Technology

On October 29, 2026, ADT Inc. (“ADT”), a leading provider of security, interactive and smart home solutions serving residential and small business customers in the U.S., and Thrive Holdings, a permanent capital holding company focused on investing in established businesses and advancing their capabilities through technology, announced a definitive agreement under which Thrive Holdings will acquire ADT in an all‑cash transaction. The agreement values ADT at approximately $7.6 billion in equity value and $15.3 billion in enterprise value. Under the terms of the agreement, which ADT’s Board of Directors unanimously approved, ADT stockholders will receive $10.00 per share in cash upon completion. Following completion, ADT will become privately held and its common stock will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Cravath is representing ADT in connection with the transaction.

On October 29, 2026, DoorDash, Inc. (“DoorDash”) and Maplebear Inc. (d.b.a. Instacart) (“Instacart”) announced a definitive agreement under DoorDash will acquire Instacart for a total value of $65.00 for each Instacart share, or an equity value of approximately $17 billion. The aggregate transaction consideration will be at least 75% cash, with Instacart stockholders able to elect cash, DoorDash stock, or a combination of both, subject to proration so that DoorDash stock does not exceed 25% of the aggregate consideration. Instacart's board of directors has unanimously approved the agreement. Cravath is representing Instacart in connection with the transaction.

Cravath represented the agent and lenders in connection with the unitranche and revolving credit facilities made available to finance Apax Partners’ acquisition of Techoraco, a leading global events platform for the digital infrastructure market, and Institutional Investor, a leading global capital introduction and intelligence platform of curated, event-based memberships.

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the registered $1 billion senior notes offering of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc., a leading technology services company and the largest IT infrastructure services provider in the world. The transaction closed on September 28, 2026.

Cravath represented the underwriters in connection with the $3 billion senior notes offering of Analog Devices, Inc., a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of a broad portfolio of solutions that leverage high‑performance analog, mixed‑signal and digital signal processing technology, including integrated circuits, algorithms, software and subsystems. The transaction closed on September 17, 2026.

On October 26, 2026, Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) and World Trademark Review (WTR) published an article by Cravath partners David J. Kappos and Ryan J. Wichtowski and of counsel Kathryn‑Ann Stamm entitled “Rethinking IP Protection Strategies in the Age of AI.” The article examines how developments in AI are challenging traditional approaches to IP protection and recommends that companies combine IP rights with technical architecture, contractual discipline and relationship management to build the most resilient protection strategies.

Cravath partner Ryan J. Wichtowski participated in the International Law Association’s International Law Weekend, which was held from October 22‑24, 2026 in New York. The conference examined the reordering of the international legal order and explored how states and regional groupings can step forward to uphold, reinterpret and strengthen international law through cooperation, innovation and leadership. Ryan spoke on a panel entitled “Trade in Knowledge in an Unstable Global Economy: Navigating AI Governance, Technical Standards and (Invisible) Tariffs.”

On October 20, 2026, Cravath and Stanford Law School co‑hosted a one‑day AI event at Stanford’s campus in Palo Alto, California. The day featured a program entitled “AI at an Inflection Point,” which examined the rapidly evolving global landscape for advanced AI, including the policy, national security, geopolitical and governance questions shaping its development and deployment. Cravath partner David J. Kappos delivered opening remarks and Cravath partner Ting S. Chen spoke in a fireside chat with Anthropic’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Tino Cuéllar. In addition, Cravath of counsel Scott B. Reents moderated a lunch conversation with authors Kevin Roose and Ethan Mollick in a session entitled “The Future and Business of AI,” which explored where AI is headed, what it means for work and society and how leaders should think about what comes next.

On October 20, 2026, Cravath and the Agentic Futures Initiative (“AFI”) hosted a discussion in Cravath’s New York office entitled “Agentic AI and the FTC: Competition, Consumer Protection & What’s Next,” which featured David Shaw, Principal Deputy Director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition and Levi Swank, Deputy Director for Litigation in the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Cravath partner and former FTC Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips and AFI Executive Director Ryan Dattilo co‑moderated the discussion, which explored how agentic AI is reshaping markets, business practices and regulatory priorities at the FTC, as well as what companies should be considering as autonomous systems become more capable and widespread.

On October 19, 2026, Cravath partner David J. Kappos participated in Open Invention Network (“OIN”)’s inaugural OIN Connect 2026, which was held in San Jose, California. The event focused on how to stay innovative while minimizing IP risk in an era of exponential Open Source use. Dave delivered a keynote address entitled “IP World in a Time of Change – OIN’s Role in Sustained Long-term Patent Risk Mitigation.”