Norton Rose Fulbright advises Government of Pakistan on landmark US$2bn bond issue

Global legal practice Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Government of Pakistan on a US$2 billion bond issue. The transaction represents the largest ever international bond offering by Pakistan, and is its first international bond issuance since 2007.

Comprising a dual tranche of US$1 billion in five year bonds and US$1 billion in ten year bonds, the issuance received a strong response from investors including fund managers, banks, hedge funds, insurance companies and pension funds based in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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Simpson Thacher Represents Initial Purchasers in $600 Million Senior Notes Offering by Stena AB (publ) and $350 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering by Stena International S.A.

Simpson Thacher represented the initial purchasers, led by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, in connection with a 144A/Regulation S offering by Stena AB (publ) (“Stena”) of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2024. This offering closed on January 23, 2014.

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Linklaters advises Noble Group on the acquisition by COFCO and establishment of an agribusiness joint venture

Linklaters has advised Noble Group Limited (“Noble Group”) on the acquisition of 51% of Noble Agri Limited (“Noble Agri”) by COFCO Corporation (“COFCO”) to establish a 51%/49% joint venture.

Noble Agri will become the principal international origination platform for COFCO, with its upstream origination and trading operations linked to the downstream processing and distribution capabilities of COFCO and its affiliates in China to create a fully integrated value chain, consistent with COFCO’s strategy.

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Firm Advises SPARTA on its Acquisition by Catalina

Catalina Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd and Willkie client SPARTA Insurance Holdings, Inc. recently announced a definitive agreement under which Catalina will acquire SPARTA. Following the closing of the transaction, Catalina plans to place some of Sparta’s business into run off and to transfer SPARTA’s alternative market business to Arch Insurance Company under a separate renewal rights agreement. With total assets of $911 million (as of 12/31/2013), Hartford, CT-based Sparta focuses mainly on specialty program and risk transfer alternatives in the United States. Catalina is a long-term consolidator in the non-life insurance/reinsurance run-off sector.

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Simpson Thacher Represents La Quinta in Initial Public Offering and Debt Refinancing

The Firm represented La Quinta Holdings Inc. in connection with its initial public offering of 43,987,500 shares of common stock (including shares sold pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) at a public offering price of $17.00 per share. La Quinta’s common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “LQ” on April 9, 2014. The underwriting syndicate was led by J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley.

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Bauer Performance Sports Acquires BRG Sports for $330 Million

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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Weil Advises Eli Lilly in $5.4B Acquisition of Novartis Animal Health

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 >>

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