Halliburton Ready to Sell More Assets to Seal Baker Hughes Deal

摘要

Eager to consummate its long-planned merger with rival Baker Hughes, Halliburton said it will now consider selling more assets than originally planned to ease antitrust concerns. 'The sales process for the planned divestitures continues and we are in discussions with interested buyers,' Halliburton Chief Executive Dave Lesar told analysts on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. Lesar did not specify which new assets would be put up for sale, but he explained that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had been given a fresh, 'enhanced set' of proposed divestments to review. DOJ is one of several antitrust bodies that has yet to approve Halliburton's $38 billion merger with oil-field services provider Baker Hughes amid concerns that customers could face higher prices for certain product lines or services. The European Commission, Brazil and Australia have also yet to sign off on the merger.