AMD To Acquire Assets of National Semiconductor's Information Appliance Business Unit; Strategic Acquisition Extends AMD's Commitment to x86 From Embedded Appliances to High-End Servers.Business Editors SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2003 Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AMD (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, www.amd.com) A major manufacturer of semiconductor devices including x86-compatible CPUs, embedded processors, flash memories, programmable logic devices and networking chips. ) today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire substantially all of the assets of the Information Appliance See Internet appliance. (hardware) Information Appliance - (IA) A consumer device that performs only a few targeted tasks and is controlled by a simple touch-screen interface or push buttons on the device's enclosure. (IA) business unit of National Semiconductor (NYSE: NSM (Network and System Management) Running and controlling the networks and computer systems in an enterprise. See network management. ) to enhance AMD's Personal Connectivity Solutions group's (PCS (1) (Personal Communications Services) Refers to wireless services that emerged after the U.S. government auctioned commercial licenses in 1994 and 1995. This radio spectrum in the 1. ) product portfolio. Financial terms of the sale, which is expected to be completed by the end of August, were not disclosed. Under the terms of the acquisition, AMD would acquire certain intellectual property and assets from National Semiconductor, consisting primarily of the Geode(TM) family of microprocessor products. In addition, it is anticipated that approximately 132 personnel from the IA business unit would join AMD's PCS group. "With this acquisition, AMD would be the only company with the assets, dedicated resources and strategic vision to deliver a common, industry standard architecture from embedded applications to mobile, desktop and servers," said Hector Ruiz, president and chief executive officer, AMD. The acquisition would allow AMD to offer the Geode product line in thin client, smart display and set-top box The cable TV box that sits on "top" of the TV "set," although it is often located several feet away in an equipment rack. The set-top box descrambles the premium channels and provides a tuner for the higher cable numbers that very old TVs did not support. markets among others. The Geode product family includes an integrated silicon and system solution set designed with embedded x86 processors optimized for power and performance. "With this acquisition we intend to expand our commitment to our current customer base and markets, while creating new opportunities for AMD to extend the x86 architecture The generic term x86 refers to the "CISC" type instruction set of the most commercially successful CPU architecture[1] in the history of personal computing, used in processors from Intel, AMD, VIA, and others. into new low power and high performance applications as the market demands, " said Billy Edwards, vice president and general manager, Personal Connectivity Solutions group, AMD. "Customers are asking us to simplify their options - and our vision is to deliver a single industry-standard architecture that can be optimized for all form factors. We look forward to warmly welcoming the IA team to AMD. The addition of the talented IA team is expected to accelerate our ability to deliver value to our existing customers and in new markets." "This deal makes sense for both companies," said Brian L. Halla, National's chairman, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "This allows National to focus on growing our core analog business and improving our returns. At the same time, AMD will be able to leverage the Geode technology through their existing manufacturing and marketing infrastructure. We intend to work with AMD to ensure a rapid and successful transition for our customers." About AMD Founded in 1969 and based in Sunnyvale, California Sunnyvale ([sʌniveil]) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 131,760. , AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a global supplier of integrated circuits Integrated circuits Miniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. for the personal and networked computer and communications markets with manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Asia. AMD, a Standard & Poor's 500 company, produces microprocessors, Flash memory devices, and silicon-based solutions for communications and networking applications. AMD on the Web For more information about AMD products, please visit our virtual pressroom at www.amd.com/news/virtualpress/index.html. Additional press releases and information about AMD and its products are available at www.amd.com/news/news.html. Cautionary Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Risks include the possibility that the transaction will not be completed because of the failure of certain closing conditions or dependencies, such as acceptance of employment offers by the required number of employees of National Semiconductor's IA business unit; and risks that, if completed, AMD's acquisition of the IA business unit will not result in AMD's attainment of the intended benefits of the transaction, customers of the Geode family of microprocessor products will not transition to AMD, and that demand for the Geode family of microprocessor products will be lower than currently expected. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in AMD's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other product and company names used in this publication are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies. |
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