作者：Darren
【IT168 资讯】Taipei, Aug.21, 2006 (CENS)--A senior executive at BenQ Corp., the largest computer-peripheral supplier and a leading consumer-electronics brand in Taiwan, recently reported that its board of directors has resolved to issue NT$10 billion (US$306.75 million at US$1: NT$32.6) worth of convertible bonds and NT$15 billion (US$460.123 million) worth of preferred shares to prevent a possible hostile takeover.
Despite BenQ stock prices having soared several days straight, Eric Yu, the company's chief financial officer (CFO) and senior vice president, sternly denied reports of BenQ planning to set up a strategic alliance with the Hon Hai Group, the largest private manufacturer in Taiwan and the world's largest maker of connectors, barebone PCs, and game consoles.
Yu pointed out that currently BenQ's top priority is to take its cellphone business into the black as soon as possible.
Some institutional investors pointed out that market rumors has it that Hon Hai is actively trying to acquire a majority stake in BenQ so as to control the operating rights to BenQ's key subsidiaries, such as AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), Taiwan's No. 1 thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel maker; and Darfon Electronics Corp., a world-leading manufacturer of telecommunication components and precision devices.
A senior BenQ executive said that his company's management team has mapped out a comprehensive plan to prevent hostile takeovers. Currently, the largest investor shareholder holds only a 5% stake in BenQ, he added, and the newly raised funds are expected to increase the company's capitalization by about NT$12.5 billion (US$383.44 million) to further strengthen the mechanism.
BenQ has enjoyed clear sales growths in the past few years but no longer in the wake of its acquisition of Siemens' cellphone business.
BenQ plans to hold a shareholders’ meeting on August 24 to publicize its second-quarter operating results and third-quarter forecasts. Industry sources said that BenQ's second-quarter core-business loss is expected to increase, with such loss to be between NT$500 million to NT$3 billion (US$15.34 million to US$92 million), due to the sale of its optical-disc drive business to Lite-On IT Corp.; the sale of Darfon shares; and its acquisition of the Siemens cellphone biz.
