Sony's shares went up by nearly three per cent in Tokyo today - that's the good news for the company. But the market shift came following a slice of speculation from finance site Barron's of a buyout from iPhone maker Apple. That's the ridiculous news.
Here's the actual text of the actual piece in the actual Barron's article that has triggered "Apple to buy Sony!" 'news' all over the Internet. It's by Eric J. Savitz and it reads...
"Apple could be contemplating a big acquisition. After Jobs wrapped up his attacks on the competition, an analyst asked him to comment on what the company planned to do with its $51 billion in cash, and—surprise!—he hinted that the company could make a giant acquisition or two. 'We would like to continue to keep our powder dry, because we do feel that there are one or more strategic opportunities in the future' he said.
"That brief comment has triggered speculation on just what Apple might want to buy. Adobe (ADBE)? Sony (SNE)? Or how about a big media company where Jobs is already on the board: Disney (DIS)?"
This has lead sites such as 247wallst to go all out with, "Apple might like to own Sony’s gaming operation which manufactures and sell the PlayStation line of products." This is despite the company's iPhone already threatening the PSP and Nintendo DS in the handheld market.
Reputable news source Reuters even gets in on the action, by quoting an 'analyst in Tokyo, who declined to be named.' "If Apple tries to buy the whole of Sony, it will be a hostile takeover, and that will probably not succeed in Japan," says the mysterious industry person.
An independent analyst that has no reason to call anonymity but 'cannot be named' regardless? Right.
A Sony spokesperson declined to comment on the rumour, but no doubt the company will be taking any kind of market upswing they can get, 'takeover' fantasies or no.
Here's the actual text of the actual piece in the actual Barron's article that has triggered "Apple to buy Sony!" 'news' all over the Internet. It's by Eric J. Savitz and it reads...
"Apple could be contemplating a big acquisition. After Jobs wrapped up his attacks on the competition, an analyst asked him to comment on what the company planned to do with its $51 billion in cash, and—surprise!—he hinted that the company could make a giant acquisition or two. 'We would like to continue to keep our powder dry, because we do feel that there are one or more strategic opportunities in the future' he said.
"That brief comment has triggered speculation on just what Apple might want to buy. Adobe (ADBE)? Sony (SNE)? Or how about a big media company where Jobs is already on the board: Disney (DIS)?"
This has lead sites such as 247wallst to go all out with, "Apple might like to own Sony’s gaming operation which manufactures and sell the PlayStation line of products." This is despite the company's iPhone already threatening the PSP and Nintendo DS in the handheld market.
Reputable news source Reuters even gets in on the action, by quoting an 'analyst in Tokyo, who declined to be named.' "If Apple tries to buy the whole of Sony, it will be a hostile takeover, and that will probably not succeed in Japan," says the mysterious industry person.
An independent analyst that has no reason to call anonymity but 'cannot be named' regardless? Right.
A Sony spokesperson declined to comment on the rumour, but no doubt the company will be taking any kind of market upswing they can get, 'takeover' fantasies or no.
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