Apple to buy fingerprint sensor maker AuthenTec for $356 million

27/07/2012 - 13:28

(Reuters) - Apple Inc has agreed to buy AuthenTec Inc for $8.00 per share, the maker of fingerprint sensor chips used in personal computers said, in a deal valued at about $356 million.

AuthenTec makes security software and chips for mobile phones that it licenses to companies such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS>. It also produces chips for fingerprint recognition and near-field communication (NFC).

Melbourne, Florida-based Authentec disclosed the deal in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Based on Thursday's closing price $5.07, the offer represents a premium of 58 percent for AuthenTec's shares.

AuthenTec, which also counts Lenovo Group Ltd <0992.HK>, Fujitsu Ltd <6702.T> and Dell Inc as customers, has annual revenue of about $70 million.

Piper Jaffray advised in the deal, the company said.

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee and Himank Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Ted Kerr)