In 2020, two large-scale M&A deals were concluded, following 2016.
Semiconductor M&A deal second largest ever


Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in semiconductor companies, which had been slowed by the escalating US-China trade dispute, governments around the world strengthening their protectionist stances for their domestic semiconductor industries, and the spread of COVID-19, have seen a rare boost in activity in the third quarter.

Semiconductor market research firm IC Insights predicted on the 29th that 2020 would be the second-largest year in terms of semiconductor M&A transactions ever, following two large-scale deals in July and September.

Last July, Analog Devices (ADI), the second-largest analog semiconductor company, acquired and merged with Maxim Integrated, the seventh-largest company, for $21 billion (approximately KRW 24.3978 trillion).

Related article: ADI, the second-largest analog semiconductor company, acquires and merges with Maxim, the seventh-largest.
> In September, Nvidia, an American GPU specialist company, acquired and merged with Arm, a British IP specialist company, from Japan's Softbank for $40 billion (approximately 46.448 trillion won).

Related article: Arm finally joins Nvidia... Existing business maintained

Before the two M&As were concluded, the total M&A transaction volume among semiconductor companies in the first quarter of 2020 was only $1.8 billion (approximately KRW 2.09 trillion), and in the second quarter, it was only $170 million (KRW 197.4 billion).

If the relevant authorities approve the two M&As concluded in the third quarter, the total M&A transaction volume in semiconductor companies in 2020 is expected to reach $63.1 billion (KRW 73.3158 trillion), surpassing 2016 and following the record-breaking year of 2015.