Monday, May 21, 2012

Silicon Labs Acquires Ember

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silicon Laboratories Inc. (Nasdaq: SLAB), a leader in high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Boston-based Ember Corporation for initial consideration of $72 million, subject to an adjustment for certain working capital amounts and potential earn-out consideration. Ember is a late-stage private company offering market-leading silicon, software and development tools for 2.4 GHz wireless mesh networking solutions being deployed in smart energy, connected home, security, lighting, and many other monitoring and control applications.

This strategic acquisition brings Silicon Labs the technology and software expertise required to enable the low-power mesh sensor networks being deployed today in a wide range of residential, commercial and industrial applications. The demand for low-power, small-footprint wireless technology is accelerating as more and more IP-enabled end points are being connected to the “Internet of Things.” Expected to be the first 10 billion unit per year market, the Internet of Things is being realized to enable more convenient, energy-efficient and safer home and work environments.

The Ember portfolio complements Silicon Labs’ products and targets a growing market estimated to increase from $100 million in 2012 to $600 million by 2016. The combination of the companies’ products will bring together microcontroller (MCU), power and isolation technology, sensors, and both sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz wireless radios into a comprehensive portfolio of highly integrated networking solutions for embedded systems.

“Silicon Labs has consistently demonstrated a successful track record of integrating high-performance, low-power RF and mixed-signal ICs in CMOS and ramping them into high-volume markets,” said Tyson Tuttle, president and CEO of Silicon Laboratories. “This acquisition of a high-caliber team with proven wireless mesh networking know-how accelerates our ability to offer complete system solutions to our customers.”

Ember is a pioneer in the market for 802.15.4 ZigBee® solutions, developing mesh networking technology since the concept was first conceived. The design team represents some of the most experienced talent in embedded radios. The company’s products integrate high-performance, low-power 2.4 GHz wireless ICs with reliable and scalable networking software into a platform with unmatched performance and flexibility. With more than a decade of systems and software knowledge applied to the connected home, smart meters and building automation and more than 25 million units shipped, Ember has developed a leadership position in ZigBee-based systems and has established the benchmark for performance and usability.

“We believe our track record and technology leadership in ZigBee-based systems combined with Silicon Labs’ broad portfolio and focus on establishing a market-leading business in embedded wireless will enable our customers and the Internet of Things market to grow faster,” said Bob LeFort, chief executive officer of Ember. “The shared vision, compatible cultures and commitment to excellence augurs well for both the market as well as the Ember team.”

Silicon Labs expects that the addition of Ember’s high-performance system-on-chip (SoC) portfolio, advanced networking software expertise, and a proven design and applications team will contribute to the rapid expansion of its Broad-based business. Silicon Labs intends to apply the underlying technology platform and expertise to enable low-power mesh networking in not only home but also industrial and commercial applications. Further, both companies’ products leverage the same underlying development environment, which is expected to accelerate the combined roadmap and support rapid adoption among the existing customer base.

Ember is expected to contribute approximately $10-$12 million in revenue in the second half of 2012 and to be accretive on a non-GAAP basis in 2013. The boards of each company have approved the acquisition, which awaits the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions. In conjunction with this all-cash acquisition, Silicon Labs’ board of directors has authorized management to pursue a $200 million credit facility that could be used for stock repurchases and for other general corporate purposes.

About Ember
Ember Corporation (www.ember.com; twitter: @EmberCorp) develops wireless mesh networking technology – chips, software and tools - for Smart Energy, connected homes, and many other monitoring and control applications enabling greener living and work environments. The Boston-based company has approximately 60 employees worldwide including an IC design center in Cambridge, England.

About Silicon Laboratories Inc.

Silicon Laboratories is an industry leader in the innovation of high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs. Developed by a world-class engineering team with unsurpassed expertise in mixed-signal design, Silicon Labs’ diverse portfolio of patented semiconductor solutions offers customers significant advantages in performance, size and power consumption. For more information about Silicon Labs, please visit www.silabs.com.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Microchip to acquire SMSC

CHANDLER, Ariz. & HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, and Standard Microsystems Corporation (NASDAQ: SMSC) today announced that Microchip has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Standard Microsystems Corporation (“SMSC”) for $37.00 per share in cash, which represents a total equity value of about $939 million, and a total enterprise value of about $766 million, after excluding SMSC’s cash and investments on its balance sheet of approximately $173 million. The acquisition has been approved by the Boards of Directors of each company and is expected to close in the third quarter of calendar 2012, subject to approval by SMSC stockholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

“We believe SMSC’s smart mixed-signal connectivity solutions aimed at embedded applications are an ideal complement to Microchip’s embedded control business,” said Steve Sanghi, Microchip’s President and CEO. “This acquisition will expand Microchip’s range of solutions as SMSC contributes exciting new products and capabilities in the automotive, industrial, computing, consumer and wireless audio markets, significantly extending our served available market.”

“We are excited by the strategic possibilities presented by this acquisition,” continued Mr. Sanghi. “SMSC in its most recent fiscal year ending February 29, 2012 reported net sales of $412 million, non-GAAP gross margin of 54.4% of sales, and non-GAAP operating profit of 12% of sales. We expect this acquisition will be accretive to Microchip’s non-GAAP earnings in the first full quarter after completion of the acquisition. We look forward to completing this transaction in the third calendar quarter of 2012.”

“This transaction represents a compelling opportunity for SMSC employees, customers and
stockholders by combining the leading market position and world class operational excellence
of Microchip Technology with the world class smart mixed-signal connectivity solutions from SMSC,” said Christine King, President and CEO of SMSC. “We are pleased to become part of Microchip Technology, a premier company in the semiconductor industry.”

About SMSC

SMSC (NASDAQ: SMSC) is a leading developer of Smart Mixed-Signal ConnectivityTM solutions. SMSC employs a unique systems level approach that incorporates a broad set of technologies and intellectual property to deliver differentiating products to its customers. The company is focused on delivering connectivity solutions that enable the proliferation of data in automobiles, consumer devices, PCs and other applications. SMSC’s feature-rich products drive a number of industry standards and include USB, MOST® automotive networking, Kleer® and JukeBlox® wireless audio, embedded system control and analog solutions, including thermal management and RightTouch® capacitive sensing. SMSC is headquartered in New York and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia, Europe and India. Additional information is available at www.smsc.com.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at http://www.microchip.com.