In Pics | Beyond Musk-Twitter deal, the largest buyouts in history

The board of directors of microblogging platform Twitter on Monday agreed to a $44 billion buyout by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. If the deal earns shareholder and regulatory approvals, it will become one of the biggest buyouts in history. In light of that, here are some of the biggest corporate purchases from Heinz to Hilton, and more.

Formerly known as TXU Corporation, Texas-based Energy Future Holdings became the biggest buyout in history when Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, TPG Capital and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners bought it for $45 billion in 2007. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2014. Representative image. Credit: AFP Photo

Elon Musk has made a $44 billion bid to buyout microblogging platform Twitter, which was agreed on by the company's board. However, the deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, but if it goes through, it will be the 2nd-biggest buyout in history. Credit: Reuters photo

US-based for-profit healthcare operator HCA was bought in 2006 by a private investor group including affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Bain Capital, together with Merrill Lynch and HCA Healthcare founder Thomas F Frist, Jr, making it the biggest buyout at that time. Credit: YouTube

RJR Nabisco was a US-based tobacco conglomerate based out of New York City. In 1988, it was bought by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $31 billion, and eventually spun off into the R J Reynolds Tobacco Company and Nabisco. Credit: Wikimedia commons

Global hotel and resort operator Hilton was bought in an all-cash buyout by Blackstone Group for $26 billion in 2007. However, it went public again 6 years later, and the largest shareholders of the company are now HNA Group, Blackstone, and Wellington Management Group. Credit: Hilton

Alltel Wireless was an American wireless service provider which served around 13 million subscribers. Verizon bought a majority stake in the company in 2008, and the remainder was bought by AT&T in 2013, and was dissolved in 2016. Credit: Reuters photo

Computer manufacturer Dell was bought in a $24 billion deal in 2013, with the stake being jointly bought by founder Michael Dell and technology investment firm Silver Lake, with Microsoft pitching in $2 billion. The company was also taken off the stock markets, and made private after the purchase. Credit: Reuters photo

American food processing company Heinz, known widely for its condiments like tomato ketchup, was bought by Berkshire Hathaway and Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital for $23 billion. Credit: Reuters photo