“The combination will allow ASML and HMI to further integrate and enhance their product offering at an accelerated pace”, ASML said from its southern Dutch headquarters of Veldhoven, near the high-tech city of Eindhoven.
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ASML Holding plans to tap Hermes Microvision’s e-beam inspection technology to keep up with the circuit miniaturization arms race in the chip industry.
“ASML…and Hermes Microvision Inc… announce that they have entered into an agreement under which ASML will acquire all outstanding shares of HMI in a cash transaction valued at approximately 2.75 billion euros (USD 3.06 billion)”, ASML said in a statement. ‘We found that we could… better serve our customer by teaming up as one company, ‘ Wennink said. “We need integrated solutions”.
The transaction marks the second-largest acquisition in the nation this year, following U.S. memorychip maker Micron Technology Inc’s NT$130 billion buyout offer for the remaining 67 percent stake in Inotera Memories Inc (華亞科技).
ASML is the world’s biggest chipmaking equipment supplier, with customers including TSMC, Intel and Samsung Electronics.
Both companies already work together.
Expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year – subject to customary closing conditions and the approval of HMI shareholders – the acquisition has been unanimously approved by each firm’s board of directors.
The takeover is being paid for in cash and through new shares.
As part of the deal reached between ASML and HMI, HEC and certain HMI officers will use part of the proceeds from the sale of their HMI shares to subscribe to 5.9 million new ASML shares at NT$3,106 per share via private placement.
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ASML’s acquisition of HMI will be partly funded by about 1.5 billion euros ($1.69 billion) of debt, the companies said.
