Irvine-based chipmaker Broadcom Corp. said Tuesday it plans to buy Siliquent Technologies Inc. for $76 million in cash.
Mountain View-based Siliquent designs devices that boost the performance of networks and storage devices. It has research and development operations in Israel.
The deal has been approved by the boards of both companies and is set to close by Sept. 30. Broadcom also agreed to pay Siliquent option holders up to $7.8 million in Broadcom stock as part of the acquisition.
Broadcom’s once-heady acquisition pace has slowed some in the past year. Its most recent buys include San Diego wireless phone chip designer Zyray Wireless Inc. for $100 million, Andover, Mass.-based Sand Video Inc. for $77 million and San Diego-based Widcomm Inc., a provider of software for Bluetooth wireless products, for $49 million.
Siliquent was founded in 2001 and is a “fabless” chipmaker, which means it doesn’t manufacture its devices.
Siliquent has 59 employees designing 10 gibabit Ethernet controllers, which are considered the standard for the next wave of networking gear.
Broadcom said it might take a one-time charge for research and development expenses it’s acquiring in the deal. The undisclosed charge is set to be booked in the quarter ending Sept. 30.
Shares of Broadcom were up 2.6% to $39.4 in trading Tuesday.
