Thales to sell 50% stake in Samsung joint ventureBy Korea Herald
Published : Mar 9, 2015 - 19:35 Updated : Mar 9, 2015 - 19:35
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150309001015 Thales, Europe’s biggest defense electronics company, plans to sell its 50 percent stake in Samsung Thales to the company’s new owner Hanwha Group, multiple sources said Monday.
“An official announcement is imminent as their talks are being finalized,” said a source familiar with the matter.
“Thales considers Hanwha less attractive as a partner. For the same reason, Total is also looking to sell its stake in its joint venture with Samsung.”
Samsung Thales is a 50-50 joint venture between Samsung and Thales established in 2001. It has engaged in the design and development of digital defense technologies and systems.
The alleged sell-off plan comes after Samsung announced in November it would sell four chemical and defense units to Hanwha, a South Korean family-run conglomerate, in a deal estimated at 1.9 trillion won ($1.72 billion).
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“But Hanwha is little known outside Korea, except for some presence in the Middle East,” he said, adding that
Thales will continue its Korean business through its regional unit.
Another source said the Thales management was also greatly disappointed with Samsung’s surprise announcement of the Hanwha deal.
“A Thales executive from the French headquarters said they were informed about the deal one day before the official announcement in Seoul,” he said.
Following the departure of foreign partners, industry watchers predict that Hanwha could experience financial pressure when its resources are already tight from funding the Samsung deal.
“But in the longer term, the financial burden would be relieved considering the generous dividends that have been offered to the foreign shareholders,” said a market analyst who wished to be unnamed due to the sensitivity of the issue.
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