This week’s Roundup includes a big one: the $7 billion sale of the Blackstone Group’s 40%-plus share in Cheniere Energy, the Houston-based pioneer in natural gas liquefaction.
The occasion was a big one for Blackstone’s eight-plus year investment in Cheniere. But it was also a big occasion — in an odd moment of history — in the ongoing transformation of the Texas energy industry.
First, according to Bloomberg, Blackstone realized a $5 billion gain on their original $1.5 billion investment. They did so, even as another of their subsidiary funds, Blackstone Infrastructure, invested in half the purchase — in tandem with Brookfield Infrastructure.
But perhaps more importantly, Blackstone’s original investment in 2012 helped Cheniere and its former CEO Charif Souki make a turn from oil and gas exploration to become the second largest producer and exporter of LNG in the world.
With two liquefaction facilities in Texas and Louisiana, Cheniere is, by far, the largest producer of LNG in the U.S., with nearly half the nation’s current annual production capacity.
Oddly, its Sabine facility in Louisiana was originally designed to import LNG. The plan was to re-gas the liquid and distribute the end-product through its pipelines.
But Souki, an American of Lebanese background, convinced the company and its investors to convert their facility to an export model, a move that required complex infrastructure realignment and far-reaching investment.
His lead was followed by others including Brookfield, which already holds 25% of a smaller LNG facility, Cove Point in Maryland.
Cheniere’s gamble was an expensive, long-term bet on the viability of LNG, but as Europe emerges from their pandemic lockdown, LNG prices are rising: a 19% increase from July to August, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. And at the moment, the EIA is predicting a return to pre-COVID levels for U.S. LNG exports by November.
Although that may be highly optimistic in light of a potential resurgence of the COVID-19 virus in parts of Asia and Europe, the point is that an LNG export industry that didn’t exist 15 years ago has declared itself real.
Souki, of course, left Cheniere in 2016 after being forced out as CEO in a dispute with maverick investor Carl Icahn.
He and business partner are now in competition with Cheniere at Tellurian Energy where their Driftwood subsidiary is building a new LNG liquefaction facility at Calcasieu Pass in Louisiana. The new project, originally introduced while Souki was at Cheniere, formed the basis for his dispute with Icahn.
One of them was right.
Last week’s 10 transactions, valued at a total of $12.8 billion, involved eight different firms and 93 Texas-based lawyers. The deal classifications were split evenly, with five M&A/PE Funding deals worth $10.3 billion and five capital markets transactions worth $2.47 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)
| Week Ending | Deal Count | Amount | Firms | Lawyers | M&A Count | M&A Value $M | CapM Count | CapM Value $M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 17, 2022 | 21 | $8,352.3 | 12 | 320 | 15 | $4,759.6 | 6 | $3,592.7 |
| September 10, 2022 | 15 | $19,853.5 | 10 | 126 | 13 | $19,403.6 | 2 | $450 |
| September 3, 2022 | 9 | $2,312 | 9 | 62 | 9 | $2,312 | 0 | 0 |
| August 27, 2022 | 16 | $30,891.7 | 10 | 135 | 15 | $30,666.4 | 1 | 227.7 |
| August 20, 2022 | 12 | $1,977 | 8 | 152 | 9 | 925 | 3 | $1,052 |
| August 13, 2022 | 18 | $8,004.7 | 11 | 242 | 11 | $2,844.7 | 7 | $5,160 |
| August 6, 2022 | 24 | $7,948.9 | 12 | 240 | 17 | $3,577 | 7 | $4,371.9 |
