Proofpoint acquires Varonis in $6.3bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

In a combination that creates a new cyber security powerhouse, Thoma Bravo portfolio company Proofpoint is to acquire data security software provider Varonis Systems in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $6.3bn.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Varonis shareholders will receive $49.75 per share in cash – a purchase price representing a premium of 52 percent to Varonis’ closing stock price of $32.71 on 22 June 2026.

Together, the combined company – which will serve more than 16,000 enterprises and millions of organisations globally – intends to deliver a unified platform that helps organisations adopt artificial intelligence (AI) with confidence: finding and protecting sensitive data, controlling what people and AI can access, and stopping data loss.

“As AI becomes embedded across the enterprise, the data it can access determines both its value and its risk,” said Sumit Dhawan, chief executive of Proofpoint. “AI agents are increasingly accessing sensitive information and taking action across systems, making it critical for organisations to understand not only what data needs protecting and who can access it, but how it is actually being used.

“By connecting communications, identities, permissions, data, and AI, we are creating an intelligence advantage that helps customers see risk more clearly, respond faster, and defend against the next generation of AI risks,” he continued. “This is a defining step in Proofpoint’s evolution into a cyber security platform built for the future of AI.”

Following closing, Proofpoint intends to move quickly to integrate the companies’ capabilities, align go-to-market efforts, and accelerate delivery of the combined platform to customers.

“This transaction is an excellent outcome for the company and our shareholders, representing a realisation of immediate, significant, and certain value well in excess of the risk-adjusted value of delivering against our standalone plan,” saidYaki Faitelson, chief executive, co-founder and chairman of the board of directors at Varonis.”

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the Varonis board of directors, is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Varonis shareholders and receipt of regulatory approvals.

Mr Faitelson added: “Our mission is to secure AI and the data that powers it. By joining forces with Proofpoint, we can achieve this mission faster than ever.”

News: Thoma Bravo's Proofpoint to buy Varonis Systems in $6.3 billion all-cash deal

Devon Energy to exit Eagle Ford for $4.2bn

BY Richard Summerfield

Devon Energy has agreed to sell its Eagle Ford assets to Crescent Energy in a $4.2bn deal, as part of its ongoing portfolio review.

The deal, which carries an effective date of 1 July 2026, and is expected to close near year-end 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, will involve about 68,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe/d) per day of production – around 4 percent of Devon’s total production – and approximately 90,000 net acres in the Texan counties of DeWitt, Gonzales and Karnes, according to separate statements by the companies.

Devon, a Houston, Texas-based Delaware Basin-focused producer, said it intends to use part of the proceeds of the deal to reduce debt. Devon had $11.4bn in outstanding debt as of the end of the second quarter, compared to a cash balance of $1bn and an undrawn credit facility of $3bn. The company has been re-evaluating its portfolio following a $58bn merger with Coterra Energy. Devon is increasingly focused on its core operations in the Permian Basin.

According to Crescent, the acquisition will expand its minerals and royalties business. The deal includes Devon-owned mineral interests that add roughly $50m in royalties earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), while increasing the share of Crescent royalties production operated by the company.

Crescent has been rapidly developing its Eagle Ford position, where the company has completed nine acquisitions since June 2023. Following closing, Crescent expects total production of about 400,000 boe/d, including roughly 170,000 b/d of oil.

“This acquisition represents a significant step forward for Crescent, adding high-quality assets at an attractive valuation in the heart of one of our core operating areas,” said David Rockecharlie, chief executive of Crescent Energy. “We know these assets exceptionally well through our longstanding minerals ownership and nearby operations, and see meaningful opportunity to make them even better. The transaction solidifies Crescent’s world-class Eagle Ford position and creates significant additional value creation opportunities through our proven operating strategy.”

“This sale is a direct outcome of our ongoing portfolio review, and it sharpens our focus on the highest-return, longest-duration assets,” said Clay Gaspar, president and chief executive of Devon Energy. “Over the past several years, we have leveraged technology to lower costs and increase productivity while coring up our Eagle Ford acreage footprint, and the attractive price agreed to reflects both the quality of the assets and that work. Selling a relatively mature asset into a strong commodity price environment improves our go-forward capital efficiency and allows us to accelerate share buybacks, strengthen our balance sheet and increase long-term value for shareholders.”

News: Devon sheds Eagle Ford assets for $4.2 billion to deepen Permian bet

Emera acquires Canadian Utilities in C$14.3bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

In the largest merger of two Canadian companies in history, multinational energy holding company Emera is to acquire its rival Canadian Utilities in an all-stock transaction valued at C$14.3bn.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Emera will acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of Canadian Utilities and the ATCO Group, which owns a controlling stake in Canadian Utilities.

Operating as Emera, the combined company will have greater financial strength, broader capabilities and enhanced investment capacity to support expected growing energy and infrastructure needs across its operations.

This increased scale will position the company to support a range of capital-intensive priorities, electrification projects, major natural gas and electric transmission investments, large load customers, export infrastructure and other large-scale energy infrastructure projects.

“This merger creates a Canadian utility and energy infrastructure powerhouse with the scale, financial capacity and expertise to invest in the systems our customers will rely on for decades,” said Scott Balfour, president and chief executive of Emera. “As demand rises from electrification trends and major infrastructure development, the combined company will be better positioned to help meet growing energy needs and power Canada’s growth ambitions.”

