盡管經(jīng)濟情勢不佳，2012年的半導(dǎo)體/電子產(chǎn)業(yè)界仍有數(shù)樁值得注意的廠商合并、收購案；從這些案件中，可看出產(chǎn)業(yè)主流技術(shù)的演變趨勢與未來發(fā)展方向。
其中一件還在進(jìn)行中的，是微處理器核心供貨商MIPS的出售案，該公司在11月宣布將分成兩部分賣掉，業(yè)務(wù)營運由Imagination Technologies出資6,000萬美元收購，專利組合則以3.5億美元總價售與同業(yè)ARM領(lǐng)軍的投資聯(lián)盟Bridge Crossing；但兩周之后，DSP核心供貨商CEVA以更高出價7,500萬美元求購MIPS，而前幾天Imagination再次表示將價格提升到8,000萬美元。你來我往，最后MIPS將花落誰家還有待觀察。
（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《Imagination加價至8000萬美元收購MIPS》）
在混合信號與RF技術(shù)領(lǐng)域，GPS與無線芯片供貨商U-blox以1,650萬美元收購新創(chuàng)IC設(shè)計業(yè)者Cognovo，又以900萬美元收購4M Wireless；U-blox買這兩家公司的原因，是看好他們在3GPP LTE技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的專長。其它幾樁值得注意的并購案條列如下(排序不分先后)：
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Apple收購快閃內(nèi)存控制器供貨商Anobit
蘋果(Apple)是在 2012年初宣布以3.9億美元收購以色列新創(chuàng)公司Anobit，后者的技術(shù)號稱可提升NAND閃存的讀寫次數(shù)。這樁收購案顯示了Apple對其供應(yīng)鏈關(guān)鍵環(huán)節(jié)的重視，而該公司在接下來幾年是否會進(jìn)軍芯片制造領(lǐng)域，是產(chǎn)業(yè)界最想知道的答案。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《親力親為？傳蘋果欲收購閃存廠Anobit》）
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AMD收購微型服務(wù)器制造商SeaMicro
AMD是在今年2月宣布以3.34億美元收購新創(chuàng)公司SeaMicro，這家成立于2007年的廠商原本只打造采用英特爾(Intel) Atom處理器的服務(wù)器，后來又進(jìn)階采用Xeon系列處理器。透過這樁收購，AMD的角色從x86處理器供貨商轉(zhuǎn)型為能提供全套服務(wù)器解決方案的業(yè)者。
AMD在12月宣布將裁員15%并進(jìn)行組織重整，希望能達(dá)到13億美元季營收的損益平衡點；不過有部分觀察家對AMD的虧損情況與現(xiàn)金耗損率提出質(zhì)疑，甚至表示該公司不知是否能撐過2013年。
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Synopsys陸續(xù)收購多家EDA同業(yè)
EDA 供貨商新思(Synopsys)今年收購案頻傳，在2月以5億美元收購Magma Design Automation，5月宣布收購光學(xué)設(shè)計與仿真軟件供貨商RSoft Design Group，兩個月后又宣布收購混合訊號與模擬布線工具供貨商Ciranova。然后今年8月，宣布收購臺灣的IC除錯與驗證軟件業(yè)者思源 (SpringSoft)。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《新思科技完成思源科技合并案》）
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Qualcomm收購Pixtronix、DesignArts
手機應(yīng)用處理器大廠高通(Qualcomm)在 2012年也是忙著收購，今年稍早收購無晶圓廠MEMS顯示器新創(chuàng)公司Pixtronix，細(xì)節(jié)未公布，但業(yè)界猜測價格在1.75億至2億美元間；高通收 購Pixtronix的目的應(yīng)是急于以其技術(shù)取代Mirasol。而Pixtronix的MEMS快門技術(shù)據(jù)說與近期高通投資夏普(Sharp)一案有關(guān)。
在8月，高通收購以色列小型基地臺(small cell basestation systems)芯片與軟件業(yè)者DesignArt Networks，金額也未公布；以色列當(dāng)?shù)孛襟w的報導(dǎo)則指出，該收購案的交易金額應(yīng)在1.2億美元至1.4億美元之間。高通透過不斷收購，正穩(wěn)定朝向全 球最大芯片供貨商的目標(biāo)邁進(jìn)。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《高通收購以色列基站SoC供應(yīng)商》）
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臺灣的M&M兄弟
