HOYA might sell Pentax camera division soon?

Quietly Confident said:

The new firmware is very welcome - but let's not forget that Pentax
lied through their corporate teeth about WF for the K10, telling us
that 'interference problems with the AS mechanism' meant they
regretfully had to omit the feature from the new camera.

Click to expand...

First, this piece of info is probably from unreliable source, e.g. Pentax "rep", customer support, or "someone I talked to on the phone"... etc. We all know these people do not have knowledge of technical details or problems the engineers were facing. Unless it was officially stated in press release or official web page, I would not take it as the truth. For all you know, it could well have started by some users in this forum.

Second, if there were interference problem, why would you say it was a lie? They have now found a fix and an upgrade firmware was published. Why would you find this hard to believe?

Hi there! I'm new on this forum but I plan to buy a k10d as soon as the prices drop here in Hungary. To be back on topic, I study japanese and though I'm not a native speaker (I may make (a lot of) mistakes) I tried to translate the original text. I'll use the google translation to make things funnier.

Suzuki ocean typical execution part highest management patsy (CEO)

-Suzuki Hiroshi, the delegated company executive/chief executive officer (CEO) stated

concerning the 22nd and the pen tax which combines to October digital camera business etc,

-about the merge with Pentax's camera business etc., that is due on the 22nd of October that

• “the return does not come out, the one which resells is attached value, if is, can be also a shape which resells”, that you expressed.
• "if the income turns out to be less valuable than reselling (pentax), then reselling is a possibility"

The occasion of the balancing of accounts explanatory meeting which was opened inside capital, while answering to the question of the attendee, it made clear

-He made this clear at the opening of the meeting of finances when he was asked by the attendants.

the last sentence is a bit risky I'm not sure whether this made anything clear or even made sense, and I don't want to speculate on anything.

I read this forum often and I've learnt some usefull info, so thanks for that to everyone! I hope to get my new k10d soon, if they start selling it at all here.

Can't supply the demand and profitable are two different things. No one knows it Pentax Camera division is profitable or a drag on the company. Pentax has many divisions including medical imaging, etc.

guyoliver said:

--
guy
How about this scenario. All the Pentax users chip in and buy the
company and make a "user owned" powerhouse and give Nikon and Canon
the old heave ho.

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Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of money :-(

rennie12 said:

However, the Pentaxes we own are not going to vanish - poof ! - if
something happens to the Pentax organization. And there are enough
Pentaxes out there that parts and service (perhaps private, rather
than Pentax) should be available for quite some time.

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Pentax nor the K-mount is going to dissapear. Hoya may sell it to someone else. The brand will continue but it may be transformed into something different, not the Pentax we know.

BrettRTurner said:

If Hoya is not doing well, that is a different issue; perhaps they
see selling Pentax as a way to generate capital for their other
businesses. But one, if so, why buy Pentax to begin with, and two,
doesn't this scenario suggest that they would sell the company to
someone who would continue the brand, and therefore get a higher
price?

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Hoya bought Pentax due to Pentax medical and optical division. Not the imaging division. Pentax imaging division doesn't fit Hoyas business strategy and unless they have changed their plan and want to become a digital camera manufacturer, Pentax imaging division is in danger of being sold off so that Hoya can direct the money into their core business.

rogerstpierre said:

Only business speculation. Of course, a company that doesn't make
a profit isn't going to be held by anybody, that is pure business
sense.

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Jaguar (the car maker) have been loosing money for 40 years....

panauser said:

Can't supply the demand and profitable are two different things. No
one knows it Pentax Camera division is profitable or a drag on the
company. Pentax has many divisions including medical imaging, etc.

Click to expand...

