SanDisk rumored in takeover by Samsung, Toshiba
updated 04:25 pm EDT, Fri March 13, 2009
SanDisk takeover rumors
Unnamed sources are saying flash memory maker SanDisk is again the prospect of a possible takeover by Samsung or Toshiba. The rumors come from a Friday EETimes report and have both Samsung and Toshiba making simultaneous bids for the flash memory maker. Last year, Korea's Samsung launched a hostile takeover bid for SanDisk, but the talks ended without an agreement. Toshiba is already working with SanDisk on flash storage and bought shares in SanDisk last year.
None of the three companies involved commented on the rumors, though at least one analyst, Jim Handy from Objective Analysis from California, doubts SanDisk will be acquired in the near term. Handy believes SanDisk is seeking $60 per share, though Samsung is only offering $25, or $1 less than it offered for the company last year.
More recently, SanDisk and Toshiba have changed up the terms of their joint flash memory venture.
An acquisition would significantly alter the landscape for flash memory storage and would give a successful company control of SanDisk's research into ultra dense 3- and 4-cell NAND flash as well as its solid-state drives.