The combination of Emera, with approximately 70 percent of earnings from operations in Florida, and Canadian Utilities with approximately 80 percent from operations in Alberta, creates a company with approximately 95 percent of earnings from regulated utilities, and approximately 80 percent of earnings generated in Florida and Alberta, two of the highest growth jurisdictions in North America.

“Together, these companies are expected to be better equipped to pursue opportunities created by economic growth, infrastructure expansion and increasing focus on security and resilience, creating long-term value for shareowners and Canadians alike,” added said Nancy Southern, chair and chief executive of ATCO.

Completion of the transaction – which is expected in the third or fourth quarter of 2027 – is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including applicable shareholder, court and regulatory approvals.

Bob Myles, chief executive of Canadian Utilities Limited, concluded: “This merger will result a stronger, more resilient company - one that is better positioned to pursue new opportunities, support our people and communities, and deliver long-term value for shareholders.”

News: Emera bulks up for power demand boom with $10 billion Canadian Utilities deal

Schneider Electric strikes $22.6bn PTC deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Schneider Electric has agreed to acquire US software maker PTC in a $22.6bn all-cash deal as it begins to expand its data centre business amid growing demand.

The deal is to be financed through an issuance of new shares worth €5bn to €6bn under an existing shareholder authorisation, and new debt of €16bn to €17bn.

Schneider will acquire PTC for $205 per share, an offer which implies an enterprise value of $23.7bn for PTC and represents a 42.3 percent premium to its last closing price before the deal was announced. The acquisition is expected to close by the third quarter of 2027, subject to approvals from PTC shareholders and regulators.

The deal for PTC comes amid concerns that advances in artificial intelligence could undermine software companies’ business models by offering cheaper alternatives to their services.

“The acquisition of PTC represents an important step forward in our ambition to lead the new era of Energy and Industrial Intelligence,” said Olivier Blum, chief executive of Schneider Electric. “Together, we are creating the industry’s most complete Software & AI powerhouse and highest-quality portfolio bridging the physical and digital worlds. By connecting and contextualizing data across the lifecycle of products and assets, we will create a unique digital thread for the next generation of Industrial AI, helping customers to optimize their systems with greater intelligence from design and build to operate and maintain.

“Together, with Cognite’s1 unique AI capabilities, we will accelerate innovation, unlock new opportunities and create long-term value for our customers, employees and shareholders as we shape the future of Energy and Industrial Intelligence,” he added.

“PTC provides the software the world’s leading manufacturers and product companies rely on to design, build, and maintain great products and unlock more value from their product data in an increasingly AI driven world,” said Neil Barua, president and chief executive of PTC. “Joining Schneider Electric is an incredible opportunity to elevate the scope and impact of what we deliver for our customers globally. We gain substantial scale and resources to accelerate innovation, advance our Intelligent Product Lifecycle vision, and expand our business into more geographies and end markets to serve more customers.”

Mr Barua added the all-cash transaction represents the culmination of the board’s efforts to maximise shareholder value, delivering clear and compelling value to shareholders while reflecting the strength of the company’s business, strategic direction and workforce.

PTC has more than 7000 employees and serves more than 30,000 customers. It generated roughly half of its revenue in the Americas in its 2025 financial year.

News: Schneider Electric to buy US software firm PTC in $22.6 billion deal

AMD to acquire World Labs in $8.2bn all-stock deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has agreed to acquire artificial intelligence (AI) startup World Labs in an all-stock deal valued at $8.2bn.

The transaction is expected to bring model experts and researchers together to strengthen AMD’s ability to produce AI hardware and software systems. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

World Labs co-founder and chief executive officer Fei-Fei Li will join AMD as executive vice president and chief scientist, reporting to Lisa Su, chair and chief executive of AMD. Dr Li is a pioneer and researcher in the AI space.

World Labs’ expertise in making advanced models will give AMD “deeper insight into how workloads are evolving”, said AMD in a statement announcing the deal. The company’s move for World Labs comes as many large semiconductor designers are moving to support AI in physical AI, robotics and simulation.

“Building the compute platforms for the next generation of AI requires a deep understanding of how models are evolving,” said Dr Su. “Fei-Fei and the World Labs team bring exceptional research leadership and model expertise. Together, we can use that insight to develop the hardware, software and systems that will power the next generation of AI and strengthen the open AI ecosystem.”

“Advancing the next generation of AI technology requires close collaboration across model research, systems and compute,” said Dr Li. “Joining AMD will give our team the resources and engineering depth to accelerate our research and help define the infrastructure needed for the next era of AI.”

San Francisco-based World Labs develops spatial intelligence models used to generate and simulate 3D worlds from text, image and video inputs and tech for robotics learning and simulation. The company has around 70 staff and reportedly reached a $5bn valuation after a February funding round. AMD has been a funder of World Labs in the past.

The acquisition is AMD’s second largest on record, following the roughly $50bn it paid for Xilinx in 2022. The company is attempting to make inroads into the AI M&A market as other US tech giants also continue to pursue top engineering and research talent. In recent years, Nvidia has spent around $33bn on AI chipmaker Groq and open-source platform Hugging Face. Likewise, Meta spent around $14bn in 2025 to acquire a minority stake in Scale AI in a deal that brought in the startup’s founder, Alexandr Wang, to create up a new AI division.

News: AMD to buy Fei-Fei Li's World Labs in $8.2 billion bet on ‘physical AI’