In a recent statement, the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust chief, Jonathan Kanter, has indicated that the competitive dynamics will play a crucial role in bank merger reviews. In an attempt to stray away from the conventional “paint-by-numbers” approach in conducting these reviews, Kanter suggests taking into account a wider range of elements beyond just geographic branch overlaps and bank deposits.
The specifics of Kanter’s new approach remain under wraps due to the original article being paywalled, however, his statement signals an impending change in how the Justice Department may handle bank mergers in the future.
For more details, please review the original article on the National Law Journal.