Articles Posted in FTC Antitrust Highlights

The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division (“Antitrust Division”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) will accept Hart-Scott-Rodino (“HSR”) premerger notification filings during the U.S. federal government shutdown. The Antitrust Division and the FTC split reviews under the HSR Act, which requires that mergers or acquisitions worth over $70.9 million must notify the federal government. The…

In June and July of 2013, the Department of Justice's (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division, at the request of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), filed two civil suits against alleged violators of pre-merger notification filing requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (“HSR”) Act of 1976. HSR Act Currently, the HSR Act imposes notification and waiting period requirements on individuals…

On April 2, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, (“Charlotte Pipe”), a leading producer and seller of cast iron soil pipes (“CISP”) used for sewage and drainage in the United States, entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the FTC's concerns related to Charlotte Pipe's acquisition of its competitor, Star…

On March 12, 2013, the FTC and the Idaho Attorney General jointly filed a complaint in federal district court seeking to block St. Luke's Health System, Ltd.'s acquisition of Saltzer Medical Group P.A., Idaho's largest independent, multi-specialty physician practice group. The transaction was consummated on December 31, 2012. According to the FTC, the joint complaint…

On November 26, 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it will allow Robert Bosch GmbH (“Bosch”) to acquire SPX Service Solutions, U.S. LLC (“SPX”) after Bosch entered into a settlement agreement that resolves the FTC's allegations that Bosch's acquisition of SPX, as originally proposed, would have been anticompetitive. In addition, Bosch and the…

On November 15, 2012, the FTC approved Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.'s (“Hertz”) acquisition to acquire Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group inc. (“Dollar Thrifty”). The transaction was cleared after Hertz agreed to sell its Advantage Rent A Car (“Advantage”) business including 43 on-airport locations as well as 29 Dollar Thrifty on-airport locations to remedy alleged competitive harm…

On October 31, 2012, the FTC issued a press release announcing its consent agreement that allowed Corning to acquire Beckton Dickinson's Discover Labware Division in what the FTC alleges is a highly concentrated market. FTC Allegations From the FTC's allegations and description of the relevant market, it appears to be an acquisition that reduces competition…

On November 7, 2012, the FTC voted 5-0 to close its investigation of Hilcorp's proposed acquisition of Marathon's Cook Inlet, an Alaskan provider of natural gas without taking any action. While initial concerns were raised about the anticompetitive implications of a merger between two of the three main natural gas providers in Alaska, which combined…

On October 12, 2012, the FTC voted 5-0 to approve a consent order resolving competitive concerns related to Magnesium Elektron's acquisition of Revere Graphics. In September 2007, Magnesium Elektron acquired the assets of Revere Graphics for $15 million. Magnesium Elektron and Revere Graphics produce magnesium plates for photoengraving. The FTC was concerned the proposed merger…

On October 5, 2012, the FTC announced that it entered into a consent agreement requiring the divestiture of an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital in the El Paso, Texas/Santa Teresa, New Mexico area to resolve antitrust concerns arising from Universal Health Services, Inc.'s (“UNH”) proposed acquisition of Ascend Health Corporation (“Ascend”). Background On June 3, 2012,…