S&C partner Renata Hesse, co-head of the firm’s Antitrust Group, spoke to the Wall Street Journal about new guidance from the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission on how enforcers will assess vertical merger proposals.
“The guidelines have needed to be updated for a long time and the new version really does bring them into the 21st century,” Renata told the Journal.
Authorities indicated that they will examine whether a vertical merger could diminish competition by raising costs for rivals or blocking the supply of important parts or products. In addition to pointing out aspects of proposed deals that might be scrutinized for competitive harm, the guidelines also point to ways in which vertical mergers could create efficiencies and benefit consumers by reducing prices.
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