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Several private equity firms are vying to acquire Japanese cybersecurity company Trend Micro, which currently holds a market value of Y1.32trn ($8.54bn), reported Reuters citing sources familiar with the matter.
Firms such as Bain Capital, Advent International, and EQT AB have shown interest in taking Trend Micro private, the report says.
KKR is also an interested party, two of the sources told the publication.
If a takeover materialises, it would mark one of the largest leveraged buyouts in recent months.
However, the sources noted that a deal is not guaranteed, and Trend Micro could choose to remain independent.
Trend Micro's exploration of a sale began after it received acquisition interest in 2024.
The company, established in 1988 by Steve Chang, Jenny Chang, and Eva Chen, initially focused on antivirus software but has since expanded into cloud computing, network, and endpoint security.
The company's major partners include AWS, Google, Capgemini, Microsoft and IBM among others.
Its solutions, including security software, network, and web security, mobile device security, and anti-spam products, are utilised across various settings, from homes to enterprise businesses.
In June 2024, Trend Micro announced the integration of NVIDIA technology to develop new AI-powered cybersecurity tools, further enhancing data centre protection.
Also in 2024, Reuters reported that Advent, Bain and EQT were considering acquiring cybersecurity firm Rapid7.
The company, which is being advised by Goldman Sachs, was in early-stage stage of talks with private equity firms.
"Private equity firms compete for Trend Micro" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.
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