Paul, Weiss client Bauer Performance Sports Ltd., a leading developer and manufacturer of high performance sports equipment and apparel, announced the official closing with Easton-Bell Sports, now officially known as BRG Sports, Inc., to acquire the Easton Baseball/Softball business for $330 million in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition greatly enhances the company’s performance sports platform by adding Easton, the world’s leading and most iconic diamond sports brand, to the other strong brands in the BPS portfolio, including Bauer, Mission, Maverik, Cascade, Inaria and Combat. It also adds valuable intellectual property to BPS and provides a significant counter-seasonal business to the company’s existing revenue stream.

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A Weil team is advising Eli Lilly and Company in its agreement to acquire Novartis Animal Health for approximately $5.4 billion in an all-cash transaction that is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2015, subject to regulatory and other customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the acquisition, Elanco, Lilly’s own animal health business, will be the second-largest animal health company in terms of global revenue. More >>

After three years of highly complex negotiations, Algerian Fonds National d’Investissement (FNI), a strategic investment fund controlled by the Algerian State, signed a Share Purchase Agreement related to the acquisition of a 51% stake in Orascom Télécom Algérie SpA (“OTA” or “Djezzy”) from Global Telecom Holding SAE (“GTH,” formerly Orascom Telecom Holding SAE), a majority-owned subsidiary of Russian company VimpelCom Ltd, for a purchase consideration of US$2.643 billion.

FNI and GTH also agreed to enter into a Shareholders Agreement (“the Shareholders Agreement”), which will become effective upon the closing of the transaction, and will govern the parties’ relationships as shareholders in OTA.

Djezzy is the leading mobile network operator in Algeria. The company offers a wide range of services, pre-paid or post-paid, encompassing voice, data and multimedia. Djezzy’s 2013 revenue amounted to US$1.796 billion, with a 2013 EBITDA of US$1.055 billion. As of December 31, 2013, the company’s network included over 17 million subscribers, which makes it the leading mobile phone operator in the country.

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Cahill represented J.P. Morgan and Barclays as joint book-running managers in connection with the Rule 144A offering of £165,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7% Senior Secured Notes due 2020 by ghd Bondco plc. Proceeds from the offering were used to refinance existing indebtedness. More >>

Cooley LLP announced today that it acted as US counsel to Stratasys Ltd. on its acquisition of Solid Concepts. Meitar Liquornik Geva Leshem Tal was Israeli counsel to Stratasys, one of the world’s leading 3D printing companies. Stratasys manufactures 3D printers and materials that create prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD (computer aided design) files or other 3D content. Stratasys will also acquire Texas-based Harvest Technologies.

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New York- based securities law firm, Sichenzia Ross Friedman Ference LLP announced that it has represented J.P. Turner & Company as sole Placement Agent  in a $2.5  million private placement of X2 Bio systems, Inc., a privately held Seattle based science and technology company which is developing the first complete solution for assessing sport brain injuries.  The underwriting was pursuant to a prospectus supplement to an effective S-3 registration statement. The offering consisted of $2.5 million of Units consisting of 6% convertible promissory notes and common stock purchase warrants. The Sichenzia Ross team was led by partners Gregory Sichenzia and David Manno. More >>

Willkie client Victory Capital Management Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Munder Capital management. The deal combines two strong Midwest-based investment management firms with multi-boutique business models. The new independent investment advisory firm, which will be headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, will have over $37 billion of assets under management and a diversified lineup of investment offerings.

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Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy advised the underwriters in the $945 million common stock offering by insurance conglomerate Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), proceeds of which will be used, in part, to fund its acquisition of the insurance brokerage business of Westfarmers Limited, one of the largest insurance broking networks across Australia and New Zealand.

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International law firm Dorsey & Whitney (Europe) LLP has advised Quindell Plc (AIM:QPP.L) on the world’s largest telematics contract to date. Quindell is a provider of sector leading expertise in software, consulting and technology enabled outsourcing in its key markets: insurance, telecommunications and their related sectors. The Company is recognized as number one in insurance claims technology in Europe. Quindell has grown its market capitalization from £300 million to £2.8 billion over the last few years. More >>

Shearman & Sterling represented Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) in connection with its offering of $1,000,000,000 4.000% Notes due 2019 and $500,000,000 5.750% Notes due 2023, listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The 5.750% Notes due 2023 are a further issuance of, and will be consolidated and form a single series with, the $1,250,000,000 principal amount of 5.750% Notes due 2023 originally issued by BNDES on September 26, 2013. BB Securities Ltd., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. acted as Joint Lead Managers.

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