Google acquiring HubSpot would bolster bid to challenge Microsoft

Google parent Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) potential acquisition of HubSpot (HUBS.N), a US marketing software maker with a market value of $31 billion, would boost its ability to compete against Microsoft (MSFT.O) in offering cloud-based applications to companies.

Reuters reported last month that Google was exploring an offer for HubSpot. Such a deal would be Google’s biggest, expanding its products and applications that serve businesses, analysts and investment bankers said in interviews.