The ongoing global chip shortage has been a reminder to semiconductor manufacturers and buyers that diversification and first access to resources are critical to stability during economic uncertainty.
As a result, semiconductor manufacturers are increasingly turning to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to enhance their capabilities, expand their market share, and gain access to crucial resources.
WHO’S BUYING? (OR RATHER, WHO’S TRYING TO BUY, AND WHO’S SUCCEEDING?)
Current 2023 semiconductor M&A activity paints a vivid picture of the priorities, trajectory, and concerns of semiconductor companies in their efforts to overcome global chip shortages.
MACOM: European expansion is underway
U.S.-based MACOM completed its $41.7 million acquisition of OMMIC SAS in France on May 31, 2023 to serve as the cornerstone for MACOM’s newly established European Semiconductor Center.
MACOM specializes in radio, microwave, and optical semiconductor technologies but aims to expand its offerings to include higher frequency Gallium Arsenide and Gallium Nitride monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) — OMMIC’s specialty. Gallium Nitride in particular is projected to have a major role to play in future electronics environmental sustainability efforts.
“The acquisition of OMMIC is expected to enable us to further increase our focus on the European markets, expand our wafer production capability and extend our product offerings to higher millimeter-wave frequencies,” said Stephen G. Daly, MACOM President and CEO. “We believe that combining OMMIC’s technology and manufacturing capability with MACOM’s scale and market presence will be a driver of long-term growth and profitability.”
Intel: Please continue to hold
After suffering through the largest loss in its company history ($2.76 billion), Intel is branching out in an attempt to become a key domestic supplier of foundry services. To this end, Intel is hoping to soon acquire Israeli-based Tower Semiconductor, a leading foundry specializing in analog integrated circuits, for $5.4 billion by mid-summer 2023.
“This deal will enable Intel to offer a compelling breadth of leading-edge nodes and differentiated specialty technologies on mature nodes — unlocking new opportunities for existing and future customers in an era of unprecedented demand for semiconductors,” said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO.
However, the deal is shrouded in political uncertainty. Originally announced in February 2022, Intel is first seeking approval of the deal from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). At the same time, Intel also has pending conditional grants from the U.S. CHIPS and Science fund, which prohibits 10 years of further investments in China. SAMR is therefore stalling its approval process, likely in hopes of ironing out trade war effects, reminiscent of Qualcomm’s failed $44 billion bid for NXP in 2018 for similar reasons.
Broadcom: Go hard or go home.
One of the most monumental tech acquisitions on record is set to take place in July of 2023 with Broadcom’s $61 billion acquisition of VMware — the chipmaker company’s third multibillion-dollar tech deal in just four years. The deal is speculated to be a largely strategic move to both expand Broadcom’s portfolio beyond semiconductors while also blocking competitors from utilizing VMware’s software to make their Fibre Channel Host-Bus Adapters (FC HBAs) run more efficiently.
“Building upon our proven track record of successful M&A,” explains Hock Tan, Broadcom President and CEO, “This transaction combines our leading semiconductor and infrastructure software businesses with an iconic pioneer and innovator in enterprise software as we reimagine what we can deliver to customers as a leading infrastructure technology company.”
Broadcom has a history of attempts of monopolizing the market. In 2018, the company was set to purchase its competitor Qualcomm for $142 billion — the largest tech deal in history — but was blocked by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). It has since moved its headquarters from Singapore to the U.S., which may enable it to side-step the CFIUS to complete its VMware deal.
If early 2023 semiconductor M&A activity is any indication, industry players will continue to jockey for more resources to meet demand — meaning we’ll likely see sustained activity at least through the end of the year.
Read more:
● Mergers Foreshadow Another Wave of End-of-Life Semiconductors
● Uncertain Times: When Global Politics And The Semiconductor Supply Chain Collide
● How Will Semiconductor Mergers Impact Chip Shortages In 2022?