Sky Blog
Global M&A activity declined in August 2017, with total deal volume, as measured by dollar value, decreasing 4.0% to $277.65 billion and the number of deals decreasing 5.6% to 3,119. The U.S. remained a bright spot in the M&A market, …
Global and U.S. M&A activity in July 2017 increased in total deal value, despite a decline in the number of deals. Globally, total deal volume by dollar value increased by 14.6% to $303.85 billion, while the number of deals decreased …
It’s time to exempt a certain type of hostile bid – an all-cash, all-shares tender offer – from a poison pill defense. In essence, I propose a statutory rule requiring a board to remain neutral in the face of such …
M&A activity in June 2017 struggled to build upon any recent favorable indicators. Globally, total deal volume by dollar value decreased from May 2017 volume by 3.5% to $263.00 billion, and the number of deals decreased by 5.8% to 3,116. …
A peculiar appeal is currently before the Delaware Supreme Court. The case involves the judicial appraisal of DFC Global, a company acquired by a private equity firm in 2014. Approximately 12 percent of DFC stockholders dissented, and the Court of …
M&A activity showed mixed results in May 2017, with similar trends to April’s figures, both in terms of deal volume and number of deals.
Globally, total deal volume, as measured by dollar value, increased by 6.9% to $274.05 billion and …
Congress, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), and countless legislators have criticized corporate inversions — mergers designed to help American companies lower their tax bills by moving overseas — since McDermott International completed the first one in 1982. Nearly …
Although still a minority of M&A transactions, appraisal actions are on the rise. In 2012, 20 transactions involving Delaware-incorporated target companies were challenged, but in 2016, this number increased to 48, representing a 240% bump in four years. Further, these …
Uncertainty about government economic policy reduces corporate investment and increases financing costs, as prior research has shown. In our new paper, we examine the relationship between policy uncertainty and M&A and the implications for shareholder value. We use the BBD …
Tax regulators and acquisition sponsors have long been embroiled in a cat and mouse game in the context of corporate inversions—cross-border transactions in which a U.S.-incorporated public corporation is “acquired” by a foreign entity, and the survivor’s locus of incorporation …
Global M&A activity in April 2017 declined by most measures from its March 2017 level, while the U.S. showed more mixed results. Globally, total deal volume, as measured by dollar value, decreased by 16.6% to $253.91 billion, whereas in the …
While all acquisitions require approval from target shareholders, the necessary level of shareholder support varies across jurisdictions and deal structures. Some transactions can be approved by a simple majority of target shareholders, while others require super-majority approval. In our paper, …
Insider trading law may be headed for even more disruption, as federal and state watchdogs press broad theories that include hacking and so-called Insider Trading 2.0, the early release of information for a fee, a panel of legal experts said …
The prescription drug industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades. The intensifying competition from generic drugs, the expanding power of entities that pay for drugs and negotiate drug prices, the increasing costs of drug development and gaining approval …
In a series of decisions that began with Corwin v. KKR Financial Holdings LLC, it is now clear under Delaware law that boards of directors will receive the protection of the business judgment rule “when a merger that is …
Global M&A activity in March 2017 was generally stronger than in February and also outperformed U.S. activity, where a decline in average deal size overshadowed an increase in the number of deals. Globally, total deal volume, as measured by dollar …
The legal advisory market for major corporate transactions is dominated by a relatively small number of elite law firms. What value do these law firms provide? Regulatory expertise, innovative drafting, speed of execution, and reputational cachet have all been offered …
On March 7, 2017, the Delaware Chancery Court granted a motion to dismiss in In re Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. Shareholder Litigation, which capped a line of cases starting with Corwin v. KKR Financial Holdings LLC and continued with …
M&A activity generally declined in February 2017, both globally and in the U.S. Total deal volume, as measured by dollar value, decreased globally by 30.1% to $202.45 billion, and in the U.S. by 3.7% to $106.47 billion. The number of …