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☆ These 16 cloud-software companies could be acquired by tech giants or private equity as the economy sours, according to RBC analysts
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Paayal Zaveri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Here are the 16 software firms RBC analysts say are M&A targets for tech giants and private equity. More software M&A is in the forecast as valuations and stock prices continue to drop — and private companies aren't the only ones likely to get gobbled up. Additionally, private-equity firms will likely continue snapping up public cloud-software companies and taking them private while prices are low, according to analysts. "In other words, we believe larger scale debt-financed private-equity takeouts could be unlikely in the near-term," RBC analysts wrote. Here are the 16 software firms that are M&A targets, according to RBC analysts:

☆ Microsoft's GitHub is relying more on Azure, says cloud chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Microsoft has been making its GitHub subsidiary more dependent on the company's own Azure public cloud. Otherwise, some developers wary of Microsoft's past behavior might not want to use GitHub to store their software code. The company would also speed up the ability for developers at large companies to use Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, Nadella wrote. Instead of pushing developers to run their code on Azure, GitHub has simply introduced new products and features, many of which are built on Azure. In September Microsoft informed investors that its closely watched Azure and Other Cloud Services revenue growth number each quarter would expand to include "additional GitHub cloud revenue now delivered via our datacenter infrastructure."

Many companies that have shifted enterprise-technology tools into the cloud in recent years, in part as a cost-saving measure, say those investments have yet to pay off. Rather than run software and systems in their own hardware, commercial cloud users tap computing capabilities from providers such as Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. They are also turning to multiple cloud providers, rather than relying on one cloud, for different systems and applications for different business areas. “Many first movers expected significant IT cost efficiency from their cloud investments,” said Barry Brunsman, a principal in KPMG’s CIO Advisory group. “You really do need to not just take it for granted that cloud is where you should head,” she said.

☆ Amazon, Microsoft, Google Face Cloud-Services Examination in U.K.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Joe Hoppe | Sam Schechner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.K.’s Office of Communications is probing the market positions of Amazon Inc., Microsoft and Alphabet Google in the coming weeks as part of a study into the country’s cloud-infrastructure-services sector. The regulator said the three firms account for around 81% of the revenue generated in the U.K.’s public cloud-infrastructure market, and that its study would formally assess how well the market is working. Ofcom said it would examine the strength of competition in cloud services generally and the position the three companies hold in the market, as well as consider any features that might limit innovation, growth or new players.

☆ Amazon, Microsoft and Google face UK probe over dominance in cloud computing
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Chesnot | Getty ImagesBritish media regulator Ofcom is investigating Amazon, Microsoft and Google's tight grip on the cloud computing industry. Amazon, Microsoft and Google were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. It also plans to investigate other digital markets, including personal messaging and virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, over the next year. "The way we live, work, play and do business has been transformed by digital services," Ofcom's Chadha said in a statement Thursday. Cloud competition

☆ Microsoft starts rolling out Windows 11 update with video editor and Start menu folders
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft on Tuesday said it's starting to release the first major update to Windows 11, the current version of its PC operating system. But the company is delivering only one sizable update to Windows each year, compared with two per year for Windows 10, the predecessor to Windows 11. Among versions of Windows, Windows 10 remains the most popular, with about 72% share, according to data collected by privately held StatCounter. But Windows 11, first released in October 2021, is growing in popularity, with 13% share in August, up from 2.6% in January. Alternatively, you can click "More recommendations" to see additional suggested files in the Start menu.

☆ Inside the little-known team of engineering execs Google Cloud uses as its secret weapon to solve customers' toughest tech challenges
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-09 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Google Cloud's Office of the CTO is a group of former tech execs with engineering experience. Nestled inside Google's burgeoning cloud business is a small group of engineering pros who work on some of the tech giant's most ambitious projects. Finance is another sector target for Google Cloud, which is benefitting from the cloud revolution taking over Wall Street. While the group sits within the cloud business, OCTO can leverage all of Google's resources from research and development to engineering, Rowe said. Through OCTO, Google Cloud is able to keep a pulse on what its customers are thinking about and what they care about.

☆ Box CEO explains how the cloud company boosted revenue by $246 million amid the downturn by paying closer attention to its biggest enterprise deals
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-01 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Public cloud companies are seeing plummeting stock prices amid the market downturn. Some cloud companies, like the $4.61 billion cloud-storage firm Box, aren't worried about the dip. It's been a tough year for public cloud companies. The $4.61 billion firm announced a $246 million increase in revenue in its second-quarter earnings, a 15% revenue increase compared to the previous year. To stay profitable, Box cut cloud-infrastructure costs by moving its operations to the public cloud, according to Levie.

☆ Scamming the boss: Some employees are outsourcing their jobs to other people. Here's how companies are spotting the fraudsters.
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-03 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

As remote work provides opportunities for fraud, some employees are outsourcing their jobs. Experts say this fraud can pose severe risks for companies, especially when the work involves confidential company and customer data. The problem for companies is when employees outsource their jobs without their organization's awareness, and pay out of their own pockets. Employers are generally powerless to do anything about these second jobs as long as they don't affect their employees' work and don't involve work for a competitor. "Every employer I talk to considers 'remote' as a location — not a work arrangement," he said, meaning remote workers must abide by the company's rules.

☆ Earnings playbook: The investing game plan as Apple and Alphabet lead the busiest week of the season
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-24 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +20 min

Tuesday Coca-Cola is set to report earnings before the bell, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Chipotle is scheduled to report earnings after the close, followed by a conference call at 4:30 p.m. Meta is set to report earnings after the close, followed by a conference call at 5 p.m. Thursday Amazon is set to report earnings after the bell, with management slated to hold a conference call at 5:30 p.m. Friday Procter & Gamble will report earnings before the bell, followed by a conference call at 9 a.m.

☆ The public cloud is changing how Wall Street works. Here's how the tech is upending everything from trading to dealmaking.
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-23 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Cloud technology has now percolated through nearly every nook and cranny of Wall Street, affecting everything from investment banking to risk management and marketing. What's motivated the recent trend stems from two things that typically elicit change at financial firms: saving money and moving faster. But at least 30 Wall Street firms and well-known fintechs have publicly sided with one provider as a primary partner. "If you look at Wall Street, they have tens of thousands of people in back offices. Take Citibank, which accidentally wired $900 million to Revlon lenders in what is considered one of the largest blunders ever on Wall Street.

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