Tax

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.

On October 20, 2026, Alcon, a global leader in eye care, announced it has acquired Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Neurotech”), a company focused on developing innovative cell therapies for chronic and neurodegenerative eye diseases, for $550 million. Alcon may be required to make additional contingent payments, including upon the achievement of commercial milestones. This acquisition expands Alcon's retina portfolio with ENCELTO™, the first and only U.S. FDA-approved treatment for adults with idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (“MacTel”), a rare, progressive retinal disease that leads to irreversible central vision loss that has historically had no approved treatment options. Cravath represented Neurotech in connection with the transaction.

On September 30, 2026, Westinghouse Electric Company (“Westinghouse”) and Brookfield Asset Management (“Brookfield”) welcomed the new strategic partnership between the U.S. Government and the Republic of Korea (“Korea”) to support the deployment of Westinghouse technology in the U.S. Under the partnership, Korea commits up to $120 billion of investment to help finance the construction of eight nuclear reactors in the U.S., including six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors and two Korean APR1400 reactors which also incorporate Westinghouse technology. The partnership also provides for a cornerstone equity investment of between 5% and 10% in Westinghouse by Korea. Cravath is representing Westinghouse and Brookfield in connection with the strategic partnership.

On October 1, 2026, Corteva, Inc. (“Corteva”) announced it has successfully spun off its advanced seed and genetics business as a new public company, Vylor, Inc., and will move forward as a leading, pure‑play global crop protection company. Cravath is representing Corteva in connection with the transaction.

Cravath partner Lauren Angelilli and retired partner Michael L. Schler participated in “Tax Strategies for Corporate Acquisitions, Dispositions, Spin-Offs, Joint Ventures, Financings, Reorganizations & Restructurings 2026,” a program presented by the Practising Law Institute from October 20‑22, 2026 in New York. 

Dominic Robertson is a tax partner and the Head of the Tax Department at London-based law firm Slaughter and May. In this episode of On Tax, he and Cravath partner and host Len Teti talk about the cultural congruence between the two firms and the similarities in how each approaches training young lawyers. They also discuss the ways in which business development is essentially grounded in relationship-building.

On October 16, 2026, Lawdragon announced the inclusion of 50 Cravath partners in its annual list of the “500 Leading Dealmakers in America.” The list, assembled based on research and vetting by peers, recognizes the lawyers in the areas of M&A, private equity, capital markets, finance, corporate governance, shareholder activism, tax, antitrust, regulatory, restructuring and energy who “close the transactions that remake industries, redraw markets and move trillions of dollars of value.”

On September 29, 2026, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance published Cravath’s latest quarterly newsletter on M&A, activism and corporate governance. The newsletter provides insight into practical points, key takeaways and relevant developments across the M&A, activism, tax, regulatory and corporate governance landscape during the second quarter of 2026. Contributors to this edition include partners Margaret T. Segall, Evan A. Hill, Matthew L. Ploszek, Kimberley S. Drexler and Adam M. Sanchez.

Alice Abreu is the Honorable Nelson A. Diaz Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for Tax Law and Public Policy at Temple University Beasley School of Law. In this episode of On Tax, she and Cravath partner and host Len Teti talk about the evolution of Alice’s career, from law school—where she was initially skeptical of tax—to private practice in the field, to her more than 40 years as a tax professor. Alice also shares advice for young lawyers and reflects on the fulfillment she finds in watching her students grow into practitioners.