UPDATED 22:39 EST / JANUARY 25 2018

INFRA

Microsemi reportedly seeks buyers as consolidation grips the chip industry

Microsemi Corp., a semiconductor manufacturer that’s focused on selling computer chips to the military and aerospace industries, is scouting out potential buyers after receiving an offer from an unnamed firm.

The company has reacted to that offer by hiring Qatalyst Partners, an investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions, to advise it on its next move, which could include a sale, Reuters reported. Neither Microsemi nor Qatalyst would respond to a request for comment, Reuters added.

The move comes at a time of intense consolidation in the semiconductor market. One of the industry’s biggest heavyweights, Qualcomm Inc., recently got the green light to complete its acquisition of Netherlands-based chip maker NXP Semiconductors NV. At the same time, Qualcomm is reportedly trying to fend off a hostile takeover from rival firm Broadcom Corp., which saw its $103 billion bid for the smartphone chipmaker rejected.

Microsemi sells semiconductors and related systems to the aerospace and defense, communications, data center and industrial sectors. The company has been busy with acquisitions itself in recent years, buying out smaller rival PMC-Sierra in 2016 for $2.5 billion and Vectron International for $130 million at the end of last year.

The reported approach came the same day as Microsemi reported its first-fiscal quarter financial results. The company said its net sales jumped 9.5 percent, to $1.8 billion. It reported a profit of $176.3 million, up from its $32.6 million loss one year ago.

In a conference call, Microsemi Chief Executive James Peterson warned that the company could face a tough period ahead of it. Asked whether there was a risk of “softness” in the defense market, the CEO admitted there was. “We don’t have a budget, right? But the orders have been robust,” he said.

Image: geralt/pixabay

A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.

  • 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
  • 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About SiliconANGLE Media
SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation, uniting breakthrough technology, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — with flagship locations in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology and AI.

Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.