Brooks Automation, a provider of robotic systems and software for semiconductor fabs, is considering a return to public markets under the ownership of its private equity shareholder Thomas H. Lee Partners. The Boston-based buyout firm acquired the semiconductor division for $3 billion in an all-cash deal announced in September 2021, with the transaction closing in the first half of 2022. No timeline, valuation target, or exchange has been disclosed so far. Global semiconductor sales are projected to approach $1 trillion by 2030, fueling interest in automation infrastructure. THL, having held the business for roughly four years, falls within the typical three-to-seven-year window before an exit, which could also take the form of a sale to another buyer rather than an IPO.
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