| July 30, 2022 | 8 | $6,941 | 9 | 78 | 7 | $6,839 | 1 | $102 |
| July 23, 2022 | 11 | $801 | 11 | 92 | 10 | $801 | 1 | 0 |
| July 16, 2022 | 14 | $3,650 | 10 | 122 | 14 | $3,650 | 0 | 0 |
| July 9, 2022 | 10 | $3,557.7 | 7 | 68 | 9 | $3,557.7 | 1 | 0 |
| July 2, 2022 | 18 | $8,609.4 | 13 | 152 | 15 | $2,754.4 | 3 | $5,855 |
| June 25, 2022 | 15 | $6,142 | 13 | 146 | 9 | $2,017 | 6 | $4,125 |
| June 18, 2022 | 17 | $11,890.1 | 14 | 228 | 15 | $11,410 | 2 | 479.7 |
| June 11, 2022 | 17 | $7,600 | 12 | 123 | 10 | $2,300 | 7 | $5,300 |
| June 4, 2022 | 12 | $2,937 | 10 | 127 | 9 | $692 | 3 | $2,245 |
| May 28, 2022 | 9 | $3,197.6 | 11 | 86 | 9 | $3,197.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2022 | 14 | $7,284.5 | 12 | 185 | 11 | $6,609 | 3 | $675.5 |
| May 14, 2022 | 11 | $306.6 | 9 | 80 | 10 | $306.6 | 1 | $225 |
| May 7, 2022 | 16 | $10,451.75 | 12 | 108 | 12 | $1,827 | 4 | $8,624.75 |
| April 30, 2022 | 16 | $2,296.5 | 16 | 157 | 12 | $895.5 | 4 | $1,401 |
| April 23, 2022 | 10 | $2,241 | 11 | 58 | 8 | $1641 | 2 | $600 |
| April 16, 2022 | 11 | $6,643 | 7 | 156 | 8 | $2,359 | 3 | $4,284 |
| April 9, 2022 | 17 | $4,429 | 14 | 184 | 11 | $1,690 | 6 | $2,739 |
| April 2, 2022 | 13 | $1,755 | 8 | 84 | 10 | $1,145 | 3 | $610 |
| March 26, 2022 | 11 | $3,205 | 8 | 65 | 6 | $200 | 5 | $3,005 |
| March 19, 2022 | 13 | $2,239.17 | 9 | 106 | 13 | $2,239.17 | 0 | 0 |
| March 12, 2022 | 18 | $12,016 | 11 | 239 | 15 | $11,965 | 2 | $51.35 |
| March 5, 2022 | 17 | $6,786 | 13 | 137 | 13 | $5,161 | 4 | $1,625 |
| February 26, 2022 | 12 | $5,095 | 8 | 149 | 9 | $4,437.5 | 3 | $658 |
| February 19, 2022 | 17 | $22,229 | 17 | 174 | 14 | $21,354 | 3 | $875 |
| February 12, 2022 | 12 | $2,344.7 | 10 | 73 | 8 | $641.7 | 4 | $1,703 |
| February 5, 2022 | 11 | $2,503 | 8 | 99 | 11 | $2,503 | 0 | 0 |
| January 29, 2022 | 11 | $3,872 | 12 | 101 | 12 | $3,872 | 0 | 0 |
| January 22, 2022 | 13 | $5,143.5 | 10 | 99 | 12 | $4,842.5 | 1 | $301 |
| January 15, 2022 | 12 | $7,605 | 9 | 155 | 9 | $6,480 | 3 | $1,025 |
| January 8, 2022 | 13 | $8,256.2 | 11 | 102 | 13 | $8,256.2 | 0 | 0 |
| January 1, 2022 | 9 | $1,273.8 | 6 | 50 | 9 | $1,273.8 | 0 | 0 |
| December 25, 2021 | 21 | $4,734.75 | 11 | 176 | 16 | $3,410 | 5 | $1,324.75 |
| December 18, 2021 | 26 | $7,325.2 | 15 | 193 | 18 | $3,640.2 | 8 | $3,685.2 |
| December 11, 2021 | 16 | $5,017 | 10 | 109 | 13 | $1,417 | 3 | $3,600 |
| December 4, 2021 | 14 | $2,310 | 8 | 86 | 8 | $2,310 | 6 | $1,882.05 |
| November 27, 2021 | 9 | $3.460.1 | 10 | 101 | 6 | $1,758 | 3 | $1,702.6 |
| November 20, 2021 | 20 | $22,792 | 15 | 157 | 12 | $18,864.5 | 8 | $3,928 |
| November 13, 2021 | 21 | $26,729 | 12 | 178 | 13 | $11,822 | 8 | $14,907 |
| November 6, 2021 | 12 | $8,303 | 13 | 157 | 10 | $6,682 | 3 | $1,621 |
| October 30, 2021 | 21 | $10,368 | 15 | 218 | 15 | $9,24.4 | 6 | $1,103. |
| October 23, 2021 | 21 | $18.783.1 | 15 | 222 | 11 | $12,314 | 10 | $6,468.6 |
| October 16, 2021 | 15 | $3,868 | 11 | 118 | 15 | $2,293 | 2 | $1,575 |
| October 9, 2021 | 20 | $8,610 | 16 | 175 | 16 | $7,795 | 4 | $815 |
| October 2, 2021 | 14 | $6,250 | 11 | 137 | 10 | $5,200 | 4 | $1,050 |
| September 25, 2021 | 11 | $11,460 | 9 | 93 | 7 | $10,200 | 4 | $1,250 |
| September 18, 2021 | 11 | $16,603 | 8 | 99 | 8 | $15,084 | 3 | $1,519 |
| September 11, 2021 | 17 | $10,653 | 11 | 103 | 13 | $8,503 | 4 | $2,150 |
| September 4, 2021 | 13 | $7,222 | 10 | 89 | 11 | $6,715 | 2 | $507 |
| August 28, 2021 | 12 | $763 | 9 | 63 | 11 | $663 | 1 | $100 |
| August 21, 2021 | 12 | $29,659 | 7 | 79 | 11 | $29,579 | 1 | $80 |
