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The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

  • Appellate
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corp. Deal Tracker/M&A
  • GCs/Corp. Legal Depts.
  • Firm Management
  • White-Collar/Regulatory
  • Pro Bono/Public Service/D&I

CDT Roundup: 6 Deals, 6 Firms, 58 Lawyers, $18.1B

October 28, 2020 Allen Pusey

Oil & gas had a pretty rough summer. First COVID-19 curbed demand precipitously. Then came the brief but brutal outburst between OPEC+ and Russia, sending the price of oil briefly into negative territory.

The effect of all that was revealed in the numbers provided to The Lawbook last week from Mergermarket. Reporting only on M&A transactions involving one or more Texas-headquartered companies, numbers were down overall over the first three quarters of the year, dropping from 945 deals worth $307 billion in 2019 to 659 deals worth $146 billion over the same period in 2020.

Disappointing, but no real surprise. The real news may have been buried in the business sector breakdown. In an economy where M&A is generally dominated by the energy sector, technology emerged as the top sector in deal count. The margin, technology to energy, was narrow: 41 to 33 deals, or 20% to 15% of the total — a virtual flip between the two sectors from 2019.

The real drama lays in the relative deal values. In 2019, energy accounted for about 19% of the deals, but a full 64% of total M&A deal value; in 2020, energy accounted for only 25% of the total value, in a virtual tie with technology.

A large part of the difference is, of course, the aforementioned stall in energy demand provoked by the coronavirus pandemic. Lower demand results in slower triggers on M&A deals and lower valuations for the ones that do occur. But part of the difference is the rise of technology, even within the energy space.

Wes Watts is an Austin-based Vinson & Elkins partner specializing in technology deals. In recent weeks he’s handled a couple of them: the $60 million funding of DISCO, a legal e-discovery firm, and a $30 million funding of Point Pickup, a delivery dispatch platform. Watt says a rise in public equity interest in technology was already underway by the time the coronavirus hit; the pandemic, he said, accelerated the process.

“The pandemic wasn’t a direct hit to tech companies,” Watts said. “COVID-19 created opportunities for tech companies to reach consumers and also entrepreneurs who see those opportunities. So, you’re seeing some of them accelerate what they’re already doing.”

Aside from obvious growth areas like communications and e-commerce, the work-at-home environment has created a wide variety of technical challenges and, along with them, opportunities. Watts says, in particular, any technology that enhances “touch points” with customers, helping to keep companies and their products “top of mind” is having resonance with investors. But with that increased sense of touch, he says, comes security issues, which again, entrepreneurs see as opportunities.

“Vertical information security is becoming extremely important. With the dramatic expansion of the remote work force, more sensitive information is being passed around. As a result, investors are very interested in tech companies that offer scalable technology and security enhancement opportunities,” Watts said.

Living in Austin, Watts says it’s not hard to see the shift taking place in the Texas economy as it attracts interest from outside the state for reasons that go beyond simply not having a state income tax. The presence of Google, Facebook and Apple is bound to result in spin-offs of the talent that they attract. He says a number of private equity and venture capital firms are expanding from their traditional northeast boundaries into Texas.

“Texas has a massive economy. It’s strong and vibrant with an ecosystem that is becoming increasingly diverse,” Watts said.

There were last week six deals worth $18.1 billion, including five M&A deals worth $17.7 billion and a single capital markets transaction, an IPO no less, worth $350 million. The work was done by 58 Texas lawyers at six unique firms.

Weekly Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup Stats

A compilation of weekly stats from The Lawbook's CDT Weekly Roundup
(Deal Values in Millions)

