European Commission likely to reject $1.7 billion deal

  • iRobot shares sink 32% on report of EU’s plan to block Amazon acquisition
  • European Commission likely to reject $1.7 billion acquisition
  • Amazon representatives met with officials to discuss the deal
  • Amazon missed deadline to offer remedies to EU concerns

Shares of iRobot plunged 32% after reports surfaced that the European Commission intends to block Amazon’s $1.7 billion acquisition of the company. The stock had already hit a 10-year low prior to the news. Amazon representatives met with EU officials to discuss the deal, but it is likely to be rejected. Amazon missed a deadline to address concerns from the European Union about the acquisition, which centered around potential competition issues in the robot vacuum cleaner market.

Public Companies: iRobot (IRBT), Amazon.com (AMZN)
Private Companies:
Key People:


Factuality Level: 8
Justification: The article provides information about the report that Europe’s competition regulator intends to block Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot. It mentions the drop in iRobot’s stock price and provides details about the meeting between Amazon representatives and European Commission officials. The information is based on a report from The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources. However, the article does not provide any additional context or analysis, and it does not include any opposing viewpoints or perspectives. Therefore, while the information presented may be accurate, the article lacks depth and balance, which lowers its factuality level.

Noise Level: 7
Justification: The article provides some relevant information about the potential blockage of Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot by Europe’s competition regulator. However, it lacks in-depth analysis, scientific rigor, and evidence to support its claims. It also does not provide any actionable insights or solutions. The article contains some repetitive information and does not explore the consequences of the decision on those who bear the risks. Overall, it is a relatively noisy article.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Shares of iRobot and Amazon

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The news article pertains to the financial topic of the potential blockage of Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot by Europe’s competition regulator. However, there is no mention of an extreme event or its impact rating.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com