Qualcomm Acquires Chipmaker CSR for $2.5 Billion

By Vivek

| Published: Friday, October 17, 2014, 14:21 [IST]

Qualcomm, popular for its mobile chipset range - Snapdragon, recently announced that it has reached agreement with CSR regarding the terms of a recommended cash acquisition through which the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of CSR will be acquired by Qualcomm Global Trading, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

The acquisition complements Qualcomm's current offerings by adding products, channels, and customers in the important growth categories of Internet of Everything (IoE) and automotive infotainment, accelerating Qualcomm's presence and path to leadership. This opportunity is aligned with Qualcomm's established strategic priorities in these rapidly growing business areas.

Qualcomm Acquires Chipmaker CSR for $2.5 Billion

At £9.00 per share, the acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of CSR is valued at approximately £1.6 billion ($2.5 billion based upon an exchange rate of USD:GBP 1.6057). This cash offer has been unanimously recommended by the CSR board of directors.

The acquisition is subject to a number of conditions as set forth in the announcement released today in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the UK Takeover Code, including the receipt of U.S. and other regulatory approvals and the approval of CSR's shareholders. Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions, the transaction is expected to close by the end of the summer of 2015. Qualcomm expects the acquisition to be accretive to Non-GAAP earnings per share in fiscal 2016, the first full year of combined operations.

"The addition of CSR's technology leadership in Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart1 and audio processing will strengthen Qualcomm's position in providing critical solutions that drive the rapid growth of the Internet of Everything, including business areas such as portable audio, automotive and wearable devices," said Steve Mollenkopf, chief executive officer of Qualcomm Incorporated.

He further added, "Combining CSR's highly advanced offering of connectivity technologies with a strong track record of success in these areas will unlock new opportunities for growth. We look forward to working with the innovative CSR team globally and further strengthening our technology presence in Cambridge and the UK."