Fujitsu says it’s talking with Lenovo about a sale of its PC division to the world’s top computer manufacturer. But there are other options on the table, Fujitsu adds.
If Lenovo makes the buy, the deal would be the second for a Japan-based computer operation this year. In July, Lenovo bought out virtually all of NEC’s remaining shares in a Lenovo-NEC joint PC venture.
The news sparked a near 3 percent rise in Lenovo shares in Hong Kong and sent Fujitsu shares up nearly 6 percent in Tokyo.
The Wall Street Journal and various media outlets reported the Fujitsu-Lenovo talks, and Fujitsu issued a statement about a possible deal after Japanese media first reported the possibility of a Lenovo deal on Wednesday.
“These reports are not based on any official announcement made by Fujitsu,” the company said.
Fujitsu “is currently considering various possibilities, including what is being reported [about Lenovo], but a decision has not yet been made.”
The WSJ said a source pointed out that a Lenovo-Fujitsu deal could be similar to the previous NEC-Lenovo joint venture.
If a deal happens, it would be the latest in a series of acquisitions made by Lenovo since acquiring IBM’s Triangle-based PC division in 2005 for nearly $2 billion. Since then, deals in Japan and Europe have added to Lenovo’s global reach and market share leadership even as PC sales continue to slump.
Another acquisition also could help Lenovo boost sales ahead of a forecast for continuing declines in demand.
Earlier this week, Lenovo Chief Operating Officer Gianfranco Lanci.told a technology conference that computer sales continue to slow globally, declining this year and probably for the next two.
Lenovo operates one of its two global executive headquarters in Morrisville.
