Qualcomm to acquire Atheros for USD 3.5 bln - report

Qualcomm is near an agreement to buy the chipmaker Atheros Communications for about USD 3.5 billion, two people with direct knowledge of the talks told the New York Times. The transaction is expected to be announced on 5 January, coinciding with the start of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where the two companies will be displaying their products. Qualcomm is offering USD 45 a share, a premium of 29 percent to Atheros's average stock price over the last month. Qualcomm and Atheros have collaborated before, striking a partnership in 2006 to develop mobile phone chips. Representatives of the two companies did not respond to requests for comment.