BTIG sees potential antitrust risk if Boston Scientific pursues ShockWave

BTIG analyst Marie Thibault notes that Bloomberg reported that Shockwave Medical (SWAV) is attracting takeover interest from Boston Scientific (BSX). Such a deal, if it were to occur, would represent the largest acquisition for Boston in recent history, says the firm, which thinks there could be potential antitrust risk given Boston’s portfolio of existing rotational atherectomy systems. However, a potential deal for Shockwave would boost its portfolio of cardiovascular devices and "makes strategic sense to us" as such a potential acquisition would likely be accretive to revenue and margin growth, sayd BTIG. Such a deal would also "be a formidable response" to Abbott’s (ABT) pending acquisition of Cardiovascular Systems (CSII), the firm added.