Dell buys EMC for $67 billion in largest-ever tech acquisition

Dell is buying data storage company EMC in a deal valued at approximately $67 billion, a move that will transform the PC company into a major player in the data storage market.

The acquisition cements the focus by Dell, once a pioneer in the personal computer business, away from hardware like PCs to the more profitable areas of storage and other business services.

Since going private in 2013, Dell Inc. has been investing in research and development and expanding its software and services business as those in the technology industry continue to struggle with soft PC sales.

"Our new company will be exceptionally well-positioned for growth in the most strategic areas of next generation IT including digital transformation, software-defined data center, converged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, mobile and security," Michael Dell said in a written statement.

Dell will serve as chairman and CEO of the combined company. Joe Tucci, chairman and CEO of EMC, will remain in those roles until the deal is complete.

FBR analyst Daniel Ives said the deal means Dell is "no longer your grandma's PC company."

"It's a landmark, historic deal that really brings them into the enterprise market and makes them a behemoth," said FBR analyst Daniel Ives.

The deal had been rumored for weeks. EMC, based in Hopkinton, Mass., makes data storage equipment and provides other IT services to companies. It also has an 80 percent stake in cloud-computing company VMware Inc., which will stay an independent, publicly traded company.

EMC has been facing tough competition in the storage sector as companies including Amazon, Microsoft and IBM have stepped up cloud storage offerings.

Forrester analyst Glenn O'Donnell said the deal is good news for EMC and its customers.

"Speculation has been somewhat scary for them, but Dell is a trusted player and a low-risk 'soft landing' for these customers," he said. It's a good move for Dell too, he added.

"Dell is fairly weak on storage, and EMC will help give it a full portfolio that it needs to compete with HP, Cisco, IBM, and the growing threat from Huawei," he said.

Shareholders of EMC Corp. will receive about $33.15 per share, which includes cash plus tracking stock linked to part of EMC's economic interest in the VMware business. That's a 19 percent premium to EMC's Friday closing price of $27.86.

Dell Inc.'s headquarters will stay in Round Rock, Texas. The combined enterprise systems business headquarters will be in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where EMC is based.

The deal, which was approved by EMC's board, is targeted to close in the second or third quarter of Dell's fiscal year ending Feb. 3, 2017. It still needs approval from EMC shareholders.

Dell, started by Michael Dell in 1984 when he was just a teenager, went on to change the PC business with low costs, customized orders and direct sales first over the phone and later the Internet.

EMC shares rose 73 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $28.59 in morning trading on Monday.