UK CMA Launches Investigation into Synopsys' Acquisition of Ansys

TapTechNews August 15th news, the UK's antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), announced on the 12th of this month that it has launched an investigation process for the case where EDA giant Synopsys is acquiring industrial simulation software company Ansys.

Synopsys announced on January 16th of this year that it plans to acquire Ansys for $35 billion (TapTechNews note: currently about 250.019 billion Chinese yuan). At that time, it was estimated that the transaction would be completed in the first half of 2025. The shareholders of Ansys have approved the transaction on May 22nd local time.

The UK CMA stated that it is considering whether or may a relevant merger situation as defined in the UK's Enterprise Act 2002 would occur if this transaction takes effect; and if such a situation occurs, whether it would seriously weaken competition in any market for goods or services in the UK.

Therefore, the UK CMA has launched an investigation into concentration of undertakings and is currently in the stage of soliciting opinions, inviting relevant parties to comment on the possible impact of this transaction on competition in the UK market.

However, just starting the solicitation of opinions does not mean that the CMA has started the formal investigation of the Synopsys acquisition of Ansys case.

It is worth noting that as of the time of TapTechNews' dispatch, the UK CMA has not set a deadline for this solicitation of opinions.