DOJ Sues ValueAct Capital for Meddling in Halliburton/BH Merger
So what's happening with Halliburton's $34.6 billion buyout of Baker Hughes? At last check the deal was at best a 50/50 proposition as to whether or not it would happen. Europe currently has the deal under a microscope (see Europe Puts Halliburton/BH Merger Under a Microscope). The European Commission launched a "second phase" of their investigation into the deal, which is problematic for Halliburton. The European Commission says they see "serious potential competition concerns" with the deal. Not good. But that was in January. Since then we'd not heard anything about the deal's progress--until now. Yesterday the U.S. Dept. of Justice sued ValueAct Capital, accusing the company of purchasing $2.6 billion worth of stock in Halliburton and BH with "the intent to influence the companies' business decisions as the merger unfolded." The company has been charged with violating the reporting and waiting period requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act...
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