An X-ray picture on a monitor showing the world's first cardiac re-synchronisation therapy defibrillator device 'Consulta CRT-D', made by U.S. company Medtronic Inc. Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters Medical device-maker Medtronic has agreed to acquire peer Covidien for $42.9 billion in cash and stock.

The purchase values Covidien at $93.22 per Covidien share.

Covidien closed at $72.02 on Friday.

"We are excited to reach this agreement with Covidien, which further advances our mission to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life for patients around the world," said Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak. "This acquisition will allow Medtronic to reach more patients, in more ways and in more places."

Medtronic is a $60 billion medical devices company that makes heart pacemakers.

Tax Inversion

"After the completion of the transaction, the businesses of Medtronic and Covidien will be combined under a new entity to be called Medtronic plc," said Medtronic management in its statement. "It will have its principal executive offices in Ireland, where Covidien's current headquarters resides and where both companies have a longstanding presence."

Employing a controversial maneuver called "tax inversion," U.S.-based companies have moved their legal bases to the U.K. where they can enjoy lower tax rates.

Drugmaker Pfizer recently proposed a deal with British-based AstraZeneca to take advantage of this. However, those talks didn't get very far.

U.S. Congress has been aggressively pushing legislation to close this corporate tax loophole.

“These transactions are about tax avoidance, plain and simple,” said Michigan Senator Carl Levin last month when he introduced the Stop Corporate Inversions Acto fo 2014. “Our legislation would clamp down on this loophole to prevent corporations from shifting their tax burden onto their competitors and average Americans while Congress is considering comprehensive tax reform.”

Here's the press release from Medtronic:

Medtronic to Acquire Covidien for $42.9 billion in Cash and Stock

Creates a Medical Technology and Services Company with a Comprehensive Product Portfolio and Broad Global Reach that is Better Able to Improve Healthcare Outcomes

Meaningfully Accelerates Medtronic's Core Strategies of Therapy Innovation, Globalization and Economic Value

Combined Revenue of $27 Billion, including $3.7 Billion from Emerging Markets

Transaction Expected to be Accretive to Medtronic Cash Earnings in FY2016 and Significantly Accretive thereafter

Medtronic Commits to $10 Billion in Additional U.S. Technology Investments Over 10 Years

MINNEAPOLIS AND DUBLIN - June 15, 2014 - Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), a global leader in medical technology, services and solutions, and Covidien plc (NYSE: COV), a global healthcare technology and medical supplies provider, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Medtronic has agreed to acquire Covidien in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $93.22 per Covidien share, or a total of approximately $42.9 billion, based on Medtronic's closing stock price of $60.70 per share on June 13, 2014.

Once the transaction is completed, Medtronic will have significantly advanced its position as the world's premier medical technology and services company. The combined company will have a comprehensive product portfolio, a diversified growth profile and broad geographic reach, with 87,000 employees in more than 150 countries. The Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction.

"We are excited to reach this agreement with Covidien, which further advances our mission to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life for patients around the world," said Omar Ishrak, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic. "This acquisition will allow Medtronic to reach more patients, in more ways and in more places. Our expertise and portfolio of services will allow us to serve our customers more efficiently and better address the demands of the current healthcare marketplace. We also look forward to welcoming the Covidien team to Medtronic and working together to improve healthcare outcomes globally."

"Covidien and Medtronic, when combined, will provide patients, physicians and hospitals with a compelling portfolio of offerings that will help improve care and surgical performance," said José E. Almeida, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Covidien. "This transaction provides our shareholders with immediate value and the opportunity to participate in the significant upside potential of the combined organization. I'd like to thank our 38,000 employees whose hard work and dedication has enabled Covidien to deliver innovative health solutions that improve patient outcomes."

Strategic Rationale

The combination with Covidien supports and accelerates Medtronic's three fundamental strategies:

Therapy Innovation: With its expanded portfolio of innovative products and services, Medtronic will be a preeminent leader in delivering therapy and procedural innovations to address the major disease states impacting patients and healthcare costs around the world. Covidien has an impressive portfolio of industry- leading products that enhance Medtronic's existing portfolio, offer greater breadth across clinical areas, and create exciting entry points into new therapies.

With its expanded portfolio of innovative products and services, Medtronic will be a preeminent leader in delivering therapy and procedural innovations to address the major disease states impacting patients and healthcare costs around the world. Covidien has an impressive portfolio of industry- leading products that enhance Medtronic's existing portfolio, offer greater breadth across clinical areas, and create exciting entry points into new therapies. Globalization: With a presence in more than 150 countries, the combined entity will be better able to serve global market needs. Medtronic and Covidien have combined revenues of $13 billion from outside the U.S., of which $3.7 billion comes from emerging markets. Covidien's extensive capabilities in emerging market R&D and manufacturing, joined with Medtronic's demonstrated clinical expertise across a much broader product offering, significantly increases the number of attractive solutions the new company will be able to offer to governments and major providers globally.

