Gen Digital, formerly known as Symantec and NortonLifeLock, is a multinational computer software company founded on March 1, 1982. It is an international corporation that specializes in selling security and information management software. Gary Hendrix founded the company in 1982 with the help of a National Science Foundation grant. Symantec was originally focused on artificial intelligence-related projects, and Hendrix hired several Stanford University natural language processing researchers as the company's first employees. After the company's initial public offering in 1989, Hendrix left the company in 1991 and moved to Texas. The company has acquired 57 companies, purchased stakes in 2 firms, and divested 26 companies, in which parts of the company are sold to another company. Of the companies that Symantec has acquired, 50 were based in the United States. Symantec has not released the financial details for most of these mergers and acquisitions.
Symantec's first acquisition was C&E Software on January 1, 1984, and the founder of C&E Software, Gordon Eubanks, became the new chief executive officer of Symantec. The company has made five acquisitions with a value greater than $1 billion: LifeLock was acquired on Feb 9, 2017 for $2.3 billion, Blue Coat Systems was acquired on Aug 1, 2016 for $4.65 billion, VeriSign was acquired on May 19, 2010, for $1.250 billion, Altiris was acquired on April 6, 2007, for $1.038 billion, and Symantec purchased Veritas Software on July 2, 2005, for $13 billion. The deal with Veritas was Symantec's largest acquisition and made Symantec the fifth-largest software company in the world. Symantec made the most acquisitions in 2004 with six: ON Technology, Brightmail, TurnTide, @stake, LIRIC Associates, and Platform Logic. The company divested its enterprise-security software business to Broadcom for $10.7 billion in 2019 and adopted the NortonLifeLock name. On November 7, 2022, NortonLifeLock rebranded to Gen Digital after completed its merger with Avast in last September.
Acquisitions
Date Company Business Country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) References C&E Software Software — Living Videotext Software — — Think Technologies Software — — Peter Norton Computing Computer software $ $ Zortech International Compiler software $ $ Dynamic Microprocessor Associates Computer software $ $ Leonard Development Group Computer programming — — Symantec UK Wholesale software $ $ MultiScope Debugging software $ $ Whitewater Group Programming tools $ $ Certus International Anti-virus software $ $ Contact Software International Management software $ $ Fifth Generation Systems Utilities software $ $ NetDistributorNetDistributor was acquired from Trik. Software — — Trik-Distributor Mgmt UtilityTrik-Distributor Mgmt Utility was acquired from Trik. Management software — — DataEase Intl Inc-Cert TechDataEase Intl Inc-Cert Tech was acquired from DataEase International. Software $ $ Quest Development Data management software — — Central Point Software Utility software $ $ SLR Systems Software $ $ Intec Systems Mobile computing $ $ Sytron Computer peripheral — — Delrina Software $ $ Fast Track Open network design $ $ Eastman Software-Storage MgmtEastman Software-Storage Mgmt was acquired from eiStream. Storage migration technology $ $ Binary Research Disk cloning technology $ $ Intel Corp-Anti Virus BusinessIntel Corp-Anti Virus Business was acquired from Intel Corporation. Anti-virus software — — Quarterdeck Utilities and community software $ $ Urlabs Internet software — — L-3 Commun Network SecurityL-3 Commun Network Security was acquired from L-3 Communications. Security solutions $ $ AXENT Technologies Security solutions $ $ Lindner & Pelc Consult Computer consulting — — Mountain Wave Enterprise security management $ $ SecurityFocus Cyber Intelligence $ $ Recourse Technologies Internet security $ $ Riptech Managed security $ $ Virtual Access Networks Client Settings Migration $ $ Roxio-Goback Sys Recovery AstRoxio-Goback Sys Recovery Ast was acquired from Napster. System recovery $ $ Nexland Internet access $ $ SafeWeb Inc Security and privacy $ $ PowerQuest Software $ $ ON Technology Network security software $ $ Brightmail Anti-spam software $ $ TurnTide Anti-spam software $ $ @stake Digital security $24,000,000 $ LIRIC Associates Computer consulting — — Platform Logic Software — — XtreamLok Information