Panasonic and Sanyo are discussing a buyout. The Japanese consumer-electronics rivals started talks Friday that could create one of the biggest electronics companies in the world before the end of the year.
Sanyo’s top shareholders include Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking. The three banks would double their 2006 investment if Panasonic pays the $6.2 billion analysts estimate Sanyo is worth. The acquisition would be the largest ever in the Japanese consumer-electronics industry.
Panasonic offers a range of products, systems and components for consumer, business and industrial use. The company, which changed its name from Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. last month, is the leading manufacturer of flat-panel TVs, DVD players, and digital cameras. Sanyo would add its solar-cell operations to the mix. Together, they would rival Hitachi Ltd.
“Panasonic and Sanyo will start discussions with the aim of maximizing both companies’ corporate values by pursuing synergies between both companies and further strengthening initiatives to achieve potential revenue and profit growth through this alliance,” the companies said.
Panasonic’s Purpose
By combining Panasonic’s electronics business with Sanyo’s environment- and energy-related products, the companies believe they can become an indispensable element in the lives of people all over the world. It’s a big vision for what would be a big company.
“Gathering together the accumulated technologies and manufacturing knowledge of both companies, we believe that we will evolve to a corporate group which will be highly admired globally by enhancing the quality of life for the people worldwide and coexisting in harmony with the global environment,” the companies said.
The companies said they would accomplish these goals by sharing management know-how and business resources while collaborating with each other. The result, as they see it, is a global competitive foundation that will maximize the corporate values of Panasonic and Sanyo, and bring benefit for both companies’ shareholders and…