$40 Billion Of M&A In 4 Years But More ‘May' Follow, Says Emerson COO

Core Insights - Emerson has made $40 billion in acquisitions over the past four years and is not finished with its acquisition strategy, focusing on high-quality assets in its core domains [1][4] - Recent significant acquisitions include National Instruments for $8.2 billion and AspenTech for $7.2 billion, indicating a strong push into automated test equipment and industrial software [2][3] - The company aims to enhance its operating strength in production automation and test and measurement sectors, with a focus on optimization and software to support its vision of boundless automation [3][6] Acquisition Strategy - Emerson's acquisition strategy is not about high spending but about acquiring the right assets that align with its core competencies [4] - The company is particularly interested in research and development in the automated test sphere, while most acquisitions will likely focus on software that enhances enterprise operations [6][8] - Competitors like ABB, Honeywell, Siemens, Schneider, and Yokogawa are also active in the industrial software acquisition space, indicating a competitive market [7] Technological Focus - Emerson emphasizes the importance of software in the industrial technology stack, aiming for a software-defined hardware advantage to improve productivity, reliability, safety, and sustainability [8] - The company launched 'Project Beyond', described as the industry's first software-defined, operational technology-ready digital platform, to manage AI applications and models [9][10] - The ultimate goal is to transition customers from digitally connected plants to self-optimizing and autonomous operations [8][10]