Week Ending
Deal CountAmountFirmsLawyersM&A CountM&A Value $MCapM Count
CapM Value $M
31-May-202519$23,3811116612$18,6657$4,717
24-May-202515$24,0331112113$23,6242$409
17-May-202516$21,7601214511$18,6155$3,145
10-May-202524$33,1751620619$30,7655$2,410
03-May-202511$4,249139011$2,226.52$2,022.5
26-Apr-202512$8,78791689$6,0113$2,776
19-Apr-202511$8,09771389$7,9852$112
12-Apr-202513$2,392815210$2,0653$327
05-Apr-202519$27,7621518816$25,4733$2,289
29-Mar-202521$8,1881025816$4,1255$4,064
22-Mar-202519$6,4851423115$4,1284$2,857
15-Mar-202513$13,7371315110$9,9324$3,805
8-Mar-20257$2,2345665$2242$2,100
1-Mar-202511$3,05087510$2,5501$500
24-Feb-2512$16,39771496$6,6356$9,862
17-Feb-2517$12,1361313410$9,4112$2,725
10-Feb-2514$7,15491799$4,9505$2,204
3-Feb-2516 $10,068720011$7,5535$2,515
25-Jan-2514$10,261101259$2,2075$8,054
18-Jan-2519$7,3821531612$2,3007$5,082
11-Jan-2521$33,5601618716$32,5215$1,039
4-Jan-259$6,8279809$6,82700
21-Dec-2411$2,79811928$2,2293$570
14-Dec-2415$5,3231218612$3,8123$1,511
07-Dec-2416$4,7661023111$2,32152,445
30-Nov-2410$10,29191034$8,2906$2.001
23-Nov-2415$4,5531515311$3,3794$1,174
16-Nov-2417$11,4881124513$10,1864$1,303
09-Nov-2414$2,1101213912$1,4102$700
02-Nov-2412 $52,788 1110711$52,7381$50
26-Oct-248$3,1608657$3,0651$75
19-Oct-2412$5,3041113611$4,5541$750
12-Oct-2417$8,4381215015$8,1162$322
05-Oct-2422$23,1811218915$19,9807$3,201
28-Sep-2411$2,35671447$534$2,303
21-Sep-2412$9,568101695$4,1017$5,467
14-Sep-2424$10,9881223516$7,1758$3,813
7-Sep-2412$20,4201616811$20,3071$112.9
31-Aug-2413$20,631913412$14,7751$5,856
24-Aug-2419$8,4522132516$7,1023$1,350
17-Aug-2425$49,1961630411$39,38614$9,810
10-Aug-2420$12,2641531216$9,7944$2,470
03-Aug-2426$16,4981633418$8,1378$8,361
27-Jul-2419$16,4422127115$13,8384$2,604
20-Jul-2415$16,0161418410$14,2325$1,784
13-Jul-2420$17,220 1426518$7,146 2$10,074
6-Jul-2411$3,941 11958$2,650 3$1,291
29-Jun-2414$6,296 152248$6,296 6$1,927
22-Jun-2412$5,679 81375$210 7$5,469
15-Jun-2413$9,895 1621410$5,280 3$4,615
8-Jun-2419$23,859 1323912$19,436 7$4,423
1-Jun-2412$34,510 111479$26,110 3$8,400
25-May-2413$9,684 1517110$4,434 3$5,250
18-May-2411$5,490 111738$3,129 3$2,361
11-May-2422$14,855 1422716$11,105 6$3,750
4-May-2413$3,139 98710$1,297 3$1,842
27-Apr-2410$6,684 62810$6,684 00
20-Apr-2419$15,989 111479$5,208 10$10,781
13-Apr-2413$8,952 97610$1,652 3$7,300
6-Apr-2423$26,616 1422214$13,501 8$13,116
30-Mar-2412$9,286 81368$4,299 4$4,987
23-Mar-2418$5,451 1726616$4,759 2$692
16-Mar-2421$11,437 1318614$9,316 6$2,070
9-Mar-2423$4,695 2121819$2,723 4$1,972
2-Mar-2420$9,108 1937214$4,558 6$4,550
24-Feb-2419$16,382 1224815$9,507 4$6,875
17-Feb-2416$29,932 1515712$29,216 4$716
10-Feb-2425$10,750 1719619$5,372 6$5,379
3-Feb-2412$8,416 181259$3,416 3$5,000
27-Jan-249$8,165 9878$7,815 1$800
20-Jan-2414$4,084 1210912$3,219 2$865
13-Jan-2417$33,588 1225612$26,765 5$6,823
6-Jan-248$7,915 8846$7,265 2$650
30-Dec-2317$14,599 129915$2,714 2$11,885
23-Dec-2323$4,182 1321916$1,813 7$2,370
16-Dec-2313$16,436 132807$15,150 5$1,286
9-Dec-2326$14,633.90 1724416$8,095 10$6,538.90
2-Dec-2313$6,720 95712$6,630 1$90
25-Nov-239$4,835 91316$1,785 3$3,050
18-Nov-2322$6,568.70 1718414$4,709.20 8$1,859.50
11-Nov-2315$9,825 1317912$6,581 3$3,244
4-Nov-2315$20,582.50 1419312$19,417.50 3$1,165
28-Oct-2318$68,419.10 1815215$66,646 3$1,773.10
21-Oct-2316$6,755.90 1616515$6,755.90 1$3
14-Oct-2314$67,851.20 131259$61,998.50 5$5,852.70
7-Oct-2317$6,595.50 1322816$5,995.50 1$600
30-Sep-2317$1,896.45 1318914$806.45 3$1,090
23-Sep-2323$6,432.70 1723016$1,402.80 7$5,029.90
16-Sep-2325$23,226.70 2335316$17,239 9$5,987.70
9-Sep-2312$6,369 81027$4,311 5$2,058
2-Sep-2314$2,522 69213$1,322 1$1,200
26-Aug-2317$12,160.25 1320215$6,573.25 2$5,587.00
19-Aug-2319$11,505 1321315$11,255 4$250
12-Aug-2319$9,698.80 131847$3,270 12$6,428.80
5-Aug-2313$5,201 1211812$5,051 1$150
29-Jul-2315$21,031.60 1319611$18,292.00 4$2,739.60
22-Jul-2318$3,992 1213013$2,808 5$1,184