2012年電子產(chǎn)業(yè)界的收購案不僅是發(fā)生在歐、美，臺灣無晶圓廠芯片設(shè)計業(yè)者聯(lián)發(fā)科(MediaTek)與晨星(MStar Semiconductor)的合并案備受全球矚目；聯(lián)發(fā)科是在6月宣布收購晨星48%股權(quán)，臺灣公平交易委員會已在8月核準(zhǔn)該案。這兩家原本是競爭對手 的公司都生產(chǎn)智能型手機或多媒體裝置應(yīng)用的SoC，并在數(shù)字電視芯片市場合計有六成占有率。
聯(lián)發(fā)科總經(jīng)理謝清江在今年1月份接受EETimes美國版編輯訪問時，曾強調(diào)了低成本芯片的重要性，特別是在消費性電子市場；而他指出，電視SoC市場的戰(zhàn)爭很殘酷，因為：“電視技術(shù)演進(jìn)速度非?？?。”在那之后幾個月，聯(lián)發(fā)科就宣布對晨星的收購案。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《大小M牽手還會有波折，其它廠商開始緊張》）
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英特爾、臺積電、三星共同投資ASML
ASML的募資案可說是近期科技業(yè)界頗具創(chuàng)意的一件，這家微影設(shè)備業(yè)者先暗示那幾家芯片領(lǐng)導(dǎo)廠商，目前只有他這么一家設(shè)備業(yè)者伙伴能開發(fā)包括超紫外光(EUV)微影以及18吋晶圓所需技術(shù)，此外也告訴客戶們未來得付出更多，但同時也能取得投資報酬。
于 是在7月份，英特爾同意支付30億美元收購15%的ASML股權(quán)，并額外投資10億美元進(jìn)行共同研發(fā)；8月份，臺灣晶圓代工大廠臺積電(TSMC)收購 5%的ASML股權(quán)，也投資了共同研發(fā)，總金額約10億美元；韓國三星電子(Samsung Electronics)則收購3%的ASML股權(quán)，總金額約6.3億美元。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《ASML獲英特爾投資，力邀臺積電、三星也加入》）
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ASML收購微影光源供貨商Cymer
在 ASML成功說服英特爾、臺積電與三星掏錢投資后沒多久，這家微影設(shè)備業(yè)者砸下26億美元，收購長期的微影光源技術(shù)供應(yīng)伙伴Cymer；這樁收購案意味著 ASML將針對EUV微影技術(shù)的量產(chǎn)，提供效能夠強、穩(wěn)定的光源。半導(dǎo)體產(chǎn)業(yè)界認(rèn)為，EUV將可支持10奈米及以下半導(dǎo)體制程節(jié)點的芯片生產(chǎn)；而ASML 收購Cymer一案預(yù)計2013上半年完成。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《晶片設(shè)備制造商ASML斥資25億美元收購美國Cymer》）
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Cypress收購FRAM供貨商Ramtron
Cypress是在11月完成以1.098億美元價格收購Ramtron，后者的FRAM技術(shù)讓Cypress欽羨已久，可應(yīng)用于作為單獨內(nèi)存使用，也可應(yīng)用為嵌入式非揮發(fā)性內(nèi)存；據(jù)了解，Ramtron拒絕了數(shù)次先前的出價。
Cypress 總裁暨CEO T.J. Rodgers針對這項收購案表示：“Ramtron的FRAM技術(shù)與Cypress的nvSRAM業(yè)務(wù)、豐富的R&D資源、歷來強大的制造能 力、全球銷售機構(gòu)，以及在分銷管道中的深度擴展能力互相結(jié)合，將在非揮發(fā)性內(nèi)存業(yè)務(wù)領(lǐng)域創(chuàng)建一個重要的全新實體。”（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《Cypress溢價71%收購Ramtron，交易價值約1.098億美元》）
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Rambus收購Unity Semiconductor
原為內(nèi)存接口與連結(jié)技術(shù)開發(fā)商與授權(quán)業(yè)者的Rambus，逐漸轉(zhuǎn)型為種類廣泛的 IP授權(quán)業(yè)者，該公司在2月份宣布以3,500萬美元收購?fù)瑯游挥诿绹又莸腢nity Semiconductor；后者成立于2002年，是開發(fā)以金屬氧化物為基礎(chǔ)的交叉點(cross-point)、雙端(two-terminal)非 揮發(fā)性內(nèi)存單元，產(chǎn)品名稱為CMOx。2011年時，美光(Micron)曾出手投資現(xiàn)金耗盡的Unity Semiconductor。
金屬氧化物或其它種類的電阻式內(nèi)存，由于具備達(dá)到比NAND閃存更高容量密度、更快速度、更低制造成本與更高可靠性的潛力，許多內(nèi)存業(yè)者包括三 星、海力士(Hynix)與爾必達(dá)(Elpida)都在研發(fā)相關(guān)技術(shù)；對Unity的收購將讓美國的非揮發(fā)性內(nèi)存技術(shù)開發(fā)更進(jìn)一步，也可望為 Rambus帶來可觀的專利收入。
