Rumor: AMD, Micron among firms to go private

Various reports claim that Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Micron Technology and Lexmark are considering going the private-equity route.

According to the IdahoStatesman, Micron is rumored to be a buy-out candidate amid wild activity with its stock late last week. CNBC reported May 25 that private-equity giant Blackstone Capital Partners is interested in the company.

Last week, rumor had it that ''Lexmark, Micron and AMD were all on the verge of going private,'' according to a report from SG Cowen Securities. Micron lost money in its recent quarter amid a downturn in the DRAM and NAND flash markets. AMD is also struggling and is seeing red ink.

Freescale, NXP and others went the private-equity route last year.

Other rumors circulated last week include Oracle to make a bid for SAP, Nokia to bid for Research in Motion and Tokyo Electron Ltd would buy Lam Research Corp., according to SG Cowen.

- Mark LaPedus
EE Times