Possible HP buyout of Kodak?

[Jim Chinn]

The Omaha paper had a small blurb from Bloomberg News that Hewlett Packard was talking to Kodak about a buyout of EK. Neither company would comment. I looked at the Bloomberg site and could not find any info or other details. has anyone else seen a more detailed version of the story?

If the buyout would take place, do you think HP would try to sell the film mfg assets or would they just junk the line and take a loss? I just don't see HP being involved in anything that is not part of their core business after the fiasco with the ill-fated computer endeavor.

 

[jjstafford]

My hunch was that Fuji would buy out Kodak for their motion picture film business. That is Kodak's remaining niche, is it not? What could HP do with Kodak? What does Kodak have that truly competes with HP? What does Kodak have besides the motion picture business that competes with anyone in this d*l age?

 

[srs5694]

What could HP do with Kodak? What does Kodak have that truly competes with HP?

Digital imaging products -- digital cameras and printers, as well as their accessories and consumables, mainly. If this report is true, HP is almost certainly after those items, and perhaps access to the "Kodak" name, which I'm sure is still more strongly associated with photography in the general public's mind than is the "HP" name.

 

[juan]

Here's the Forbes article - the stock went up on the rumors

 

[David Brown]

Here's the Forbes article - the stock went up on the rumors

From the Forbes article, there is no detail. It appears to be a rumor, and not necessarily a new one at that. We're just going to have to wait and see.

In the meantime, I've got film, paper and chemistry from both Kodak and Ilford and I'm "preparing".

Cheers,

David

 

[jd callow]

Purely speculative but...
Hp would break the company up. Sell the still profitable, but declining film and chems and build on the not profitable but ascending digital imaging segment.

To me it is doubtful that HP would make such a dramatic move so soon after firing their CEO. It doesn't seem that HP has refocused yet. Most people in the IT industry (that I know) look at HP as having decent servers, mediocer work stations and great printers. There isn't a great future in WS's, servers are still high ticket and presumably higher profit and printers are a bit of a mystery -- but a needed commodity in all business segments.


I should add that everything I've heard regarding their laptops have been good, and when i was a corp. weasel I was assigned high end Compaq laptops, that, other than a hinge issue, were great.


I would think that digital imaging in the specialties (medical and technical) is a profitable segment, but it appears to be a race to the bottom at the consumer level. I can't imagine HP taking their focus off of printing (again) to invest in a market were the greatest growth shows the highest risks and lowest margins.


I think Fuji would have a tough time with the FTC if they tried to buy kodak. I also think to get Kodak's customers fuji doesn't need to do anything, but wait.

 

[Jim Chinn]

Thanks for the Forbes link. I did not realize that an HP buyout of Kodak has been part fo the rumor mill for quite awhile.

 

[MattCarey]

Today's San Jose Mercury News had a big article about how HP is about to layoff 10,000-25,000 people. The new CEO is supposed to be much less inclined to the big merger than Carly.

Did this rumor start in the Fiorino days? If so, it may not be valid now.

Matt

 

[kjsphoto]

I would love to see HP go under. Total sell outs!