nine months. Kirkland is way down in deal count, but still way ahead of everyone else. Norton Rose Fulbright, McDermott, Porter Hedges and King & Spalding are up.
Gibson, V&E Advise on $7.6B Pioneer Natural Resources Purchase of Parsley Energy
Irving-based Pioneer Natural Resources is buying Parsley Energy for $4.5 billion in stock and the assumption of $3.1 billion of Parsley’s debt. Texas Lawbook writer Allen Pusey has the lawyers for Gibson Dunn and Vinson & Elkins.
