Altro giro, altro regalo...
Questa volta, dopo Sammy e MS, pare entrarci anche EA.
Speriamo solo che alla fine qualcuno se la prenda questa benedetta Sega...
TK,
Fabio "Shogun" Ravetto
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Microsoft, EA mull bid for Sega (JP:7964) - WSJ
TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Electronic Arts Inc
(ERTS) are separately exploring the possibility of buying all or part of
Japanese videogame maker Sega Corp (JP:7964) , the Asian Wall Street
Journal said on Friday.
The paper, quoting people familiar with the situation, said the two U.S.
companies have yet to hold formal talks with Sega and that no deal was
imminent.
The news sparked a buying spree in Sega shares, boosting the stock
price by 13.91 percent to 729 yen by 0117 GMT.
Sega said earlier this month that it would merge with pinball-
style 'pachinko' game machine maker Sammy Corp (JP:6426) ,
abandoning plans to restructure on its own and turning to financially
sound Sammy for help.
The paper said either U.S. company could emerge as Sega's White
Knight, pulling the company away from a merger plan that appears rife
with difficulties and internal opposition.
Microsoft has asked at least one U.S. investment bank to investigate ways
it could buy all or part of Sega, while EA in recent weeks has approached
Japanese game makers about launching a joint bid for Sega, the paper
said.
Acquiring Sega could give Microsoft a strong boost in Japan, where a
dearth of Xbox games that appeal to Japanese consumers has left a vast
stock of unsold consoles.
A deal could also give EA a boost in Japan and remove a competitor, the
paper said.
Sega, which reduced its 2002/03 net profit forecast by 90 percent early
this month, is expected to announce, as early as on Friday, a
reorganisation of its U.S. operations that will shed 20 percent of its work
force of 450, the paper also said, quoting people familiar with the plan.
The cuts are part of a global restructuring that could lead to additional
layoffs around the world, the paper said.
Sega was not immediately available for comment.
A spokesman for Microsoft's Japanese subsidiary declined to comment on
the report, but said that U.S. company chairman Bill Gates, who visited
Tokyo earlier this week, had not met with Sega representatives.
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Link1:
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/newsarticle.asp?siteid=mktw&sid=3140&guid=%7B2883A803%2DF5C6%2D42FA%
2DAFB4%2D4EB4F3AE453B%7D
Link2:
http://quote.bloomberg.com/fgcgi.cgi?ptitle=Top%20Financial%20News&s1=blk&tp=ad_topright_topfin&refer=topfin&T=markets_box.ht&s
2=ad_right1_topfin&bt=ad_position1_topfin&box=ad_box_all&tag=financia
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