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Subjects:
Computer Science, Theory & Methods
Symantec is an American computer software company founded on March 1, 1982. It is an international corporation that specializes in selling security and information management software, and is listed on the NASDAQ-100 stock market index and Fortune 1000 list of the largest American companies. Gary Hendrix founded the company in 1982 with the help of a National Science Foundation grant. Symantec was originally focused on artificial intelligence-related projects, and Hendrix hired several Stanford University natural language processing researchers as the company's first employees. After the company's initial public offering in 1989, Hendrix left the company in 1991 and moved to Texas . The company has acquired 57 companies, purchased stakes in 2 firms, and divested 26 companies, in which parts of the company are sold to another company. Of the companies that Symantec has acquired, 50 were based in the United States. Symantec has not released the financial details for most of these mergers and acquisitions. Symantec's first acquisition was C&E Software on January 1, 1984, and the founder of C&E Software, Gordon Eubanks, became the new chief executive officer of Symantec. The company has made five acquisitions with a value greater than $1 billion: LifeLock was acquired on Feb 9, 2017 for $2.3 billion, Bluecoat was acquired on Aug 1, 2016 for $4.65 billion, VeriSign was acquired on May 19, 2010 for $1.250 billion, Altiris was acquired on April 6, 2007 for $1.038 billion, and Symantec purchased Veritas Software on July 2, 2005 for $13 billion. The deal with Veritas was Symantec's largest acquisition and made Symantec the fifth-largest software company in the world. The company made the most acquisitions in 2004 with six: ON Technology, Brightmail, TurnTide, @stake, LIRIC Associates, and Platform Logic.
- computer software
- lifelock
- natural language
1. Acquisitions
| Date | Company | Business | Country | Value (USD) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | C&E Software | Software |  United States | — | [8] |
| 1987 | Living Videotext | Software | United States | — | [9] |
| 1987 | Think Technologies | Software | United States | — | [10] |
| 1990 | Peter Norton Computing | Computer software | United States | $70,000,000 | [11] |
| 1991 | Zortech International | Compiler software |  United Kingdom | $12,100,000 | [12] |
| 1991 | Dynamic Microprocessor Associates | Computer software | United States | $22,000,000 | [13] |
| 1991 | Leonard Development Group | Computer programming | United States | — | [14] |
| 1992 | Symantec UK | Wholesale software | United Kingdom | $26,200,000 | [15] |
| 1992 | MultiScope | Debugging software | United States | $6,765,000 | [16] |
| 1992 | Whitewater Group | Programming tools | United States | $3,280,000 | [17] |
| 1992 | Certus International | Anti-virus software | United States | $3,260,000 | [18] |
| 1993 | Contact Software International | Management software | United States | $47,000,000 | [19] |
| 1993 | Fifth Generation Systems | Utilities software | United States | $43,250,000 | [20] |
| 1993 | NetDistributor[note 1] | Software | United States | — | [21] |
| 1993 | Trik-Distributor Mgmt Utility[note 2] | Management software | United States | — | [22] |
| 1993 | DataEase Intl Inc-Cert Tech[note 3] | Software | United States | $8,180,000 | [23] |
| 1994 | Quest Development | Data management software | United States | — | [24] |
| 1994 | Central Point Software | Utility software | United States | $62,960,000 | [25] |
| 1994 | SLR Systems | Software | United States | $2,300,000 | [26] |
| 1994 | Intec Systems | Mobile computing | United States | $1,610,000 | [27] |
| 1995 | Sytron | Computer peripheral | United States | — | [28] |
| 1995 | Delrina | Software |  Canada | $378,080,000 | [29] |
| 1996 | Fast Track | Open network design | United States | $7,462,500 | [30] |
| 1998 | Eastman Software-Storage Mgmt[note 4] | Storage migration technology | United States | $10,000,000 | [31] |
| 1998 | Binary Research | Disk cloning technology |  New Zealand | $27,500,000 | [32] |
| 1998 | Intel Corp-Anti Virus Business[note 5] | Anti-virus software | United States | — | [33] |
| 1999 | Quarterdeck | Utilities and community software | United States | $78,411,000 | [34] |
| 1999 | Urlabs | Internet software | United States | — | [35] |
| 2000 | L-3 Commun Network Security[note 6] | Security solutions | United States | $20,000,000 | [36] |
