• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechEMC

Report: EMC considering a buyout by VMware

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 5, 2015, 7:01 PM ET
Key Speakers At The Oracle OpenWorld 2013 Conference
Joseph "Joe" Tucci, chief executive officer of EMC Corp., speaks during the Oracle OpenWorld 2013 conference in San Francisco on Sept. 24, 2013. Photograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images

EMC may be on the verge of a major overhaul to its corporate structure with the company considering selling itself to VMware, the data center virtualization company that EMC is a majority owner of, according to a report on Wednesday by Re/code that cites unnamed sources.

The storage giant operates under the so-called EMC Federation, in which companies including EMC (EMC) , VMware (VMW) , Pivotal, VCE, and RSA Security are all independent businesses that function together as a larger corporate entity.

The deal, known as a downstream merger, is reportedly supported by hedge fund management firm Elliott Management, which has spent the past year urging EMC to break apart its federation and spin out VMware in order to make a more valuable company.

EMC’s board of directors are hoping that the possible deal would benefit the company’s shareholders, “because VMware’s shares currently trade at a higher valuation relative to earnings than EMC’s shares,” the Re/code report states. As of Wednesday afternoon, VMware’s shares are trading at $86.12 and EMC’s shares are trading at $26.85.

Both EMC and VMware declined to comment to Fortune on the report.

The news comes just two days after Re/code reported that EMC was considering buying out VMware, instead of the other way around.

Over the past year, EMC has been subject to numerous rumors regarding possible mega deals with other tech titans. Last fall, EMC reportedly discussed a merger between itself and Hewlett Packard (HPQ) as well as one with Dell. Analysts have also pointed to Oracle and Cisco as being possible suitors for the company.

The Re/code article states that the deal is not final and it “may not ultimately materialize.” This potential deal could also be a trial balloon of sorts leaked out by the various parties involved to see how the market and analysts react.

EMC CEO Joe Tucci recently told investors during a call with analysts that spinning off VMware from the storage giant’s portfolio of companies “is not a good idea.”

Tucci emphasized during the call that when VMware and EMC team up to sell products that are combinations of what both companies have to offer, the two companies can “double the amount of revenue” they generate from prospective customers.

While Tucci made clear EMC has no plans to split itself up, he did not provide any details on other possible structural changes that could spark some life into the company. EMC saw its 2015 second quarter profits decrease 17% to $487 million from the $589 million it brought in the prior year during the same time period.

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

For more on enterprise tech, check out the following Fortune video:

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Ukraine will have the most important defense industrial base in the free world, former CIA chief predicts
InnovationDefense
Ukraine will have the most important defense industrial base in the free world, former CIA chief predicts
By Jason MaApril 10, 2026
1 hour ago
A hacker in a dark hoodie and wearing a creepy white mask sits at a keyboard in front of multiple computer monitors in a dark, blue-shaded room.
CybersecurityAnthropic
Anthropic is limiting access to its latest AI model, Mythos. The real risks may already be out there
By Beatrice NolanApril 10, 2026
1 hour ago
‘Downward mobility is incredibly radicalizing’: The college bargain is broken. What comes next could reshape America
EconomyColleges and Universities
‘Downward mobility is incredibly radicalizing’: The college bargain is broken. What comes next could reshape America
By Nick LichtenbergApril 10, 2026
4 hours ago
Who’s really in control as AI and Big Tech race ahead?
MagazineEurope
Who’s really in control as AI and Big Tech race ahead?
By Francesca CassidyApril 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Photo: Donald Trump
EconomyMarkets
U.S. and Iran begin peace talks as Trump’s White House goes to war against the media, insider traders, and the Pope
By Jim EdwardsApril 10, 2026
6 hours ago
Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2019 in Aspen, Colo. (Photo: Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Who’s speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026
By Andrew NuscaApril 10, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
Economy
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
AI
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
Investing
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
Success
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
'I hate working 5 days': Zoom CEO says traditional work schedules are becoming obsolete—and predicts a 3-day workweek by 2031
Success
'I hate working 5 days': Zoom CEO says traditional work schedules are becoming obsolete—and predicts a 3-day workweek by 2031
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of April 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 9, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.