Francisco Partners, TPG buy Dell’s cloud business Boomi for $4 bln

Dell Technologies Inc. has agreed to selling its Boomi cloud business to private-equity firms Francisco Partners and TPG in a cash deal valued at $4 billion, as part of efforts by Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell to trim down the personal computer maker.

The deal is expected to close by the end of this year, the companies said in a statement Sunday without providing additional details of the terms. Dow Jones had earlier reported the companies were near a deal.

Boomi specializes in integrating different cloud platforms for companies and has more than 15,000 customers. Dell agreed to acquire the company for an undisclosed amount in 2010, a statement showed at the time.

“This proposed transaction positions Boomi for its next phase of growth and is the right move for both companies, our shared customers and partners,” Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Dell, said in the statement. “For us, we’re focused on fueling growth by continuing to modernize our core infrastructure and PC businesses and expanding in high-priority areas.”

Dell has been cleaning up its balance sheet in recent years and hiving off a variety of businesses. The company announced plans last month to spin off its stake in infrastructure software provider VMware Inc., its most valuable asset. Last year, it sold cybersecurity unit RSA for $2.08 billion to a private equity firm.

The company is trying to reduce its dependence on hardware sales and transform into a seller of subscription-based computer services. While that shift is ongoing, the company still gets about half of its revenue from sales of personal computers to commercial and consumer customers. Bloomberg