Assa Abloy to Litigate Merger Concessions as DOJ Opposes Deal

Door-lock maker Assa Abloy AB will be the latest company to test a popular legal tactic of litigating its own proposed concession to alleviate US regulators’ antitrust concerns.

A bench trial that starts Monday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia pits Assa Abloy against the Justice Department’s antitrust division, which is trying to block the Swedish manufacturer from buying Spectrum Brands Holdings’ door hardware unit for $4.3 billion. The deal would heavily consolidate the markets for residential door hardware and smart locks, the DOJ says.

Merging companies have been increasingly turning to the “litigating the fix” ...