Major corporate mergers and acquisitions

Here are a few of the major M&As that have occurred or been attempted within the past year, including AT&T and T-Mobile, Exelon and Constellation Energy, and Comcast and NBC Universal.

5 Seconds

00:00

AT&T announced March 21 that it planned to buy its wireless rival T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion in cash and stock. The deal would have created the nation's largest wireless carrier. However, the companies dropped their application in November after the FCC said it was moving to block the deal. On Dec. 19, AT&T announced that it was dropping its bid to acquire T-Mobile.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Capital One Financial announced on June 16 that it will buy ING's U.S. online banking unit for $9 billion in a cash and stock deal.

Mark Lennihan / AP

Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, has agreed to purchase Skype for $8.5 billion. The purchase of the Internet telephone company marks the biggest acquisition in Microsoft's history.

Mario Tama / Getty Images

U.S. private equity firm Apollo Management struck a deal on May 10 to buy CKX, which owns pop talent TV show "American Idol," for about $510 million.

Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

Exelon agreed to buy Constellation Energy Group for $7.9 billion on April 28, which would make it the second-biggest residential utility in the U.S.

Robert Ray / AP

Johnson & Johnson, reeling from more than 50 drug and device recalls since the start of 2010, is trying to recapture its younger self by digesting Synthes. In April, Johnson & Johnson announced that it would buy the orthopedic company for $21.3 billion, the biggest purchase in its history.

Simon Dawson / Bloomberg

Dish Network won Blockbuster in a bankruptcy auction for about $320 million, boosting the satellite TV provider's online features and marketing reach. Dish, the second-largest U.S. satellite TV company after DirecTV, trumped at least three other bidders, including activist investor Carl Icahn, for the onetime leader in video rentals.

Rick Wilking / Reuters

General Electric announced March 29 that it planned to buy a majority stake in Converteam, a French equipment developer, for $3.2 billion.

Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Warren Buffett's company said March 14 that it plans to spend about $9 billion cash to add specialty chemical maker Lubrizol to the eclectic mix of businesses inside Berkshire Hathaway.

Nati Harnik / AP

An exhaust vent fogs the air outside Genzyme's headquartrers in Cambridge, Mass. The French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis SA agreed Feb. 16 to buy Genzyme in an all-cash $20.1 billion deal after almost nine months of negotiations.

Josh Reynolds / AP

On Jan. 18, the FCC and Justice Department approved Comcast's acquisition of NBC, allowing for a joint venture that puts a vast library of television shows and movies under the control of the nation's biggest cable and broadband Internet service provider.

Chip East / Reuters

Duke Energy announced on Jan. 10 that it was purchasing Progress Energy for more than $13 billion. The deal would create the nation's largest utility company.

Nell Redmond / AP

Toronto-Dominion Bank in December agreed to buy Chrysler Financial Corp. from Cerberus Capital Management LP for $6.3 billion in cash, adding an auto-finance company in its second-largest acquisition.

Norm Betts / Bloomberg

Burger King Holdings Inc., the nation's perennially No. 2 hamburger chain, sold itself to little-known private equity firm 3G Capital in September in a deal valued at $3.26 billion.

Paul Sakuma / AP

Southwest Airlines announced in September its intent to purchase AirTran for $1.4 billion in cash and stock. The merger could position Southwest to become the dominant airline in the Washington area.

PRNewsFoto / AirTran Airways

On Oct. 12, Pfizer said it will buy King Pharmaceuticals, a company specializing in pain drugs, for $3.6 billion. The deal is Pfizer's largest since acquiring rival Wyeth last year for $68 billion.

Pfizer photo by AP / King photo by Bristol Herald Courier via AP

Intel announced its biggest acquisition in August when it agreed to by security giant McAfee for $7.68 billion. The move will help Intel improve the security of its chips.

Intel photo by Daniel Acker/Bloomberg / McAfee photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In September, AOL announced its acquisition of Silicon Valley tech blog TechCrunch, whose founder Michael Arrington is shown. Executives and analysts say the deal will help AOL become a leading producer and distributor of Web content.

AOL photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post / Arrington photo by Noah Berger/Bloomberg

HP became the winner in one of the year's most heated bidding wars after it outbid rival Dell for data storage company 3PAR. HP bought 3PAR for $2.35 billion.

Photos by Paul Sakuma / AP

United and Continental completed their merger Oct. 1, forming the world's biggest airline.

Michael Stravato / AP

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD May 18: Mike Califano (L) and Anthony Forgione horse around in the infield during the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 18, 2013 in Baltimore, MD (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)

Photos of the day

Preakness Stakes, deadly tornadoes, Whit Monday, Gothic festival, World Dog Show and more.

Image made from video of tornado touching down near Oklahoma City. (KWTV/KOTV/AP)

Tornado near Oklahoma City causes more damage

A violent twister carved a long and destructive path on the south side of Oklahoma City in the latest of a recent rash of tornadoes. On Sunday...

A man walks on sulphur and mineral salt formations near Dallol in the Danakil Depression, northern Ethiopia April 22, 2013. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and harshest environments on earth, with an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.4 Celsius). For centuries, merchants have travelled there with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted and shaped into slabs, then loaded onto the animals before being transported back across the desert so that it can be sold around the country. Picture taken April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola (ETHIOPIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 2 OF 30 FOR PACKAGE 'ETHIOPIA'S ANCIENT SALT TRAIL'
SEARCH 'DANAKIL DEPRESSION' FOR ALL

Ethiopia’s salt trail

For centuries, merchants have traveled to Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted...

FILE - In this undated publicity file photo, members of the Doors, from left, John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison, pose for a portrait. Manzarek, the keyboardist who was a founding member of The Doors, has died at 74. Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says in a news release that Manzarek died Monday, May 20, 2013, at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family. (AP Photo, File)

Ray Manzarek, founding member of the Doors, dies at 74

Manzarek co-founded the Doors after meeting then-poet Jim Morrison in California. The band went on to become one of the most successful rock-and-roll...

MANASSAS, VA - MAY 07: Daniel Tabarez, 1, top, helps his daughter, Maxx Tabarez, 1, walks as Milenka St. Clair, top right, a family support worker with Northern Virginia Family Service visits the family's home on Tuesday May 07, 2013 in Manassas, VA. Daniel and his family are part of the Healthy Families program. (Photo by Matt McClain/ The Washington Post)

At-home visits may be the new pre-preschool

In an effort to close the achievement gap, new programs get to kids early. Here are some of the people Milenka St. Clair, a family support worker...

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 19: Singer Taylor Swift accepts the award for 'Top Billboard 200 Album' onstage during the 2013 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 19, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards red carpet and ceremony

Stars float down the red carpet in Las Vegas to make their way into a performance-filled awards ceremony featuring artists such as Prince, Justin...

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Joanna Lumley poses during a photocall at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 20, 2013 in London, England. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the RHS celebrates its 100th birthday this year. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Joanna Lumley, Madonna, Prince, Tracy Morgan, Nicole Kidman, Justin Timberlake, Gene Simmons and more.

Graduating students' with rain soaked mortar boards from a driving rain, listen as US President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address during a ceremony at Morehouse College on May 19, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Obama addresses Morehouse College graduates

President Obama gets personal about race and manhood in a speech to graduates of historically black Morehouse College.

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.