McAfee Returns to Independence

Intel, who purchased the security company McAfee back in 2011 for 7.7 billion dollars, is now spinning it off into it’s own company again. Intel still owns 49% of McAfee, and is looking to continue it’s involvement with McAfee’s growth. As one of the leading antivirus companies in the world, McAfee looks to rely on it’s well regarded name to pivot away from strictly antivirus and spin itself into a total cyber security package.

In their new independence McAfee, which is now only valued at 4.2 billion dollars is looking to acquire feature sets from security start-ups to help build out it’s portfolio, as well as invest in their internal development. McAfee has laid out the strategy it will use in moving forward, according to Bryan Taylor one of the partners at TPG that helped push through the deal.

Here is What We Can See From McAfee

First, it will keep pushing the product set forward. They know they have a great product, and will continue to make their current products better. Second, they love their customers and will look to broaden their relationship with them. Third, they are looking for cyber security companies to buy. They want to push through their current channels to give added value to customers. It will be interesting to see what features and start ups McAfee will acquire over the next several months.

McAfee, and Intel, are hoping this new arrangement will be enough to pull them back from their downward climb and allow it enough space to grow and gain better traction in the crowded cyber security industry again. We will have to wait and see if the plan pays off for them in the end.