A Chinese duo tied to Tsinghua Unigroup tried to scoop Fairchild Semiconductor (FCS) from ON Semiconductor (ON) with an unsolicited bid as, separately, rumors brewed that Microchip Technology (MCHP) could make an offer for Atmel (ATML) that would top the bid made by Apple (AAPL) supplier Dialog Semiconductor. Wall Street’s eyes zeroed in Tuesday on the Fairchild M&A. In early trading on the stock market today, Fairchild stock surged as much as
Qualcomm (QCOM) late Tuesday agreed to buy U.K.-based chipmaker CSR for $2.5 billion in a deal that gives Qualcomm advanced Bluetooth short-range wireless technology. Qualcomm beat out Microchip Technology (MCHP), which had earlier offered to buy CSR. “We think the size of the deal and the nature of the acquirer is a major signpost that the Internet of Things (IOT) is a significant long-term play for semiconductor companies,” Robert Lamb, a
Chip stocks plummeted Friday amid anxiety that the semiconductor industry has entered a downcycle, though analysts differ on just how broad-based any slowdown might be. A warning by Microchip Technology (MCHP) that sales in the most recent quarter will fall shy of previous guidance, word that it will cut wafer starts in factories and claims by CEO Steve Sanghi that “another industry correction has begun” got