| August 14, 2021 | 22 | $17,845 | 11 | 199 | 12 | $12,805 | 10 | $5,04 |
| August 7, 2021 | 17 | $13,670 | 12 | 139 | 15 | $11,766 | 2 | $1,904 |
| July 31, 2021 | 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 |
| July 17, 2021 | 14 | $4,009 | 11 | 124 | 12 | $2,015 | 2 | $1,994 |
| July 10, 2021 | 16 | $3,997 | 13 | 143 | 11 | $1,597 | 4 | $2,4 |
| July 3, 2021 | 24 | $7,492 | 13 | 94 | 16 | $3,769 | 8 | $3,722 |
| June 26, 2021 | 10 | $4,995 | 7 | 85 | 8 | $3,847 | 2 | $1,148 |
| June 19, 2021 | 28 | $16,830 | 8 | 228 | 9 | $1,861 | 19 | $14,968 |
| June 12, 2021 | 26 | $27,238 | 15 | 209 | 19 | $25,602 | 7 | $1,636 |
| June 5, 2021 | 15 | $15,539 | 13 | 100 | 13 | $14,709 | 2 | $600 |
| May 29, 2021 | 35 | $20,279 | 11 | 145 | 28 | $18,64 | 7 | $1,639 |
| May 22, 2021 | 24 | $53,208 | 14 | 174 | 17 | $51,047 | 7 | $2,161 |
| May 15, 2021 | 18 | $10,620 | 13 | 220 | 11 | $5,870 | 7 | $4,809 |
| May 8, 2021 | 17 | $10,400 | 11 | 156 | 15 | $8,386 | 2 | $2,500 |
| May 1, 2021 | 21 | $7,200 | 16 | 115 | 12 | $3,808 | 9 | $3,392 |
| April 24, 2021 | 8 | $20,200 | 9 | 31 | 8 | $20,200 | 0 | 0 |
| April 17, 2021 | 14 | $6,270 | 8 | 102 | 11 | $4,0180 | 3 | $2,260 |
| April 10, 2021 | 15 | $8,940 | 13 | 129 | 14 | $7,990 | 1 | $950 |
| April 3, 2021 | 18 | $19,513 | 10 | 151 | 12 | $16,923 | 6 | $2,590 |
| March 27, 2021 | 27 | $13,942 | 15 | 244 | 14 | $4,300 | 13 | $9,633.5 |
| March 20, 2021 | 11 | $2,046 | 4 | 102 | 3 | $270 | 8 | $1,776 |
| March 13, 2021 | 15 | $3,270 | 9 | 109 | 6 | $538 | 9 | $2,732 |
| March 6, 2021 | 24 | $13,617 | 10 | 196 | 13 | $10,395 | 11 | $3,222 |
| February 27, 2021 | 19 | $8,105 | 12 | 139 | 15 | $4,970 | 4 | $3,135 |
| February 20, 2021 | 9 | $8,820 | 9 | 153 | 8 | $8,520 | 1 | $300 |
| February 13, 2021 | 12 | $4,852.6 | 7 | 81 | 7 | 2,766 | 5 | $2,086.6 |
| February 6, 2021 | 18 | $9,752 | 13 | 153 | 14 | $5,222 | 4 | $4,530 |
| January 30, 2021 | 18 | $9,449 | 9 | 182 | 15 | $8753.8 | 3 | $695.3 |
| January 23, 2021 | 14 | $8,150 | 8 | 118 | 6 | $4,000 | 8 | $4,150 |
| January 16, 2021 | 17 | $6,783 | 13 | 138 | 11 | $2,400 | 6 | $4,382.9 |
| January 9, 2021 | 22 | $6,829 | 14 | 135 | 18 | $3,139.3 | 4 | $3,690 |
| January 2, 2021 | 7 | $1,466 | 7 | 60 | 7 | $1,466 | 0 | 0 |
| December 26, 2020 | 18 | $15,900 | 12 | 163 | 16 | $5,300 | 1 | $600 |
| December 19, 2020 | 18 | $9,769 | 14 | 110 | 14 | $8,426 | 4 | $1,343 |
| December 12, 2020 | 10 | $7,200 | 9 | 100 | 9 | $3,325 | 1 | $3,830 |
| December 5, 2020 | 15 | $4,261 | 9 | 122 | 9 | $2,780 | 6 | $1,481 |
| November 28, 2020 | 19 | $7,758 | 10 | 110 | 13 | $4,003 | 6 | $3,755 |
| November 14, 2020 | 14 | $864.1 | 14 | 157 | 12 | $289.1 | 2 | $575 |
| November 7, 2020 | 13 | $6,332 | 9 | 129 | 9 | $2,483.5 | 4 | $3,849 |
| October 31, 2020 | 10 | $3,995.8 | 8 | 103 | 6 | $3,231.1 | 4 | $754.7 |
| October 24, 2020 | 6 | $18,100 | 6 | 58 | 5 | $17,709 | 1 | $350 |
| October 17, 2020 | 8 | $351.9 | 5 | 55 | 8 | $351.9 | 0 | 0 |
| October 10, 2020 | 7 | $5,229 | 3 | 50 | 4 | $735 | 3 | $4,494 |
| October 3, 2020 | 14 | $21,428 | 9 | 173 | 9 | $17,535 | 5 | $3,893 |
| September 26, 2020 | 10 | $12,770 | 8 | 93 | 5 | $10,300 | 5 | $2,470 |
| September 19, 2020 | 14 | $8,365 | 9 | 101 | 6 | $1,020 | 8 | $7,345 |
| September 12, 2020 | 6 | $4,406 | 8 | 59 | 3 | $1,270 | 3 | $3,136 |
| September 5, 2020 | 11 | $5,191 | 8 | 117 | 9 | $4,061 | 2 | $1,130 |
| August 29, 2020 | 11 | $2,531 | 9 | 94 | 5 | $1,130 | 6 | $1,401 |
| August 22, 2020 | 18 | $6,574 | 12 | 140 | 7 | $1,930 | 11 | $4,644 |
| August 15, 2020 | 13 | $4,991 | 10 | 97 | 7 | $1,216 | 6 | $3,775 |
