ARM completed its acquisition of Artisan Components on December 23, 2004. The announced deal offered Artisan shareholders $9.60 in cash plus 4.41 ARM American depositary shares (ADSs) for each Artisan share, with approximately $913 million in aggregate consideration implied at announcement. In 2025, Arm sold Artisan’s foundation-IP business to Cadence for $128.5 million; that later sale covered specified design assets, not a reversal of the 2004 corporate acquisition.
When did ARM acquire Artisan Components?
ARM and Artisan announced a definitive acquisition agreement on August 23, 2004. The merger became effective on December 23, 2004, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern, after the required shareholder approvals. ARM’s completion announcement valued the merger consideration at $36.32 per Artisan share.
How much did ARM pay?
The announced terms called for $9.60 in cash plus 4.41 ARM ADSs for each Artisan share. ARM and Artisan described the aggregate value as approximately $913 million, based on the reference prices used when they announced the transaction. This was an announcement-time valuation, not a claim that the same dollar amount was paid entirely in cash at closing.
Shareholders could elect to receive cash, ARM ADSs, ARM ordinary shares, or a combination, subject to proration under the SEC-filed terms. The per-share value cited at completion was $36.32.
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What did Artisan add to ARM?
Artisan brought physical-design intellectual property (IP) to ARM’s processor and system IP portfolio. The companies’ stated goal was to offer a broader set of system-on-chip (SoC) IP solutions, combining complementary technologies and sales channels. The filed announcement described the aim as combining to deliver SoC IP solutions and creating one of the industry’s broadest IP suppliers.
Who owns Artisan’s IP now?
There is no single current owner for every asset historically associated with Artisan. Arm’s 2026 SEC filing says it completed the sale of the Artisan foundation-IP business to Cadence on August 26, 2025, for aggregate consideration of $128.5 million. The business sold included standard-cell libraries, memory compilers, and general-purpose I/Os. That transaction identifies Cadence as the buyer of those specified assets; it does not mean Cadence acquired all of Arm or that the 2004 corporate merger was undone.
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