Shares of iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT) fell 19.8% late Wednesday after Politico reported Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) will not provide concessions to European Union (E.U.) antitrust regulators as it really works to clear its impending acquisition of the house robotics specialist.
Amazon is not backing down from antitrust regulators
Citing two individuals acquainted with the scenario late this afternoon, Politico says Amazon and iRobot have till the top of the day right now to current provides to the European Fee (EC) to make adjustments to Amazon’s enterprise within the E.U. market. Amazon is seemingly opting to not cave to that strain.
Recall in November, the EC issued a “assertion of objections” to Amazon’s deal to accumulate iRobot — finest recognized for its Roomba line of robotic vacuum cleaners (RVCs) — detailing its view that the acquisition may prohibit competitors out there for RVCs.
Did Amazon simply name the EC’s bluff?
Because it stands, the EC has set a deadline of Feb. 14, 2024, to approve or deny the acquisition. By selecting not to supply any proposed adjustments to its enterprise in Europe, nevertheless, Amazon considerably elevated the chance that regulators may resolve to strike down the deal.
On the similar time, nevertheless, Reuters beforehand reported that EC legal professionals have been initially against sending the assertion of objections to Amazon within the first place, arguing the acquisition posed no aggressive menace and must be cleared on an unconditional foundation. With that in thoughts, maybe that is extra a case of Amazon calling regulators’ bluffs and assuming the deal will get cleared regardless.
If that occurs — and with iRobot inventory now buying and selling at a greater than 40% low cost to the agreed acquisition worth — this might be an fascinating little bit of merger arbitrage for traders prepared to make a speculative guess the deal goes via.
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