Wall Street reacted Monday to rumors that Garmin Ltd. may be targeted by Microsoft Corp. as an acquisition — Garmin shares jumped 5 percent as a result. Head equity traders told Bloomberg News that the speculation may be riding a wave borne of news that Nokia Oyj had agreed to buy Navteq Corp., which happens to produces data used by Garmin in its navigation programs. That buyout is credited with triggering a “who’s next” mentality among some traders and apparently Garmin is imagined as the most likely target. Others, however, put little faith in the rumors. “It doesn’t make any sense at all … Microsoft always is rumored to be buying someone,” Rob Sanderson of American Technology Research told the Kansas City Star. Sanderson says Microsoft has not yet bought another company as large as Garmin and for that reason a buyout seems unlikely. Speaking for Garmin, Ted Gartner declined comment. Garmin stock has been both volatile and pricey lately. Shares rose or fell by more than 3 percent each day through most of last week and have been pricey — over $105 per share.
Your Garmin, Now By Microsoft?
Key Takeaways:
- Rumors of a potential Microsoft acquisition caused Garmin's stock to jump 5%.
- This speculation is partly fueled by recent tech industry buyouts, like Nokia acquiring Navteq, creating a "who's next" sentiment among traders.
- Some analysts express skepticism about the rumors, citing Microsoft's history of not acquiring companies as large as Garmin.
- Garmin declined to comment, while its stock has recently experienced volatility and high prices.
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