Shearman & Sterling advised Deere & Company, John Deere Capital Corporation and John Deere Bank S.A. as borrowers under a $1 billion 364-day credit facility, a $2.5 billion four-year facility and a $2.5 billion five-year facility agented by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

More >>

Simmons & Simmons is advising Jefferies International and JP Morgan Cazenove as Joint Sponsors, Joint Global Co-ordinators and Joint Bookrunners, and Numis Securities as Joint Bookrunner, on the initial public offering (IPO) of AO World plc (AO), the United Kingdom’s leading online retailer of major domestic appliances. AO’s sales activities are focused primarily on sales of appliances through the Group’s own branded websites, principally AO.com.

More >>

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised DX (Group) plc, a leading independent logistics operator in the UK and Republic of Ireland, on the successful pricing of its initial public offering and admission to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

The associated share placing values DX, a portfolio company of private equity firm Arle Capital Partners Limited since 2006, at around £200 million. The proceeds of the placing will be used to repay existing senior debt, shareholder loans and private equity investors. More >>

Alston & Bird represented the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Inland Diversified Real Estate Trust, Inc., in connection with Inland’s recently announced stock-for-stock merger with Kite Realty Group Trust. The merger has an announced transaction value of $2.1 billion and equity value of $1.2 billion. More >>

Drew & Napier acted for Jaya Holdings Limited which has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement to sell the shares of all its operating subsidiaries to Mermaid Marine Australia Limited for an aggregate consideration of S$625 million.

More >>

Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised Blackstone, who along with GIC Private Limited, today announced a $750 million equity investment in Kronos Incorporated as part of a significant recapitalization of the company. Blackstone and GIC will invest in Kronos alongside lead investor Hellman & Friedman LLC and JMI Equity. Kronos, a global leader in delivering workforce management solutions, which was previously publicly traded on NASDAQ, was taken private by Hellman & Friedman and JMI Equity in 2007 in a transaction valued at approximately $1.8 billion.

More >>

Paul Hastings, a leading global law firm, announced today that it is advising CDH Investments (“CDH”), a leading asset fund manager focusing on investments in private equity, venture capital, real estate, mezzanine and public equity markets, on the US$40 million acquisition of a 20% interest in the Eastern Dragon project, a gold mine in Heilongjiang Province, China, from Eldorado Gold Corporation. More >>

Homebuilder Lennar Corporation recently announced an underwritten public offering of $400 million of 4.50% Senior Notes due June 2019. Willkie represented the underwriters led by Joint Book-Running Managers Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp. and UBS Securities LLC in the offering. Miami-based Lennar, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, constructs affordable, move-up and retirement homes. Lennar’s financial services segment provides mortgage financing, title insurance and closing services for both buyers of the company’s homes and others.

More >>

Willkie client The Men’s Wearhouse announced that it has increased its cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. to $63.50 per share from $57.50 per share. As widely reported in the press, the proposed deal, valued at approximately $1.78 billion, would create the premier men’s apparel retailer with enhanced scale and a broadened customer reach. Expiration of the amended tender offer has been moved up to March 12, 2014, unless the offer is extended. More >>