Merritt S. Johnson

Experience*

• The Kroger Company in a $10.5 billion offering of senior notes to finance a portion of the merger between The Kroger Co. and Albertsons Companies Inc.
• Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho Securities and the other initial purchasers, in a $5.5 billion issuance of senior unsecured 144A / Reg S notes by S&P Global Inc. to refinance existing indebtedness
• Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and Citi, as a dealer managers, in the $4.6 billion senior notes exchange offer and consent solicitation by S&P Global Inc. in connection with S&P Global's acquisition of IHS Markit Ltd.
• PNC Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., and a leading financial institution, as representatives of the underwriters, in a $1.5 billion offering of senior notes by The Williams Companies, Inc.
• CIBC Capital Markets, MUFG, RBC Capital Markets and TD Securities, as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters, in a $1.3 billion investment grade bond offering by The Williams Companies, Inc.
• SMBC Nikko Securities, Truist Securities, Wells Fargo and another financial institution, as representatives of the underwriters, in a $1.25 billion offering of senior notes by The Williams Companies, Inc., for general corporate purposes and to refinance existing indebtedness
• Citigroup and the other initial purchasers, in a $750 million offering of 5.250% senior notes by S&P Global Inc.
• Morgan Stanley, as underwriter, in the $563 million secondary offering of 12.3 million common shares of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. by Engaged Capital, 1.7 million shares of which were repurchased by Hain Celestial for $76.5 million
• Truist, Wells Fargo, and a leading financial institution, as representatives of the underwriters, in $500 million offering of senior notes by McCormick & Company, Inc.
• Portillo’s, Inc. (a portfolio company of Berkshire Partners) in its $466 million initial public offering and in over $290 million secondary offerings of its Class A common stock
• CBL Properties in its $455 million senior secured notes and $150 million senior secured exchangeable notes in connection with its emergence from chapter 11
• Core Scientific in its issuance of $260 million in secured convertible notes, $150 million in senior secured notes, two tranches of warrants, a security representing entitlements to contingent payment obligations, a $55 million equity rights offering and relisting on Nasdaq Global Select Market, all in connection with its emergence from Chapter 11
• AYR Wellness Inc. in the issuance of $243 million of senior secured notes due 2026, subordinate voting shares and warrants to purchase subordinate voting shares
• Sundial Growers Inc. in its $143 million initial public offering.
• MedMen Enterprises, a publicly listed company in Canada, in connection with its leading edge out-of-court restructuring involving hundreds of millions in liabilities and resulting in a $100 million new-money equity recapitalization.
• Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Mizuho Securities USA, RBC Capital Markets and two major financial institutions, as initial purchasers, in a $500 million offering of senior unsecured notes by Sensata Technologies, Inc.
• Cowen, as placement agent, in connection with a $41 million equity private placement by Neptune Wellness.
• AYR Wellness in connection with its 3(a)(10) debt exchange and new money financing under the Canadian Business Corporations Act.
• The Greenrose Holding Company in connection with its out-of-court restructuring.
• Jefferies Finance in its Rule 144A offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of high-yield senior notes
• Valvoline Inc. in its Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of high-yield senior notes
• Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan and the other initial purchasers in a Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of €380 million high-yield senior notes by Catalent Inc.
• Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and another financial institution in the initial public offering of AdvancePierre Foods Holdings, Inc. and a subsequent follow-on equity offering and offering of high-yield senior notes
• Goldman, Sachs & Co. and the other underwriters in Blackstone’s sale of shares of common stock of Catalent, Inc.
• Morgan Stanley and the other initial purchasers in a Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of fixed rate, guaranteed, high-yield senior notes by Cincinnati Bell Inc.
• Citigroup and the other initial purchasers in a Rule 144A/Reg. S offering of fixed rate, guaranteed, high-yield senior notes by Valvoline Inc. as part of its spin-off from Ashland
• Morgan Stanley and the other initial purchasers in a $640 million financing for Halyard Health’s Inc.’s spin-off from Kimberly-Clark Corporation, including a $250 million offering of senior notes
• Goldman, Sachs & Co. and the other initial purchasers in a $1.2 billion senior notes offering by Steel Dynamics, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Severstal Columbus, LLC
• Jefferies Finance LLC in its issuance of senior notes
• Morgan Stanley and the other underwriters in the initial public offering of Catalent, Inc.
• Underwriters in the initial public offering of Foresight Energy LP
• Morgan Stanley and the other initial purchasers in the exchange offer and issuance of senior notes by The Jones Group Inc. in connection with its leveraged buyout by Sycamore Partners
• Morgan Stanley and the other initial purchasers in the issuance of senior notes by Smithfield Foods Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Shuanghui International Holdings Limited

Merritt is recognized as a leading lawyer for Capital Markets: Debt & Equity by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, where clients note “he has had exposure to high-quality deals” and describe him as an “energetic, young and enterprising" attorney who provides "highly responsive, professional and commercial" counsel. He is recognized as a “Notable Practitioner” for Capital Markets: Debt and Equity in the U.S. by IFLR1000 and a “Next Generation Partner” for Capital Markets: High-Yield, Debt and Equity and Debt Offerings by Legal 500 US.

Merritt received his J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. from Duke University.

*Includes matters handled prior to joining Weil.