Overview
- Reuters and other outlets reported that private equity firm Silver Lake held confidential acquisition talks with Workday that became public on Thursday and remain unconfirmed.
- News of the reported talks sent Workday shares up about 18% on Thursday and triggered multiple trading halts as volatility pushed the company’s market value from roughly $43 billion to about $51.1 billion.
- Sources say the discussions are ongoing with no guarantee a deal will happen and that Silver Lake could bring in co‑investors to finance what would be one of the largest software buyouts.
- Analysts told reporters that a completed buyout would be a major signal that private equity still backs large enterprise software names despite investor worries that AI could erode traditional software business models.
- Workday serves more than 11,500 customers worldwide and has seen its stock fall from 2024 highs, so a take‑private would reshape options for employees, customers and public shareholders and test whether private buyers will re‑value the sector.