HPE's deal to buy Juniper Networks has overcome another major hurdle following the apparent approval of the UK's competition watchdog.
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has updated its case page on the deal to say it has “cleared the anticipated acquisition by Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company of Juniper Networks.”
This means the deal will no longer face any further investigation in the UK, and brings the closing one step closer.
HPE-Juniper acquisition approved in UK
The acquisition, first announced in January 2024, will look to strengthen HPE's position in the market for AI and hybrid cloud applications by incorporating Juniper’s networking solutions.
The deal will significantly expand HPE's networking division, as HPE also purchased Californian Aruba Networks for $3 billion in 2015.
The Juniper deal has not been without scrutiny, though. Some have expressed concerns about reduced market options post-merger. The potential elimination of overlapping products between Juniper and Aruba could reduce options further.
The CMA says it will publish the full text of its decision soon, but the fact its website has been updated should mean there are no further issues.
The deal had also been facing an investigation by the EU, but this was also approved last week, with regulators saying the sector was resilient enough to withstand further competition charges.
HPE now only needs to hear back from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), but barring any intervention, the deal should now look to close by early 2025.
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