Security $ $ Veritas Software Business applications software $ $ WholeSecurity Security software $ $ Sygate Technologies Software $ $ BindView Network management software $ $ IMlogic IM protection software $ $ Relicore Management software $ $ Revivio Continuous data protection — — Company-i Information technology $ $ 4FrontSecurity Risk management $ $ Altiris IT management software $ $ Vontu Data security software $ $ Transparent Logic Technologies Workflow optimization software $ $ AppStream Application Streaming $ $ SwapDrive Web-based software $ $ nSuite Technologies Desktop virtualization $ $ PC Tools Utility software $ $ MessageLabs SaaS Security Provider $ $ Mi5 Networks Web Security Gateway $ $ SoftScan SaaS Security Provider — — Gideon Technologies Information security — — PGP Corporation Data Encryption $ $ GuardianEdge Endpoint Data Protection $ $ VeriSign security business Authentication Services $ $ RuleSpace security business Web content categorization — — Clearwell Systems eDiscovery $ $ LiveOffice SaaS Archiving $ $ Odyssey Software Mobile Device Management $ $ Nukona Mobile Application Management $ $ VeriSign Japan KK IT Security Software — — PasswordBank Identity Management — — NitroDesk Mobile Data Protection — — Blackfin Security Cyber Security Training — — Blue Coat Systems Cyber Security $ $ LifeLock Identity Theft Protection $ $ Watchful Software IT Security Software — — Fireglass Malware Prevention $ $ Skycure Mobile Threat Defense $ $ SurfEasy, Inc. VPN Provider $ $ Appthority Mobile Application Security — — Javelin Networks Active Directory Security — — Luminate Secure Application Access $ $ Avira Computer security software $ $ Avast Computer security software $8,000,000,000 $
Investments Date Company Business Country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) References Mocana Security United States N/A N/A By Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat. "Symantec invests in internet gadget protector Mocana."
Stakes Date Company Business Country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) References BrightmailSymantec acquired an 11% stake in Brightmail. Anti-spam software $ $ Huawei Tech Co Ltd-TelecomHuawei Tech Co Ltd-Telecom is owned by Huawei Technologies. Telecommunications $ $
Divestitures Date Acquirer Target company Target business Acquirer country Value (USD) Adjusted (USD) References NMB Seagate Technology-Composite Recording heads — — Carolian Systems International DelrinaCarolian Systems International acquired a 51.5% interest in Delrina. Software — — IBM DelrinaIBM acquired an 11% stake in Delrina. Software $ $ Zortech SymantecZortech acquired 238,095 common shares of Symantec. Software — — Read-Rite Conner Peripherals-Film Ops Computer disk film — — —A minority stake of Delrina was acquired by an undisclosed acquiror. Delrina Software — $ $ RR Donnelley Norwest Central Point Software In-house manufacturing — — Overland Data Conner Peripherals Inc-Cipher Cipher tape drive $ $ DOVatron International Conner Periph SG-Surf Asm Elec Disk drives — — CenterLine Software Veritas Software Corp-Vista Software tools — — Quarterdeck Office Systems StarNine Internet services provider $ $ Investor Group Time Line Solutions Computer-based management — — Creative Wonders Delrina Computer software — — JetForm Delrina Corp-Electronic Forms Database software $ $ Elron Electronic Industries ON Technology-Network Mgmt Network management software $ $ Elron Software ON Technology Corp-Network Network security software $ $ Platinum Equity StarNine Technologies Internet services provider — — SalesLogix Symantec Corp-ACT! Software Information management $ $ Seagate Technology Seagate Software Wholesale software — — Investor Group Seagate Technology-Disk-Drive Disk drives and storage devices $ $ Black Box Corporation Intec Systems Mobile computing — — Sonic Solutions Veritas-Desktop, Mobile Div Software $ $ TechTarget myITforum Web portal — — SymantecSymantec repurchased the company's common stock outstanding in open market or privately negotiated transactions. Symantec Internet software $ $ Vector Capital Symantec Corp-Application Internet software — — Electronic Evidence Discovery Daticon Litigation software — — The Carlyle Group Veritas Technologies data management software — — Broadcom Symantec enterprise security enterprise security $ $
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