Brooke Sutherland, Columnist

Broadcom Tests the Limits of Semiconductor M&A

Both companies have already been aggressive buyers, and the integration work involved in this $130 billion proposal would be daunting.
Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
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How many megasized semiconductor deals are too many?

That's the question Broadcom Ltd. shareholders should be asking themselves as the chipmaker launches a $130 billion-plus takeover bid for Qualcomm Inc. The target company has said it will assess the deal, but it's reportedly gearing up to reject Broadcom's $70-a-share cash and stock bid on the grounds that it's opportunistic and poses regulatory risks. These are valid objections, but we've got another one: integration risk.