Jin Rong Jie·2025-12-08 14:43Core Viewpoint - IBM announced the acquisition of data streaming platform Confluent for a total enterprise value of approximately $11 billion, including debt, with a per-share price of $31, corresponding to an equity value of about $9.3 billion [1] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition is expected to be completed by mid-2026 and will be one of IBM's largest strategic investments to date [1] - This acquisition aims to strengthen IBM's enterprise software portfolio in the field of real-time data processing for artificial intelligence [1] Group 2: Background and Rationale - Unlike the recent trend of mergers and acquisitions in the AI sector focusing on data centers and computing power, IBM's acquisition of Confluent emphasizes enhancing its capabilities in real-time data streaming software [1] - The transaction is built on a five-year collaboration between IBM and Confluent, during which some of IBM's clients have already utilized Confluent's data streaming platform [1]