With a presence in more than 150 countries, the combined entity will be better able to serve global market needs. Medtronic and Covidien have combined revenues of $13 billion from outside the U.S., of which $3.7 billion comes from emerging markets. Covidien's extensive capabilities in emerging market R&D and manufacturing, joined with Medtronic's demonstrated clinical expertise across a much broader product offering, significantly increases the number of attractive solutions the new company will be able to offer to governments and major providers globally. Economic Value: Medtronic has adopted an intense focus on aligning with its customers to create more value in healthcare systems around the world - in various delivery and payment systems - by combining products, services and insights into solutions aimed at expanding access and reducing healthcare costs. With Covidien, Medtronic will be able to provide a broader array of complementary therapies and solutions that can be packaged to drive more value and efficiency in healthcare systems. Both companies' deep relationships with healthcare system stakeholders will provide enormous ability to identify and create further value-based solutions.

U.S. Investment Commitment as a Result of Combination

The U.S. is home to the global medtech industry, one of the most innovative global industries centered in the U.S., and medical devices are among the most valuable U.S. exports. The combined company is strongly committed to the U.S. as a healthcare innovator, strategic business partner and employer of choice.

As a direct benefit of the company's new financial structure, Medtronic will commit to $10 billion in technology investments over the next 10 years in areas such as early stage venture capital investments, acquisitions and R&D in the U.S., above and beyond Medtronic's and Covidien's existing plans.

"The medical technology industry is critical to the U.S. economy, and we will continue to invest and innovate and create well-paying jobs," said Mr. Ishrak. "Medtronic has consistently been the leading innovator and investor in U.S. medtech, and this combination will allow us to accelerate those investments. These investments ultimately produce new therapy and treatment options that improve or save lives for millions of people around the world."

Structure and Governance

After the completion of the transaction, the businesses of Medtronic and Covidien will be combined under a new entity to be called Medtronic plc. It will have its principal executive offices in Ireland, where Covidien's current headquarters resides and where both companies have a longstanding presence. Medtronic plc will be led by Mr. Ishrak, and will continue to have its operational headquarters in Minneapolis, where Medtronic currently employs more than 8,000 people.

Financial Highlights

Upon completion of the transaction, each outstanding ordinary share of Covidien will be converted into the right to receive $35.19 in cash and 0.956 of an ordinary share of Medtronic plc. The per-share consideration represents a premium of 29% to Covidien's closing stock price on June 13, 2014, the last trading day prior to the announcement. Medtronic shareholders will exchange each share of stock they own in Medtronic for one ordinary share of stock in Medtronic plc. The transaction is expected to be taxable, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to shareholders of both Medtronic and Covidien.

The proposed transaction represents compelling value to Covidien shareholders through the cash component and continued participation in the future growth prospects expected to result from the combination through their ownership of approximately 30% of the combined company.

The transaction is expected to be accretive to Medtronic's cash earnings in FY 2016, the first full fiscal year, and significantly accretive thereafter. The transaction is also expected to be accretive to GAAP earnings by FY 2018.

The combination is expected to result in at least $850 million of annual pre-tax cost synergies by the end of fiscal year 2018. These synergies include the benefits of optimizing global back-office, manufacturing and supply-chain infrastructure, as well as the elimination of redundant public company costs. The estimate excludes any benefit from potential revenue synergies resulting from the combination of the two organizations.

Through this combination, Medtronic is expected to generate significant free cash flow, which it will be able to deploy with greater strategic flexibility, particularly in the U.S.

The consummation of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including approvals by Medtronic and Covidien shareholders. In addition, the proposed transaction requires regulatory clearances in the U.S., the E.U., China and certain other countries. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth calendar quarter of 2014 or early 2015.

Medtronic's financial advisor is Perella Weinberg Partners LP and its legal advisors are Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and A & L Goodbody. Covidien's financial advisor is Goldman, Sachs & Co. and its legal advisors are Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Arthur Cox.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch provided committed financing for the transaction.

For more information about the transaction, please go to www.globalmedtechleader.com.

The announcement required under the Irish Takeover Rules (a Rule 2.5 announcement) has been made and is available at the above-listed website and at www.medtronic.com

NOTE TO INVESTORS

Webcast information: Medtronic and Covidien will conduct a webcast to discuss this news release tomorrow, June 16th, 2014, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time, which can be accessed by clicking on the Investors link on the Medtronic home page at http://www.Medtronic.com. Prior to the webcast, an Investor Slide presentation will be available under the Events and Presentations page in the Investors section of the Medtronic website. Within 24 hours, a replay of the webcast and a transcript will be available under the Events and Presentations page in the Investors section of the Medtronic website.