[Leica] Panasonic takeover

[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.