WASHINGTON (AP) — Private equity firm Carlyle Group said Friday that it is in talks to acquire Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc., which tests and assembles computer chips, for $5.46 billion.
Washington-based Carlyle said it is leading a group of investors that wants to make an all-cash acquisition of Taiwan-based Advanced Semiconductor for $5.94 per American depositary receipts. The offer represents a 13 percent premium over the Wednesday closing price of Advanced Semiconductor's shares.
The company's ADRs soared on news of the offer, up 80 cents, or 15.21 percent, to close at $6.06 on the New York Stock Exchange.
ASE's chairman and chief executive, Jason Chang, has agreed to roll his shares and those owned by his holding company, ASE Enterprises Ltd., into another holding company formed by the investor group. Chang and ASE Enterprises together own about 18.4 percent of Advanced Semiconductor shares.
Carlyle has made several large investments in the semiconductor industry. The firm, as part of a buyout consortium, announced plans to buy chip-maker Freescale Semiconductor Inc. Sept. 15 for $17.6 billion. Carlyle also owns Jazz Semiconductor, AZ Electronics and Toshiba Ceramics.