Softbank Buys ARM Holdings For $32 Billion

[Lucian Armasu]

Softbank, the Japanese telecommunications company that previously acquired Sprint, announced that it bought ARM Holdings for $32 billion.

Softbank Buys ARM Holdings For $32 Billion : Read more

 

[therealduckofdeath]

Literally chalked up as a win for Brexit by the conservatives and UKRIP... "...our most successful companies are exiting Britain! Yay!?"

 

[Jagwired]

I didn't realize Sprint was owned by a Japanese company. It's amazing how many US companies are now owned overseas. I know the concept of an American company is nebulous. My Ford for example was built in Canada. IBM is headquartered in the US, but the majority of their workers are in other countries. Still, it seems there's been an uptick in tackovers of US companies in the last decade. It's a bit sad that American symbols like Anheuser-Busch and Jeep are now technically not US companies. (I know ARM is a British company.)

 

[bit_user]

Was it a hostile takeover?

I think the post-Brexit timing is no coincidence. The recent drop in the exchange rate probably made this deal feasible.

I wonder if there were any other bidders, and whether this will prompt some Chinese customers to look elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised it Samsung is now having some regrets that they didn't bid/win.

If Softbank starts charging significantly more for its IP, or if it refuses to serve certain customers, then some of the customers may start looking elsewhere.

Any specific reason for that caveat? Otherwise, I figure it sorta goes without saying.

 

[spentshells]

I had no idea they were that big.... I knew they were big but wow I'm blown away, I know they make a lot of chips for a lot of people but even still that is a mammoth price tag.

 

[therealduckofdeath]

They don't really make any chips, I think. It's mostly blueprints and guidelines they're making. IP is really valuable when it's something the entire mobile industry relies on.