We advised both parties on VTech’s acquisition of LeapFrog. After an in-depth Phase II investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority signaled its provisional intention to unconditionally clear the merger. The parties’ products overlap within “toddler electronic learning toys” and “child tablets” in the UK. A survey commissioned by CRA showed that consumers consider a wide range of toys when making purchasing decisions. This, coupled with CRA evidence of the dynamic nature of the toy business, the large number of toy manufacturers, and the considerable choice and bargaining power that retailers had in choosing from suppliers, made it clear that the merger would not lead to a reduction in competition.
Merger simulation in second-score auctions: A nested logit model
In a recent Economics Letters article, CRA’s Martino De Stefano and Serge Moresi show how to improve the second-score auction model that is often used to...