Overview

• The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a lawsuit and proposed settlement forcing Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed ethernet, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to move forward with the $1.5 billion acquisition.
• Regulators flagged the combined companies’ overwhelming market shares—85% in high-speed ethernet testing, over 60% in network security testing, and more than 50% in RF channel emulation—as likely to stifle competition.
• The three business lines represent about 40% of Spirent’s revenues and are set to be sold to Viavi Solutions for up to $425 million.
• Viavi Solutions plans to hire key Spirent staff supporting the divested units to maintain product continuity and technical expertise.
• Under the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree will be published in the Federal Register for a 60-day period of public comment before final court approval.