| August 8, 2020 | 12 | $32,092 | 11 | 112 | 9 | $30,457 | 3 | $1,635 |
| August 1, 2020 | 7 | $5,287 | 8 | 76 | 5 | $3,687 | 2 | $1,600 |
| July 25, 2020 | 9 | $18,751 | 6 | 67 | 7 | $18,403 | 2 | $348 |
| July 18, 2020 | 6 | $1,982.5 | 5 | 50 | 4 | $1,407.5 | 2 | $575 |
| July 11, 2020 | 11 | $565.1 | 12 | 75 | 10 | $65.1 | 1 | $500 |
| July 4, 2020 | 10 | $8,889 | 8 | 98 | 9 | $8,788 | 1 | $100.3 |
| June 27, 2020 | 8 | $6,874 | 10 | 50 | 5 | $4,972.5 | 3 | $2,081.5 |
| June 20, 2020 | 12 | $4,444 | 9 | 115 | 7 | $2,829 | 5 | $1,615 |
| June 13, 2020 | 6 | $3,582 | 4 | 37 | 2 | $350 | 4 | $3,232 |
| June 6, 2020 | 11 | $3,213.7 | 8 | 65 | 7 | $470 | 4 | $2,743.7 |
| May 30, 2020 | 8 | $7,335 | 7 | 48 | 6 | $4,639 | 2 | $2,697 |
| May 23, 2020 | 4 | $432.4 | 4 | 34 | 3 | $432.4 | 1 | 0 |
| May 16, 2020 | 6 | $310 | 6 | 34 | 5 | $310 | 1 | 0 |
| May 9, 2020 | 18 | $5,630 | 16 | 124 | 14 | $3,180 | 4 | $2,450 |
| May 2, 2020 | 15 | 10,400 | 10 | 90 | 8 | $1,900 | 7 | $,8,500 |
| April 25, 2020 | 8 | $3,400 | 9 | 36 | 5 | $1,000 | 3 | $2,450 |
| April 18, 2020 | 19 | $9,500 | 14 | 92 | 8 | $185.7 | 11 | $9,360 |
| April 11, 2020 | 12 | $6,000 | 9 | 40 | 5 | $190 | 7 | $5,800 |
| April 4, 2020 | 14 | $8,200 | 11 | 68 | 10 | $2,200 | 4 | $6,000 |
| March 28, 2020 | 16 | $6,500 | 13 | 96 | 10 | $3,700 | 6 | $2,800 |
| March 21, 2020 | 11 | $11,910 | 7 | 33 | 7 | $2,250 | 4 | $9,960 |
| March 14, 2020 | 7 | 809.8 | 6 | 34 | 6 | 684.8 | 1 | 125 |
| March 7, 2020 | 16 | $2,500 | 15 | 70 | 13 | $669 | 3 | $1,400 |
| February 29, 2020 | 13 | $15,260 | 13 | 128 | 11 | $11,760 | 2 | $3,500 |
| February 22, 2020 | 12 | $3,700 | 10 | 92 | 10 | $2,560 | 2 | $1,130 |
| February 15, 2020 | 16 | $1,250 | 10 | 84 | 12 | $35 | 4 | $1,222 |
| February 8, 2020 | 18 | $6,080 | 14 | 123 | 14 | $2,595 | 4 | $3,485 |
| February 1, 2020 | 21 | $20,900 | 12 | 101 | 14 | $17,860 | 7 | $3,060 |
| January 25, 2020 | 13 | $7,430 | 13 | 62 | 12 | $6,430 | 1 | $1,000 |
| January 18, 2020 | 23 | $9,580 | 15 | 120 | 19 | $6,580 | 4 | $3,000 |
| January 11, 2020 | 21 | $14,200 | 18 | 199 | 16 | $1,020 | 5 | $13,200 |
| January 4, 2020 | 22 | $6,400 | 11 | 119 | 16 | $3,204 | 6 | $3,245 |
| December 28, 2019 | 22 | $7,150 | 19 | 175 | 18 | $6,800 | 4 | $327.4 |
| December 14, 2019 | 24 | $36,300 | 23 | 167 | 19 | $9,500 | 5 | $26,800 |
| December 7, 2019 | 11 | $10,400 | 11 | 55 | 7 | $1,082 | 4 | $9,370 |
| November 30. 2019 | 14 | $2,450 | 12 | 126 | 12 | $1,760 | 2 | $692.5 |
| November 23, 2019 | 16 | $1,995 | 10 | 41 | 11 | $615 | 5 | $1,380 |
| November 16, 2019 | 15 | $3,820 | 13 | 135 | 11 | $2,500 | 4 | $1,271 |
| November 9, 2019 | 25 | $12,900 | 17 | 182 | 23 | $12,200 | 2 | $575 |
| November 2, 2019 | 10 | $2,470 | 12 | 61 | 9 | 2,450 | 3 | $22 |
| October 26, 2019 | 12 | $5,560 | 14 | 70 | 11 | $3,860 | 1 | $1,700 |
| October 19, 2019 | 8 | $6,600 | 8 | 138 | 8 | $6,600 | 0 | 0 |
| October 12, 2019 | 19 | $4,300 | 14 | 55 | 16 | $3,800 | 3 | $500 |
| October 5, 2019 | 18 | $14,500 | 19 | 166 | 15 | $11,100 | 3 | $3,400 |
| September 28, 2019 | 19 | $8,100 | 18 | 132 | 18 | $7,560 | 1 | $550 |
| September 21, 2019 | 14 | $6,300 | 16 | 66 | 11 | $2,160 | 3 | $4,170 |
| September 14, 2019 | 15 | $23,800 | 12 | 56 | 11 | $21,250 | 4 | $2,570 |
| September 7, 2019 | 17 | $3,500 | 15 | 98 | 14 | $1,900 | 3 | $1,600 |
| August 31, 2019 | 5 | $8,700 | 6 | 50 | 5 | $8,700 | 0 | 0 |
| August 24, 2019 | 16 | $10,000 | 14 | 82 | 15 | $4,250 | 1 | $5,750 |
| August 16, 2019 | 10 | $1,680 | 5 | 52 | 7 | $650 | 3 | $950 |
