U.S. merger notification thresholds decline for just the
second time; take effect on March 4, 2021.
The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") announced that
the Hart-Scott-Rodino ("HSR") Act thresholds will
decrease slightly in 2021. These thresholds determine which mergers
and acquisitions must be reported to the federal government before
consummation. The lower thresholds take effect on March 4, and will
remain in effect through early 2022.
This marks only the second time that thresholds have decreased
since they were indexed to gross national product in 2005. The
first time followed the global financial crisis in 2010. Parties to
any transaction that is expected to close on or after March 4,
2021, may wish to revisit their HSR filing analysis using the
adjusted thresholds.