Revisions to Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Thresholds

The Federal Trade Commission, the agency charged with administering the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (the "HSR Act") and its filing requirements, published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2005, adjustments to the HSR Act notification thresholds. Effective March 2, 2005, the HSR Act notification thresholds will be revised as follows:

• The $50 million "size-of-transaction" threshold will increase to $53.1 million. No HSR Act notification will be required if the value of voting securities and assets held as a result of the transaction is valued below the applicable size-of-transaction threshold.

• The $100 million/$10 million in net annual sales or total assets "size of parties" thresholds will increase to $106.2 million/$10.7 million, respectively. For transactions valued at $212.3 million or less, no HSR Act notification will be required if the ultimate parent entities of the parties to the transaction do not satisfy the applicable