| August 9, 2019 | 17 | $17,700 | 15 | 68 | 14 | $3,900 | 3 | $13,800 |
| August 2, 2019 | 13 | $5,760 | 12 | 108 | 13 | $5,760 | NA | NA |
| July 27, 2019 | 11 | $7,300 | 13 | 76 | 8 | $6,570 | 3 | $730 |
| July 20, 2019 | 13 | $11,800 | 13 | 125 | 11 | $5,300 | 2 | $6,500 |
| July 13, 2019 | 10 | $775 | 7 | 46 | 8 | $542.5 | 2 | $233 |
| July 6, 2019 | 7 | $2,500 | 9 | 85 | 7 | $2,500 | 0 | 0 |
| June 29, 2019 | 23 | $8,290 | 15 | 154 | 17 | $2,300 | 6 | $5,970 |
| June 22, 2019 | 17 | $10,700 | 10 | 139 | 14 | $7,700 | 3 | $3,000 |
| June 15, 2019 | 11 | $13,500 | 14 | 160 | 11 | $13,500 | NA | NA |
| June 8, 2019 | 13 | $2,870 | 17 | 55 | 11 | $1,570 | 2 | $1,300 |
| June 1, 2019 | 10 | $4,460 | 11 | 60 | 8 | $4,140 | 2 | $315 |
| May 25, 2019 | 17 | $4,360 | 14 | 79 | 14 | $3,700 | 3 | $612 |
| May 18, 2019 | 22 | $9,000 | 17 | 150 | 16 | $3,400 | 6 | $5,600 |
| May 11, 2019 | 18 | $19,800 | 17 | 177 | 15 | $18,300 | 3 | $1,500 |
| May 4, 2019 | 10 | $7,075 | 6 | 32 | 8 | $6,900 | 2 | $175 |
| April 27, 2019 | 15 | $3,200 | 14 | 117 | 14 | $3,160 | 1 | $40 |
| April 20, 2019 | 13 | $13,500 | 10 | 90 | 9 | $12,200 | 4 | $1,300 |
| April 13, 2019 | 16 | $38,900 | 14 | 91 | 14 | $37,800 | 2 | $1,100 |
| April 6, 2019 | 12 | $6,870 | 11 | 94 | 10 | $6,730 | 2 | $50 |
| March 30, 2019 | 15 | $6,470 | 12 | 84 | 10 | $7,91.5 | 5 | $5,677 |
| March 23, 2019 | 18 | $6,450 | 14 | 91 | 14 | $5,042 | 4 | $1,408 |
| March 16, 2019 | 14 | $10,180 | 12 | 115 | 11 | $8,800 | 3 | $1,300 |
| March 9, 2019 | 9 | $1,800 | 6 | 49 | 8 | $1,300 | 1 | $500 |
| March 2, 2019 | 20 | $3,033 | 16 | 107 | 14 | $1,817 | 6 | $1,262 |
| February 23, 2019 | 12 | $2,040 | 8 | 69 | 9 | $614.6 | 3 | $1,430 |
| February 16, 2019 | 16 | $9,970 | 18 | 77 | 16 | $9,970 | 0 | 0 |
| February 9, 2019 | 14 | $6,400 | 10 | 110 | 14 | $6,400 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2, 2019 | 18 | $6,740 | 15 | 99 | 16 | $5,720 | 2 | $950 |
| January 26, 2019 | 13 | $2,770 | 11 | 67 | 11 | $918.95 | 2 | $1,850 |
| January 19, 2019 | 15 | $3,819 | 16 | 76 | 12 | $2,594 | 3 | $1,225 |
| January 12, 2019 | 18 | $7,283 | 14 | 92 | 15 | $1,683 | 3 | $5,600 |
| January 5, 2019 | 10 | $529 | 12 | 50 | 10 | $529 | 0 | 0 |
| December 22, 2018 | 17 | $2,570 | 13 | 87 | 14 | $941 | 3 | $1,629 |
| December 15, 2018 | 10 | $2,860 | 8 | 26 | 8 | $264 | 2 | $2,600 |
| December 8, 2018 | 15 | $1,819 | 16 | 65 | 12 | $552 | 3 | $1,267 |
| December 1, 2018 | 12 | $7,500 | 10 | 90 | 9 | $1,200 | 3 | $6,200 |
| November 28, 2018 | 15 | $4,500 | 11 | 107 | 14 | $4,000 | 1 | $500 |
| November 19, 2018 | 18 | $6,137 | 13 | 98 | 13 | $2,142 | 5 | $3,995 |
| November 14, 2018 | 18 | $9,200 | 13 | 152 | 15 | $8,500 | 3 | $694 |
| November 6, 2018 | 16 | $17,300 | 16 | 183 | 14 | $16,361 | 2 | $950 |
| October 29, 2018 | 14 | $14,400 | 18 | 127 | 17 | $13,800 | 1 | $600 |
| October 24, 2018 | 13 | $6,140 | 13 | 126 | 11 | $5,122 | 2 | $1,018 |
| October 17, 2018 | 18 | $18,390 | 15 | 125 | 14 | $12,292 | 4 | $6,098 |
| October 10, 2018 | 29 | $3,149 | 18 | 104 | 20 | $1,647 | 9 | $819 |
| October 2, 2018 | 18 | $9,300 | 11 | 67 | 14 | $7,300 | 4 | $2,000 |
| September 25, 2018 | 13 | $7,000 | 11 | 75 | 10 | $6,000 | 3 | $995 |
| September 18, 2018 | 9 | $3,570 | 7 | 44 | 9 | $3,570 | 0 | 0 |
| September 11, 2018 | 13 | $5,900 | 10 | 132 | 13 | $5,900 | 0 | 0 |
| September 7, 2018 | 14 | $5,000 | 15 | 86 | 11 | $4,000 | 3 | $1,000 |
| August 29, 2018 | 15 | $20,700 | 14 | 79 | 13 | $4,700 | 2 | $16,000 |
| August 20, 2018 | 10 | $12,400 | 11 | 53 | 8 | $11,380 | 3 | $1,057 |
