Davis Polk advised Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as joint book-running managers and the initial purchasers on a Rule 144A and Regulation S offering by K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. of $150 million aggregate principal amount of 7% senior notes due 2019. The notes are guaranteed by Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and substantially all of its subsidiaries. A portion of the proceeds of the offering will be used to fund the redemption of K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.’s outstanding 6.25% senior notes due 2015.

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Davis Polk advised Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as sole underwriter in connection with an SEC-registered secondary offering of 13,825,283 shares of Class A common stock of Groupon, Inc. by LivingSocial, Inc. Groupon’s Class A common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “GRPN.”

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National law firm Irwin Mitchell’s real estate team has advised Prestbury on the sale of a portfolio of care homes formerly operated by care home operator Southern Cross.

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Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, has advised OpenGate Capital in connection with the acquisition of Kem One SAS, second largest European manufacturer of PVCs, together with the industrial investor, Alain de Krassny. The reorganization plan of Kem One SAS was approved on Friday, 20 December by an Order of the Tribunal de Commerce (Commercial Court) of Lyon, after months of negotiations with Groupe Kem One’s principal business partners and support from the French Government to preserve the continued viability of the French petrochemical industry.

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The Firm represented BofA Merrill Lynch, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities in the public offering of $750 million of debt securities of Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation (“BHFC”), which will be guaranteed by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire”), consisting of $650,000,000 of Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2017 and an additional $100,000,000 of its previously issued 2.000% Senior Notes due 2018.

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Simpson Thacher represented Northwood Investors LLC (“Northwood”) in its fourth offering of interests in Northwood Real Estate Partners LP and its related funds, which are private equity funds focused on investing in a wide range of real estate assets worldwide.  The funds closed on approximately $825 million of capital commitments during a 90-day period that ended in December 2013, bringing total capital commitments raised to approximately $3.6 billion.  The funds’ capital commitments may grow over time as the result of a unique Evergreen feature that allows the funds to reinvest investment proceeds, subject to certain limitations.

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A team of Ropes & Gray attorneys represented H.I.G. Capital in its definitive merger agreement to acquire American Pacific Corporation, a leading custom manufacturer of fine chemicals and specialty chemicals, for approximately $392 million. More >>

Shearman & Sterling is advising City Office REIT in its proposed $115 million initial public offering of common stock to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. City Office REIT Inc., a newly organized corporation formed to acquire, own and operate high-quality office properties located within the United States, is sponsored by Canadian private equity firm Second City Capital Partners, a multi-fund private equity firm that invests in real estate and conventional private equity.

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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. More >>

Shearman & Sterling is advising Lafarge in its sale of five aggregates quarries and related assets in Maryland (USA) to Bluegrass Materials for a total enterprise value of $320 million (equivalent to €235 million).

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