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Micron收購Elpida
美光在6月份完成以25億美元收購日本同業(yè)爾必達(dá)，后者在稍早之前申請了破產(chǎn)保護；這樁交易的金額中有7.5億美元是償還爾必達(dá)的一部份債務(wù)，其余的17.5億美元則是在2019年以前分期支付給債權(quán)人。這樁交易已經(jīng)在11月份由東京法院批準(zhǔn)。
據(jù)了解，美光對爾必達(dá)的收購案還有一些來自主管機關(guān)的障礙有待克服，而且有一群爾必達(dá)的債權(quán)人不滿意美光的出價，認(rèn)為是低估了爾必達(dá)；不過那些債權(quán)人當(dāng)然是想尋求交易條件的調(diào)整，而不是把美光趕走。這樁收購案可望在2013上半年完成。（相關(guān)報道，請參考這里
《美光與爾必達(dá)的結(jié)合既迷人又風(fēng)險》）
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參考原文： Top 10 electronics business deals of 2012，by Peter Clarke
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Top 10 electronics business deals of 2012
Peter Clarke
Constantly evolving electronics technology again produced winners and losers in the semiconductor industry. Here are the ten most significant technology mergers and acquisitions of 2012. LONDON -- Despite a rocky global economy in 2012, consumer spending on tablet computers and smart phones remained strong as the era of the personal computer fades. These realities helped shape the electronics landscape this year, creating winners and losers in the semiconductor industry and a considerable number of significant mergers and acquisitions.
One of the most intriguing deals, the sale of processor IP licensor MIPS Technologies Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) is still playing out. In November, graphics IP specialist Imagination Technologies it had agreed to buy MIPS' operating business for $60 million while another U.K. company, ARM, would lead a consortium called Bridge Crossing. that would acquire rights to the MIPS portfolio of patents. Bridge Crossing would pay $350 million in cash to purchase the rights to the MIPS portfolio, of which ARM will contribute $167.5 million (see ARM and Imagination divide up MIPS)
Two weeks later, however, Ceva Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) sought to trump Imagination's offer for MIPS by bidding $75 million. MIPS shareholders are undoubtedly hoping Imagination or another bidder will respond with an even better offer.
There were other deals this year in the mixed-signal and RF market segments, including GPS and wireless chip company U-blox acquiring chip startup Cognovo for $16.5 million along with 4M Wireless for $9 million, both for their expertise in 3GPP LTE technology (see U-box buys Cognovo and 4M Wireless).