15-Jul-2313$8,254.95 138113$8,254.95 00
8-Jul-2316$5,441.45 1217211$2,443 5$2,998.45
1-Jul-2316$6,872 1010512$5,474 4$1,398
24-Jun-2313$10,914 1620110$7,874 3$3,040
17-Jun-2317$5,880.70 1515115$4,705.70 2$1,175
10-Jun-2319$8,516.10 1311116$6,252.40 3$2,263.70
June 3 202312$6,104.42 121388$4,256.92 4$1,847.50
27-May-2317$12,200 106711$6,165 6$6,035
20-May-2311$22,458.10 81034$19,455 7$3,003
13-May-2312$7,034 101018$5,460 4$1,574
6-May-2320$3,297.60 1819617$2,985.60 3$312
29-Apr-2323$3,691.20 1813517$1,969.70 6$1,721.50
22-Apr-2316$5,570 1410414$4,750 2$1,000
15-Apr-2312$23,818.10 95910$21,618.10 2$2,200
8-Apr-2316$7,949 91739$5,472 7$3,477
1-Apr-2321$18,676.70 1217511$10,926.70 10$7,750
25-Mar-2315$8,779.50 101415$2,362 10$6,416.50
18-Mar-237$14,048.80 6695$13,345 2$703.80
11-Mar-2321$11,576 1616516$8,131 5$3,445
4-Mar-2320$9,668 1122816$8,209 4$1,459
25-Feb-2313$5,335 1313012$4,235 1$1,200
18-Feb-2314$5,743.70 131588$898.70 6$4,845
11-Feb-2316$12,088 1213712$9,965 4$2,123
4-Feb-2317$8,066 1514013$5,614 4$2,452
28-Jan-237$2,180 7755$1,692.75 2$488
21-Jan-2317$5,768 1617412$1,918 5$3,850
14-Jan-2311$2, 800101028$421 3$2,400
7-Jan-2318$8,296 1116714$6,461 3$1,835
31-Dec-2214$2,732 119912$2,092 2$640
17-Dec14$7,919 1311512$7,419 1$500
10-Dec-2214$10,093 128811$7,093 3$3,000
3-Dec-2226$12,800.90 1117220$4,141 6$8,659.90
26-Nov-228$2,266.70 853$76 5$2,190.70
19-Nov-2221$2,886 1521219$2,550 2$336
12-Nov-2213$15,093.70 9819$14,200 4$893.70
5-Nov-222519,337.201650922$8,267.20 3$11,070
29-Oct-2215$7,805.30 911614$7,180.30 1$625
22-Oct-2220$8,193.50 1325313$5,442 7$2,751.50
15-Oct-229$3,046.10 91397$2,588.30 2$457.80
8-Oct-2219$2,011.80 1211416$833.80 3$1,178
1-Oct-2223$5,532.90 1615618$4,952.30 5$580.60
24-Sep-2218$5,194 1421615$4,050 3$1,144
17-Sep-2221$8,352.30 1232015$4,759.60 6$3,592.70
10-Sep-2215$19,853.50 1012613$19,403.60 2$450
3-Sep-229$2,312 9629$2,312 00
27-Aug-2216$30,891.70 1013515$30,666.40 1227.7
20-Aug-2212$1,977 815299253$1,052
13-Aug-2218$8,004.70 1124211$2,844.70 7$5,160
6-Aug-2224$7,948.90 1224017$3,577 7$4,371.90
30-Jul-228$6,941 9787$6,839 1$102
23-Jul-2211$801 119210$801 10
16-Jul-2214$3,650 1012214$3,650 00
9-Jul-2210$3,557.70 7689$3,557.70 10
2-Jul-2218$8,609.40 1315215$2,754.40 3$5,855
25-Jun-2215$6,142 131469$2,017 6$4,125
18-Jun-2217$11,890.10 1422815$11,410 2479.7
11-Jun-2217$7,600 1212310$2,300 7$5,300
4-Jun-2212$2,937 101279$692 3$2,245
28-May-229$3,197.60 11869$3,197.60 00
21-May-2214$7,284.50 1218511$6,609 3$675.50
14-May-2211$306.60 98010$306.60 1$225
7-May-2216$10,451.75 1210812$1,827 4$8,624.75
30-Apr-2216$2,296.50 1615712$895.50 4$1,401
23-Apr-2210$2,241 11588$1,641 2$600
16-Apr-2211$6,643 71568$2,359 3$4,284
9-Apr-2217$4,429 1418411$1,690 6$2,739
2-Apr-2213$1,755 88410$1,145 3$610
26-Mar-2211$3,205 8656$200 5$3,005
19-Mar-2213$2,239.17 910613$2,239.17 00
12-Mar-2218$12,016 1123915$11,965 2$51.35
5-Mar-2217$6,786 1313713$5,161 4$1,625
26-Feb-2212$5,095 81499$4,437.50 3$658
19-Feb-2217$22,229 1717414$21,354 3$875
12-Feb-2212$2,344.70 10738$641.70 4$1,703
5-Feb-2211$2,503 89911$2,503 00
29-Jan-2211$3,872 1210112$3,872 00
22-Jan-2213$5,143.50 109912$4,842.50 1$301
15-Jan-2212$7,605 91559$6,480 3$1,025
8-Jan-2213$8,256.20 1110213$8,256.20 00
1-Jan-229$1,273.80 6509$1,273.80 00
25-Dec-2121$4,734.75 1117616$3,410 5$1,324.75
18-Dec-2126$7,325.20 1519318$3,640.20 8$3,685.20
11-Dec-2116$5,017 1010913$1,417 3$3,600
4-Dec-2114$2,310 8868$2,310 6$1,882.05
27-Nov-219$3.460.1101016$1,758 3$1,702.60
20-Nov-2120$22,792 1515712$18,864.50 8$3,928
13-Nov-2121$26,729 1217813$11,822 8$14,907
6-Nov-2112$8,303 1315710$6,682 3$1,621
30-Oct-2121$10,368 1521815$9,24.46$1,103.00
23-Oct-2121$18.783.11522211$12,314 10$6,468.60
16-Oct-2115$3,868 1111815$2,293 2$1,575
9-Oct-2120$8,610 1617516$7,795 4$815
2-Oct-2114$6,250 1113710$5,200 4$1,050
25-Sep-2111$11,460 9937$10,200 4$1,250
18-Sep-2111$16,603 8998$15,084 3$1,519
11-Sep-2117$10,653 1110313$8,503 4$2,150
