Plans for iPhone assembler Foxconn to acquire Sharp, allowing it to move into making displays for future devices, now appear in significant doubt. Initially reported in Japan as a done deal, the WSJ quickly reported that Foxconn was “delaying” signing – and the same source today reports that talks have broken down.
Sharp Corp on Friday scrambled to salvage a sale to Taiwanese electronics assembler Foxconn as its stock plunged and investors questioned whether the companies could restore trust to make their proposed marriage work after an 11th-hour breakdown in talks …
The stumbling block is that Sharp would come with potential liabilities of around $1.3B, including potential tax claims and lawsuit awards against the company. Sharp says all this was properly reported in its accounts, but it appears that Foxconn did not have full knowledge of these risks until an email from Sharp on Wednesday,
According to a person familiar with the matter, Foxconn chairman Terry Gou received a list of liabilities in an email from Sharp on Wednesday morning, during a meeting at Foxconn headquarters in Taipei. Dozens of people were in the room and they “went berserk,” this person said.
The WSJ goes into a lot more detail for those interested, but for now it seems we’ll have to see whether or not the deal eventually goes through.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Strangely reminiscent of the Apple & Sapphire manufacturer deal (the company’s name escapes me) – not really the same, but a marriage that could have really turned ugly.
This has echoes of what happened when HP purchased Autonomy. Reports vary about exactly what happened, some reports suggest that HP didn’t do a proper due diligence check while others suggest that Autonomy cooked the books, but whatever happened, HP ended up having to make a multi billion dollar write down.
Never buy a used car (or company) until you do a comprehensive analysis of its condition.
If Sharp was camouflaging issues that could have significant impact on the value of the company, then Sharp may have just screwed itself. Why would anyone invest in a company when there is a recent and up history of lies behind it?
The crux of it appears to be that the info was somewhere in its accounts – which were handed over to Foxconn – but only specifically highlighted at the last minute. In your analogy, a mechanic’s report should have spotted it, but the seller only mentioned it just as you were about to sign the deal.
Thus the rule: Caveat Emptor. Buyer beware.