Qualcomm in Talks to Acquire NXP Semiconductors

#Qualcomm Inc. is in talks to acquire #NXPSemiconductors NV, a deal that likely would cost more than $30 billion and accelerate a consolidation rush in the semiconductor industry. The companies could strike an agreement in the next two to three months, according to people familiar with the matter. As always, it is possible there won’t be one, and some of the people said Qualcomm is simultaneously exploring other deal options. Shares of NXP, which is based in the Netherlands and trades on Nasdaq, surged Thursday after The Wall Street Journal reported on the talks. They rose 17%, giving the company a market value of $33 billion. Qualcomm stock jumped too, in a sign its shareholders approve of the San Diego company potentially joining the consolidation fray. Its shares rose 6.3% and the company’s market value now stands at $100 billion. Several forces are driving consolidation among chips makers, which have announced more than $200 billion in deals since the beginning of 2015. Sales growth has faded at many of the once-burgeoning companies, as big chip markets such as those for smartphones and personal computers have ebbed.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/qualcomm-in-talks-to-acquire-nxp-semiconductors-1475170033?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVRFNE0ySmhNR0ZtT1RObCIsInQiOiJ4dDNDMk9ncmcrV0R4RjEzWTBDRUhoNjBSeFNIYU9sN0NwbFVtNXBQQ25JN3pxUkhRaEIrZ0FmaFdhZmhWU3g1QXZ6YlBzWXF0WnVodTFYWk1tZmJZK2RSUmEzaTJlQ3h0U2lIWmFcLzJNVWs9In0%3D