Mergers & Acquisitions

January 07, 2025
Swiss Bank Julius Baer To Sell Brazilian Biz For $100M

Julius Baer said Tuesday that it has agreed to sell its domestic Brazilian wealth management business to Latin American investment bank BTG Pactual SA for 615 million Brazilian reais ($102 million).
January 06, 2025
Nikola Investors Win Class Cert. In Securities Fraud Litigation

An Arizona federal judge on Monday certified a class of investors accusing Nikola Corp. of inflating its stock price by exaggerating its ability to manufacture electric trucks, ruling that the shareholders have shown their case warrants the class treatment more than four years after they first sued.
January 06, 2025
Sidley, Wachtell Guide Inari Medical's $4.9B Sale To Stryker

Medical technology company Stryker Corp., represented by Sidley Austin LLP, announced Monday that it has inked an agreement to acquire device maker Inari Medical Inc., represented by Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, in a deal worth about $4.9 billion.
January 06, 2025
Live Nation Can't Get Intermission In Calif. Antitrust Case

A California federal judge overseeing a private antitrust case against Live Nation denied the company's bid Monday to pause the case for a government enforcement action, saying that the suit was filed first and that exceptions to the "first to file" rule do not apply.
January 06, 2025
Nasdaq Gets SPAC Investor's Racial Bias Claims Tossed

A federal judge decided Monday to toss a suit from an investor in a minority-led special purpose acquisition company claiming the Nasdaq Stock Market participated in race-based discrimination against investors, saying the plaintiff fails to allege that its injuries were a direct result of Nasdaq's actions.
January 06, 2025
Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

The Federal Trade Commission successfully blocked Kroger's purchase of Albertsons while continuing to battle with Tempur Sealy and its planned buy of Mattress Firm, and Novo Nordisk managed to finalize its purchase of Catalent. Here, Law360 takes a look at some of the major merger review developments from December.
January 06, 2025
Teoxane Outbids Crown With New Revance Therapeutics Bid

Teoxane SA said Monday it has submitted a proposal to Revance Therapeutics Inc. to acquire the healthcare biotechnology company for $3.60 per share in cash, one-upping Revance's existing agreement to sell itself to skincare company Crown Laboratories Inc. for $3.10 per share in cash.
January 06, 2025
FTC Blasts Tempur Sealy's New Floor-Space Promise

The Federal Trade Commission told a Texas federal court a revised commitment from Tempur Sealy to preserve floor space for rivals in Mattress Firm stores would not restore the competition lost by a merger of the companies because it cannot be enforced.
January 06, 2025
KKR Pushes Fuji Soft To Pursue Legal Action Against Bain

Private equity giant KKR called on the board of Fuji Soft on Monday to take legal action against Bain Capital amid a bidding war for the company between the two competing investors, arguing that Bain's unauthorized use of confidential information and breach of its nondisclosure agreement "significantly jeopardizes" the reputation of private equity funds in Japan.
January 06, 2025
Akoustis Says Ch. 11 Plan Handles IP Injunction Concerns

Radio frequency filter venture Akoustis Technologies Inc. has accused judgment creditor Qorvo Inc. of seeking to scuttle Akoustis' Chapter 11 stalking-horse sale in Delaware for competitive reasons beyond Qorvo's $38 million patent infringement judgment.
January 06, 2025
Paul Hastings, Cravath Steer Pork Giant Smithfield's IPO Filing

Pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. on Monday submitted the year's first filing for an initial public offering, part of a spinoff from China's WH Group Ltd., represented by Paul Hastings LLP and underwriters' counsel Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP.
January 06, 2025
Olshan Frome, Ellenoff Grossman Guide Gun Biz SPAC Deal

Online firearm retailer GrabAGun, advised by Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, announced plans on Monday to go public through a $150 million merger with special purpose acquisition company Colombier II, led by Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.
January 06, 2025
Disney Buy Ends Fubo Sports Streaming Suit

Disney and Fubo announced a deal Monday morning to combine the streaming startup with Disney's Hulu + Live TV business, in an agreement that ends Fubo's lawsuit that had so far successfully challenged a three-way live sports streaming joint venture between Disney's ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery.
January 06, 2025
Nippon, US Steel Hit Back With Suits After Biden Blocks Deal

Japan's Nippon Steel Corp. and U.S. Steel Corp. have filed two lawsuits following President Joe Biden's Friday decision to block their planned $14.9 billion merger, claiming Monday that the deal was blocked for "purely political reasons."
January 06, 2025
Diversified Energy Buys Appalachian Gas Assets For $45M

Diversified Energy Company PLC said on Monday it has acquired natural gas assets in Virginia, West Virginia and Alabama for $45 million from Summit Natural Resources, another operator based in the U.S.
January 03, 2025
Semiconductor Co. Beats 2nd Suit Over Failed $8B Merger

Semiconductor company MaxLinear Inc. has beaten another suit over its failed $8 billion merger plans with a Taiwan-based company after a California federal jurist found that the investment funds that brought the action didn't have standing to sue since they were investors in the acquisition target, not MaxLinear.
January 03, 2025
DOJ Wants Oct. Amedisys Trial, UnitedHealth Wants Aug.

