A new 'biggest deal ever' emerges

Well, no one thought the record for 'biggest buyout ever' would last long. The only issue now is how high it can go. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific Group are leading a group that is reportedly about to ink a deal for Texas utility TXU Corporation. It would be worth about $45 billion. The buyout of the Equity Office REIT was worth about $39 billion. The deal could still fall apart, if shareholders or regulators balk. The buyout would require about $30 billion in financing, so Wall Street firms are licking their lips. You have to wonder how long this record will last--if the deal is approved. The fund raising has been intense recently, so you would think another biggie is in the works. You have to wonder what it would take to operate this company under a stringent debt burden. That will likely emerge as a local issue.

For more:
- here's a New York Times article
- TXU to commit to environmental measures to placate critics. Article