Mergers & Acquisitions
The Bureau of Competition is committed to preventing mergers and acquisitions that are likely to reduce competition and lead to higher prices, lower quality goods or services, or less innovation. In most cases, the Bureau receives notice of proposed mergers under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Amendments to the Clayton Act. Bureau lawyers, along with economists from the FTC's Bureau of Economics, investigate market dynamics to determine if the proposed merger will harm consumers. When necessary, the FTC may take formal legal action to stop the merger, either in federal court or before an FTC administrative law judge.
This site contains important resources for antitrust practitioners, and for businesses and consumers. The Bureau's Premerger Notification Office administers the HSR program for both the FTC and DOJ, and provides technical assistance for those who may have filing obligations. The Bureau, in cooperation with DOJ, provides guidance to businesses on complying with antitrust laws through the publication of Merger Guidelines and additional policy statements on Merger Best Practices. Finally, the Bureau issues annual reports detailing its enforcement accomplishments.
