What happened Shares of Alteryx (NYSE: AYX), the data-analytics software maker, were pulling back today as analysts reacted to news that Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) was in talks to acquire SAS Institute, a privately held Alteryx competitor. Investors took the news as a sign of intensifying competition, and Alteryx stock finished the day down 4.6%. Image source: Getty Images. So what According to The Wall Street Journal, which first broke the news, chip-maker Broadcom is planning to take over SAS Institute in a deal valued between $15 billion and $20 billion. While that news could indicate potential interest in Alteryx from an acquirer, at least one analyst thought the deal would be a negative for Alteryx. Rosenblatt analyst Blair Abernethy said that the acquisition would pose a challenge for Alteryx by giving Broadcom, valued at roughly $200 billion, a larger profile, and sales and marketing resources. However, Abernethy maintained a buy rating and a price target of $130. On the other hand, Citigroup analyst Tyler Radke said that the development would be a positive for Alteryx, arguing that it provides a floor on the stock price. He also anticipates potential cost-cutting at SAS, which could open up the door to some of its rivals. Radke maintained a buy rating and a price target of $136. Now what After flailing through much of 2020, Alteryx has looked like an acquisition target for some time with a beaten-down stock price and a valuable product that has struggled at times to make the transition to the cloud. The company's growth slowed dramatically last year. Founder Dean Stoecker stepped down as CEO and was replaced by Mark Anderson. With shares down more than 50% from their highs last year, Alteryx stock poses sufficient risk to investors. Any sign that the stock could be a potential acquisition target should be taken as a positive for the company. 10 stocks we like better than AlteryxWhen our award-winning analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* They just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Alteryx wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of June 7, 2021 Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Jeremy Bowman owns shares of Alteryx. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alteryx. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source