Philips is moving its loss-making TV business to a 30/70 joint venture with Hong-Kong based monitor maker TPV and has the option to sell out. The Dutch group has struggled to compete with lower-cost Asian rivals Samsung and LG Electronics.
Van Houten, a restructuring expert who took over as CEO this month, said he was assessing the profitability of Philips's 400 or so business areas and "taking the blanket off" its laggards, a hint that further sales could be on the cards.
"We are not yet firing on all cylinders ... There's much unlocked potential in Philips," Van Houten told Reuters Insider.
Philips shares opened lower on the news, but rebounded soon after. By 1410 GMT they were down 1 percent, while the Amsterdam market was down 1.7 percent. Trading in TPV's shares was halted at the request of the company earlier on Monday.
Van Houten said he would present a new strategic plan in the second half of the year.
Three weeks into his new job, he has scrapped his predecessor's target for an annual revenue increase of 2 percentage points above global gross domestic product growth between 2011 and 2015, citing the TV divestment and the impact of Japan's massive quake, which has disrupted the supply chain for both the health and lighting businesses.
Philips did not give a value for the TV deal, saying it would receive a deferred payment from TVP. It said all 3,600 employees at the TV business would transfer to the Hong Kong company, and job cuts could not be ruled out.
TPV, which controls about 33 percent of the global computer monitor market, posted a near 20 percent rise in 2010 profit.
"It's a major positive," ING analyst Sjoerd Ummels said of the deal. "It's clear (Van Houten) will address laggard businesses."
These could include the audiovisual and multimedia business, which Philips said would be merged into its lifestyle entertainment unit in Hong Kong.
Van Houten said even acquisitions from the past decade would be scrutinized -- including home healthcare firm Respironics and lighting fixtures group Genlyte, which have not yet shown sufficient synergies.
Philips is the world's biggest lighting maker and a top three hospital equipment maker.
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