Texas' Billion-Dollar Business Moves: What's Driving the Deals?

Despite economic ups and downs, Texas has seen a surge in huge transactions across various industries, solidifying its position as a hotspot for big business mergers and takeovers.

Key Deals and Transactions

Dallas and Fort Worth: Hubs of Activity

• Keurig Dr Pepper acquired a European coffee company for $18 billion, planning to split the new entity into coffee and drinks-focused divisions.
• Private equity firms are also active:
• Blackstone bought Safe Harbor Marinas for $5.6 billion, becoming the world's largest marina operator.
• Blackstone also acquired Shermco for $1.6 billion.

Banking and Financial Moves

• Veritex Bank was acquired by Huntington Bancshares for $1.9 billion, expanding Huntington’s presence in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
• The deal gives Huntington access to Veritex’s portfolio of small and mid-sized companies.

International Deals

• Kimberly-Clark (Irving-based) sold a major business unit to Brazilian company Suzano for $1.7 billion.
• Sunoco announced the acquisition of Canadian fuel company Parkland Corp. for $9.1 billion, making Sunoco the largest fuel distributor in the Americas.

Deals That Didn’t Go Through

• A planned merger between Chart Industries and Flowserve collapsed when Baker Hughes offered a higher bid, showing that even large deals can fall apart.

Legal Firms Cash In

• Law firms like Kirkland & Ellis made $1.15 billion last year from Texas-related deals, highlighting the legal industry’s role in mergers and acquisitions.

The Future Looks Bright

Experts predict continued activity in Texas business deals, with more transactions expected across multiple industries. This trend positions Texas as a major player in global business.