IBM plans to purchase Confluent in an $11 billion deal, a transfer that expands its information and cloud portfolio as demand for AI techniques grows. The corporate has been build up its cloud and software program models below CEO Arvind Krishna, who has targeted on acquisitions to satisfy curiosity from purchasers upgrading their techniques for extra complicated AI work.
Confluent, based mostly in Mountain View, California, builds instruments that deal with giant, real-time information flows. These instruments are sometimes wanted to coach and run AI fashions.
“IBM and Confluent collectively will allow enterprises to deploy generative and agentic AI higher and sooner,” Krishna mentioned. He added that the acquisition will permit IBM to supply an information platform constructed for enterprise IT groups working with AI.
How the deal got here collectively
Talks between the 2 firms first befell over the summer time, in response to a supply acquainted with the discussions. They started with casual conversations tied to IBM’s companion community. After IBM expressed curiosity, Confluent introduced in advisers and opened a proper bidding course of. IBM in the end secured the deal, the supply mentioned.
As a part of the settlement, Confluent CEO and co-founder Jay Kreps will be part of IBM Software program and report back to Rob Thomas, an IBM spokesperson mentioned.
IBM labored with Centerview on the transaction, whereas Confluent employed Morgan Stanley. Cooley served as Confluent’s authorized adviser, and Paul Weiss suggested IBM.
IBM is providing $31 per share, a roughly 34% premium to Confluent’s prior shut. Confluent’s inventory jumped almost 30% after the information, whereas IBM shares rose barely. The inventory has climbed virtually 44% since Oct. 7, the final session earlier than Reuters reported that Confluent was exploring a sale.
“IBM is shopping for the important information firehose that helps the AI hype,” mentioned Michael Ashley Schulman, chief funding officer at Operating Level Capital. “With this buy, IBM improves … recurring income, tightening its grip on giant enterprises.”
IBM’s acquisition technique
IBM has relied on acquisitions for years so as to add scale and compete in cloud companies. It purchased HashiCorp in 2024 for $6.4 billion and bought Crimson Hat in 2019 for $34 billion, a deal that analysts say reshaped its cloud enterprise.
The corporate expects the Confluent buy to enhance adjusted core earnings within the first full yr after the deal closes. It additionally expects the deal to extend free money circulate by the second yr. Wedbush mentioned in a word that the acquisition provides extra information processing power to IBM’s hybrid cloud push and helps firms break down information silos for AI use. “We loudly applaud this deal as Arvind takes IBM additional into the AI Revolution with extra acquisitions probably forward,” the analysts wrote. The agency saved its chubby score and $325 value goal. IBM final closed at $307.94.
The addition of Confluent follows latest strikes to increase IBM’s software program base, together with the acquisition of HashiCorp final yr and Apptio the yr earlier than in a $4.6 billion deal. Each had been all-cash transactions.
Confluent has greater than 6,500 clients in main industries, together with over 40% of Fortune 500 firms. It additionally works with main cloud and AI suppliers comparable to Anthropic, AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Snowflake. IBM mentioned this matches with its strategy of working throughout a large companion community.
Beneath the deal phrases, IBM will purchase all excellent Confluent shares for $31 every in money, valuing the corporate at $11 billion. IBM will use its out there money to fund the acquisition.
Each firms’ boards have accredited the settlement. The deal nonetheless wants approval from Confluent shareholders and regulators. Confluent’s largest traders, who maintain about 62% of the corporate’s voting energy, have agreed to assist the transaction. Additionally they agreed to not again various gives.
The businesses anticipate the deal to shut by mid-2026.
(Photograph by Sam Pak)
See additionally: IBM extends serverless computing to GPU workloads for enterprise AI and simulation
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