Workday rose as much as 21% on Thursday after workday shares jumped on a report that Silver Lake was in talks to acquire the software company. The move briefly halted trading for volatility and put shareholders back in the black for the year.
21% was the intraday gain that followed the takeover report, and by Thursday the stock was up 3% since the start of the year. That reversal matters for holders who watched the name slide earlier this year as software stocks sold off on fears that AI would disrupt business models.
Ines Ferre on Thursday
Ines Ferre, a senior business reporter for Yahoo Finance, identified the story that pushed the stock higher. The immediate market response showed how fast a single acquisition report can reprice a company when the buyer is Silver Lake and the target is Workday.
Recent months were the window for the discussions, according to the report, which said the two parties had held talks about a potential deal. For traders, that timing matters because a multi-month process signals more than a passing rumor, even if it still falls short of a signed transaction.
Silver Lake and Workday talks
The talks were ongoing on Thursday, and the sources said there was no guarantee of a deal. That leaves the stock move tied to expectation rather than certainty, which is why the volatility halt came even before any terms, valuation, or structure were publicly laid out.
For Workday holders, the practical shift is simple: the stock has already erased its year-to-date losses, but the market is still pricing only reported discussions, not an agreed purchase. If the talks advance, the next move will depend on whether Silver Lake and Workday can turn a potential deal into an actual one.
AI fears and the rebound
Earlier this year, Workday shares fell when the software sector was pounded by fears that AI would disrupt business models. Thursday’s move did the opposite, wiping out that loss and lifting the stock to a 3% gain for the year.
Lin lets California FEHA claims proceed in Workday Lawsuit adds a separate legal angle for readers tracking the name beyond the takeover report. For now, the trade is driven by one question that still has no public answer: whether Silver Lake and Workday will reach a deal and on what terms.
