每经AI快讯，12月8日，IBM盘前股价跌近1%。 ...

Core Viewpoint - The investigation by Halper Sadeh LLC focuses on the fairness of the sale of Confluent, Inc. to IBM at $31.00 per share for Confluent shareholders [1]. Group 1: Investigation Details - The investigation examines whether Confluent and its board violated federal securities laws and/or breached fiduciary duties by not obtaining the best possible consideration for shareholders [2]. - It questions if IBM is underpaying for Confluent and whether all material information necessary for shareholders to assess the merger consideration was disclosed [2]. Group 2: Potential Actions - Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures, and other relief related to the proposed transaction [3]. - The firm operates on a contingent fee basis, meaning shareholders would not incur out-of-pocket legal fees or expenses [3].

The technology giant announced its intent to acquire Confluent for $11 billion. It's a play on the data required for AI. ...

IBM is buying the data-streaming platform Confluent for $11 billion including debt https://t.co/3UFZKzv3OY ...

*Real-time prices by Nasdaq Last Sale. Real-time quote and/or trade prices are not sourced from all markets. Ownership data provided by LSEG and Estimate data provided by FactSet. IBD, IBD Digital, IBD Live, IBD Weekly, Investor's Business Daily, Leaderboard, MarketDiem, MarketSurge and other marks are trademarks owned by Investor's Business Daily, LLC. ©2025 Investor's Business Daily, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Notice Accessibility About Us Reviews Site Map Your Ad Choices Advertising C ...

Core Viewpoint - IBM is acquiring Confluent for $11 billion to enhance its cloud-computing capabilities in response to increasing demand driven by artificial intelligence [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition deal values Confluent at $11 billion, with an offer price of $31 per share, representing a 50% premium over Confluent's closing price of $20.73 on October 7 [1]. - IBM plans to fund the acquisition using cash on hand, and the transaction is expected to close by mid-2026 [3]. Group 2: Strategic Rationale - IBM is focusing on mergers and acquisitions to strengthen its cloud and software products, which are high-growth and high-margin areas, as customers upgrade their digital infrastructure for complex AI applications [2]. - The acquisition follows IBM's previous purchase of cloud firm HashiCorp for $6.4 billion in April last year, indicating a strategic emphasis on inorganic growth under CEO Arvind Krishna [2]. Group 3: Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the acquisition, IBM's shares fell in premarket trading [1].

Core Insights - IBM is acquiring data infrastructure company Confluent for $11 billion to enhance its cloud-computing services and meet the growing demand driven by AI advancements [1] Company Summary - The acquisition of Confluent is part of IBM's strategy to strengthen its position in the cloud-computing market [1] - This move is expected to capitalize on the increasing demand for AI-related services and infrastructure [1] Industry Summary - The deal reflects a broader trend in the technology sector where companies are investing heavily in cloud and AI capabilities to stay competitive [1] - The acquisition is indicative of the rising importance of data infrastructure in supporting AI-driven applications and services [1]

Core Viewpoint - IBM's CEO Arvind Krishna questions the expected returns on the massive investments made by tech giants like Google and Amazon in AI infrastructure, suggesting that such investments are unlikely to yield reasonable returns due to the high costs associated with data centers [2][3]. Investment and Costs - Goldman Sachs estimates that the global data center market currently consumes about 55 gigawatts of power, with only approximately 14% related to AI. This demand is projected to rise to 84 gigawatts by 2027 due to increasing AI needs [2]. - Krishna calculates that building a 1-gigawatt data center requires an investment of about $80 billion. If a company commits to constructing 20 to 30 gigawatts of data centers, the capital expenditure could reach $1.5 trillion, nearly equivalent to Tesla's current market value [2]. - If all major cloud providers expand to around 100 gigawatts of capacity, it would necessitate an investment of approximately $8 trillion, with the required profit scale to cover this expenditure being staggering [2][3]. Profitability Concerns - Krishna emphasizes that $8 trillion in capital expenditure would require around $800 billion in profits just to cover interest payments, making it highly unlikely for such investments to be profitable [3]. - The rapid technological advancements mean that the chips relied upon in data centers quickly become obsolete, further complicating the return on investment [3]. AI Development and Market Trends - Despite the ongoing investment surge, Krishna believes the probability of achieving general artificial intelligence with current technologies is at most 1%. He acknowledges the significant value of this technology, which could unlock trillions of dollars in productivity potential, but asserts that the technological requirements far exceed those of current large language models [5]. - Major cloud providers are accelerating their investments in AI infrastructure, with expected expenditures reaching about $380 billion this year. Alphabet has raised its 2025 capital expenditure forecast from $85 billion to between $91 billion and $93 billion, while Amazon has increased its forecast from $118 billion to $125 billion [5].

Core Points - IBM is acquiring data streaming platform Confluent for $11 billion, with the transaction expected to close by mid-2026 [1][2] - Confluent's shares increased by 26% in premarket trading following the announcement, while IBM's stock decreased by approximately 1% [1] - IBM will pay $31 per share in cash for all issued and outstanding common shares of Confluent [1] Company Strategy - The acquisition aims to enhance IBM's offerings by providing a smart data platform for enterprise IT, specifically designed for AI applications [2]

Strategic Rationale - IBM is acquiring Confluent to advance as a software-led hybrid cloud and AI platform company[8] - The acquisition expands IBM's total addressable market (TAM) in the real-time data streaming and event processing market, which is valued at over $100 billion[10, 22] - The deal is expected to be accretive to adjusted EBITDA within the first full year and to free cash flow in year two after closing[11, 28] Confluent Overview - Confluent has approximately 6,500 total customers, with less than 5% having over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR)[14] - Over 40% of Fortune 500 companies have adopted Confluent's technology[14] - Confluent's last twelve months (LTM) revenue exceeds $1 billion[14] Market Drivers - The number of new applications is expected to exceed 1 billion by 2028[21] - 89% of IT leaders consider data streaming platforms critical or important for achieving their data-related goals[21] - Total enterprise AI spending is projected to surpass $800 billion by 2029, more than 3 times the spending in 2024[21] Synergies and Financials - IBM anticipates approximately $500 million in run-rate operational synergies[28] - The transaction has an enterprise value of $11 billion, funded by cash on hand[29] - Confluent's largest shareholders, holding approximately 62% of the voting power, have agreed to vote in favor of the transaction[29, 31]