EMC Seeks More 'Big Data' Deals

Barclays Capital said data storage company EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) will look to continue to acquire companies that focus on analytics and Big Data technology.

In an interview with Bloomberg, EMC's Chief Operating Officer Patrick Gelsinger stated that the company would look to spend about $3 billion on acquisitions this year, maintaining a similar pace with 2010, said Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

Reitzes said EMC, according to Gelsinger, will look to continue its shift into Big Data technology with a focus on tools and services to fill outs its portfolio.

EMC will use deals to diversify beyond the storage business that generates 75 percent of sales, Gelsinger told Bloomberg in an interview. Purchases will home EMC's focus on tools and services for so-called big-data, reams of information from multiple sources, including the Web, e-mail and computer systems, Gelsinger said.

Reitzes said EMC spent $3.2 billion last year on acquisitions and moved heavily into Big Data opportunities helping the company benefit from the sharp increase in unstructured data.

Reitzes said acquisitions of companies such as Isilon Systems Inc. and Greenplum Inc. will continue to provide the foundation for its Big Data strategy and help EMC compete against IT solution providers (IBM, HP, and Dell).

Gelsinger also stated that EMC would look to acquire security related products to bolster its RSA Security division. In recent weeks, RSA has been under pressure due to a security breach this past March where information from its SecurID token business was stolen. As a result of this event, RSA named Edward Schwartz as the new security chief of RSA.

Over the years, we believe EMC has emerged as one of the most credible acquirers in our sector, along with IBM -- now with a track record of picking firms and subsequently expanding sales rapidly within its base. Our checks for EMC’s new products and sales within recent acquisitions like Isilon remain quite favorable, said Reitzes.

EMC stock closed Friday's regular trading down 0.84 percent at $25.83 on the NYSE.