Panasonic nabs 50.2 pct of Sanyo for $4.6 billion
Japan's Panasonic Corp <6752.T> said it acquired 50.2 percent of Sanyo Electric Co Ltd <6764.T>, the world's largest rechargeable battery maker, for 403.8 billion yen ($4.6 billion), as shares of Sanyo jumped the most in six months on the completion of the deal.
The bid had been widely expected to hand Panasonic a majority stake as Sanyo's top three shareholders agreed to sell part of their shareholdings into the tender for a premium to ensure that Panasonic obtained more than half of Sanyo.
Panasonic paid 131 yen for each common share, handing a hefty profit to Goldman Sachs
Daiwa Securities SMBC is a joint venture between Daiwa Securities Group Inc <8601.T> and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) <8316.T>, while Sumitomo Mitsui Banking is Sanyo's main bank and part of SMFG.
Customers for Sanyo's hybrid car batteries include Honda Motor Co Ltd <7267.T>, Ford Motor Co , while Panasonic runs a joint venture with Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> to develop and make hybrid and electric car batteries.
Sanyo is also a major manufacturer of solar cells and Panasonic offers fuel cells, enabling the new Panasonic group to offer a wider lineup of energy-producing and energy-storage alternatives to petroleum.
The takeover makes Panasonic, which was sitting on cash and cash equivalent of 1.46 trillion yen as of September 30, a dominant player in the fast-growing market for hybrid car batteries.
Prior to the announcement, shares in Sanyo closed up 10.7 percent at 176 yen, in the biggest single-day jump in 6 months, following the closure of the deal on Wednesday.
Panasonic, maker of Viera flat TVs and Lumix digital cameras, fell 1.9 percent to 1,226 yen. The benchmark Nikkei average <.N225> lost 1.4 percent.
($1=88.23 Yen)
(Reporting by Mayumi Negishi and Nobuhiro Kubo)
© Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. All rights reserved.