4-Sep-2113$7,222 108911$6,715 2$507
28-Aug-2112$763 96311$663 1$100
21-Aug-2112$29,659 77911$29,579 1$80
14-Aug-2122$17,845 1119912$12,805 10$5,04
7-Aug-2117$13,670 1213915$11,766 2$1,904
31-Jul-2121$8,160 1113410$3,574 10$4,586
July 24,202121$6,367 1113915$3,712 6$2,655
17-Jul-2114$4,009 1112412$2,015 2$1,994
10-Jul-2116$3,997 1314311$1,597 4$2,4
3-Jul-2124$7,492 139416$3,769 8$3,722
26-Jun-2110$4,995 7858$3,847 2$1,148
19-Jun-2128$16,830 82289$1,861 19$14,968
12-Jun-2126$27,238 1520919$25,602 7$1,636
5-Jun-2115$15,539 1310013$14,709 2$600
29-May-2135$20,279 1114528$18,647$1,639
22-May-2124$53,208 1417417$51,047 7$2,161
15-May-2118$10,620 1322011$5,870 7$4,809
8-May-2117$10,400 1115615$8,386 2$2,500
1-May-2121$7,200 1611512$3,808 9$3,392
24-Apr-218$20,200 9318$20,200 00
17-Apr-2114$6,270 810211$40,180 3$2,260
10-Apr-2115$8,940 1312914$7,990 1$950
3-Apr-2118$19,513 1015112$16,923 6$2,590
27-Mar-2127$13,942 1524414$4,300 13$9,633.50
20-Mar-2111$2,046 41023$270 8$1,776
13-Mar-2115$3,270 91096$538 9$2,732
6-Mar-2124$13,617 1019613$10,395 11$3,222
27-Feb-2119$8,105 1213915$4,970 4$3,135
20-Feb-219$8,820 91538$8,520 1$300
13-Feb-2112$4,852.60 78172,7665$2,086.60
6-Feb-2118$9,752 1315314$5,222 4$4,530
30-Jan-2118$9,449 918215$8,753.80 3$695.30
23-Jan-2114$8,150 81186$4,000 8$4,150
16-Jan-2117$6,783 1313811$2,400 6$4,382.90
9-Jan-2122$6,829 1413518$3,139.30 4$3,690
2-Jan-217$1,466 7607$1,466 00
26-Dec-2018$15,900 1216316$5,300 1$600
19-Dec-2018$9,769 1411014$8,426 4$1,343
12-Dec-2010$7,200 91009$3,325 1$3,830
5-Dec-2015$4,261 91229$2,780 6$1,481
28-Nov-2019$7,758 1011013$4,003 6$3,755
14-Nov-2014$864.10 1415712$289.10 2$575
7-Nov-2013$6,332 91299$2,483.50 4$3,849
31-Oct-2010$3,995.80 81036$3,231.10 4$754.70
24-Oct-206$18,100 6585$17,709 1$350
17-Oct-208$351.90 5558$351.90 00
10-Oct-207$5,229 3504$735 3$4,494
3-Oct-2014$21,428 91739$17,535 5$3,893
26-Sep-2010$12,770 8935$10,300 5$2,470
19-Sep-2014$8,365 91016$1,020 8$7,345
12-Sep-206$4,406 8593$1,270 3$3,136
5-Sep-2011$5,191 81179$4,061 2$1,130
29-Aug-2011$2,531 9945$1,130 6$1,401
22-Aug-2018$6,574 121407$1,930 11$4,644
15-Aug-2013$4,991 10977$1,216 6$3,775
8-Aug-2012$32,092 111129$30,457 3$1,635
1-Aug-207$5,287 8765$3,687 2$1,600
25-Jul-209$18,751 6677$18,403 2$348
18-Jul-206$1,982.50 5504$1,407.50 2$575
11-Jul-2011$565.10 127510$65.10 1$500
4-Jul-2010$8,889 8989$8,788 1$100.30
27-Jun-208$6,874 10505$4,972.50 3$2,081.50
20-Jun-2012$4,444 91157$2,829 5$1,615
13-Jun-206$3,582 4372$350 4$3,232
6-Jun-2011$3,213.70 8657$470 4$2,743.70
30-May-208$7,335 7486$4,639 2$2,697
23-May-204$432.40 4343$432.40 10
16-May-206$310 6345$310 10
9-May-2018$5,630 1612414$3,180 4$2,450
2-May-201510,40010908$1,900 7$,8,500
25-Apr-208$3,400 9365$1,000 3$2,450
18-Apr-2019$9,500 14928$185.70 11$9,360
11-Apr-2012$6,000 9405$190 7$5,800
4-Apr-2014$8,200 116810$2,200 4$6,000
28-Mar-2016$6,500 139610$3,700 6$2,800
21-Mar-2011$11,910 7337$2,250 4$9,960
14-Mar-207809.86346684.81125
7-Mar-2016$2,500 157013$669 3$1,400
29-Feb-2013$15,260 1312811$11,760 2$3,500
22-Feb-2012$3,700 109210$2,560 2$1,130
15-Feb-2016$1,250 108412$35 4$1,222
8-Feb-2018$6,080 1412314$2,595 4$3,485
1-Feb-2021$20,900 1210114$17,860 7$3,060
25-Jan-2013$7,430 136212$6,430 1$1,000
18-Jan-2023$9,580 1512019$6,580 4$3,000
11-Jan-2021$14,200 1819916$1,020 5$13,200
4-Jan-2022$6,400 1111916$3,204 6$3,245
28-Dec-1922$7,150 1917518$6,800 4$327.40
14-Dec-1924$36,300 2316719$9,500 5$26,800
7-Dec-1911$10,400 11557$1,082 4$9,370
November 30. 201914$2,450 1212612$1,760 2$692.50
23-Nov-1916$1,995 104111$615 5$1,380
16-Nov-1915$3,820 1313511$2,500 4$1,271
9-Nov-1925$12,900 1718223$12,200 2$575
2-Nov-1910$2,470 126192,4503$22
26-Oct-1912$5,560 147011$3,860 1$1,700
19-Oct-198$6,600 81388$6,600 00
12-Oct-1919$4,300 145516$3,800 3$500
5-Oct-1918$14,500 1916615$11,100 3$3,400
28-Sep-1919$8,100 1813218$7,560 1$550
21-Sep-1914$6,300 166611$2,160 3$4,170
14-Sep-1915$23,800 125611$21,250 4$2,570
