SoftBank Group Corp. explored a potential takeover of US chipmaker Marvell Technology Inc. earlier this year, people familiar with the matter said, in what would have been the semiconductor industry’s largest-ever deal.
The Japanese conglomerate’s billionaire founder, Masayoshi Son, has been studying Marvell as a possible target on and off for years, according to the people. It’s part of his efforts to bet on hardware that can benefit from the artificial intelligence boom. SoftBank made overtures to Marvell several months ago, but the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement on terms, the people said.
Masayoshi Son
Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg
SoftBank was eyeing Marvell ...
