National Semiconductor
Former American semiconductor manufacturer best known for analog, mixed-signal, power-management and interface products; acquired by Texas Instruments in 2011.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
National Semiconductor Corporation was an American semiconductor manufacturer that became one of the best-known specialists in analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. Founded in Danbury, Connecticut, in 1959 by Bernard J. Rothlein and seven colleagues who had left Sperry Rand, the company initially faced legal, financial and technological uncertainty. Its early transformation began with the acquisition of Molectro in 1965, which brought in linear-circuit expertise associated with Robert Widlar and Dave Talbert and gave National a foundation in monolithic integrated-circuit production. The company moved its headquarters to Santa Clara, California, in 1968 and developed into a major Silicon Valley semiconductor enterprise. Under chairman Peter J. Sprague and chief executive Charles E. Sporck, National pursued aggressive cost control, standardized manufacturing, offshore assembly and high-volume production. Its products included transistor-transistor logic, MOS devices, analog circuits and other components used in industrial and commercial electronics. The strategy helped National survive a severe semiconductor price war and reach more than one billion dollars in annual sales in 1981, making it the first semiconductor company reported to achieve that level. National's growth model also exposed weaknesses. The company emphasized low-cost manufacturing and commodity products more strongly than product marketing and sustained innovation. During the 1980s, competition from Japanese, Taiwanese and South Korean manufacturers intensified, while several important executives and engineers departed. National accumulated excess capacity and struggled to produce enough differentiated new products despite substantial research spending. Gilbert F. Amelio became president and chief executive in 1991 and redirected the company toward its core analog strengths. He sold or consolidated underperforming assets, improved factory utilization, reduced scrap and cycle time, and separated lower-margin standard products from higher-value communications and computing products. The restructuring produced record revenue in 1994, although Amelio left National in 1996 to become chief executive of Apple. Brian L. Halla succeeded Amelio and attempted to extend National into PC, graphics, multimedia and information-appliance markets. The company acquired or invested in businesses including Cyrix, PicoPower, Mediamatics, Future Integrated Systems, Gulbransen and ComCore. Some of these initiatives generated publicity through concepts such as WebPad and the National Origami PDA, but National later sold or closed several non-core operations. Fairchild Semiconductor was sold back to a management-led group in 1997, and the Cyrix microprocessor business was sold to VIA Technologies in 1999. The Information Appliance Division was sold to AMD in 2003. After divesting much of its commodity, processor and consumer-oriented activity, National increasingly presented itself as a high-performance analog semiconductor company. Its portfolio included power-management integrated circuits, display drivers, audio products, operational amplifiers, communication interfaces and data-conversion solutions. These products served wireless handsets, displays, automotive, medical, industrial, test-and-measurement and other electronics markets. Texas Instruments announced an agreement to acquire National Semiconductor in 2011. The transaction closed on September 23, 2011, and National became part of Texas Instruments as its Silicon Valley division. The independent National Semiconductor corporate identity subsequently ceased to operate as a standalone company, although many of its analog technologies and product families continued within Texas Instruments.
