Amazon joined other tech companies in a huge corporate buying spree last year, right? Well, it depends on how you count it.
The widely reported numbers are based on acquisition announcements, agreements to make big purchases, but a deal isn’t counted until it’s complete.
Based on announced deals, Amazon was reported to have made $15.7 billion in acquisitions last year, but the official number in its recent 10-K filing was a mere $496 million, down from $1.2 billion in 2020.
A big reason is heightened regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech mergers and acquisitions, complicating efforts to win approval of deals, and expanding the timelines for antitrust review.
Amazon’s proposed $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM has emerged as a key example. The FTC is reviewing the MGM deal. Amazon asked for FTC chair Lina Khan to be recused based on her past analysis and public comments.
The other big test on the horizon is Microsoft’s pending $68.7 billion acquisition of video-game giant Activision Blizzard. The Redmond company has already started its campaign to push that deal through.
Amazon’s reported 2021 acquisition total and Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal corrected since original post.