| August 14, 2018 | 12 | $19,900 | 12 | 132 | 9 | $18,889 | 3 | $1,011 |
| August 7, 2018 | 16 | $68,600 | 11 | 106 | 13 | $67,259 | 3 | $1,340 |
| July 31, 2018 | 15 | $15,100 | 15 | 95 | 11 | $13,060 | 4 | $2,060 |
| July 23, 2018 | 13 | $2,130 | 15 | 60 | 10 | $1,804 | 3 | $1,100 |
| July 17, 2018 | 14 | $5,370 | 17 | 98 | 9 | $4,310 | 5 | $1,100 |
| July 9, 2018 | 16 | $11,200 | 15 | 74 | 10 | $11,080 | 6 | $862 |
| July 3, 2018 | 13 | $7,000 | 7 | 81 | 12 | $6,330 | 1 | $750 |
| June 25, 2018 | 15 | $8,800 | 13 | 97 | 9 | $4,970 | 6 | $3,930 |
| June 18, 2018 | 13 | $14,200 | 14 | 80 | 7 | $221 | 6 | $14,290 |
| June 11, 2018 | 12 | $6,300 | 8 | 96 | 8 | $5,910 | 4 | $803 |
| June 6, 2018 | 13 | $14,500 | 10 | 88 | 8 | $14,154 | 5 | $579 |
| May 31, 2018 | 11 | $4,890 | 10 | 63 | 8 | $3,240 | 3 | $1,790 |
| May 22, 2018 | 15 | $20,400 | 11 | 63 | 9 | $19,808 | 6 | $885 |
| May 15, 2018 | 15 | $4,700 | 15 | 106 | 10 | $3,900 | 5 | $643 |
| May 9, 2018 | 11 | $1,400 | 13 | 88 | 9 | $1,300 | 2 | $560 |
| May 1, 2018 | 8 | $14,250 | 7 | 88 | 7 | $13,400 | 1 | $450 |
| April 24, 2018 | 12 | $5,300 | 6 | 61 | 11 | $4,470 | 1 | $800 |
| April 17, 2018 | 9 | $1,800 | 10 | 44 | 7 | $2,330 | 2 | $1,434 |
| April 11, 2018 | 11 | $2,500 | 8 | 32 | 6 | $1,690 | 5 | $809 |
| April 3, 2018 | 15 | $13,400 | 11 | 121 | 9 | $12,020 | 6 | $1,090 |
| March 28, 2018 | 10 | $4,000 | 10 | 92 | 7 | $3,870 | 3 | $215 |
| March 19, 2018 | 17 | $5,800 | 13 | 51 | 10 | $590 | 7 | $5,165 |
| March 12, 2018 | 15 | $3,130 | 11 | 43 | 11 | $2,360 | 4 | $788 |
| March 6, 2018 | 19 | $5,400 | 13 | 116 | 10 | $1,530 | 9 | $4,860 |
| February 27, 2018 | 20 | $6,600 | 13 | 69 | 14 | $5,530 | 6 | $1,030 |
| February 19, 2018 | 15 | $5,500 | 14 | 111 | 10 | $3,990 | 6 | $1,980 |
| February 12, 2018 | 23 | $10,900 | 17 | 157 | 12 | $7,110 | 11 | $3,840 |
| February 5, 2018 | 16 | $8,600 | 13 | 100 | 7 | $1,330 | 9 | $7,800 |
| January 30, 2018 | 11 | $12,600 | 11 | 68 | 5 | $7,300 | 6 | $4,982 |
| January 24, 2018 | 19 | $9,400 | 15 | 129 | 5 | $2,010 | 14 | $7,337 |
| January 18, 2018 | 10 | $6,280 | 8 | 49 | 2 | $2,100 | 8 | $4,188 |
| January 9, 2018 | 12 | $16,500 | 12 | 92 | 9 | $15,890 | 3 | $475 |
| January 3, 2018 | 10 | $2,500 | 9 | 47 | 8 | $2,350 | 2 | $150 |
| December 27, 2017 | 15 | $9,000 | 15 | 113 | 9 | $7,568 | 6 | $1,784 |
| December 18, 2017 | 15 | $13,800 | 16 | 164 | 9 | $13,010 | 7 | $1,118 |
| December 11, 2017 | 14 | $9,700 | 10 | 126 | 12 | $2,940 | 4 | $8,500 |
| December 4, 2017 | 6 | $1,800 | 6 | 31 | 5 | $1,510 | 1 | $300 |
| November 28, 2017 | 7 | $3,850 | 8 | 76 | 4 | $3,260 | 3 | $285 |
| November 16, 2017 | 10 | $2,700 | 10 | 48 | 6 | $1,840 | 4 | $856 |
| November 8, 2017 | 15 | $2,380 | 17 | 91 | 10 | $1,860 | 5 | $516 |
| November 1, 2017 | 12 | $4,700 | 17 | 94 | 9 | $3,400 | 4 | $1,300 |
| October 23, 2017 | 15 | $10,500 | 10 | 67 | 10 | $9,780 | 4 | $1,530 |
| October 18, 2017 | 6 | $2,000 | 37 | 3 | $225 | 3 | $1,820 | |
| October 10, 2017 | 12 | $6,570 | 100 | 9 | $3,880 | 3 | $3,360 | |
| October 2, 2017 | 8 | $3,100 | 11 | 19 | 3 | $1,630 | 5 | $1,750 |
| September 25, 2017 | 8 | $4,880 | 8 | 79 | 5 | $2,660 | 5 | $2,070 |
| September 18, 2017 | 9 | $4,770 | 3 | $300 | 6 | $4,470 | ||
| September 12, 2017 | 11 | $4,430 | 8 | $2,030 | 3 | $2,400 | ||
| September 1, 2017 | 4 | $1,310 | 3 | $317 | 1 | $1,000 | ||
| August 23, 2017 | 11 | $13,640 | 9 | 8 | $11,840 | 3 | $1,800 |
It was fewer transactions worth more than last week’s 14 valued at $8.4 billion and even fewer than the 19 transactions worth $8.1 billion this time last year.
