Google has made an offer to acquire Fitbit, Reuters reported late Monday morning. Shares of the fitness-tracking device maker surged 19 percent on the report, leading the Nasdaq to briefly halt trading in the stock. Shares resumed trading just after midday, climbing more than 35 percent.

The offer price is not clear, according to Reuters, and it is unknown whether or not Fitbit is considering the offer.

Reuters reported last month that the wearable company, a darling of the consumer tech industry when it went public in 2015, was now looking to either get acquired or take itself private as it faces increased competition. Modern smartphones now come with much of the technology that Fitbit pioneered in its sleek, connected watches, not to mention the Apple Watch, which now owns about half of the global smartwatch market.

For Google parent Alphabet ($GOOGL), Fitbit would represent the company's first foray into wearables, where its main hardware competitors, Apple and Samsung, are duking it out for supremacy. Google has made its healthcare ambitions clear, last year poaching the CEO of the regional healthcare provider Geisinger.

Share:
More In Business
Standing Out in a Crowded Job Market
Andrew McCaskill, career expert at LinkedIn, shares tips for Black professionals – and anyone looking to grow their opportunities in the coming year.
Semiconductor Stocks to Watch (Beyond Nvidia)
Jamie Meyers, Senior Securities Analyst from Laffer Tengler Investments, discusses why he believes the rally will widen to small cap stocks and how the latest economic data is impacting his strategy.
How to Use AI to Buy Your Next Ride
If you are in the market for a new car, AI can help do the legwork for you. We gave ChatGPT a test drive to help shop for a new set of wheels.
Load More