Worldwide Enterprise Machines Corp. is exploring a possible sale of its IBM Watson Well being enterprise, in keeping with folks conversant in the matter, because the know-how big’s new chief govt strikes to streamline the corporate and change into extra aggressive in cloud computing.
IBM is learning alternate options for the unit that might embody a sale to a private-equity agency or trade participant or a merger with a blank-check firm, the folks stated. The unit, which employs synthetic intelligence to assist hospitals, insurers and drugmakers handle their information, has roughly $1 billion in annual income and isn’t at the moment worthwhile, the folks stated.
Its manufacturers embody Merge Healthcare, which analyzes mammograms and MRIs; Phytel, which assists with affected person communications; and Truven Well being Analytics, which analyzes advanced healthcare information.
It isn’t clear how a lot the enterprise may fetch in a sale, and there will not be one.
IBM, with a market worth of $108 billion, has been left behind as cloud-computing rivals Microsoft Corp. and Amazon.com Inc. soar to valuations greater than 10 instances larger. The Armonk, N.Y., firm has stated it’s centered on boosting its hybrid-cloud operations whereas exiting some unrelated companies.
