The Federal Trade Commission has approved a final settlement that resolves competition concerns raised by Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Varian, Inc. and preserves competition in three markets for high-performance scientific measurement instruments. The final order, approved following a public comment period, requires the companies to sell three product lines to settle charges that the transaction would have been anticompetitive.
The FTC vote approving the final settlement order was 5-0. (FTC File No. 091-0135; the staff contact is Richard H. Cunningham, Bureau of Competition, 202-326-2214. See press release dated May 14, 2010 at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/05/agilent.shtm.)
Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.