Dive Brief:
-
Antitrust officials at the Federal Trade Commission said Friday that the merger between Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank can move ahead.
-
The FTC said “significant competition” in the men’s apparel arena means that the merger won’t pose any harm to customers.
-
The FTC sent letters to the companies saying it had closed its antitrust investigation but will continue to monitor any effects to public interest and reserves the right to take action in the future.
Dive Insight:
The sometimes tense back-and-forth merger drama between the two men’s apparel retailers finally culminated in a $1.8 billion acquisition of Jos. A. Bank by Men’s Wearhouse in March. The blessing of the merger by the FTC is one of the final hurdles of the deal.