7-Sep-1917$3,500 159814$1,900 3$1,600
31-Aug-195$8,700 6505$8,700 00
24-Aug-1916$10,000 148215$4,250 1$5,750
16-Aug-1910$1,680 5527$650 3$950
9-Aug-1917$17,700 156814$3,900 3$13,800
2-Aug-1913$5,760 1210813$5,760 NANA
27-Jul-1911$7,300 13768$6,570 3$730
20-Jul-1913$11,800 1312511$5,300 2$6,500
13-Jul-1910$775 7468$542.50 2$233
6-Jul-197$2,500 9857$2,500 00
29-Jun-1923$8,290 1515417$2,300 6$5,970
22-Jun-1917$10,700 1013914$7,700 3$3,000
15-Jun-1911$13,500 1416011$13,500 NANA
8-Jun-1913$2,870 175511$1,570 2$1,300
1-Jun-1910$4,460 11608$4,140 2$315
25-May-1917$4,360 147914$3,700 3$612
18-May-1922$9,000 1715016$3,400 6$5,600
11-May-1918$19,800 1717715$18,300 3$1,500
4-May-1910$7,075 6328$6,900 2$175
27-Apr-1915$3,200 1411714$3,160 1$40
20-Apr-1913$13,500 10909$12,200 4$1,300
13-Apr-1916$38,900 149114$37,800 2$1,100
6-Apr-1912$6,870 119410$6,730 2$50
30-Mar-1915$6,470 128410$7,91.55$5,677
23-Mar-1918$6,450 149114$5,042 4$1,408
16-Mar-1914$10,180 1211511$8,800 3$1,300
9-Mar-199$1,800 6498$1,300 1$500
2-Mar-1920$3,033 1610714$1,817 6$1,262
23-Feb-1912$2,040 8699$614.60 3$1,430
16-Feb-1916$9,970 187716$9,970 00
9-Feb-1914$6,400 1011014$6,400 00
2-Feb-1918$6,740 159916$5,720 2$950
26-Jan-1913$2,770 116711$918.95 2$1,850
19-Jan-1915$3,819 167612$2,594 3$1,225
12-Jan-1918$7,283 149215$1,683 3$5,600
5-Jan-1910$529 125010$529 00
22-Dec-1817$2,570 138714$941 3$1,629
15-Dec-1810$2,860 8268$264 2$2,600
8-Dec-1815$1,819 166512$552 3$1,267
1-Dec-1812$7,500 10909$1,200 3$6,200
28-Nov-1815$4,500 1110714$4,000 1$500
19-Nov-1818$6,137 139813$2,142 5$3,995
14-Nov-1818$9,200 1315215$8,500 3$694
6-Nov-1816$17,300 1618314$16,361 2$950
29-Oct-1814$14,400 1812717$13,800 1$600
24-Oct-1813$6,140 1312611$5,122 2$1,018
17-Oct-1818$18,390 1512514$12,292 4$6,098
10-Oct-1829$3,149 1810420$1,647 9$819
2-Oct-1818$9,300 116714$7,300 4$2,000
25-Sep-1813$7,000 117510$6,000 3$995
18-Sep-189$3,570 7449$3,570 00
11-Sep-1813$5,900 1013213$5,900 00
7-Sep-1814$5,000 158611$4,000 3$1,000
29-Aug-1815$20,700 147913$4,700 2$16,000
20-Aug-1810$12,400 11538$11,380 3$1,057
14-Aug-1812$19,900 121329$18,889 3$1,011
7-Aug-1816$68,600 1110613$67,259 3$1,340
31-Jul-1815$15,100 159511$13,060 4$2,060
23-Jul-1813$2,130 156010$1,804 3$1,100
17-Jul-1814$5,370 17989$4,310 5$1,100
9-Jul-1816$11,200 157410$11,080 6$862
3-Jul-1813$7,000 78112$6,330 1$750
25-Jun-1815$8,800 13979$4,970 6$3,930
18-Jun-1813$14,200 14807$221 6$14,290
11-Jun-1812$6,300 8968$5,910 4$803
6-Jun-1813$14,500 10888$14,154 5$579
31-May-1811$4,890 10638$3,240 3$1,790
22-May-1815$20,400 11639$19,808 6$885
15-May-1815$4,700 1510610$3,900 5$643
9-May-1811$1,400 13889$1,300 2$560
1-May-188$14,250 7887$13,400 1$450
24-Apr-1812$5,300 66111$4,470 1$800
17-Apr-189$1,800 10447$2,330 2$1,434
11-Apr-1811$2,500 8326$1,690 5$809
3-Apr-1815$13,400 111219$12,020 6$1,090
28-Mar-1810$4,000 10927$3,870 3$215
19-Mar-1817$5,800 135110$590 7$5,165
12-Mar-1815$3,130 114311$2,360 4$788
6-Mar-1819$5,400 1311610$1,530 9$4,860
27-Feb-1820$6,600 136914$5,530 6$1,030
19-Feb-1815$5,500 1411110$3,990 6$1,980
12-Feb-1823$10,900 1715712$7,110 11$3,840
5-Feb-1816$8,600 131007$1,330 9$7,800
30-Jan-1811$12,600 11685$7,300 6$4,982
24-Jan-1819$9,400 151295$2,010 14$7,337
18-Jan-1810$6,280 8492$2,100 8$4,188
9-Jan-1812$16,500 12929$15,890 3$475
3-Jan-1810$2,500 9478$2,350 2$150
27-Dec-1715$9,000 151139$7,568 6$1,784
18-Dec-1715$13,800 161649$13,010 7$1,118
11-Dec-1714$9,700 1012612$2,940 4$8,500
4-Dec-176$1,800 6315$1,510 1$300
28-Nov-177$3,850 8764$3,260 3$285
16-Nov-1710$2,700 10486$1,840 4$856
8-Nov-1715$2,380 179110$1,860 5$516
1-Nov-1712$4,700 17949$3,400 4$1,300
23-Oct-1715$10,500 106710$9,780 4$1,530
18-Oct-176$2,000 373$225 3$1,820
10-Oct-1712$6,570 1009$3,880 3$3,360
2-Oct-178$3,100 11193$1,630 5$1,750
25-Sep-178$4,880 8795$2,660 5$2,070
18-Sep-179$4,770 3$300 6$4,470
12-Sep-1711$4,430 8$2,030 3$2,400
1-Sep-174$1,310 3$317 1$1,000
23-Aug-1711$13,640 98$11,840 3$1,800

