Description: Stanley Works agreed to purchase Black & Decker Corp. yesterday for $3.5 billion in stock after on-and-off talks that spanned almost three decades.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 11/03/2009

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ai7WJ.67rcVE

Questions for discussion: 

• Summarize the financial reasons that motivate this merger.
• Why do you think a merger was agreed to at this time, after so many years of discussions?