US doubts about chipmegadeal

- Chipmaker The hostile takeover by semiconductor Broadcom from chipmaker Qualcomm is coming up with new blockades in Washington. That purchase by the Singapore company against $ 121 billion may threaten national security, according to the Ministry of Finance.

This was reported Tuesday after the governmental committee CFIUS demanded further investigation on Monday around the biggest acquisition attempt in technology.

The Treasury Department reports that it is concerned that American Qualcomm from San Diego will lose its lead in crucial semiconductor technology after the acquisition by Broadcom from Singapore.

It refers to the dependence of the American defense on Qualcomm products. It has ongoing secret preferential contracts with the American Pentagon, emphasizes Finance.

The ministry has 'possible concerns about national security' and wants to investigate 'the proposed transaction', according to the ministry.

It was reported on Monday that the US government instructed Qualcomm to postpone its scheduled shareholders' meeting by thirty days. Broadcom then spoke of 'a desperate act'.

Broadcom, originally American but now Singaporean, has filed a bid of $ 121 billion including debt on Qualcomm.

Broadcom would almost threaten a monopoly for chip production in the hands of Broadcom. This means new technology may not be available for millions of devices running on chips, fears Finance in the US.

After that takeover, there would be substantially less research and development in the chip sector, claims the ministry.

Qualcom announced this letter of 5 March with this content. The Dutch chip maker NXP is involved in the takeover battle. Shareholders of NXP got a higher offer from Qualcomm in mid-February, which they have been waiting for months.

The chipmaker from San Diego came fifteen months after his first bid with a 16% higher price, in the attempt to bind NXP on the one hand and to shake off his own attacker Broadcom.

On an increase of the bid from $ 110 to $ 127.50 per share, since August, activist Elliott Advisors has been calling for an interest of 6% in NXP.

Qualcomm now rates NXP at $ 44 billion (€ 35 billion), where it already had $ 39 billion for the Nijmegen chipmaker.