Twenty years ago, a potential merger between Staples and Office Depot
was halted on concerns the combined company would be a monopoly. Today,
the
companies announced
that they would try again. In the merger, Office Depot shareholders
would receive $7.25 in cash and .2188 shares in the new company for each
share currently owned. Synergies from the merger are an expected annual
cost savings of $1 billion by the third year of the merger.