TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft to buy Revolution
Microsoft Corp on Friday agreed to buy startup Revolution Analytics, which makes tools to sift through data, to help the company build up its cloud-services business. Terms were not disclosed. The deal was driven by the growing volumes of data that companies are contending with and the need for more software that can help analyze information, Microsoft said in a blog. Mountain View, California-based Revolution Analytics makes a statistics programming language called “R” that helps analyze data. Revolution Analytics chief community officer David Smith said in a blog post that the deal would spread the use of advanced analytics within Microsoft products, including the Azure cloud service.
Acquisitions
Adidas to sell Rockport Co
Private equity firm Berkshire Partners and athletic shoemaker New Balance are buying Rockport Co from the Adidas Group. The deal is scheduled to close later this year, but financial terms were not disclosed. Rockport sells men’s and women’s shoes and boots. As part of the deal, New Balance affiliate Drydock Footwear LLC is set to join with Rockport Co to create the Rockport Group. Drydock’s brands include Cobb Hill, Aravon and Dunham.
Energy
Oil, gas limit GE revenue
General Electric Co (GE) on Friday posted increased revenue and net income for the fourth quarter, but was held back from even better results by a sputtering performance from its expanding oil and gas division. The company calmed investors by maintaining its guidance for this year’s profit, despite the low oil prices that are hurting its oil and gas operations, and a stronger US dollar that is hurting exports. GE reported net income of US$5.15 billion, up from US$3.21 billion in the same quarter last year. Revenue rose 4 percent to US$42 billion in the period, but fell short of the US$42.4 billion expected by analysts.
Beverages
Anheuser-Busch buys Elysian
Anheuser-Busch said it is buying Seattle-based craft brewer Elysian Brewing Co for an undisclosed amount. It is the latest in a string of craft brewery acquisitions by Anheuser-Busch as it tries to counter soft sales of its own brands, such as Budweiser. Anheuser-Busch and Elysian announced the deal on Friday and said it would bring the brewer’s popular beers — most notably Immortal IPA — to a greater number of consumers. The deal includes Elysian’s brewery business and its four Seattle brewpubs. It is expected to close by the end of the first quarter. Anheuser-Busch is the US arm of Belgian-based Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, and is the world’s largest brewer.
Internet
Expedia to buy Travelocity
Expedia on Friday said it is buying rival Travelocity in a US$280 million deal merging two of the largest online travel operators. The all-cash deal calls for Expedia to acquire its rival from travel software firm Sabre Corp and follows a 2013 agreement in which Expedia powered the tech platform for Travelocity’s US and Canadian Web sites. Expedia operates other travel Web sites, including Hotels.com and Carrentals.com. Sabre manages online reservations for airlines and hotels. Last year it sold travel Web site lastminute.com.
The domestic unit of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker Nexperia BV will soon be able to produce semiconductors locally within China, according to two company sources. Nexperia is at the center of a global tug-of-war over critical semiconductor technology, with a Dutch court in February ordering a probe into alleged mismanagement at the company. The geopolitical tussle has disrupted supply chains, with some carmakers reportedly forced to cut production due to chip shortages. Local production would allow Nexperia’s domestic arm, Nexperia Semiconductors (China) Ltd (安世半導體中國), to bypass restrictions in place since October on the supply of silicon wafers — etched with tiny components to
Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab Holdings Ltd has applied for regulatory approval to acquire the Taiwan operations of Germany-based Delivery Hero SE's Foodpanda in a deal valued at about US$600 million. Grab submitted the filing to the Fair Trade Commission on Friday last week, with the transaction subject to regulatory review and approval, the company said in a statement yesterday. Its independent governance structure would help foster a healthy and competitive market in Taiwan if the deal is approved, Grab said. Grab, which is listed on the NASDAQ, said in the filing that US-based Uber Technologies Inc holds about 13 percent of
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday received government approval to deploy its advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) process at its second fab currently under construction in Japan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a news release. The ministry green-lit the plan for the facility in Kumamoto, which is scheduled to start installing equipment and come online in 2028 with a monthly production capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers, the ministry said. The Department of Investment Review in June 2024 authorized a US$5.26 billion investment for the facility, slated to manufacture 6- to 12nm chips, significantly less advanced than 3nm process. At a meeting with
Taiwan is open to joining a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) program if one is created, but on the condition that countries provide delivery even in a scenario where there is a conflict with China, an energy department official said yesterday. While Taiwan’s priority is to have enough LNG at home, the nation is open to exploring potential strategic reserves in other countries such as Japan or South Korea, Energy Administration Deputy Director-General Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲) said. While the LNG market does not have a global reserve for emergencies like that of oil, the concept has been raised a few times —
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