From the Pentax Web page:

panauser said:

Imaging:
Manufacturing and marketing of digital cameras, film cameras,
medium-format cameras, interchangeable lenses, camera accessories,
astronomical telescopes, and binoculars

Click to expand...

panauser said:

Life Care:
Manufacturing and marketing of endoscopes, medical accessories,
ceramic bone graft, filler

Click to expand...

panauser said:

Optical:
Manufacturing and marketing of digital camera modules, digital camera
units for cellular phones, pickup lenses, laser scanning units, and CCTV
lenses

Click to expand...

panauser said:

Other:
Manufacturing and marketing of equipment for business systems and
surveying

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As far as profits, Pentax earnings, return on investment, etc, are all under 1% while Hoya's numbers are all over 20%. Gobbling up Pentax will drag that down, so they will definite spit out the divisions they don't need or like.

Hoya sees strong potential in Pentax's patent portfolio. there are also synergies possible with their life care and optical components divisions. nonetheless every part of the company will be reviewed for profitability and structural changes made where return on investment is insufficient. Hoya sees little likelihood of increasing profit margins in the imaging division to a sufficient level and will deal with it accordingly.

Herb...

baxters said:

As far as profits, Pentax earnings, return on investment, etc, are
all under 1% while Hoya's numbers are all over 20%. Gobbling up
Pentax will drag that down, so they will definite spit out the
divisions they don't need or like.

Click to expand...

HerbChong said:

Hoya sees little likelihood of
increasing profit margins in the imaging division to a sufficient
level and will deal with it accordingly.

Click to expand...

Is this a direct quote - or just your speculation?

--
http://www.pixelstatic.com

I love your post ... being in Citibank when it was "weilized" when Sandy Weil and Travelers took it over I am way too familiar with this type of corporate acquisition and ****-afication.

Having a considerable amount of Pentax gear I can only hope for the best for all Pentaxians.

All the best - Manny

Hello All...

Just spoke to the head of Pentax France today. What he tells me is that statement re: Hoya-Pentax is just standard corporate procedure. These assessments are done frequently and does not represent a radical shift in the present corporate direction.

http://www.pressbook.com/homebook.asp?langue_id=2&owner_id=5144
--
Benjamin

That little blurb is simply a statement by Hoya that if it turns out to not be profitable (to merge with Pentax), they will be able to seperate out and sell the Pentax business.

Just as in any business decision.

What many of you don't understand is that currently Hoya and Pentax are not yet merged, and the board votes won't even be for several months, and legally the goal isn't until this October. Between now and then Hoya quarterly reports will show that the company has been less profitable that in recent past.... so some stock holders may be a bit nervous about taking on a merger at this time.

This is Japan, and the natives tend to be a bit less secure than many of you may realize. Japanese can be hyper-conservative.

So the Hoya execs are just comforting the stockholders... affirming to them that the proposed Pentax deal is not an eternal commitment. If it turns out to not be a good deal Hoya, even after the merger, will still be able to sell off the Pentax business. Which anyone dealing in private companies already knew!

-gt

As a person living in Japan, you are in a better position than most of those who posted here to interpret this information. Thanks for helping us to understand it.
--
Jim King - Retired Colormonger - Suburban Detroit, Michigan, USA; GMT -5h (EST)
Photo gear and collection listed in my profile.



* * * * *
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

• Sir Winston Churchill

* * * * *
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

• Albert Einstein

it's a quote from a professional translator.

Herb...

Jim King said:

As a person living in Japan, you are in a better position than most
of those who posted here to interpret this information. Thanks for
helping us to understand it.

Click to expand...

And it seems a bit more balanced than this post:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=21799966

But I think this os not completely japanese, happens all the times lately, companies buying other companies and then selling of either what does not make a profit OR what is not really up their alley.

And it might be the latter, Hoya being more optics oriented, and thinking "what the C&N&N must we do with these bodies we know nothiing about? Let's get rid of that business end.... "

But maybe it is the other way round, maybe Hoya wanted to get rid of the body-part and are now reconsidering because of the K10D success...

In the meantime, all this talk leaves me wondering about the Samsung part.

--
janneman
http://www.pbase.com/jl2

Companies are sold and bought all over the world..... It just happens. And sometimes it is a succesfull company, sometuimes an empty shell..