The U.S. Department of Justice sparred with UnitedHealth Group in a Maryland federal court filing Friday over when to hold a trial on the government challenge to the $3.3 billion purchase of home health and hospice services company Amedisys Inc.
January 03, 2025
Del. Court Rules Against Insurers In Harman 'Bump-Up' Case

In a closely watched ruling on director and officer insurer denials of mergers and acquisitions cost "bump-up" payouts, a Delaware judge sided on Friday with Harman International Industries' claims that insurance providers unjustifiably denied coverage for a $28 million settlement of challenges to Harman's 2017 merger with Samsung Electronics America Inc.
January 03, 2025
FTC Dems Eye Merger Review, Noncompete Legacy

Federal Trade Commission Democrats started the new year with legacy on the brain, urging the soon-to-be Republican majority in a pair of statements to preserve their more "stringent approach" to merger review and their currently blocked ban on employment noncompete agreements, despite heavy criticism both received from their GOP peers.
January 03, 2025
Meta Wants Advertising Monopoly Suit Nixed

Meta said that a group of advertisers accusing the company of monopolizing the social media advertising market have nothing more than its profits to point to in their damages bid, writing in a new summary judgment motion that extensive discovery has only shown how baseless the suit is.
January 03, 2025
Food Delivery App Inks $80M Deal To End SPAC Merger Suit

Investors suing mobile food delivery and ride-hailing services operator Grab Holdings Ltd. have asked a New York federal judge to preliminarily approve an $80 million deal to settle claims that several sections of a proxy statement Grab filed with a special purpose acquisition company were false and misleading.
January 03, 2025
DE Shaw Rips Air Products' CEO Succession Plan Failure

Activist investment firm The D.E. Shaw Group on Friday slammed the board of directors of industrial gas supplier Air Products and Chemicals Inc., accusing it of failing to manage an effective CEO succession process, and called for a change in the board's composition and the retirement of the company's current CEO.
January 03, 2025
Influencer Marketing Biz Later Buys Mavely In $250M Deal

Influencer marketing and social media management software services company Later on Friday announced plans to buy everyday influencer platform Mavely in a $250 million deal.
January 03, 2025
Biden Blocks $14.9B US Steel-Nippon Deal

President Joe Biden on Friday formally blocked the planned $14.9 billion merger between Japan's Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel, making good on a prior pledge to keep the latter steelmaker U.S.-owned in one of his final flexes of executive power over cross-border deals.
January 02, 2025
IBM And GlobalFoundries Settle Contract, Trade Secret Suits

IBM and semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries US Inc. have settled lawsuits lodged against each other in which IBM accused GlobalFoundries of breaching a $1.5 billion manufacturing deal, while GlobalFoundries accused IBM of unlawfully disclosing its confidential trade secrets, the companies announced Thursday.

Editor's Picks

UK Enforcers Say Cargo Equipment Deal Raises Concerns

The planned merger of Finnish cargo handling equipment outfits Cargotec Corp. and Konecranes PLC faces increasing scrutiny across the globe, as U.K. enforcers raised concerns about competition for a number of different products for port services.

Expert Analysis

FTC Picks Augur Pro-Business Bent For Much Of Economy

President-elect Donald Trump's choice of two top Federal Trade Commission officials suggests a business-friendly climate for a significant portion of the U.S. economy, with noteworthy exceptions of continued scrutiny of healthcare and Big Tech companies, excluding artificial intelligence, say attorneys at BCLP.
Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
Opinion

3 New Year's Resolutions For Antitrust Agencies To Consider

James Fredricks at Skadden rings in 2025 with his wish list for the federal antitrust agencies, starting with a provision for a presumptive safe harbor for information sharing.
FTC Focus: A Changing Of The Guard

While rigorous antitrust enforcement is unlikely to slow down at the Federal Trade Commission, the focus will undoubtedly change, including when it comes to Big Tech, as Andrew Ferguson prepares to take the reins from Chair Lina Khan, say attorneys at Proskauer.
8 Trends And Predictions Following PE's Late 2024 Surge

Private equity will remain at the forefront of value creation in 2025, and anticipated market trends include sponsors' desire to return capital to investors and a more business-friendly tack by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, say attorneys at Weil.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
What To Watch For In The 2025 Benefits Landscape

While planning for 2025, retirement plan sponsors and service providers should set their focus on phased implementation deadlines under both Secure 1.0 and 2.0, an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the fate of several U.S. Department of Labor regulations, says Allie Itami at Lathrop GPM.
5 Antitrust Issues For In-House Counsel In 2025

Attorneys at Squire Patton evaluate the top areas where U.S. antitrust policy is likely to change in the next 12 months, including major challenges to the Federal Trade Commission's authority that could reshape enforcement.
2024 Election Results May Prove Fortuitous For Family Offices

Thanks to the decisive Republican victories in the 2024 elections, family offices have a unique opportunity for accelerated growth and influence, particularly through the benefits afforded by patient capital, says Edward Taibi at Olshan Frome.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.
Advancing Storage-Integrated Power Generation In Turkey

Recent proposals by energy regulators in Turkey have laid the groundwork for further development of electricity generation plants with integrated energy storage facilities — offering opportunities for project developers and investors, and a possible model for U.S. regulators, say attorneys at Norton Rose.
Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.
The Story Of 2024's Biggest Bank Regs, And Their Fate In 2025

U.S. federal bank regulators were very active in 2024 with initiatives ranging from antitrust and capital to proposals regarding controlling shareholders and incentive-based compensation, but many regulations face an uncertain future under the new administration, say attorneys at Latham.
Considering European-Style Lockboxes For US M&A In 2025

The lockbox mechanism, commonly used in Europe, offers an attractive alternative to the postclosing price adjustments that dominate U.S. merger and acquisition transactions in private equity, particularly with the market's demand for transparency likely to remain steadfast under Trump, says Laurent Campo at Potomac Law.