Shares in NVIDIA Corporation surged nearly 8 percent today amid speculation that the graphics card company was about to be purchased by chip giant Intel. The stock rose $2.32 to hit $30.62 in afternoon trading on the NASDAQ exchange. An Intel spokeswoman declined to comment on the rumors, and there has been no statement from NVIDIA on the subject.
If the rumor is true, the announcement could come quickly. "There is speculation that Intel will make an acquisition announcement tonight," Bill Lefkowitz, an options strategist at vFinance Investments, told Reuters. However, not every analyst shares this belief. Some feel that NVIDIA's market cap of $10 billion would represent too high a price for Intel, which is currently on a cost-cutting spree.
The deal, if it happens, would mirror the purchase of rival graphics card maker ATI by chipmaker AMD. That acquisition represented a significantly lower cost outlay, as ATI's market capitalization was only $4.2 billion at the time. Still, AMD managed to swing the deal, a combination of cash and stock, while only having a market cap slightly more than double ATI's. Intel's valuation currently stands at an impressive $120 billion.
View: Full Article @ Ars Technica
Link: Neowin Back Page News - Thanks slimy