The deals — particularly their total value — were paced, of course, by the ConocoPhillips/Concho Resources and the Pioneer Natural Resources/Parsley Energy mergers. The two accounted for $17.1 billion of the week’s total $18.1 billion.

Last week there were five deals worth only $352 million. This time last year, there were a dozen deals worth $5.5 billion.

M&A/PE FUNDING

Concho Resources Agrees to $9.5B Merger with ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips and Midland-based Concho Resources announced Oct. 19 their agreement to merge in a $9.5 billion all-stock transaction. The resulting combination will have an estimated enterprise value of about $60 billion.

The deal, as previously reported by The Lawbook, is the largest shale-oil consolidation transaction yet in an industry hit hard by COVID-19, and the second largest upstream deal of this year. The deal follows on the heels of the $13 billion acquisition of Noble Energy by Chevron. But it eclipses other recent deals including the $5.6 billion acquisition of WPX by Devon in September.

Kelly Rose, legal and general counsel for Houston-based ConocoPhillips, leaned on Wachtell Lipton corporate partners Andrew Brownstein and Gregory Ostling in New York for assistance with the transaction. There were no Texas lawyers involved.

As he has in the past, Concho Resources GC Travis Counts sought the advice of Sullivan & Cromwell. The firm advised Concho in its $9.5 billion acquisition of RSP Resources in 2018 with a team led from New York by Joseph Frumkin and Krishna Veeraraghavan.

Goldman Sachs & Co. is serving as exclusive financial advisor to ConocoPhillips. Credit Suisse Securities and J.P. Morgan Securities are acting as financial advisors to Concho.

Under the terms of the transaction, which has been approved already by the board of directors of each company, each share of Concho common stock will be exchanged for a fixed ratio of 1.46 shares of ConocoPhillips common stock, representing a 15 percent premium to closing share prices on October 13.

The combined company will now hold “core-of-the-core” acreage positions across the Delaware and Midland basins, as well as leading positions in the Eagle Ford and Bakken, as well as the Montney shale play in western Canada.

“Through this combination, we are joining a diversified energy company with even more scale and resources to create shareholder value in today’s markets and beyond,” said Tim Leach, chairman and chief executive officer of Concho Resources. Leach is expected to join the ConocoPhillips board as executive vice president and president of the company’s Lower 48 operations.

Gibson Dunn, V&E Advise on $7.6B Pioneer Purchase of Parsley

As previously reported in The Lawbook, Pioneer Natural Resources announced Oct. 20 that it has reached an agreement to acquire Parsley Energy for $7.6 billion, including $3.1 billion in debt.

