New York, Sep. 10 - Dow Chemical Co said Wednesday it was exploring the divestiture of certain businesses in a bid to mitigate any potential antitrust issues associated with its acquisition of Rohm and Haas.
Dow, the largest U.S. chemical maker, in July announced a deal to acquire rival Rohm and Haas for $15.3 billion to broaden its product offerings in higher-margin markets such as paints, coatings and electronic materials.
The facilities being targeted for sale include its acrylic acid and esters operations at Clear Lake, Texas, and its UCAR Emulsion Systems specialty latex business in North America.
Dow has engaged J.P. Morgan as financial adviser in support of this effort.
Last week, Dow said it had received a request for additional information from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regarding its proposed acquisition of Rohm and Haas.
Dow said it intends to comply with the request and work with the FTC, European Commission and other regulatory authorities to ensure a successful and expeditious close of the deal.
Dow's shares rose 7 cents to $34.57 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.