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IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced the acquisition of Confluent (NASDAQ: CFLT) for $11 billion, translating to $31 per share, a 34% premium over Confluent’s closing price prior to the announcement. The deal, aimed at enhancing IBM’s capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), is expected to close by mid-2026 pending regulatory and shareholder approval.
Confluent, known for its open-source platform, serves over 6,500 clients, including more than 40% of the Fortune 500 companies. The acquisition is projected to boost IBM’s free cash flow within two years post-closing, as global data usage is estimated to double by 2028 due to the increasing demand for data-driven applications.
Following the announcement, IBM’s shares saw a slight increase of less than 1% by 2:35 p.m. EST on Monday, amidst ongoing speculation about how the acquisition could enhance its AI and cloud offerings.
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