Reports: Watson to buy Actavis

NEW YORK — Watson Pharmaceuticals is buying Actavis Group for $5.9 billion, according to published reports.

News media reported Tuesday that U.S.-based Watson would buy Switzerland-based Actavis for 4.5 billion euros and that it would make the official announcement Wednesday.



In March, various media reported that Watson was looking to buy Actavis, originally based in Iceland, for up to $7.3 billion in a deal that was seen as likely to go through by the end of this month.



According to reports, people familiar with the matter suggested that part of the reason for the merger was to give Watson a larger presence in Europe.

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