Holga Pentax Merger

Black and White Magazine had a short article stating Holga and Pentax are merging.

Is this an April fools joke?

Not Holga...Hoya.

Hoya manufactures most of the optical glass used in the Japanese camera industry. I think it's about a 15 billion USD/year company.

I believe the merger was voted down by Pentax's board last week and their chairman (who was backing it) felt obliged to "resign".

From what I read, the rationale for the merger was as follows:
- Hoya's future is less secure because alternative sources of optical glass are appearing and since the form factors of the lenses are shrinking - they are simply at risk of selling dramatically less optical glass in the future
- One of the markets that is likely to show continued demand for optical glass in the future is medical diagnostic equipment. Pentax has diversified into this area with considerable success in the past 20 years.
- Pentax is not cash rich and, as matters stand now, they will not be able to "run with the big dogs" (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Samsung) in the digital age
- Hoya is very cash rich

So it's a hedging of bets for both.

I believe what's killed the merger for the moment (and Hoya has pledged to continue pursuing it) is that Pentax has been putting up very good numbers because of nice margins on DSLRs and a weak Yen. As a result, the proposed share price for the buyout seemed less than generous to a group of "activist shareholders" (seems they are springing up everywhere now...)

Pentax sells nothing I'm interested in these days, but it would be sort of sad if they left the photography playing field altogether a la Konica-Minolta last year.

In fact, Holga has already merged with Leica, and produced the H-series of 120 cameras:

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As of today, the merger is on hold. The two companies are continuing talks next month, but there has been some speculation in the Japanese press that the merger wont happen.

Gary

mhv said:

In fact, Holga has already merged with Leica, and produced the H-series of 120 cameras:

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I am SO doing that to my Holga.

coriana6jp said:

As of today, the merger is on hold. The two companies are continuing talks next month, but there has been some speculation in the Japanese press that the merger wont happen.

Gary

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And I do mean HOYA! Not Holga, sorry for any confusion.

Gary

Pentax aren't likely to disappear. They're now co-operating with Samsung on digital SLR's and the two companies' current models are very similar.

Just what the world needs; a Holga SLR and a Holga spot meter. Cheers!

I worked for a Hoya subsidiary for two years. They shut the place down, I can't say they were a very nice company to work for.

mhv said:

In fact, Holga has already merged with Leica, and produced the H-series of 120 cameras:

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A Pentax-Holga manager would have been a natural match. After all, Pentax has done more to combat flare than any other lensmaker while Holga has done more to cause it.

Like Peanut Butter and Jelly!

Lomography is just an excuse for marketing people to sell crap cameras to people at ridiculous prices anyway, Hang on is that what Leica do? (in reference to the re-branded Panasonic cameras, not M's)