4 | Avago Technologies buys Broadcom for $37 billion in 2015 | Avago Technologies bought Broadcom Corp, best known for its connectivity chips, in $37 billion cash and stock deal, making the largest merger of chipmakers ever. (Image: Reuters)

Chipmaker Broadcom Inc is in talks to acquire cloud service provider VMware Inc, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Negotiations between Broadcom and VMware are ongoing and a deal is not imminent, the sources said. The deal terms under discussion could not be learned.

The acquisition would further diversify Broadcom's business away from semiconductors and into enterprise software, following its $18.9 billion acquisition of CA Technologies and its $10.7 billion purchase of Symantec Corp's security division in the last four years.

Bloomberg News first reported the deal late on Sunday. Broadcom and VMware did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. As of Friday's market close, the market capitalization of VMware was $40.3 billion.

Michael Dell is VMware's biggest investor with a 40% stake as a result of Dell Technologies Inc having spun out VMWare to its shareholders last year, according to Refinitiv data.

Private equity firm Silver Lake, which has previously invested in Broadcom, is VMware's second largest shareholder with a 10% stake, Refinitiv data shows.

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Broadcom in talks to acquire VMware: Sources

Negotiations between Broadcom and VMware are ongoing and a deal is not imminent, the sources said. The deal terms under discussion could not be learned.

4 | Avago Technologies buys Broadcom for $37 billion in 2015 | Avago Technologies bought Broadcom Corp, best known for its connectivity chips, in $37 billion cash and stock deal, making the largest merger of chipmakers ever. (Image: Reuters)