US Justice Department sues to block billion-dollar HPE-Juniper deal

US DoJ says HPE-Juniper deal will come at the cost of competition
The companies say acquisition would give customers “greater innovation and choice”
European and British investigators have already given their approval

The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit to block HPE’s acquisition of Juniper Networks – a deal anticipated to be worth $14 billion – following a complaint filed with a US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The complaint alleges that HPE and Juniper, currently the second and third largest providers of enterprise-grade WLAN solutions in the US, would consolidate “well over” 70% of the market between them.

“This proposed acquisition risks substantially lessening competition in a critically important technology market,” the letter says.

US DoJ wants to block HPE/Juniper merger

The Department of Justice raises concerns about Chinese companies, which have been deemed a threat to national security in recent years, resulting in fewer choices for buyers. The merger would accentuate this: “Customers in the United States have fewer options than they would if they were based abroad.”

The complaint continues: “It would significantly increase concentration in an already consolidated relevant market for enterprise-grade WLAN solutions.”

Moreover, the DoJ highlights previous competition between HPE and Juniper, which benefitted customers through lower prices and more innovation. By becoming one, this rivalry would, unsurprisingly, stop.

HPE and Juniper are successful companies. But rather than continue to compete as rivals in the WLAN marketplace, they seek to consolidate – increasing concentration in an already concentrated market,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division

In a joint statement, HPE and Juniper responded: “We will vigorously defend against the Department of Justice’s overreaching interpretation of antitrust laws and will demonstrate how this transaction will provide customers with greater innovation and choice.”

The companies also allege the DoJ’s statement that three companies dominate the market is “substantially disconnected from market realities,” adding that the transaction has been approved by antitrust regulators in 14 jurisdictions, including the European Commission and Britain’s CMA.

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US Justice Department sues to block billion-dollar HPE-Juniper deal

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