Chip manufacturer Microsemi has just acquired PMC-Sierra in an all-cash deal worth upwards of $2.5 billion. Microsemi beat out fellow chip manufacturer Skyworks to land PMC-Sierra by upping the offer from $2 billion to $2.5 billion. This acquisition is merely the latest example of the consolidation efforts taking place throughout the semiconductor industry. As customers look to purchase from fewer suppliers, chip manufacturers must scale up production, and the simplest way to accomplish this is to buy other smaller chip companies. Essentially, larger semiconductor companies are able to offer customers the most competitive pricing. Read more >>