Reuters reports that: “Olympus Corp is preparing to issue about $1.28 billion (100 billion yen) in new shares to bolster its depleted finances, with Japanese high-tech stalwarts Sony and Fujifilm seen as possible buyers, the Nikkei business daily reported.” Reuters also says that Panasonic could join the “share shopping” too. This really sounds like a very vague rumor. Before Reuters and Bloomberg reported that also Samsung and Hoya may be interested in an Olympus acquisition. Such news are no-news anymore :)
All I know from my sources is that Olympus has a very close relation to Fuji, and there are rumors that Olympus is talking with Fuji a way out of the financial mess. But that’s just a rumor. I think it will not pass a lot of time that we will see Olympus real steps.
UPDATE: BBC reports that “Japanese prosecutors have raided the headquarters of camera and medical equipment maker Olympus as part of an ongoing investigation.”
P.S.: Olympus gives us some nice new m43 cameras and lenses soon so that we can help you out with our money!