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS/PE FUNDING
Simpson, Latham, Kirkland Advise On $7B Sale of Blackstone Cheniere Interest
In the week’s big news, Blackstone Energy Partners announced that its private equity funds closed the $7 billion sale of their 42% stake in Cheniere Energy Partners to Brookfield Infrastructure and funds managed by Blackstone Infrastructure Partners.
Latham & Watkins advised Blackstone with lawyers from New York and Washington. The team included one Texas lawyer, partner Lauren Anderson, who specializes in energy transactions in Houston.
Kirkland & Ellis advised Brookfield with a team from Houston that included Sean Wheeler, Roald Nashi and Cephas Sekhar.
Simpson Thacher advised Blackstone Infrastructure with a team that included partners Breen Haire and Ravi Purohit with Tyler Cox, all in Houston, along with lawyers in New York and Washington, D.C.
In 2012 Blackstone Energy Partners invested $1.5 billion in Cheniere Energy Partners to build the first two liquefaction trains at the Sabine Pass LNG facility in Louisiana, the first such facility in the lower 48 states. And the Sept. 24 closing marks the culmination of investment to the tune of an estimated $5 billion gain, according to Bloomberg.
David Foley, global head of Blackstone said the relationship proved ideal: “Blackstone’s early equity commitment to Cheniere enabled the timely construction of Sabine Pass.”
According to documents filed in August with the SEC, Brookfield Infrastructure and Blackstone Infrastructure together hold a 42% interest in Cheniere through BX CQP Target Holdco LLC. Blackstone Infrastructure holds a 50.01% interest and Brookfield a 49.99% interest. If for some reason the deal had not been consummated, each would have the option of buying the other’s interest.
V&E Advises SPAC in Merger with ChargePoint
Moving to create a publicly traded ESG company, electric vehicle charging network ChargePoint Inc. announced that it has merged with a SPAC, NGP Energy Capital-backed Switchback Energy Acquisition Corporation.
The Sept. 24 announcement valued the enterprise value of the combination at $2.4 billion. Assuming no redemption by Switchback shareholders, the enterprise will include about $683 million in cash, creating a pro forma equity value of approximately $3 billion.
ChargePoint expects to use transaction proceeds to expand its reach in North America and Europe, ahead of rising EV penetration. Just last Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order halting the sales of new carbon-driven vehicles in that state by 2035.
Vinson & Elkins advised Switchback Acquisition on the transaction. The V&E corporate team was led by partners Ramey Layne and Doug McWilliams with assistance from senior associates Mike Marek and Andrew Schulte and associate Jordan Fossee. Also advising were Houston partner Jason McIntosh and partner David Peck along with senior associate Brian Russell from Dallas; Houston partner Sean Becker; partner Shane Tucker from Dallas and senior associate Kristy Fields from Houston; partner Devika Kornbacher, Houston, and senior associate Ben Cukerbaum, Austin; partner Margaret Peloso and senior associate Lindsay Hall; partner Hill Wellford and associate Ryan Will; counsel Sarah Mitchell; and senior associate Emilie Stewart.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP are serving as legal advisors to ChargePoint.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor, and as lead placement agent.
ChargePoint is the largest network of charging stations in North America and Europe. Servicing residential, commercial and fleet-oriented locations, ChargePoint utilizes single-account management to allow EV charging from virtually any of their stations with charging allocated to a single account.
The transaction marks a real diversification for Dallas-based NGP led by managing partner Tony Weber. Thompson & Knight and University of Texas law alumnus Jeff Zlotky is the company’s general counsel.
Locke Lord Advises White Deer on Unicat Catalyst Technologies
On Sept. 17 White Deer Energy announced the acquisition of a majority interest in Unicat Catalyst Technologies. The terms of the transaction were undisclosed.
Headquartered in Alvin, Tex., Unicat is a global supplier of niche catalyst solutions used in refinery, syngas, steel, agriculture and green energy products.
Locke Lord advised Houston-based White Deer with a team based in the Bayou City. The Locke Lord team was led by partners Joe Perillo and Jennie Simmons. Additional assistance was provided by partners Jerry Higdon, Ed Razim, Mike Rose and Buddy Sanders, as well as senior counsel Freddy Feldman and associate Shannon Schroeder (all of Houston). Michael Bennett, a Chicago-based partner also pitched in.
Jim Meneely, partner at White Deer, called Unicat “an incredible company with a strong brand resulting in impressive growth over the last twenty years.”
Mani Erfan, Unicat’s Co-Founder and CEO, will continue to oversee the business and maintain a portion of his ownership stake.
In August, White Deer and NGP-backed Catapult Energy Services pooled their equity in a merger between Covenant Testing Technologies and Stuart Pressure Control to create a major production services provider in the Permian, DJ, Eagle Ford and Haynesville basins. Locke Lord advised Covenant on that transaction.
Kirkland-Advised Blue Sage Capital Closes $300M Third Fund
Austin-based Blue Sage Capital announced Sept. 22 that it had closed its third fund at $300 million, twice the value of its original fund size.
Blue Sage was advised by Kirkland & Ellis led from New York by partner John O’Neil with lawyers from Chicago.
Managed by its founding partners Peter Huff and Jim McBride, the firm has specialized in niche investments in family-owned platform businesses with annual revenues of $4 million to $15 million.
United Wholesale Mortgage Merges With Gores Holdings SPAC
United Wholesale Mortgage, the nation’s largest mortgage originator, announced Sept. 23 that it is merging with Gores Holdings IV, a special acquisition company established by the Gores Group.
The resulting company, which will also be known as United Whole Mortgage, will have its common stock sold on NASDAQ under the symbol UWMC. Gores is a $435 million publicly listed SPAC.
