Exclusive-Silver Lake in talks to buy Workday, sources say

Reuters reports that private equity firm Silver Lake is in talks to acquire Workday in a potential deal that could value the human-resources and financial management software company at about $43 billion. The report suggests this could become one of the largest software buyouts in history. Workday shares jumped sharply on the news, rising more than 20% intraday, reflecting expectations of a takeover premium after the stock had already fallen about 15% this year and more than 40% from its 2024 peak amid investor concerns about AI disrupting traditional software. The deal is not finalized and discussions remain confidential, so there is no guarantee of a transaction. Still, the story materially boosts Workday sentiment and highlights continued private equity interest in large-cap enterprise software names.