The acquisition, contingent on the approval by antitrust authorities and a minimum acceptance level of 95% of the shares, will boost Merck’s offering of specialty chemicals to the electronics industry.

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As reported widely in the press, on November 26 Willkie client Men’s Wearhouse announced that it has proposed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of men’s apparel retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. common stock for $55 per share or approximately $1.54 billion in cash. The proposed combination would create the premier men’s apparel retailer with enhanced scale and a broadened customer reach.

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Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the Joint Bookrunners on Astaldi S.p.A.’s high yield offering of €500 million 7.125% Senior Notes due 2020 and its ‘tap’ offering of €100 million additional 7.125% Senior Notes due 2020.

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The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP advised Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina in the $1.75 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Algerian Business Unit, ConocoPhillips Algeria Limited (“COPAL”). COPAL is the company’s first major acquisition overseas.

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The Firm represented Microsoft Corporation in connection with its offering of euro-denominated debt securities and its offering of U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities. The underwriters for both offerings were led by Barclays, HSBC, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo.

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Watson, Farley & Williams (“WFW”), practicing in Hong Kong in association with Lau, Leong & Co., is pleased to announce that it has advised DNB Asia Ltd as Facility Agent for a syndicate of eight lenders on the provision of a US$700m facility to BW LPG Holdings Limited to finance 20 LPG carriers and for general working capital purposes.

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International law firm Simmons & Simmons has advised Barclays, BofA Merrill Lynch and HSBC as joint dealer managers on a tender offer by RL Finance Bonds plc in respect of its £400m Upper Tier 2 Notes and as joint lead managers on a £400m new issue of Solvency II-compliant Tier 2 Notes by RL Finance No. 2 plc, which are guaranteed on a subordinated basis by The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited, the UK’s largest mutual life and pensions company.

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The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP advised BNP Paribas Group in its agreement with Rabobank Group for the acquisition of 98.5% stake held in Bank Gospodarki Żywnościowej S.A. by Rabobank Group. Valued at PLN4.2 billion (EUR1 billion), this marks the largest banking acquisition in Poland for 2013.

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Ashurst advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch International (BofAML) in relation to the £1.56 billion recommended cash offer for AZ Electronic Materials S.A., the London-listed company that makes chemicals used in electronic devices such as Apple’s iPad, announced today. The offer is being made by Germany’s Merck 15. Allgemeine Beteiligungs-GmbH, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA, the world’s largest maker of liquid crystals for flat panel displays. BofAML is acting as financial adviser to Merck.

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Womble Carlyle client NCR Corporation continues its pattern of dramatic growth. Officials with the consumer transaction technology leader announced earlier this week that NCR has entered into an agreement to acquire Digital Insight for $1.65 billion in cash.

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