| 2000 | AXENT Technologies | Security solutions | United States | $988,066,000 | [37] |
| 2001 | Lindner & Pelc Consult | Computer consulting |  Germany | — | [38] |
| 2002 | Mountain Wave | Enterprise security management | United States | $20,000,000 | [39] |
| 2002 | SecurityFocus | Cyber Intelligence | United States | $75,000,000 | [40] |
| 2002 | Recourse Technologies | Internet security | United States | $135,000,000 | [41] |
| 2002 | Riptech | Managed security | United States | $145,000,000 | [42] |
| 2003 | Roxio-Goback Sys Recovery Ast[note 7] | System recovery | United States | $13,000,000 | [43] |
| 2003 | Nexland | Internet access | United States | $19,600,000 | [44] |
| 2003 | SafeWeb Inc | Security and privacy | United States | $26,000,000 | [45] |
| 2003 | PowerQuest | Software | United States | $150,000,000 | [46] |
| 2004 | ON Technology | Network security software | United States | $101,110,000 | [47] |
| 2004 | Brightmail | Anti-spam software | United States | $370,000,000 | [48] |
| 2004 | TurnTide | Anti-spam software | United States | $28,000,000 | [49] |
| 2004 | @stake | Digital security | United States | — | [50] |
| 2004 | LIRIC Associates | Computer consulting | United Kingdom | — | [51] |
| 2004 | Platform Logic | Software | United States | — | [52] |
| 2005 | XtreamLok | Information Security |  Australia | $17,873,000 | [53][54][55] |
| 2005 | Veritas Software | Business applications software | United States | $1.352×1010 | [56][57] |
| 2005 | WholeSecurity | Security software | United States | $68,270,000 | [54][58] |
| 2005 | Sygate Technologies | Software | United States | $176,971,000 | [54][59] |
| 2006 | BindView | Network management software | United States | $220,716,000 | [54][60] |
| 2006 | IMlogic | IM protection software | United States | $90,700,000 | [54][61] |
| 2006 | Relicore | Management software | United States | $52,071,000 | [54][62] |
| 2006 | Revivio | Continuous data protection | United States | — | [63] |
| 2006 | Company-i | Information technology | United Kingdom | $37,000,000 | [64][65] |
| 2007 | 4FrontSecurity | Risk management | United States | $7,000,000 | [65][66] |
| 2007 | Altiris | IT management software | United States | $1.038238×109 | [67][68] |
| 2007 | Vontu | Data security software | United States | $350,000,000 | [69][68] |
| 2008 | Transparent Logic Technologies | Workflow optimization software | United States | $12,000,000 | [65] |
| 2008 | AppStream | Application Streaming | United States | $53,000,000 | [70][71] |
| 2008 | SwapDrive | Web-based software | United States | $124,000,000 | [72][73] |
| 2008 | nSuite Technologies | Desktop virtualization | United States | $20,000,000 | |
| 2008 | PC Tools | Utility software | Australia | $262,000,000 | [73][76] |
| 2008 | MessageLabs | SaaS Security Provider | United Kingdom | $630,000,000 | [77][78] |
| 2009 | Mi5 Networks | Web Security Gateway | United States | $18,000,000 | [73][79] |
| 2009 | SoftScan | SaaS Security Provider |  Denmark | — | [80] |
| 2010 | Gideon Technologies | Information security | United States | — | [81] |
| 2010 | PGP Corporation | Data Encryption | United States | $300,000,000 | [82] |
| 2010 | GuardianEdge | Endpoint Data Protection | United States | $70,000,000 | [82] |
| 2010 | VeriSign security business | Authentication Services | United States | $1.28×109 | [83] |
| 2010 | RuleSpace security business | Web content categorization | United States | — | [84] |
| 2011 | Clearwell Systems | eDiscovery | United States | $390,000,000 | [85] |
| 2012 | LiveOffice | SaaS Archiving | United States | $115,000,000 | [86] |
| 2012 | Odyssey Software | Mobile Device Management | United States | $36,000,000 | [87][88] |
| 2012 | Nukona | Mobile Application Management | United States | $28,000,000 | |
| 2012 | VeriSign Japan KK | IT Security Software |  Japan | — | [91] |
| 2013 | PasswordBank | Identity Management |  Spain | — | [92] |
| 2014 | NitroDesk | Mobile Data Protection | United States | — | [93] |
| 2015 | Blackfin Security | Cyber Security Training | United States | — | [94] |
| June 12, 2016 | Blue Coat Systems | Cyber Security | United States | $4.65×109 | [95][96] |
| November 20, 2016 | LifeLock | Identity Theft Protection | United States | $2.3×109 | [97] |
| 2017 | Watchful Software | IT Security Software |  Portugal | — | [98] |
| July 6, 2017 | Fireglass | Malware Prevention |  Israel | $225,000,000 | [99][100] |
| July 11, 2017 | Skycure | Mobile Threat Defense | United States | $205,000,000 | [101][100] |
| November 6, 2017 | SurfEasy, Inc. | VPN Provider | Canada | $38,500,000 | [102][103] |
