DOJ Moves to Block Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s $14 Billion Bid for Rival

The Justice Department is seeking to block HPE’s acquisition of Juniper Networks, citing reduced competition and higher prices for consumers.

The logo for the Hewlett-Packard Company, now known as HP, on a screen at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 27, 2018. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit on Jan. 30 aimed at stopping Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) from acquiring Juniper Networks in a $14 billion deal that officials claim would stifle competition in the U.S. market for advanced wireless networking.

The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, alleges that the merger would combine two of the nation’s top three wireless local area network (WLAN) technology providers and harm businesses, schools, and health care institutions that rely on high-quality networks.