[Leica] Panasonic takeover

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

Hi Luggers,

Got this in from a Malaysian friend who works in high tech in Georgetown 
Penang, Malaysia.

I think it is an April Fool joke but there is enough reality in it that 
there may be some truth behind it;

On March 26th  Panasonic stock jumped 5.7% to 1,614 yen, the highest since 
November 2008, after the company said it was ready to spend 1 trillion yen 
(US$
8 billion) on acquisitions over the next four years. So far, the Japanese 
company is planning to joint venture in Tesla?s Gigafactory for the 
production of lithium car batteries. They have announced a US$286 million 
investment in a solar powered power plant in the Northern Corridor Economic 
Region of West Malaysia that has the highest levels of solar irradiation on 
the Peninsula.
 
Among smaller value investments, Panasonic is rumoured to be in private 
discussions with Blackstone to buy the venture company?s 44% share of Leica. 
When asked, Panasonic would not confirm or deny offering ACM 
Projektentwicklung GmbH (Andreas Kaufmann?s holding company) an undisclosed 
premium for enough of its 51% in order to take control of the Leica Camera 
company. If successful in its acquisition of majority control, Panasonic 
plans to limit digital M camera production in Germany and move new lines to 
Japan. There, in addition to some digital M production, a new line of 
digital EVF cameras would be produced with M mount AF lenses based on 
Panasonic?s advanced AF technology.
M Lens design and production for manual lenses would remain in Germany. The 
new M EVF camera / AF lens line would draw on the superior lens design 
expertise from Germany and be manufactured exclusively in Japan. This would 
allow the latest Japanese technology to be introduced to the Leica digital 
lineup and stringent Japanese quality control standards would be applied. 
These details were provided by a source close to Panasonic who did not want 
to be identified due to the sensitivity and timing of on-going discussions.

What do you all think?

Howard.