| November 5, 2018 | Appthority | Mobile Application Security | United States | — | [104] |
| November 5, 2018 | Javelin Networks | Active Directory Security | Israel | — | [105] |
| February 12, 2019 | Luminate | Secure Application Access | Israel | $200,000,000 | [106] |
2. Investments
| Date | Company | Business | Country | Value (USD) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mocana | Security | United States | N/A | [107] |
3. Stakes
| Date | Company | Business | Country | Value (USD) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Brightmail[note 8] | Anti-spam software | United States | $18,000,000 | [108] |
| 2008 | Huawei Tech Co Ltd-Telecom[note 9] | Telecommunications |  China | $150,000,000 | [109] |
4. Divestitures
| Date | Acquirer | Target company | Target business | Acquirer country | Value (USD) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NMB | Seagate Technology-Composite | Recording heads | United States | — | [110] |
| 1989 | Carolian Systems International | Delrina[note 10] | Software | United States | — | [111] |
| 1990 | IBM | Delrina[note 11] | Software | United States | $1,900,000 | [112] |
| 1991 | Zortech | Symantec[note 12] | Software | United Kingdom | — | [113] |
| 1991 | Read-Rite | Conner Peripherals-Film Ops | Computer disk film | United States | — | [114] |
| 1991 | —[note 13] | Delrina | Software | — | $4,000,000 | [115] |
| 1993 | RR Donnelley Norwest | Central Point Software | In-house manufacturing | United States | — | [116] |
| 1993 | Overland Data | Conner Peripherals Inc-Cipher | Cipher tape drive | United States | $9,000,000 | [117] |
| 1993 | DOVatron International | Conner Periph SG-Surf Asm Elec | Disk drives | United States | — | [118] |
| 1995 | CenterLine Software | Veritas Software Corp-Vista | Software tools | United States | — | [119] |
| 1995 | Quarterdeck Office Systems | StarNine | Internet services provider | United States | $12,470,000 | [120] |
| 1995 | Investor Group | Time Line Solutions | Computer-based management | United States | — | [121] |
| 1996 | Creative Wonders | Delrina | Computer software | United States | — | [122] |
| 1996 | JetForm | Delrina Corp-Electronic Forms | Database software | Canada | $100,000,000 | [123] |
| 1997 | Elron Electronic Industries | ON Technology-Network Mgmt | Network management software | United States | $13,500,000 | [124] |
| 1997 | Elron Software | ON Technology Corp-Network | Network security software | United States | $13,500,000 | [125] |
| 1998 | Platinum Equity | StarNine Technologies | Internet services provider | United States | — | [126] |
| 1999 | SalesLogix | Symantec Corp-ACT! Software | Information management | United States | $85,787,000 | [127] |
| 2000 | Seagate Technology | Seagate Software | Wholesale software | United States | — | [128] |
| 2000 | Investor Group | Seagate Technology-Disk-Drive | Disk drives and storage devices | United States | $2×109 | [129] |
| 2000 | Black Box Corporation | Intec Systems | Mobile computing | United States | — | [130] |
| 2002 | Sonic Solutions | Veritas-Desktop, Mobile Div | Software | United States | $9,200,000 | [131] |
| 2004 | TechTarget | myITforum | Web portal | United States | — | [132] |
| 2006 | Symantec[note 14] | Symantec | Internet software | United States | $1×109 | [133] |
| 2008 | Vector Capital | Symantec Corp-Application | Internet software | United States | — | [134] |
| 2008 | Electronic Evidence Discovery | Daticon | Litigation software | United States | — | [135] |
| 2016 | The Carlyle Group | Veritas Technologies | data management software | United States | — | [136] |
5. Notes
- ↑ NetDistributor was acquired from Trik.
- ↑ Trik-Distributor Mgmt Utility was acquired from Trik.
- ↑ DataEase Intl Inc-Cert Tech was acquired from DataEase International.
- ↑ Eastman Software-Storage Mgmt was acquired from eiStream.
- ↑ Intel Corp-Anti Virus Business was acquired from Intel Corporation.
- ↑ L-3 Commun Network Security was acquired from L-3 Communications.
- ↑ Roxio-Goback Sys Recovery Ast was acquired from Napster.
- ↑ Symantec acquired an 11% stake in Brightmail.
- ↑ Huawei Tech Co Ltd-Telecom is owned by Huawei Technologies.
- ↑ Carolian Systems International acquired a 51.5% interest in Delrina.
- ↑ IBM acquired an 11% stake in Delrina.
- ↑ Zortech acquired 238,095 common shares of Symantec.
- ↑ A minority stake of Delrina was acquired by an undisclosed acquiror.
- ↑ Symantec repurchased the company's common stock outstanding in open market or privately negotiated transactions.