And there are no guarantees on the future ofcourse.

Lots of "bought"comapnies have dissapeared alltogether, lots of bought companies are simply absorbed by the buyer (like some here thought would happen after the Samsung deal), los of companies simply merged (like many of us thought would happen, given the numerous Pensung and Samtax posts :-D ), and lots of companies thrived on being bought, even became a bigger name.

The possibilities will be more extreme if entirely investor based companies Hi-jack pentax. But that could happen with all camera manufacturers. (I dare say, even Nikon and Canon are not or will not be for long immune to agrressive investors)

There is no way in predicting what will happen after only the few lines we have been able to read so far.

And let's be honest, if pentax stayed alone or will not be bought or does not team up with a partner, there are the following possibilities:
Pentax may Boom...
Pentax may be(come) a marginal player
Pentax may become a sub- top two (three) player
Pentax may disappear.

So it's too early to tell what would be best.....

--
janneman
http://www.pbase.com/jl2

I presented the link to a native japanese speakers who's participating in our (german language) photo-forum. according to her the words are

"just to comfort the shareholders". the "CEO had to mark his position towards shareholders".

in other words: useless words, "muscle playing", "territory marking" ...
... just too keep shareholders comfortable towards the comming up merger!

Hoya-shareholders are interested in Hoya, not Pentax. Therefore they don't give a dime about Pentax prior to the merger ...

... now the shareholders will feel comfortable as "if ever needed Pentax could be sold". But also: if Pentax is profitable Hoya will keep it ... and exploit it's synergies, esp. with Tokina!

Therefore I'd dare to conclude: no worries!!!

SpaceDoc

SpaceDoc said:

I presented the link to a native japanese speakers who's
participating in our (german language) photo-forum. according to
her the words are
"just to comfort the shareholders". the "CEO had to mark his
position towards shareholders".

in other words: useless words, "muscle playing", "territory
marking" ...
... just too keep shareholders comfortable towards the comming up
merger!
Hoya-shareholders are interested in Hoya, not Pentax. Therefore
they don't give a dime about Pentax prior to the merger ...
... now the shareholders will feel comfortable as "if ever needed
Pentax could be sold". But also: if Pentax is profitable Hoya will
keep it ... and exploit it's synergies, esp. with Tokina!

Therefore I'd dare to conclude: no worries!!!

Click to expand...

Then you haven't read what the analysts are writing, they are the ones who the funds management buyers listen to.

--
Rob

janneman02 said:

In the meantime, all this talk leaves me wondering about the
Samsung part.

Click to expand...

I don't believe that these business matters are something that happen over night. We are dealing with long-term strategies here. I would not be surprised if both Hoya and Samsung knew about Pentax long-term strategies long time ago. The Samsung alliance still exists and I think this Hoya message is directed at Samsung and Pentax combined.

It simply means: Stay competitive but if you don't then we have kept the Pentax imaging division as a separate division that will be sold in case there is no profit.

The dilemma for Hoya: If Pentax continues to be a success then why sell Pentax but in case there is no profit then the question is who would want to buy Pentax. Samsung is not an option IMO as they have established their own line of DSLR's and they have already required the nessecary Pentax R&D knowledge for that. The next Pentax DSLR versions will contain 20-30% Samsung and that means Samsung will get a share of that profit too.

IOW the Samsung calculation might very well have been:

Profit from having a Samsung DSLR line with K-mount + profit from co-developed Pentax DSLR's = the money Samsung has paid to Pentax so that Pentax could launch the K100D and the K10D.

I can't see what Samsung would want Pentax for in case future Pentax DSLR's are not selling well.

It is stilll up to the Pentax people within Hoya to make sure Pentax R&D is ahead of the competition. Nothing has really changed for Pentax in that department because that would have been the challenge anyway.

--
.......
Have a nice day (a picture says more than 1000 words)
Jim

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