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May 23, 2013

FTC Announces Increased HSR Thresholds

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced today increased jurisdictional thresholds for premerger notification filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR Act).

Revised HSR Thresholds

A transaction is reportable if:

Size of Transaction Test

The acquiring person will hold, as a result of the transaction, an aggregate total amount of voting securities or assets of the acquired person valued in excess of $272.8 million;

or

The acquiring person will hold, as a result of the transaction, an aggregate total amount of voting securities or assets of the acquired person valued in excess of $68.2 millionand the Size of Person thresholds below are met.

Size of Person Test Either the acquiring or the acquired person has at least $13.6 million in assets or sales, and the other person has at least $136.4 million in assets or sales.

The HSR Act requires parties engaged in certain transactions (including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and exclusive license deals) to file a notification and report form with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), and to observe the statutorily prescribed waiting period (usually 30 days) prior to closing, if the parties meet the threshold requirements (absent any applicable exemptions).The FTC revises the thresholds annually based on changes in the gross national product.1 The new thresholds will be effective 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register. The increased thresholds will result in fewer reportable transactions under the HSR Act.

Filing Fees

Filing fees for the premerger notification remain unchanged, but the FTC has revised the thresholds used to determine applicable fees. Under the revised thresholds, the filing fees are as follows:

Filing Fee

New Filing Fee Thresholds

$45,000

For acquisitions valued at $68.2 million or more up to $136.4 million.

$125,000

For acquisitions valued at $136.4 million or more up to $682.1 million.

$280,000

For acquisitions valued at $682.1 million or more.


Endnotes

1 The 2011 thresholds required a premerger notification filing for the acquisition of securities or assets valued at $66 million or more if either the acquiring or the acquired party had at least $13.2 million in assets or sales, and the other party had at least $131.9 million in assets or sales. The Size of Person test was not required if the value of the securities or assets acquired was at least $263.8 million.

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About the Author

Member

Bruce is a Member in the firm’s Washington office and serves as Manager of Mintz Levin’s Antitrust & Federal Regulation Section. In his over 30 years in private practice, he has developed extensive experience in both antitrust and communications regulation, including associated First Amendment and copyright law matters.

(202) 434-7303

About the Author

Member

Rob is a Member in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office practicing in the Antitrust & Federal Regulation section. He provides counseling on a range of regulatory issues at the federal and state level, including antitrust and unfair/deceptive trade practice issues, as well as representing clients in litigation.

(202) 661-8752

Contributors

Associate

Farrah is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office, practicing in the Antitrust and Federal Regulation Section. She provides counseling on a wide range of federal regulatory issues, including antitrust and consumer product safety matters. She also participates actively in the firm's pro bono practice.

(202) 585-3518

About the Author

Associate

Helen is an Associate and practices in the Antitrust & Federal Regulation Section in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.

(202) 434-7460

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