Cisco Said to Have Discussed Splunk Bid Before Talks Broke Down

Cisco Systems Inc.held talks with Splunk Inc. about a takeover that could have been its biggest deal ever, but the discussions fell apart in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the situation.

The companies are no longer in talks about a deal, and it’s unclear whether Cisco is still interested in Splunk, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on the discussions, saying that Cisco offered more than $20 billion for the software company. That sent shares of Splunk up as much as 16% in ...