** Thoma Bravo will acquire Verint Systems VRNT.O in a $2 billion deal, including debt, the customer engagement platform said on Monday, marking the latest software buyout as private equity firms increasingly bet on AI to navigate an uncertain economy

COMBINATION WITH CALABRIO 'MAKES SENSE'

** RBC Capital Markets ("sector perform," PT: $20.5) says the acquisition "makes sense" as the planned combination of Verint with Thoma Bravo's Calabrio will enable a broader AI-powered customer experience $(CX)$ automation platform

** Wedbush ("outperform," PT: $20.5) says Thoma Bravo and Verint are closely aligned in customer experience automation that leverages data and AI

** Needham ("hold") says the deal validates Verint's product strategy to capture the AI bot opportunity for contact center use

** Rosenblatt Securities ("neutral," PT: $20.5) says the acquisition will merge Verint with Calabrio, in an effort to be a market leader in customer experience automation

(Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty in Bengaluru)

((Kanchana.Chakravarty@thomsonreuters.com))