History
National Semiconductor was established on May 27, 1959, in Danbury, Connecticut, by Bernard J. Rothlein and seven colleagues from Sperry Rand's semiconductor division. Sperry Rand subsequently filed a patent-infringement lawsuit, and the legal uncertainty contributed to depressed company valuation. In 1965, investor Peter J. Sprague acquired significant influence and became chairman. That year National acquired Molectro, a young Santa Clara company founded by former Fairchild employees. The transaction brought in linear-semiconductor specialists Robert Widlar and Dave Talbert and enabled National to build expertise in monolithic integrated circuits. National became marginally publicly traded in 1965 while facing serious financial pressure. In 1966 Sprague recruited Charles E. Sporck and other experienced semiconductor managers, including Pierre Lamond and Don Valentine. Sporck became president and chief executive, while the new management team emphasized manufacturing discipline, cost reduction, standardized processes and high-volume commercial production. National moved its headquarters from Danbury to Santa Clara in 1968 and increasingly focused on industrial and commercial markets rather than relying primarily on military and aerospace demand. The company's cost-oriented strategy helped it withstand a major semiconductor price war. National became an important producer of analog, TTL and MOS products and expanded final assembly into developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. By 1981 it had become the first semiconductor company to reach one billion dollars in annual sales. However, the same approach encouraged dependence on products that could be reproduced by competitors. Executive and engineering departures, limited marketing responsiveness and overcapacity weakened National during the globalization of semiconductor production in the 1980s. Gil Amelio replaced Sporck in 1991. He inherited shrinking market share, excess capacity and concerns about the effectiveness of the company's product development. Amelio sold non-core assets, consolidated facilities, improved utilization and reorganized the portfolio into a Standard Products Group and a Communications & Computing Group. The latter emphasized higher-margin analog and mixed-signal products. National also pursued an eight-inch wafer facility in South Portland, Maine, and divested its plant in Migdal HaEmek, Israel, which became associated with Tower Semiconductor. National reported record net revenue in 1994, but Amelio resigned in 1996 to lead Apple. Brian Halla became chairman, president and chief executive in 1996. He continued to promote analog technology but also pursued PC-on-a-chip, graphics, multimedia and information appliances. National acquired several businesses to support that plan, including Cyrix and operations from Cirrus Logic. It promoted concept products such as WebPad and the Origami PDA through its Conceptual Products Group. The strategy was later narrowed. Fairchild was sold in 1997, Cyrix's microprocessor business went to VIA Technologies in 1999, and the Information Appliance Division was sold to AMD in 2003. National subsequently concentrated more firmly on analog and mixed-signal products, including power management, display drivers, amplifiers, audio, interfaces and data converters. Texas Instruments agreed to acquire National Semiconductor in 2011. The transaction was completed on September 23, 2011, when National became Texas Instruments' Silicon Valley division. The independent company therefore ceased to exist, while its technology, employees and product portfolio were integrated into Texas Instruments.
- 2011
Acquisition by Texas Instruments closes
[1]National formally becomes part of Texas Instruments as its Silicon Valley division on September 23.
- 2003
Information Appliance Division is sold to AMD
[1]AMD acquires National's information-appliance division, including highly integrated processor activities.
- 1999
Cyrix microprocessor business is sold to VIA Technologies
[1]National divests the Cyrix microprocessor operation as it begins to retreat from the processor business.
- 1997
Fairchild is sold and Cyrix becomes a subsidiary
[1]National sells a reconstituted Fairchild and completes its combination with Cyrix as part of a diversification strategy.
- 1996
Brian Halla becomes chairman and CEO
[1]Halla succeeds Amelio and expands National's interest in PC, graphics and information-appliance technologies.
- 1994
Record net revenue under Amelio
[1]National reports record net revenue during its restructuring and renewed focus on higher-value products.
- 1991
Gil Amelio becomes CEO
[1]Amelio begins a restructuring centered on capacity utilization, cost reduction and analog technology.
- 1981
Annual sales pass one billion dollars
[1]National becomes the first semiconductor company reported to reach one billion dollars in annual sales.
- 1968
Headquarters move to Santa Clara
[1]National relocates its headquarters from Connecticut to Silicon Valley.
- 1966
Charles Sporck becomes president and CEO
[1]Sporck leads a new management team focused on manufacturing scale, cost control and commercial semiconductor markets.
Products and positioning
High-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductor supplier, with earlier periods of emphasis on low-cost commodity logic, processors and information-appliance platforms.
Analog semiconductors
Analog integrated circuits
Analog devices were National Semiconductor's central long-term specialization. The portfolio included operational amplifiers, voltage references, signal-conditioning products and other circuits that connected electronic systems to real-world electrical signals. These devices supported industrial, automotive, medical, communications and measurement applications.
Power management
Power-management integrated circuits
National produced regulators, power controllers and related integrated circuits used to distribute, convert and monitor power in electronic equipment. Power management became one of the company's most important product areas as it refocused on higher-value analog and mixed-signal components.
Display electronics
Display drivers
Display-driver products controlled pixels and electrical interfaces in display systems. They served markets ranging from portable electronics and wireless handsets to broader industrial and consumer display applications.
