MVIS - for sale?
According to Simon Collins, Chief Executive of KPMG Corporate Finance, merger and acquisition activity will pick up strongly next year. Analyst Sean Udall says this will be especially true in the tech arena. This brings up the thought of the potential acquisition of Microvision. With its foot in several top tech venues, and its small size, MVIS looks like a fruit ready to be plucked.
By whom?
Samsung is a company that is engaged in the cell phone and printer businesses. Microvision would make a nice fit for Samsung.
Epson? Epson and Microvision have collaborated on a variety of patents, particularly in the laser printer/scanner field.
Motorola? With a joint venture underway, MOT would seem a likely suitor.
However, one must also give strong consideration to Nokia.
Nokia favors innovation more than most companies, and it likes to have “keen control over its own manufacturing” according to one analyst. That means that if Nokia wants to successfully incorporate the big screen into their product, they need to purchase the company that makes the screen (the screen being a major component going forward). Nokia cannot purchase someone like TI, but they could well scoop up MVIS.
And what about Hewlett Packard? This tech mammoth doesn’t want to be left out in the rain, especially if the printer and endoscope elements pan out.
And finally, GE must be added to the list. MVIS’ CEO and a variety of managers hail from GE, and GE is expanding into new fields right now.
There are several potential buyers for MVIS and we may well see a grab for its assets and IP portfolio in the coming 18 months. |