In the all-stock transaction, Parsley shareholders will receive 0.1252 shares of Pioneer common stock for each share of Austin-based Parsley. The deal includes a 7.9% premium to Parsley shareholders based on unaffected shares at closing on Oct. 19, when Parsley shareholders will, in effect, own 26% of Pioneer Resources.

The boards of both companies have already approved the transaction and Quantum Energy Partners, owners of 17% of Parsley’s shares, have executed their binding support. The combined company will remain in Dallas as Pioneer Natural Resources and will expand its board of directors to include two new members from Parsley.

Pioneer GC Mark Kleinman tapped Gibson Dunn & Crutcher to advise the Dallas-based energy company. The Gibson team was led from Dallas by M&A partner Jeff Chapman, backed by Houston partner Tull Florey, New York associate Kristen Poole, Dallas associate Paige Lager and Houston associate Jordan Rex.

Partner David Sinak and associate Michael Cannon advised on tax matters from Dallas; partner Krista Hanvey and associate Tyler Richardson advised on benefits, also from Dallas. Houston partner Michael P. Darden, of counsel James Robertson, associates Nathan Zhang and Jordan Silverman and Denver associate Graham Valenta advised on oil and gas aspects. From San Francisco, partner Peter Modlin advised on environmental aspects. New York partner Daniel Angel advised on IP aspects. Washington, D.C. partner Adam Di Vincenzo and counsel Andrew Cline advised on antitrust aspects. Washington, D.C. partner William Scherman and associate Ruth Porter advised on regulatory aspects. Orange County partner James Moloney advised on securities aspects.

Pioneer has retained Goldman Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley as financial advisors, while Parsley relied on Credit Suisse Securities and Wells Fargo for financial advice.

Vinson & Elkins represented Parsley on the transaction with a team led by partners Doug McWilliams and Lande Spottswood with assistance from senior associates Mike Marek, Jessica Lewis and Jackson O’Maley and associates David Bumgardner, Markeya Scott, Charlie Fitzpatrick, Carmen Guidry and Mary Busse. Other key deal team members are partners John Lynch, Lina Dimachkieh, Shane Tucker, Bryan Loocke, Matt Dobbins, Devika Kornbacher and Darren Tucker and counsel David Smith, Sarah Mitchell and Damien Lyster.  

Parsley Energy’s in-house legal efforts on the merger were led by general counsel Colin Roberts, along with associate general counsel Matt Hendrix and senior counsel Justin Hunter, a V&E alum.

In 2014, a V&E team led by Doug McWilliams advised Parsley Energy in its IPO. 

Parsley was founded in 2008 as an unconventional E&P company and has focused its operations in the Permian Basin.

Scott D. Sheffield, Pioneer’s president and CEO said in a release, “This transaction creates an unmatched independent energy company by combining two complementary and premier Permian assets, further strengthening Pioneer’s leadership position within the upstream energy sector. Parsley’s high-quality portfolio in both the Midland and Delaware Basins, when added to Pioneer’s peer-leading asset base, will transform the investing landscape by creating a company of unique scale and quality that results in tangible and durable value for investors.

Matt Gallagher, Parsley’s president and CEO said the merger will “forge a strong new link at the low end of the global cost curve.” He said sutainable free cash flow and return on capital are now investment prerequisite in the energy sector.

“With neighboring acreage positions located entirely in the low-cost, high-margin Permian Basin, the industrial logic of this transaction is sound. Furthermore, the Pioneer team shares our belief that a clear returns-focused mindset is the best tool to compete for capital within the broader market.”

The two companies said that by combining, they expect the enhanced cash flow to help lower the reinvestment rate 65% to 75% at strip pricing, with annual savings of $325 million from combining operational structures.

But the main attraction is that by combining, Pioneer will increase proved reserves by 65%.

Weil, Kirkland Advise on AxiomSL Sale to Thoma Bravo

AxiomSL announced Oct. 19 that Thoma Bravo, the San Francisco-based private equity firm, had acquired a controlling interest the global risk-management and regulatory data platform.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

AxiomSL was advised by Weil Gotshal & Manges with a team that included a Texas contingent. The Weil team was led by Boston private equity partner Kevin Sullivan, but it also included Dallas partner Rick Frye as well as associates Drew Mosier and Shanna Dean.

Kirkland & Ellis advised Thoma Bravo with a team led from Chicago that included no lawyers from Texas.

Evercore acted as financial advisors for AxiomSL.

Headquartered in New York, AxiomSL is a cloud-based provider of risk-management data aimed at highly regulated sectors like banking, investment management, broker dealers and commodity trading institutions. Its primary platform, branded as ControllerView, handles reporting data for 5,000 reports across 55 jurisdictions and 110 regulatory agencies.

The company was founded by CEO Alexander Tsigutkin and CTO Vladimir Etkin. Thoma Bravo said it plans to help AxiomSL management accelerate the growth of its customer base, while continuing to develop innovations in its unique data space.

Said Thoma Bravo principal Brian Jaffee: “The problems AxiomSL’s solutions help solve are only getting more complicated, and we believe the company is well-positioned to deliver for its customers, especially as more of this critical functionality moves to the cloud.”

