AMD’s deal pushes toward a record for chip M&A

NEW YORK: Advanced Micro Devices Inc’s (AMD) US$35bil purchase of semiconductor maker Xilinx Inc pushes 2020 toward a record year for chip deals, as large tech companies rush to consolidate the increasingly competitive industry.

There have now been US$110bil of deals announced in the semiconductor industry this year, led by Nvidia Corp’s US$40bil bid for Cambridge, England-based chip designer Arm, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Xilinx deal makes 2020 the biggest year at this point on record for pending and completed deals involving semiconductors, the data show.