Williams Goes Shopping for $3B, Floating Notes to Pay Down Debt

It's not every day you go shopping...for 3 BILLION dollars. But that's what Williams is doing. Williams recently consummated a deal to buy Access Midstream, formerly known as Chesapeake Midstream (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). Although we've also read it was the other way round--that Access swallowed Williams. At any rate, the combined companies, with major operations in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region, have a staggering value of $50 billion (see Deal Details for Williams/Access Midstream Merger – TTV of $50B!). The wedding was Feb 2 and the happy couple need money--fast. So Williams (which is the name plate on the door) has gone shopping for $3B. They're floating new notes (i.e. debts, or IOUs) in order to, yes, pay down older debts...

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