Office Depot Shareholders Agree To Staples Deal

Office Depot shareholders voted to approve a merger with Framingham-based Staples.

Staples Inc. announced in February it planned to purchase rival Office Depot for a reported $6 billion cash and stock deal.

“We’re pleased that Office Depot shareholders have overwhelmingly approved this transaction,” said Ron Sargent, Staples Chair and Chief Executive Officer, in a statement. “The combined company will allow us to provide more value to customers and more effectively compete in a rapidly evolving environment.”

Staples recently received clearance for the transaction from regulatory agencies in New Zealand and China.

The company is working closely with regulatory agencies to seek outstanding antitrust clearances and expects the transaction to be completed by the end of the year.

In connection with the proposed merger, Staples has filed with the Security and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Office Depot that also constitutes a prospectus of Staples. Staples filed the final proxy statement/prospectus with the SEC on May 18.