On Monday's MarketFoolery, host Chris Hill, along with Motley Fool One analyst Jason Moser and Stock Advisor Canada's Taylor Muckerman, discuss the biggest market news of the day, as Medtronic (MDT -1.41%) is set to buy Covidien (COV.DL) and move to Ireland.
Medtronic, the medical-device-maker giant, will be buying Covidien for about $43 billion. But Chris notes that the news doesn't stop there, with Medtronic moving its operations across the Atlantic. Jason says the minuscule tax rates in Ireland make the country look quite favorable for companies, and he likes this deal for a variety of reasons, with taxes possibly being No. 1, as the move to Ireland would stick it to the higher American tax rates, which Chris notes can range from 15% to 30%. The deal, Chris and Jason say, will offer investors a nice buyout deal. Moreover, the long-term implications of the acquisition should make Medtronic's investors happy. Taylor says the deal will give Medtronic a lot of negotiating power and could result in more favorable pricing and more Medtronic devices in hospitals.
Chris wonders about the political ramifications of companies that move to other countries. Although Medtronic isn't a household name, if Pfizer (PFE -3.85%) had made this play to find the best taxes, would the government take notice? Jason and Taylor also talk about companies such as lululemon athletica (LULU -1.26%) and eBay (EBAY 0.31%) and tax holidays.
