New York, January 19, 2026, 20:55 EST — Market closed
GlobalFoundries shares are set to draw attention when U.S. markets open Tuesday, Jan. 20, as investors assess the company’s expansion into chip design alongside its main foundry operations. The stock ended Friday at $41.24, down roughly 0.7%, after fluctuating between $41.10 and $42.41 on volume near 3.4 million shares.
U.S. stock markets shut down Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, shortening the week and cutting one trading day for investors to adjust before a packed slate of corporate earnings. 1
Semiconductor stocks closed last week on a high note, as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 1.15% Friday. This is significant for GlobalFoundries, which often moves in sync with the sector on risk-on days, regardless of company-specific developments. 2
On Jan. 14, Synopsys announced it has agreed to sell its Processor IP Solutions business to GlobalFoundries. The transaction is expected to close in the latter half of 2026, pending regulatory approval and other standard conditions. Neither company revealed the financial details. Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi described GlobalFoundries as an “excellent future steward.” GlobalFoundries CEO Tim Breen said the acquisition “doubles down on our commitment” to Physical AI and will enhance their ability to provide “end-to-end solutions.” The deal covers ARC-V (RISC-V) and ARC CPU designs, along with DSP and neural-network processing unit IP, related software tools, and ASIP Designer and ASIP Programmer products. 3
Processor IP refers to licensed, ready-to-use processor design blocks that chip teams can plug into larger chips instead of designing a core from the ground up. RISC-V is an open instruction set, while ASIPs are specialized processors optimized for specific tasks.
A Jan. 15 SEC filing revealed GlobalFoundries appointed Ganesh Moorthy to its board. Moorthy, the former CEO of Microchip Technology, also spent 19 years at Intel. The move aligns with GlobalFoundries’ push into power-efficient chips for autos, mobile, and communications equipment. Executive chairman Thomas Caulfield called Moorthy’s background a “tremendous asset.” Moorthy added that GlobalFoundries is “uniquely positioned” to embed intelligence into everyday devices. 4
Brendan Burke, research director at Futurum, said the Synopsys deal highlights the ongoing “unbundling of AI silicon,” with compute increasingly moving from cloud servers to devices. He believes the winners will be those who can deliver specialized chips faster and at lower cost. 5
GlobalFoundries plans to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on Feb. 11, with a conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET. This marks the next key company event for the stock following the holiday break. 6
As trading resumes, investors will watch closely for signs of demand in automotive, industrial, and communications semiconductors, while gauging if pricing remains steady in mature-node manufacturing. They’ll also seek clarity on the pace at which the company can convert Synopsys assets into licensing and software revenue—and what impact that will have on margins.
But deals often stall. Regulatory hurdles, customer turnover amid transitions, or a slowdown in end-demand can quickly dampen the usual enthusiasm around “foundry-plus” stories.
Tuesday’s market open will be the first real test, followed by the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting set for Jan. 27-28, a key moment for risk appetite. Investors in GlobalFoundries are eyeing Feb. 11 for the earnings report and any news on the Synopsys deal closing. 7
