Mergers and Acquisitions

On June 23, 2025, Illumina, Inc. (“Illumina”) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Standard BioTools under which Illumina will acquire SomaLogic, a leader in data‑driven proteomics technology, and other specified assets for $350 million in cash payable at closing, subject to customary adjustments, plus up to $75 million in near-term performance‑based milestones and performance‑based royalties. Cravath is representing Illumina in connection with the transaction.

On June 4, 2025, Flowserve Corporation (“Flowserve”) and Chart Industries, Inc. (“Chart”) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals, creating a differentiated leader in industrial process technologies. The combined company is expected to have an enterprise value of approximately $19 billion based on the exchange ratio and the closing share prices for Flowserve and Chart as of June 3, 2025. Under the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company, at the closing of the transaction Chart shareholders will receive 3.165 shares of Flowserve common stock for each share of Chart common stock owned. Following the close of the transaction, Flowserve shareholders will own approximately 46.5% and Chart shareholders will own approximately 53.5% of the combined company, on a fully diluted basis. Cravath is representing Flowserve in connection with the transaction.

On May 28, 2025, rhode, a fast‑growing, multi‑category lifestyle beauty brand founded by Hailey Bieber, and e.l.f. Beauty announced they have signed a definitive agreement for e.l.f. Beauty to acquire rhode. The $1 billion deal is comprised of $800 million of consideration payable at closing in a combination of cash and stock, subject to customary adjustments, and an additional potential earnout consideration of $200 million based on the future growth of the brand over a three‑year timeframe. Hailey Bieber will continue her role as Founder and additionally serve as rhode’s Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation, overseeing creative, product innovation and marketing. She will also act as a Strategic Advisor to the combined companies. Cravath is representing Hailey Bieber in connection with the transaction.

On May 25, 2025, WiseTech Global, developer of leading logistics execution software CargoWise, announced it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire E2open Parent Holdings, Inc. (“e2open”), a U.S.‑based leading provider of SaaS solutions in the global logistics value chain, for $3.30 per share in cash equating to an enterprise value of $2.1 billion. Cravath is representing WiseTech Global in connection with the transaction.

On May 15, 2025, the boards of Greencore Group plc (“Greencore”), a leading manufacturer of convenience foods in the UK, and Bakkavor Group Plc (“Bakkavor”), a leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, announced that they have agreed the terms of a recommended acquisition of Bakkavor by Greencore at a base consideration which values each Bakkavor share at 200 pence, which implies Bakkavor’s entire issued and to be issued share capital is valued at approximately £1.2 billion. Under the terms of the transaction, Bakkavor shareholders will be entitled to (for each Bakkavor share): 0.604 new Greencore shares, 85 pence in cash and one contingent value right. Cravath is representing Greencore as U.S. counsel in connection with the transaction.

On June 26, 2025, the Foreign Policy Association (“FPA”) presented Cravath Presiding Partner Faiza J. Saeed with the organization’s highest honor, the Foreign Policy Association Medal, at its annual Corporate Dinner held in New York, alongside Carlos Cuerpo, Spain’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, and Peter Young, CEO and President of Young and Partners.

On June 17, 2025, Cravath prepared a memo for its clients entitled “Following De Novo CFIUS Review, U.S. Government Approves Nippon Steel’s Proposed Acquisition of U.S. Steel with Potentially Groundbreaking Conditions.” The memo examines a recently issued order approving the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel Corporation, the third‑largest domestic steel producer, by Nippon Steel Corporation, a global steelmaker headquartered in Japan.

The 2025 edition of the Legal 500 United States ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in 15 areas: Antitrust - Civil Litigation/Class Actions: Defense; Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Debt Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Issuers); Capital Markets: Global Offerings (Advice to Underwriters); Commercial Lending (Advice to Lenders); Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Transactional; Environment: Transactional; Financial Services Litigation; General Commercial Disputes; International Tax; M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+); M&A Litigation: Defense; Securities Litigation: Defense; and U.S. Taxes: Non‑contentious. In addition, 79 Cravath attorneys were individually recognized by The Legal 500 United States this year.

The 2025 edition of Chambers USA ranked Cravath in the top tier nationally in seven areas: Antitrust; Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Issuer Counsel); Capital Markets (Investment Grade Debt – Manager Counsel); Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Securities (Litigation); Securities (Regulation – Advisory); and Tax (Corporate & Finance). In New York, the Firm was ranked in the top tier in eight areas: Antitrust; Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Highly Regarded); Corporate/M&A (The Elite); Environment (Mainly Transactional); Litigation (General Commercial: The Elite); Litigation (Securities); Media & Entertainment (Corporate); and Tax. Fifty‑four Cravath lawyers were ranked across 23 practice categories.

On June 5, 2025, Cravath partner Ting S. Chen participated in the International Bar Association’s 22nd Annual International Mergers & Acquisitions Conference, which was held from June 4‑5, 2025, in New York. The event convened global practitioners to discuss topics in international M&A law such as geopolitics, competition policy and M&A; private equity dealmaking; and governance, stewardship and activism. Ting spoke on a panel entitled “Developments in Public Company M&A and Securities Law,” which examined the evolving landscape of public M&A around the world.