Lenovo may take control of NEC's PC business
updated 03:35 pm EST, Thu January 20, 2011
Lenovo said buying major stake in NEC PCs
Lenovo might soon take control of NEC's computer business in a major shakeup of the industry, Japanese media said. The Nikkei claimed anonymous sources that had Lenovo in late stage talks to buy a majority of NEC's shares in its computer group. The move would give Lenovo say over NEC's lineup, although NEC-badged PCs would still exist.
Neither side has commented on their intentions.
Any deal would, at a minimum, likely help Lenovo accelerate its rise in PCs. The company is the fourth-largest computer builder in the world but still faces stiff opposition from Acer, Dell and HP for the top spot.
NEC is likely looking for help for its Japan-heavy business. With the exception of a handful of outsiders like Apple, the Japanese market has struggled in recent memory as domestic companies such as Fujitsu and Panasonic have had to face a shrinking target audience.