TechnologyMarch 24, 2026

U.S. States Challenge DOJ Settlement in HPE–Juniper Merger

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

acquisition/ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/

the act of buying one company by another

"The company completed the acquisition last year."

settlement/ˈsɛt.əl.mənt/

an agreement that ends a legal case

"They reached a settlement to avoid a long trial."

intervene/ˌɪn.təˈviːn/

to become involved in a legal case to protect an interest

"The states decided to intervene in the court case."

Listening

U.S. States Challenge DOJ Settlement in HPE–Juniper Merger

States are challenging a deal that allowed Hewlett Packard Enterprise to buy Juniper Networks. The Justice Department first sued to block the $14 billion acquisition in January 2025, but later settled and approved terms that let the sale finish. The settlement requires HPE to sell or separate some wireless products and to license certain software.

A group of state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, asked a federal judge to review the settlement. The judge allowed the states to intervene and set a hearing in late March 2026. The states say the agreement may have been influenced by lobbyists and that the court should check if the deal is fair.

113 words

Quiz

1. How much was the deal worth?

2. Who led the coalition of state attorneys general?

3. When did the judge set a hearing?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you worry when big tech companies buy smaller companies? Why or why not?

Have you ever had to wait for a service change after a company bought another company? What happened?

What do you think about a court checking a deal before it is final?