CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — German industrial and medical gases maker Linde Group said Monday that U.S. regulators have terminated a regulatory waiting period required for the company’s $4.6 billion acquisition of U.S. home care company Lincare Holdings Inc.
The Federal Trade Commission granted the early termination without raising objections to Linde’s tender offer of $41.50 per share for Lincare. Lincare shares rose 2 cents to $41.40 in morning trading Monday.
Linde executives previously stated that the deal would double sales for the company’s North American gases division.
Lincare, based in Clearwater, Fla., provides respiratory therapy to patients in the home in 48 U.S. states and in Canada through 1,091 local centers and has 11,000 employees, according to its website. Its services include oxygen therapy, chemotherapy, managing feeding tubes, pain management, treatment of sleep apnea, and home ventilators.
Linde’s tender offer is scheduled to expire at midnight on Aug. 7.
The Linde Group is based in Munich, Germany.
