Intel to pay AMD $1.25 bln, settle all disputes

By David Lawsky

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp will pay rival chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc $1.25 billion to settle all outstanding legal disputes, in a move that can hasten the resolution of Intel's antitrust troubles.

AMD, whose shares jumped 22 percent, agreed to withdraw essentially all its regulatory complaints and litigation against Intel, ending a global campaign that it has waged on the world's largest chipmaker for 12 years.

Some analysts said the deal takes the steam out of a pending U.S. Federal Trade Commission investigation into Intel's business practices.

But others said Intel has critics beyond AMD and its regulatory troubles are far from over. Among Intel's adversaries are graphics chip maker Nvidia Corp and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini denied any wrongdoing by the company but said it decided to settle the dispute with AMD to avoid the risk of a triple-damages finding by a jury.

"Intel got the fact that it was a major risk of a huge settlement in front of a jury," said Broadpoint Amtech analyst Doug Freedman. "It removes the coin-flip of a jury trial."

AMD has argued that Intel used illegal means to preserve its 80 percent share of the global market for central processing units, which are the brains of personal computers.

Regulators in Asia and Europe have agreed, imposing fines and other remedies on Intel. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is close to filing its own complaint, sources have said.