But the number of antitrust filings is up way beyond that. Filing fees paid by companies, he said, cover almost all the cost of doing the regulation. In addition to more paperwork, more mergers are happening. We're getting the job done, but just barely. Once the filings are in, either the FTC or the Department of Justice investigates.
Regulators can ask for more information.
The regulators can allow the merger to happen or file a preliminary injunction in federal court. Along the way, lawyers negotiate behind the scenes to try to quell federal concerns. The Clinton administration has fought some high-profile cases in recent years. It put the kibosh on a merger between Staples and Office Depot and another between defense giants Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman. They look at the company's market share, the ease of getting into the market for newcomers, and long-term trends in the industry.