高通愿意被博通收購 但要求提高報價

Qualcomm has dropped its objections to being acquired by Singapore’s Broadcom and is willing to agree a deal with its rival chipmaker if it raises its takeover offer to $160bn including debt, according to people involved in the negotiations.

據(jù)參與談判的人士稱，高通(Qualcomm)已經(jīng)放棄了反對被新加坡博通(Broadcom)收購的立場，愿意與這家競爭對手協(xié)商達成協(xié)議——如果同為芯片制造商的博通將其收購報價提高到1600億美元(包括債務)的話。

The shift in stance marks a significant change for Qualcomm executives, who had been objecting to the deal on antitrust grounds. People close to Qualcomm said Broadcom has recently made enough progress in addressing the competition issues to allow the talks to shift to reaching an agreed price.

高通高管們的立場轉(zhuǎn)變標志著一個重大變化，此前他們一直以反壟斷為由，反對這筆交易。接近高通的人士表示，博通最近在解決競爭問題方面取得了足夠進展，使談判能夠轉(zhuǎn)向達成一個商定的價格。

Qualcomm is insisting that Broadcom raises its offer by at least 15 per cent to above $90 per share, up from its current $79 per share bid, to reach what would be the biggest tech deal ever struck, people involved in the talks said. The total $160bn price tag would include Broadcom assuming $25bn in Qualcomm debt.

參與談判的人士稱，高通堅持要求博通將目前每股79美元的報價至少提高15%，至每股90美元以上，以達成科技行業(yè)迄今最大手筆的收購交易。1600億美元的總價碼將包括博通接手高通250億美元債務。

Several people close to Qualcomm’s senior management said the company is now willing to closing the deal, but the takeover was in the hands of Hock Tan, Broadcom’s deal-hungry chief executive. He must decide whether to reverse course and raise his offer price.

接近高通高級管理層的多名人士表示，該公司現(xiàn)在愿意敲定交易，但這筆交易要由博通熱衷收購的首席執(zhí)行官陳福陽(Hock Tan)作出最后定奪。他必須決定是否要改變立場，提高報價。

The narrowing of differences between the two chipmaking giants comes as Qualcomm agreed on Monday to open its books to Broadcom in an attempt to bring the two closer together on agreeing a price. It publicly reiterated that the existing $79 per share offer undervalued the company.

兩家芯片制造巨擘之間的分歧正在縮小，高通周一同意向博通披露其賬目，以求讓兩家公司拉近立場，商定一個價格。高通在公開場合重申，每股79美元的現(xiàn)有報價低估了該公司。

Paul Jacobs, chairman of Qualcomm, said in a letter to Mr Tan, made public on Monday, that his team was interested in pursuing a non-disclosure agreement that would allow the two sides to begin due diligence. Mr Jacobs also proposed that the chipmakers arrange a meeting “as soon as mutually convenient” to negotiate a price.

高通董事長保羅•雅各布斯(Paul Jacobs)致陳福陽的一封信在周一被公布。他在信中表示，他的團隊有意達成一項保密協(xié)議，以便雙方開始展開盡職調(diào)查。雅各布斯還建議兩家芯片制造商“在對雙方都方便的情況下盡快”安排一次會議，以談判達成一個價格。

However, Broadcom dismissed the move as “engagement theatre”. In a statement, the company said: “Broadcom does not believe that the process outlined by Qualcomm today is designed to lead to a prompt agreement”. However, it added that it was prepared to negotiate on terms that were “realistic for both parties”.

但是，博通將此舉貶稱為“訂婚劇”。該公司在一份聲明中表示：“博通不認為高通今日概述的過程意在迅速達成協(xié)議。”不過，它補充說，博通準備按“對雙方都現(xiàn)實”的條款進行談判。

Earlier this month Broadcom offered as much as $146bn, including debt, in a “best and final” offer, a figure that was rebuffed by Qualcomm’s board of directors. Broadcom later cut that price to $142bn after Qualcomm agreed to acquire NXP Semiconductor for $44bn.

本月早些時候，博通提出了1460億美元的“最佳及最終”報價(包括債務)，但被高通董事會拒絕。隨后，在高通同意以440億美元收購恩智浦半導體(NXP Semiconductor)后，博通將收購高通的報價下調(diào)至1420億美元。

In the midst of the takeover battle, Qualcomm has sought to show it is still operating as normal in areas such as 5G, striking deals in China for the next-generation wireless technology. It also pressed ahead with a deal for NXP, a Dutch group that specialises in providing chips for automobiles.

在這場收購戰(zhàn)進行的同時，高通試圖證明它在5G等領域仍然正常運作，能在中國達成下一代無線技術協(xié)議。該公司還推進收購恩智浦的交易，后者是一家專業(yè)供應汽車芯片的荷蘭集團。