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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Marvell agreed in 2019 to buy Avera Semiconductor, GlobalFoundries’ application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) business, and completed the acquisition on November 5, 2019. The announced price was $650 million in cash plus a possible additional $90 million; Marvell later reported $593.5 million in purchase consideration, net of working capital and other adjustments. A separate GlobalFoundries–Marvell agreement announced in 2026 concerns manufacturing capacity, not another sale of the ASIC business.
What is Avera Semiconductor?
Avera Semiconductor was the ASIC business that GlobalFoundries agreed to sell to Marvell in 2019. ASICs are chips designed for particular applications rather than general-purpose computing. In announcing the deal, Marvell described Avera as bringing custom design capabilities, a revenue base and strategic design wins with infrastructure original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The companies did not publish figures for Avera’s revenue, market share or customer count in the reviewed transaction materials.
Marvell said the acquisition would broaden its offerings from standard and semi-custom products to full ASIC solutions. CEO Matt Murphy said, “Our acquisition of Avera enables us to offer the complete spectrum of product architectures spanning standard, semi-custom to full ASIC solutions.” This was the company’s strategic rationale, not a measured result of the acquisition.
When did Marvell buy Avera?
Marvell announced definitive agreements to acquire Avera on May 20, 2019. Its SEC-filed annual report says the acquisition closed on November 5, 2019. The transaction is completed; it is not a current sale process.
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How much did Marvell pay for GlobalFoundries’ ASIC business?
The announcement terms and the later reported consideration are different figures and should not be treated as interchangeable.
| Measure | What the companies or filing reported |
|---|---|
| Announced cash at closing | $650 million, stated in the May 2019 announcement. |
| Possible additional payment | Up to $90 million if specified business conditions were met within 15 months, according to the May 2019 announcement. |
| Later reported purchase consideration | $593.5 million, net of working capital and other adjustments, as reported by Marvell in its SEC-filed annual report. |
| Additional-asset condition | Marvell later reported that the condition for the additional asset purchase was terminated by agreement with GlobalFoundries in July 2020. |
| Transaction status | Closed November 5, 2019, according to Marvell’s annual report. |
The $650 million and possible $90 million describe the announced terms; $593.5 million is the later filing’s net purchase-consideration figure. Because the figures use different descriptions and accounting adjustments, the announcement’s headline amount should not be presented as the final net consideration.
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What did the 2019 deal include, and why did Marvell pursue it?
Marvell framed the acquisition as a way to combine Avera’s custom ASIC design capabilities and infrastructure OEM design wins with Marvell’s technology platform and scale. Its stated target markets included wired and wireless infrastructure, including 5G base stations. The announcement also referred to Avera’s revenue base, without quantifying it, and a new long-term wafer supply agreement between GlobalFoundries and Marvell.
Those statements explain the companies’ rationale and expectations at announcement. They do not, on their own, establish that the expected strategic or financial benefits were later achieved.
What does the GlobalFoundries and Marvell deal mean now?
A later agreement announced on September 17, 2026, is a separate development. GlobalFoundries and Marvell said they would expand capacity for GlobalFoundries’ silicon germanium (SiGe) technology at its Burlington, Vermont facility to support demand for next-generation optical connectivity. GlobalFoundries described the agreement as building on more than a decade of collaboration.
| Development | Date | What it concerns | Stated purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avera acquisition | Announced May 20, 2019; closed November 5, 2019 | Marvell’s acquisition of GlobalFoundries’ ASIC business | Combine custom design capabilities with Marvell’s platform and scale for infrastructure markets. |
| Expanded SiGe agreement | Announced September 17, 2026 | Expanded manufacturing capacity at GlobalFoundries’ Burlington facility | Support demand for next-generation optical connectivity. |
The 2026 announcement is about manufacturing capacity and technology collaboration. It does not describe a second sale of Avera or GlobalFoundries’ ASIC business.
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Sources
- GlobalFoundries’ May 20, 2019 announcement.
- Marvell’s May 20, 2019 announcement.
- Marvell’s SEC-filed annual report, reporting the closing date, net purchase consideration and termination of the additional-asset condition.
- GlobalFoundries’ September 17, 2026 announcement of expanded SiGe capacity.
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