SonicWALL in latest acquisition

2010-06-01

Helen Martin

Virus Bulletin, UK

Editor: Helen Martin

Abstract

The latest in a flurry of activity in acquisitions and mergers in the security field.

The last five weeks have seen a flurry of activity in acquisitions and mergers in the security field. In the most recent announcement, network security systems provider SonicWALL, Inc. has agreed to be acquired by an investor group led by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in a deal worth around $717 million. SonicWALL’s shareholders will receive $11.50 in cash for each share of common stock they hold, with the purchase expected to complete in late September.

Other recent activity has seen a major share of Sophos sold to private equity firm APAX Partners, Slovakian anti-spam firm COMDOM Software acquired by fellow Slovakian security vendor ESET and a trio of encryption-related purchases by Symantec, which has acquired PGP, GuardianEdge and VeriSign’s authentication services business.

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