NortonLifeLock in talks to buy Avast, WSJ reports

US software company NortonLifeLock Inc. is currently in talks to buy Czech cybersecurity firm Avast Plc in a deal that would expand Norton’s focus on consumer software, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The American newspaper speculates that the purchasing price could amount to more than USD 8 billion, assuming a typical deal premium. Currently, Avast has an estimated market value of around USD 7.2 billion.

Unless one of the companies decides to quit negotiations, an agreement could be reached by the end of this month, sources told the Wall Street Journal.

Avast is a Czech multinational cybersecurity software company headquartered in Prague. It specialises in the research and development of security software, machine learning and AI. The company has approximately 1,700 employees across 25 offices worldwide catering to 435 million monthly active users.