Purchase Of AQuantive By Microsoft Gains FTC’s Tacit Approval; GoogleClick Still Pending
By Staci D. Kramer - Fri 06 Jul 2007 07:43 PM PST
The FTC antitrust review of Microsoft’s $6 billion acquisition of interactive ad shop aQuantive is effectively over. The agency’s 30-day review period is over without a second request for information, providing tacit approval. Microsoft still needs approvals from other countries; the companies hope to close the deal before the end of 2007.
GoogleClick: Microsoft execs have been vocal about raising concerns over Google’s proposed acquisition of DoubleClick, insisting that the deal with aQuantive didn’t pose the same problems. The FTC has made a second request in the GoogleClick matter.
TheStreet.com: Microsoft spokesman Guy Esnouf: “It could have issued a second request and gone into it further, as the FTC has done with the Google-DoubleClick acquisition. We believe these are very different transactions. ... They really do demand closer scrutiny.”
Don Google, senior corporate counsel, Google: “We are cooperating with that request as the FTC’s review of the acquisition continues. We are confident that upon further review the FTC will conclude that Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick poses no risk to competition and should be approved.”
Posted in: Advertising, Companies, Microsoft, Legal, Regulatory, VC+M&A
