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☆ AT&T seeks to shed cybersecurity division -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Feb 21 (Reuters) - AT&T Inc (T.N), the second-biggest U.S. wireless carrier, is exploring a sale of its cybersecurity division, potentially undoing an acquisition it completed five years ago, according to people familiar with the matter. The sale of the cybersecurity business would add to a string of divestments AT&T has turned to in order to pay down debt following its $108.7 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc in 2018, a deal it has since also unwound. AT&T has been working with Barclays Plc (BARC.L) to solicit potential bids for its cybersecurity business, which was called Alienvault when it was acquired in 2018 in a roughly $600 million deal, the sources said. The sources cautioned that no deal is certain and requested anonymity because the matter is confidential. AT&T's cybersecurity division helps small-to-medium-sized businesses keep their information technology networks, including laptops, desktops, servers and mobile devices, secure.

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Banking and payments processing conglomerate Fidelity National Information Services Inc (FIS.N) took a $17.6 billion write-down on its merchant business as it unveiled plans on Monday to spin it off, undoing a $43 billion acquisition that went sour. FIS built its merchant business, which processes transactions for companies, on the back of its $43 billion purchase of WorldPay four years ago. "The pace of disruption in payments is rapidly accelerating, requiring increased investment in growth and a different capital allocation strategy for our merchant solutions business," FIS Chairman Jeffrey Goldstein said in a statement. Charles Drucker, the former CEO of Worldpay, will lead the merchants business after it is spun out, FIS said. Merchant solutions makes up about 30% of FIS' revenue, while its banking solutions arm constitutes about 46%, and capital market solutions the remainder.

FIS plans to pursue a tax-free spin-off of its merchant business, which processes payments for companies, the sources said. The spin-off will take many months to be completed, and FIS will also entertain any acquisition offers for the unit during this period, the sources added. Much of FIS's merchant business consists of Worldpay, which it bought for $43 billion in 2019. The sources cautioned that no transaction is certain and asked not to be identified discussing confidential deliberations. Merchant solutions makes up about 30% of the company's revenue, while its banking solutions arm constitutes about 46%, and capital market solutions the remainder.

☆ Snow Software owners explore $1 billion sale -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 8 (Reuters) - The private equity owners of Snow Software are exploring a sale that could value the software management solutions company at about $1 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Sumeru Equity Partners, Ontario Pension Board, Vitruvian Partners and other investors behind Snow Software have hired investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) to explore options for the company, the sources said. Based in Stockholm, Sweden and Austin, Texas, Snow Software builds software tools and solutions that help companies obtain the proper licensing for the software they use. Snow Software currently generates annual revenue of about $175 million, according to the sources. Sumeru and Ontario Pension Board joined Vitruvian as shareholders in Snow Software in 2017 with a $120 million investment.

☆ Exclusive: French adtech firm Criteo in new bid to sell itself-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Investment bank Evercore Inc (EVR.N) is advising Criteo on the process, the sources added. Criteo declined to comment, while an Evercore spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sale process for Criteo will likely pique the interest of buyout firms that have shown strong interest in audience measurement and analytics companies. Criteo collects data through partnerships with companies, ad agencies and brands, and earns money by charging advertisers when consumers click on personalized ads. In response, Criteo has been investing in its fast-growing retail media business, which involves partnering directly with the websites of retailers.

Feb 1 (Reuters) - QAD, a business software maker was taken private by buyout firm Thoma Bravo in 2021 for $2 billion, told Reuters on Wednesday it has agreed to acquire employee productivity platform Redzone for about $1 billion. Redzone, which was founded in 2013, offers enterprise software solutions primarily for the manufacturing industry. Founded in 1979, QAD provides cloud-based planning and resources solutions software to manufacturing companies. The deal will help QAD expand its footprint across different sectors within the manufacturing industry. Reporting Milana Vinn in San Francisco and Krystal Hu in New York Editing by Greg RoumeliotisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Exclusive: Cybersecurity firm Rapid7 explores sale -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Twitter Inc.'s former security chief Peiter "Mudge" Zatko testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File PhotoFeb 1 (Reuters) - Rapid7 Inc (RPD.O), the cybersecurity firm that hired Twitter Inc whistleblower Peiter Zatko last month, is exploring options that include a possible sale after attracting acquisition interest, according to people familiar with the matter. The Boston-based company is working with investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) as it considers approaches from parties that include private equity firms, the sources said. Rapid7 specializes in so-called vulnerability management, providing software tools and services that help businesses assess and monitor security risks. Rapid7 said last month it had hired Zatko, a former hacker who served as Twitter's head of security until his firing in January 2022, as a part-time consultant.

NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Large shareholders in News Corp (NWSA.O) on Wednesday applauded Rupert Murdoch's decision to withdraw a proposal to reunite the owner of Dow Jones and Fox Corp , as News Corp decided to pursue a sale of Move Inc instead. On Tuesday, activist investment firm Irenic Capital, which had also opposed the proposed reunion of Fox and News Corp, applauded the decision to not move forward. Cowen & Co's Doug Creutz said investors were pleased by the decision to walk away from a potential combination, saying that pressure from investors like T Rowe Price weighed on the Murdoch's decision to pursue the deal. Fox shares were up about 2% on Wednesday. "The other big question is – does News Corp give their shareholders their pro-rata shares of REA in addition to selling Move?

☆ RSA Security explores $2 bln-plus sale of Archer -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Clearlake Capital, another private equity firm, invested in RSA the following year. Last year, RSA sold a majority stake in its events business, RSA Conference, to private equity firm Crosspoint Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Archer, headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, is a governance, risk and compliance software platform with over 15,000 users globally. RSA's other business divisions include identity and access management platform SecureID and threat detection and response software platform NetWitness. Archer is not the only risk management software vendor up for sale in the United States.

A spokesperson for the Washington Post, which Bezos bought in 2013 for $250 million, said it is not for sale. "A Bloomberg acquisition of the (Post) is not necessarily just a business decision. According to Axios, Bloomberg sees Dow Jones, also the publisher of Barron's and MarketWatch, as the ideal fit but would buy the Post if Bezos was interested in selling. Dow Jones did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Reuters competes with Dow Jones and Bloomberg News, a unit of Bloomberg L.P., a provider of financial news.

☆ Investor in Musk's Twitter buyout expects to make up to five times its money
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Milana Vinn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Aliya Capital Partners LLC, one of the biggest investors that joined Elon Musk's $44-billion acquisition of Twitter Inc, said on Tuesday it expects to make up to five times its money despite the social media company's problems. Twitter has been hemorrhaging advertisers after Musk let more than half of its 7,500 employees go and alienated some users with his fast-changing moderation policy decisions. Musk tweeted earlier this week that the social media company has been "in the fast lane to bankruptcy since May." He took over Twitter on Oct. 27 and this week said he will abide by the results of a Twitter poll in which a majority voted for him to step down as the head of Twitter. When NASA couldn't get its rockets off the ground, this man's vision took off," Kestin said.

Since the early days of the invasion, Mr. Putin has conceded, privately, that the war has not gone as planned. “I think he is sincerely willing” to compromise with Russia, Mr. Putin said of Mr. Zelensky in 2019. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. “I think this war is Putin’s grave.” Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, a Russian prisoner of war held by Ukraine, in October.

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