FTC unanimously moves to block Tempur Sealy's purchase of Mattress Firm

abcnews.go.com:

The Federal Trade Commission has unanimously voted to bring a lawsuit against mattress maker Tempur Sealy to block its $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm, saying the deal would allow the world’s largest mattress supplier to suppress competition th...

NEW YORK — The Federal Trade Commission has unanimously voted to bring a lawsuit against mattress maker Tempur Sealy to block its $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm, saying the deal would allow the world's largest mattress supplier to suppress competition that would result in higher prices for shoppers.

The deal was announced in May 2023. At the time, analysts had praised the acquisition and said it would allow Tempur Sealy to expand its distribution and reach more consumers at a crucial time for increasing sales. Acquiring Mattress Firm would also help Tempur Sealy buck the current slowdown in sales, caused by the cost-of-living crisis and many households having upgraded their mattresses during the pandemic, analysts said.

Mattress Firm, Houston, operates more than 2,300 brick-and-mortar retail locations and an e-commerce platform. The combined companies would have a total of some 3,000 retail stores, 30 e-commerce platforms, 71 manufacturing facilities and four research and development facilities worldwide.

But the FTC said Tuesday in its release that the acquisition would create “enormous power” at multiple parts of the mattress supply chain. By acquiring Mattress Firm, Tempur Sealy would wield significant power over its rival mattress suppliers, which include Serta Simmons Bedding and Purple Innovation Inc. and could cut or limit their access to Mattress Firm’s stores, the FTC alleged in the complaint.

The deal would also enable Tempur Sealy’s mattress brands