Winston Advises Kainos Capital in Purchase $575M Purchase of Nutrisystem

Dallas-based Kainos Capital announced Oct. 19, that it has acquired Nutrisystem, the direct-to-consumer weight management brand, from Tivity Health for $575 million. The deal includes an investment by Michael Dell’s MSD Partners.

Kainos, a middle-market private equity firm that specializes in food and consumer acquisitions, has invested in a variety of nutrition-based food companies, including SlimFast, SturmFoods, Advanced Refreshment and Earthbound Farm.

Nutrisystem, a highly visible weight loss brand for 45 years, provides programmatic and home-delivered meals, snacks and shakes designed to aid weight loss. In addition to its structured meal plans, the company also provides live dietary advice and coaching, both for weight loss and diabetes management.

Winston & Strawn advised on the transaction, led from Dallas by transactions partner, Christina Tate. She was assisted by partner Chip Gage along with associates Ben Chrisman, Lauren Lieberman, Danielle Marr, Miles McDougal, Emily Semon and James Waters. The team also included lawyers from New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Rabobank is providing debt financing and is acting as financial advisor to Kainos.

“Nutrisystem is a valuable partner to its customers, particularly during the COVID pandemic when it is more challenging for many people to access affordable, healthy meals,” said Andrew Rosen, managing partner of Kainos.

John Civantos, co-head of the Private Capital Group of MSD Partners said, “We have tremendous respect for the franchise Kainos has built in health and wellness brands and are thrilled to be partnering with them in the acquisition of Nutrisystem. This investment is a perfect example of both MSD’s application of deep domain expertise in technology-driven, direct-to-consumer businesses, and our unique ability to construct creative, flexible capital solutions at scale.”

Latham, Baker Botts, Sidley Advise on CONSOL Coal Resources Simplification

In a $34.4 million simplification transaction, CONSOL Coal Resources Inc. (CEIX) announced that it is acquiring all the common stock of CONSOL Coal Resources LP (CCR).

Under the merger agreement, CEIX will acquire all of the approximately 10.9 million outstanding CCR common units that it does not already own at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.73 shares of CEIX common stock for each publicly held CCR common unit. The exchange rate represents a 2.1% premium to CCR shareholders and, ultimately, 22% of the outstanding shares of CEIX.

After the transaction, CCR will cease to be publicly traded and incentive distribution rights will be eliminated.

Latham & Watkins advised CONSOL Energy Inc. in the transaction with a corporate deal team led by Houston partners Nick Dhesi and Bill Finnegan, with Houston associates Ryan Lynch, Bryan Ryan, Rebecca Kendall, Caroline Ellerbe and Danielle Kinchen.

Advice was also provided on environmental matters by Houston partner Joel Mack and Los Angeles counsel Josh Marnitz; on benefits and compensation matters by Washington, D.C. partner Adam Kestenbaum; and on tax matters by Houston partners Tim Fenn and Jim Cole, with Houston associate Marianne Standley.

A Houston-based Baker Botts team of partner Joshua Davidson and associate Jude Dworaczyk advised Intrepid Partners, financial advisor to the CCR conflicts committee.

 The CCR conflicts committee itself was advised by a Sidley Austin team led by partners Bill Cooper and Jon Daly. They were assisted by Kayleigh McNelis, Tanner Groce and Sabina Wahl with Heather Palmer advising on regulatory matters and Angela Richards advising on tax. All are located in Houston except Cooper, who is located in Washington, D.C.

Citi and Credit Suisse Securities are financial advisors to CEIX.

The reps were tapped by by CONSOL general counsel Martha Wiegand. Wiegand is a graduate of Duquesne School of Law and worked for Reed Smith before joining CONSOL in-house.

“Simplifying the structure will bring immediate benefits to the combined entity such as improving its consolidated credit metrics, creating financial flexibility and eliminating dual public company costs,” said Jimmy Brock, president and CEO of CONSOL. “In the longer term, we expect this transaction will improve the creditworthiness of the combined entity, while also enhancing capital market access and trading liquidity. Finally, this merger accelerates our ability to return capital to our shareholders.”

CAPITAL MARKETS

Latham Advises Supernova SPAC on $350M IPO

Supernova Partners Acquisition Company, Inc. announced Oct. 20, that it has upsized its initial public offering of 35,000,000 and priced it at $350 million, or $10.00 per unit.

Washington, D.C.-based Supernova is a blank check company formed for the acquisition of tech-oriented companies by Spencer Rascoff, founder of Zillow and Hotwire, and Alexander Klabin of the Senator Investment Group. The company CEO is Blackstone-ex Robert Reid and CFO is Michael Clifton, formerly a Carlyle Group executive.

In September, the company originally priced the IPO at $300 million but upsized the offering to $350 million.

Each unit consists of one share of Supernova’s Class A common stock and one-third of one warrant redeemable for a share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade.

Latham & Watkins is advising Supernova. Washington D.C. partners Patrick Shannon and Jason Licht a leading, along with Houston partner Ryan Maierson and associates Om Pandya, Paul Robe and Evann Hall.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Jefferies LLC are acting as book runners for the offering.

Supernova says it is looking for acquisition opportunities to combine with one or more businesses that would help the company benefit from “thematic shifts and tech-enabled trends,” in large addressable markets — meaning: companies with potentially disruptive technologies.

Allen Pusey

Allen Pusey is a senior editor and writer at The Texas Lawbook.

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