Nvidia has sold its remaining stake in Arm Holdings, fully exiting a position in the chip-design powerhouse it once tried—and failed—to acquire. The sale involved about 1.1 million Arm shares, valued at roughly $140 million based on Arm’s closing price on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, and it occurred sometime in Q4 2025, according to a regulatory filing.
Where the story comes from (and why it matters)
This is the final chapter of a corporate saga that began in 2020, when Nvidia announced plans to buy Arm in a blockbuster transaction that later collapsed amid global regulatory resistance and ecosystem pushback.
Arm ultimately went public instead, while Nvidia continued its own AI-fueled ascent—making the stake increasingly symbolic: a reminder of an ambitious strategic pivot that never materialized.
Now, Nvidia is effectively saying: we don’t need Arm ownership to win the AI era.
The numbers: small stake, big signal
From a financial perspective, $140 million is immaterial to Nvidia’s scale. The bigger takeaway is strategic and narrative-driven:
- Zero ownership, zero ambiguity: Exiting removes any lingering perception that Nvidia still has an equity “angle” on Arm’s future.
- Capital discipline optics: Even if the proceeds are small, it reinforces a pattern visible in recent filings: trimming or exiting certain marketable equity positions while the company keeps focus on core AI hardware and platform momentum.
- A cleaner competitive landscape: Arm is foundational infrastructure for the industry—licensed by essentially everyone. Owning it was always politically and competitively fraught, which is exactly why regulators and major industry players resisted the original deal attempt.
Why Nvidia owned Arm shares in the first place
After the acquisition attempt was abandoned, Nvidia still ended up holding Arm shares (and later reduced them). As far back as early 2025, Nvidia disclosed it had cut its Arm stake to around 1.1 million shares, valuing that remaining position at about $181 million at the time.
This week’s filing-driven update confirms that remainder is now gone.
Market snapshot (Feb 18, 2026)
- NVDA last traded around $184.97.
- ARM last traded around $126.89.
(Prices are intraday and can move quickly—especially around earnings, guidance, and AI capex headlines.)
Conclusion
Nvidia’s sale of its last Arm shares is not about raising cash—it’s about closing a historical loop. The company tried to buy Arm, couldn’t, and is now fully moving on. With Arm increasingly central to data center CPUs, edge devices, and AI-adjacent compute, the exit also reduces any lingering strategic noise: Nvidia’s future is being written through its own silicon roadmap and AI platform dominance, not via ownership stakes.
FAQ
How big was Nvidia’s Arm stake when it sold out?
About 1.1 million shares, worth roughly $140 million based on Arm’s Feb 17 close; the disposal happened in Q4 2025.
Is this a meaningful financial event for Nvidia?
Not financially—Nvidia is far too large for this to matter on earnings. The importance is strategic signaling and narrative cleanup.
Why did the attempt to buy Arm fail?
The proposed acquisition faced major regulatory scrutiny and industry objections tied to Arm’s role as a neutral supplier to many chipmakers, contributing to the deal’s collapse.
Does NVDIAstill rely on Arm technology?
Nvidia uses Arm-based designs in parts of its portfolio and operates within the Arm ecosystem, but selling shares doesn’t change technology relationships—it only removes an ownership position.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Stocks can be volatile, and filings-driven headlines can be misinterpreted without broader context. Consider your risk tolerance and consult a licensed financial professional if needed.
