Articles Posted in FTC Antitrust Highlights

On February 16, 2017, the United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that energy infrastructure companies Enbridge Inc. (“Enbridge”) and Spectra Energy Corp (“Spectra”) agreed to settle FTC charges that the proposed $28 billion merger of Enbridge and Spectra likely would harm competition in the market for pipeline transportation of natural gas in three production…

On February 3, 2017, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released a study entitled “The FTC’s Merger Remedies 2006-2012” (“Remedy Study”). The Remedy Study, a report of the FTC’s Bureaus of Competition and Economics, examines 89 merger orders affecting 400 markets, with 79 divestitures to 121 buyers, and evaluates 50 of those orders using a…

On February 3, 2017, Maureen Ohlhausen, Acting Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) gave a speech entitled “The FTC’s Path Ahead”. She said her antitrust philosophy is that she believes “in the power of the markets-when free of restraints and unnecessary regulations-to provide the best outcomes for consumers.” She believes in the “rigorous application…

On January 13, 2017, United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez announced her resignation from the FTC, effective February 10, 2017.  This would leave the agency with two commissioners.  One Republican and one Democrat, Terrell McSweeny.  It is expected that the new interim FTC Commissioner will be Republican Maureen Ohlhausen.

On August 26, 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) approved final amendments to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification Rules that allow HSR filings to be submitted on DVD and streamline the instructions to the Premerger Notification Form.  These updates will make the process of submitting HSR filings easier, more efficient and less burdensome. The HSR Act…

On August 25, 2016, the FTC announced that ON Semiconductor Corporation (“ON”) agreed to sell its Ignition Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (“IGBT”) business in order to settle FTC allegations that its proposed $2.4 billion acquisition of Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. (“Fairchild”) is anticompetitive. According to the complaint, the merged company would have a combined share of…

On July 27, 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) cleared to generic pharmaceutical deals. Mylan/Meda Deal Mylan, N.V. agreed to divest the rights and assets related to two generic products to settle allegations that its proposed $7.2 billion acquisition of Meda AB would be anticompetitive.  Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Alvogen Pharma US,…

On May 13, 2016, the FTC approved a merger American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. and Airgas, Inc. as long as the parties divest certain production and distribution assets to settle the FTC’s allegations that their proposed merger likely would have harmed competition and led to higher prices in several U.S. and regional markets. Competitive Problem…

On January 21, 2016, the Federal Trade Commission announced its annual revisions to the monetary thresholds of the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, (the “HSR Act”) and Section 8 of the Clayton Act. The revised thresholds are expected to become effective in late February 2016, 30 days after the date…

On January 22, 2016, it was reported that the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Turing Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s  decision last year to hike the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim by more than 5000 percent.  The New York Attorney General opened an investigation last October after Turing raised the price of Daraprim, a 62-year…