Here's the list:
The semiconductor mergers and acquisitions described below and on the following pages represent some of the key technology deals of 2012. They also illustrate the constant churn and reshaping of the global electronics industry. (Please note they're not ranked or ordered; all are considered significant.)
Deal: Apple Bites Anobit
Early in 2012, Apple announced its acquisition of flash memory controller startup Anobit Technologies (Herzeliya, Israel) for about $390 million. Anobit represented a catch for Apple because the Israeli company developed NAND flash memory controller technology that improves the apparent endurance of flash memory – the number of reads and writes it can perform.
The Anobit deal underscores an industry trend as all-powerful Apple pulls in key aspects of its supply chain. Left unanswered for now is whether Apple will in the coming year move to internal chip manufacturing. (see Apple buys Anobit).
AMD swims with SeaMicro
In February, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. move to acquire microserver startup SeaMicro Inc. in a deal worth $334 million. SeaMicro, founded in 2007, started out building servers using only Intel's Atom processors, then branched out to Xeon processors.
By acquiring a server company AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) put itself in position to gain design wins for its own x86 processors and to deliver server technology to customers (see AMD to buy microserver startup SeaMicro).
By December, AMD was announcing plans to cut 15 percent of its staff along with a re-organization intended to achieve a breakeven point of $1.3 billion in quarterly revenue. However, some observers said AMD's losses and rate of cash burn raise doubts as to whether the company could last beyong 2013.
SeaMicro server with AMD inside.
Synopsys heats up with Magma
EDA leader Synopsys Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) had another busy year on the acquisition front. In February, it announced the closing of a $500 million deal to acquire Magma Design Automation Inc. (San Jose, Calif.).
In May, Synopsys acquired RSoft Design Group Inc. (Ossining, N.Y.), a provider of photonics design and simulation software. Two months later, Synopsys grabbed Ciranova Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) a mixed-signal and analog layout tools vendor.
That was followed in and in August by a move to buy IC debug and verification software company SpringSoft Inc. (Hsinchu, Taiwan). That deal closed in December at for $417 million, or approximately $320 million net of cash acquired.
Chi-Foon Chan, co-CEO of Synopsys, helped drive its acquisition strategy during 2012.
Qualcomm nabs Pixtronix, DesignArts
Application processor specialist Qualcomm was also on the acquisition trail in 2012. Early in the year, the San Diego-based chip maker confirmed it had bought fabless MEMS display startup Pixtronix Inc. (Andover, Mass.). No details have been released. Qualcomm reportedly paid between $175 million and $200 million for Pixtronix, and was eager to use its technology to replacement its previous display gamble, Mirasol. The Pixtronix MEMS shutter technology was the subject of a deal with Sharp late in 2012.
In August, Qualcomm acquired DesignArt Networks Ltd. (Ra'anana, Israel), a supplier of small cell basestation systems chips and software, for an undisclosed sum. Israel's Globes newspaper reported that the deal was worth between $120 million and $140 million.
As it grows through acquisitions, Qualcomm is steadily climbing the ranks of the world's top chip makers.
Taiwan's 'M Brothers'
Industry consolidation wasn't limited to North America and Europe during 2012. In what could be the most significant deal of the year in the nascent Asian market, Taiwanese fabless chip vendor MediaTek Inc. announced it was acquiring a stake in Taiwan rival MStar Semiconductor. Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission approved MediaTek's acquisition of a 48 percent stake in MStar in August.
The rivals both make SoCs for smart phones and multimedia devices. Together, the Taiwanese companies also dominate the digital TV chip market, collectively holding 60 percent of that segment.
MediaTek President C.J. Hsieh emphasized to us in January the importance of low-cost chips, especially those for the consumer electronics market. The TV SoC battle is especially brutal because “the technology for TVs progresses very fast,” Hsieh explained.
A few months after we spoke with Hsieh, MediaTek made its move to acquire a stake in MStar.
MediaTek President C.J. Hsieh is acquisitive.