Analog signal processing
Audio and operational-amplifier products
The company offered audio circuits and operational amplifiers for signal amplification, filtering and conditioning. These products reflected National's strength in practical, widely used analog building blocks rather than only in large digital processors.
Mixed-signal and interface semiconductors
Communication interfaces and data converters
National supplied interface devices and analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog conversion solutions for communications, industrial controls, instrumentation and embedded systems. These products helped connect digital logic with physical signals and external networks.
Microprocessors · 1997
Cyrix processors
Through its Cyrix acquisition, National entered the x86-compatible processor market and pursued low-end PC processors and system-on-chip opportunities. The microprocessor business was later sold to VIA Technologies.
Information appliances
WebPad and information-appliance concepts
National's Conceptual Products Group developed WebPad, WebPad Metro and Origami PDA concepts during the late 1990s and early 2000s. These projects explored highly integrated networked consumer devices and helped motivate the company's Information Appliance Division.
Marketing campaigns
- 1997WebPad and information-appliance promotion
United States · Global technology markets
National promoted WebPad, WebPad Metro and related concept devices to demonstrate a possible post-PC category built around connected, highly integrated electronics.
Outcome. Generated publicity and contributed to the formation of the Information Appliance Division, which was later sold to AMD.
Brand decisions
2011
Acquire National SemiconductorM&ABackground
Texas Instruments sought to expand its analog semiconductor portfolio and manufacturing and engineering capabilities.
Action taken
Texas Instruments completed its acquisition of National Semiconductor on September 23, 2011.
Aftermath
National became the Silicon Valley division of Texas Instruments and ceased operating as an independent company.
2003
Divest the Information Appliance DivisionM&ABackground
National's diversification into information appliances and highly integrated processors did not become its enduring core business.
Action taken
The Information Appliance Division was sold to AMD.
Aftermath
National continued narrowing its portfolio toward analog and mixed-signal semiconductors.
1997
Sell Fairchild SemiconductorM&ABackground
National was separating lower-margin standard-product operations from its higher-value analog and mixed-signal focus.
Action taken
National sold a reconstituted Fairchild Semiconductor to Fairchild management with backing from Sterling LLC.
Aftermath
Fairchild returned to independent ownership while National continued its portfolio repositioning.
Transaction value. 550 million US dollars (Announced March 11, 1997)
1997
Combine with CyrixM&ABackground
Brian Halla sought technology and market access for low-end processors, PC-on-a-chip products and information appliances.
Action taken
National and Cyrix announced a merger under which Cyrix would operate as an autonomous wholly owned subsidiary.
Aftermath
National later sold the Cyrix microprocessor business to VIA Technologies in 1999.
1991
Restructure around analog and mixed-signal expertiseStrategyBackground
The company faced excess capacity, shrinking market share and an unsatisfactory record of new-product development.
Action taken
Gil Amelio sold or consolidated non-core assets, reduced manufacturing inefficiency and separated standard products from higher-value communications and computing products.
Aftermath
National reported record net revenue in 1994 and later concentrated more strongly on analog semiconductors.
1968
Relocate headquarters to Silicon ValleyStrategyBackground
National sought closer access to the growing semiconductor talent and business ecosystem in California.
Action taken
The company moved its headquarters from Danbury, Connecticut, to Santa Clara, California.
Aftermath
Santa Clara became the company's principal corporate base for the remainder of its independent existence.
Recent events
- 2011
National Semiconductor becomes part of Texas Instruments[1]
M&A
National Semiconductor formally joined Texas Instruments on September 23, 2011, becoming the Silicon Valley division of the acquiring company.
- 2003
National Semiconductor sells its Information Appliance Division to AMD[1]
M&A
The sale removed a major part of National's information-appliance and highly integrated processor initiative.
- 1997
National Semiconductor sells Fairchild Semiconductor[1]
M&A
National sold a reconstituted Fairchild Semiconductor to its management with financial backing from Sterling LLC, returning the business to independent ownership.
- 1997
National Semiconductor and Cyrix announce merger[1]
M&A
Cyrix became an autonomous, wholly owned subsidiary as National pursued a stronger position in low-end x86 processors and system-on-chip products.
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