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Report of buyout interest from Cisco, IBM sends Imperva shares soaring

Imperva stock spikes on acquisition interest
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Imperva stock spikes on acquisition interest

Shares of the security-software company Imperva gained 21 percent on Friday after a report said it has drawn acquisition interest from several companies.

The California-based company has interest from Cisco Systems and International Business Machines, according to a Bloomberg report, which cited people with knowledge of the matter.

Bloomberg sources, who asked not to be identified because the information is private, also said Forcepoint, Akamai Technologies, and Fortinet have also held discussions with Imperva. (Read the Bloomberg report here.)

In July, Imperva reportedly hired firm Qatalyst Partners to explore a sale after receiving takeover interest.

Even with Friday's gains, Imperva's stock is down nearly 17 percent year-to-date.

A spokesperson for Imperva, Cisco, and IBM did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Forcepoint, Akamai Technologies and Fortinet also did not immediately respond for comment.

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