Intel, TSMC, Samsung buy into ASML
In a creative piece of big-ticket technology financing, the market leader in lithography put up to 25 percent of itself up for sale.
In effect, ASML Lithography (Veldhoven, Netherlands) signaled leading chip companies that while they may be disappointed with the pace of technology development, there was only one partner that could develop manufacturing technologies like extreme ultraviolet lithography and 450-mm diameter wafers. Furthermore, ASML telegraphed that customers were going to have to pay more but could also get a return on the investment.
In July, Intel agreed to pay about $3 billion for a 15 percent stake in ASML as well as putting another $1 billion into research collaboration. In August, foundry chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. opted to take a 5 percent stake under the same equity-plus-research finding scheme for about $1 billion. South Korea's Samsung Electronics also agreed to acquire a 3 percent stake in the Dutch lithography vendor for about $630 million.
ASML: Put your money where your chips are built.
ASML buys Cymer for $2.6 billion!!!
No sooner had ASML persuaded Intel, TSMC and Samsung to invest did it move to acquire San diego-based Cymer Inc. in a cash and stock deal worth about $2.6 billion.
Yes $2.6 billion.
Cymer is a long-time supplier of lithography light sources to ASML and other lithography tool vendors. ASML's acquisition marks the company out as the most likely to produce a light source sufficiently powerful and stable to support volume production with EUV lithography. The semiconductor industry is counting on EUV for the creation of chips with geometries down at the 10-nm node and beyond. The Cymer deal is expected to close in the first half of 2013.
Cymer HVM laser-produced plasma light source.
Cypress pursues FRAM
Cypress Semiconductor Corp. closed its deal in September to acquire Ramtron International Corp. (Colorado Springs) in a cash deal valued at $109.8 million, excluding assumed debt and options.
Cypress (San Jose, Calif.) had long been courting Ramtron, which develops ferroelectric RAM technology for use in discrete memories or as embedded non-volatile memory. Previous offers were spurned by Ramtron. During the summer courtship, it was revealed that Cypress had bid unsuccessfully for Ramtron in 2011.
"The combination of Ramtron's FRAM technology with Cypress's nvSRAM business, considerable R&D resources, historically strong manufacturing capabilities, global sales organization and deep extension into distribution channels will create a significant new entity in the nonvolatile memory business," T.J. Rodgers, Cypress president and CEO, said at the time of Ramtron's acceptance.
The deal closed in November.
Rambus seeks Unity
Rambus Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.), which started out as a developer and licensor of memory interface and interconnect technology, has evolved into a broad-based IP licensor. Rambus' acquisition of Sunnyvale neighbor Unity Semiconductor Corp. in February for $35 million in cash was therefore a good fit.
Unity Semiconductor, founded in 2002, was developing metal oxide-based, cross-point, two-terminal non-volatile memory cells under the name CMOx. It was also running out of cash, having been bailed out in 2011 by strategic investor Micron Technology.
Metal-oxide, or some other resistive memory, has the potential to achieve higher density, faster performance, lower manufacturing costs and greater data reliability than NAND flash memory, with many companies including Samsung, Hynix, Elpida and others working on the technology. The Rambus acquisition will keep an intriguing strand of non-volatile memory research moving forward in the U.S. and pay off for handsomely for Rambus in terms of patent portfolio licensing.
A flash in the hand for Rambus.
Micron chips in for Elpida
Micron Technology (Boise, Idaho) closed a $2.5 billion deal in June to acquire Japan's Elpida Memory Inc., which had earlier filed for bankruptcy protection. The deal included $750 million to pay off a fraction of Elpida's debt to creditors and another $1.75 billion to be paid in annual installments through 2019 to satisfy the claims of Elpida's creditors.
The deal was approved by a Tokyo court in November.
While the deal still faces some regulatory hurdles, and a group of Elpida debt holders has fought Micron's bid, saying it undervalues Elpida's assets. The group is undoubtedly seeking to tweak the terms of the deal rather than to drive Micron off. The deal is nevertheless expected to close in the first half of 2013.
責(zé)編：Quentin
