The last major M&A deal of Samsung, the world’s largest memory chip and smartphone vendor, came in 2016, when it acquired U.S.-based Harman International Industries, specializing in connected car solutions, for US$8 billion.
Yonhap News Agency
In September, speculation arose that Samsung might be interested in buying British chip designer Arm. It was before a meeting between Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. Masayoshi Son in early October. Softbank acquired Arm in 2016.
Behind its paywall, DigiTimes is reporting on Samsung’s emphasis on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in 2023 despite the challenging economic times. The company has a $100 billion cash pile that it needs to deploy to keep investors happy. The company is unlikely to go on a buying spree, that is out of character, but then again, there are going to be bargains as smaller companies feel the pinch this year and consolidation tends to accelerate during downturns. Did we mention the big cash pile Samsung is sitting on?
