Avast and AVG Join Security Forces in $1.3 Billion Deal

The endpoint security infinite, known for having a handful of players dominating the marketplace, is experiencing a huge milk shake-upward as 2 of the larger brands are teaming upwardly in a billion Dollar deal that will create multiple ripple effects.

This motility will immediately touch the freeware, desktop and mobile antivirus software, and business security suite industries. Simply put, Avast Software is set to acquire AVG Technologies for US$1.3 billion, a move that volition re-shuffle the unabridged security software deck.

The organization, co-ordinate to Avast, will give the combined visitor a network of more than 400 million endpoints, 160 million of which are mobile. In the company's press release, Avast said the bargain will aggrandize the provider'south accomplish in Internet security and help information technology expand into emerging markets including Cyberspace of Things (IoT) security.

The bargain gives Avast a substantial combined portfolio of security products. As is, the Avast line-up includes, amidst other products, Avast Software Premium Business Security, Avast Net Security 2022, Avast Pro Antivirus 2022, and Avast Free Antivirus 2022.

AVG CEO Gary Kovacs added that the newly formed security giant's calibration will assist the company accelerate investments in growing markets while maintaining a focus on consumer and business security suites. AVG brings its own arsenal of products to the table, including AVG AntiVirus (2016), AVG Protection (2016), AVG CloudCare, and AVG Internet Security (2016), amid others.

"As the definition of online security continues to shift from beingness device-centric, to beingness concerned with devices, data and people, we believe the combined visitor, with the strengthened value suggestion, will emerge as a leader in this growing market," said Kovacs.

Avast volition pay The states$25 per share in the all-greenbacks deal, for which the company has received financing commitments from investment banking firms Credit Suisse, Jefferies, and UBS.

AVG is a publicly traded company (Avast isn't), and so AVG's board still needs to formally approve the deal. Avast also contributed US$150 million in disinterestedness to fund the transaction—whereby, upon approval, the deal is expected to close in September or October 2022.

"Nosotros will have over 250 1000000 PC/Mac users enabling u.s.a. to gather even more threat data to better the protection to our users. In mobile, our combined 160 million mobile users volition exist used to meliorate protection likewise as to provide an of import stepping stone into the Internet of Things," added Steckler. "Additionally, we will be gaining some exciting mobile technology designed to protect families online. In the business space, nosotros will be meliorate able to support our business users with a larger geographic footprint, better technical support, and the best technologies from our two companies."

Nearly Rob Marvin

Rob Marvin

Rob Marvin is PCMag's Associate Features Editor. He writes features, news, and trend stories on all manner of emerging technologies. Beats include: startups, business and venture upper-case letter, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, AI, augmented and virtual reality, IoT and automation, legal cannabis tech, social media, streaming, security, mobile commerce, One thousand&A, and entertainment. Rob was previously Assistant Editor and Associate Editor in PCMag'due south Business section. Prior to that, he served as an editor at SD Times. He graduated from Syracuse University'due south S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. You can also find his concern and tech coverage on Entrepreneur and Fox Business concern. Rob is also an unabashed nerd who does occasional entertainment writing for …