Report: Deal for Freescale close

Speaking of private-equity firm buyouts, a consortium of investment firms are reportedly close to a deal to buy semiconductor company Freescale for more than $16 billion. Texas Pacific Group, Blackstone Group and Permira are in talks to acquire Freescale, the former chip arm of Motorola. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Silver Lake Partners have submitted a bid, according to The New York Times. The two firms along with AlpInvest recently won control of Royal Philips Electronics' semiconductor business for $4.5 billion [1]. 

The talks illustrate the increased appetite of private-equity firms for the technology industry, a sector shunned for years by financiers because it was considered too volatile. But as technology companies have matured and private-equity firms have begun to look for companies that are not simply stable, but also growing--more and more deals are taking place.

For more about the bid for Freescale:
- read this article [2] from The New York Times