Berkshire, Lubrizol May Move Merger Date To Dec. 31 - Filing

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB) and chemicals maker Lubrizol Corp. (LZ) agreed to extend the date of their merger to Dec. 31 under certain conditions, according to a regulatory filing.

Lubrizol said Monday the two companies had agreed to amend their merger agreement so the deadline is extended if the companies haven't secured the required approvals from regulators by Sept. 15, so long as they've met all other closing conditions or if all other closing conditions "are capable of being fulfilled."

Lubrizol "continues to expect the closing to occur during the third quarter of this year but, at the company's request, this extension was agreed to in order to provide additional time for such approvals in the event it is needed," the filing said.

Berkshire agreed in March to acquire Lubrizol for $135 per share. David Sokol, a Berkshire executive who brought the idea for the deal to Buffett, later resigned amid questions about his purchases of Lubrizol stock before the deal was finalized.

-By Erik Holm, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2892; [e-mail]