ARM's chipset rise makes it tough takeover target

ARM Holdings, which has risen rapidly to prominence in the mobile chipset market, is the most expensive takeover target in the chipset market since 2006 (when ATI Technologies took the high point), according to Bloomberg. However, ARM has insisted it has no intention of selling itself.

The U.K.-based company has seen its share price rise 151 percent in the past year, thanks in large part to exploding demand for smartphones and tablets running chips based on its architecture, including Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and iPad. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, a takeover of ARM would cost $11.7 billion--more than the total spent on chipset-related acquisitions in 2010.

However, ARM CEO Warren East has repeatedly said a takeover would actually harm the company's business model, which is to license chipset architecture to the likes of Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Nvidia, Texas Instruments, Samsung and others. There was a flurry of speculation last year that Apple might be interested in buying ARM.

For more:
- see these two separate Bloomberg articles

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