ANALYSIS: Pandemic Delays Antitrust Review of $130B in M&A Deals

More than $145 billion in pending mergers and acquisitions are awaiting Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) antitrust approval. Nine of the 40 pending deals, amounting to roughly $130 billion, have been pending for between 200 and 400 days, and deal parties are now subject to further Covid-19 pandemic-related antitrust delays. These deals include the $83.7 billion Allergan PLC-AbbVie Inc. and $26.6 billion Caesars Entertainment Corp-Eldorado Resorts Inc. mega deals.

The data show that a lot of money is tied up in deals inching towards their first anniversary since they were inked. Most deals provide short extensions on their end dates to allow ...