Future Trend of Virtual Machines: A Case Analysis of Broadcom's Acquisition of VMware

Abstract

On May 26, Broadcom, the U.S. communications chip giant, announced that it will acquire cloud services provider VMware for $61 billion in a stock plus cash deal. Broadcom would assume $8 billion of VMware's debt under the terms of the agreement, while its Broadcom Software Group will continue to operate under the name VMware. In tough economic times, it is customary for large technology companies to double their bets: in the 1990s, the old AA transformed itself from a hardware company into a software and services company during the recession, and in the midst of the global economic downturn, Broadcom has made no secret of its intent to expand and grow its software business by accelerating its investments and acquisitions. If Broadcom and VMware can combine their strengths, not only will customers benefit from the integration of product portfolios, but the synergies between these different products could open up new business models.