Broadcom Named as Possible Brocade Suitor
**Editor’s Note: Please click here for a recap of the biggest channel-impacting mergers in July-August 2016.**
Every day brings new M&A talk in the channel, and the latest involves networking gear maker Brocade.
Brocade’s stock soared after a Bloomberg report said the company is in advanced talks to sell itself, citing “people familiar with the matter.” An acquisition could be announced as soon as this week, according to the report.
Brocade spokeswoman Liza Goldberg said “as a matter of company policy, Brocade does not comment on rumors or speculation.”
The report also said semiconductor company Broadcom is one of the interested parties. Broadcom spokesman David Szabados said his company is “not making any comments at this time.” Broadcom also is a public company.
In April, Brocade announced its acquisition of Ruckus Wireless in a cash and stock transaction worth about $1.5 billion. According to Brocade and Ruckus, the combined company is expected to be No. 1 in storage-area networking, No. 1 in service provider Wi-Fi, No. 2 in data-center networking, No. 3 in enterprise wireless LAN, and No. 3 in enterprise edge networking in the United States and EMEA.
Broadcom’s product portfolio serves multiple applications within four primary end markets: wired infrastructure, wireless communications, enterprise storage, and industrial and others. Applications for its products in these end markets include: data center networking, home connectivity, broadband access, telecommunications equipment, smartphones and base stations, data center servers and storage, factory automation, power generation and alternative energy systems, and displays.
