Analog Devices buys Maxim: consolidation & relative patent portfolio strength in the analog semiconductor industry

July 2020 saw Analog Devices (ADI) set to buy Maxim Integrated in an all-stock transaction valued at US$21 billion, representing a 22% premium to Maxim’s previous day closing price. Earlier in April 2021 this deal received EU approval and the acquisition went ahead at the agreed price of $21 billion. Consequently, the semiconductor patent landscape is set to shift as ADI’s market share increases and their position in the competitive landscape strengthens.

Demand for analog chips has recovered in recent years supported by the need for a whole new generation of sensors and circuits to support the IoT revolution and enable processing of real-life data in homes, cars, factories and farms. Analog Devices is the second largest supplier in the space by revenue after Texas Instruments which reported a top line number for the analog segment of US$10.2 billion in 2019.

Now that the deal has gone through, we’ve taken a look at the both patent portfolios and have delved into the following key areas:

• a breakdown of ADI and Maxim’s portfolios by semiconductor technologies
• the portfolio strength of the consolidated portfolio versus other organisations in this space
• adopting an efficient due diligence approach to M&A

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