Upon completion of the transaction, including the private placement, the current owners of UWM will retain approximately 94% ownership of the combined company. The existing management team, led by long-standing president and CEO Mat Ishbia, will continue to lead the business.
Weil Gotschal & Manges advised Gores Holdings IV with a team led out of New York. However, the team also included Dallas partner Jim Griffin and associate Adam Arikat.
Deutsche Bank Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. acted as lead financial advisors.
Greenberg Traurig was legal advisor to UWM and Goldman Sachs acted as their financial advisors.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Bracewell Advises on $1.17B in Bonds for Two Hospital Systems
Bracewell announced last week its involvement in bond issues for two hospital-based health systems in the Houston area.
Bracewell announced Sept. 21 that the firm had represented JP Morgan in a series of bond issues for a total of $270 million aimed at debt reduction for the Memorial Hermann Health System.
According to Bracewell, the bond issues involved four series of bonds, as well as a tender and exchange offer both for prior and upcoming taxable and tax-exempt debt.
The Memorial Hermann Health System operates 15 hospitals and other health facilities in the Houston area and is one of the largest health systems in Texas.
The Bracewell team was led by Dallas partner Jonathan Leatherberry and included Houston partners Todd Greenwalt, Brian Teaff and Troy Harder. Also pitching in from Dallas was counsel Ian Brown and associates Paige Abernathy and Kathy Witty Medford, both of Houston.
Likewise, Bracewell announced Sept. 22 that it had served as bond counsel for $900 million in bond issues for Houston Methodist and its seven-hospital system.
The two issues include a $530 million series of taxable revenue bonds and $370 million in tax-exempt bonds by Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. for the benefit of Houston Methodist. The proceeds are to be used for the expansion and renovation at Houston Methodist locations in The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Baytown and the Texas Medical Center.
The Bracewell team was led by Cristy Edwards, Todd Greenwalt, Brian Teaff, Nancy LeGros and Matthew Grunert. Also pitching in were counsel Peggy Christman and associate Paige Abernathy.
Latham, V&E Advise on $200M Issue of CNX Senior Notes
CNX Resources, the Pittsburgh-based natural gas exploration and production company announced the Sept. 22 close of an issue of $200 million in senior notes due 2027.
The 7.250% notes have been priced at 103.5% of par figuring an effective yield of 6.34%. The notes are an add-on to a March 2019 issue of $500 million.
Latham & Watkins represented CNX Resources Corporation in the offering with a corporate team led by Houston partner David Miller, with Houston associates Monica White, Clayton Heery, Kate Wang, Ricky Alvarado and Danielle Kinchen. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Houston partners Tim Fenn and Jim Cole, with Houston associate Marianne Standley; and on environmental matters by Houston partner Joel Mack and Los Angeles counsel Joshua Marnitz.
The V&E corporate team was led by partners Doug McWilliams, David Stone and Thomas Zentner with assistance from senior associates Raleigh Wolfe and Andrew Schulte and associates Todd Hartis, David Lassetter and Miles Fortenberry. Also advising were partners Wendy Salinas and James Meyer and associate Liz Synder (tax); partner Casey Hopkins and senior associate Lindsay Hall (environmental); and senior associate Alexander Kamel and associate Danial Abbasi (finance).
CNX says the net proceeds of $204 million as well as its existing credit facility to redeem its outstanding 5.875% senior notes due 2022, eliminating any senior note maturities prior to 2026.
V&E, Latham Advise on HollyFrontier $750M Notes Offering
HollyFrontier Corporation, a Dallas-headquartered exploration and refining company, announced its pricing of $750 million in senior notes.
A series of $350 million in 2.625% senior notes due 2023 was priced at 99.894% of face. A $400 million series of 4.500% senior notes due 2030 was priced at 99.824% of par. The offer closed Sept. 28.
HollyFrontier was advised by a V&E team led by senior associate Katherine Frank and partner David Stone, with assistance from partner Gillian Hobson, of counsel Alan Bogdanow and associates Audrey Bartosh and Breanna Kelly. Also advising were partner Jim Meyer and senior associate Brian Russell (tax); partner Shane Tucker, senior associate Melissa Spohn and associate Maddison Riddick (executive compensation/benefits); and partner Bailey Pham (finance).
Latham & Watkins represents the underwriters — including HIgh Grade Transaction Management, Citigroup Global Markets, MUFG Securities and TD Securities — in the offering with a team led by New York partners with tax advice was provided by Houston partner Tim Fenn and associate Jared Grimley.
Baker Botts Advises Global Partners LP Offering of $350M in Notes
In an offering scheduled to close Oct. 7, Global Partners LP announced that they have priced at par $350 million in 6.875% senior notes due 2029.
The notes, which will be co-issued by GLP Finance Corp and guaranteed by various subsidiaries of Global, are being placed privately with institutional investors. The notes will be used to redeem Global’s 7.00% senior notes due 2023 and to pay a portion of its outstanding credit agreement.
Baker Botts L.L.P. represented the initial purchasers in the offering: BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citizens Capital Markets Inc., MUFG Securities Americas Inc., SG Americas Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp. and TD Securities (USA) LLC acted as joint book-running managers.
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., Rabo Securities USA, Inc., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Capital One Securities, Inc. and Regions Securities LLC acted as co-managers.
The Baker Botts team was led by capital partners Josh Davidson and Justin Hoffman. Associates Jamie Yarbrough, Parker Hinman and Sean Aguirre contributed, along with special Counsel Chuck Campbell on tax, as well as partner Matt Kuryla and associate Harrison Reback on environmental matters.
Global is one of the largest independent owners of gasoline stations and convenience stores, located primarily in the northeast. Global is also involved in the transportation of petroproducts and renewable fuels across the Midwest and Canada.