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Namco Bandai Created Date: 9/29/2005 |
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Namco Bandai Comes into Existence Today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The merger between Namco and Bandai was officially completed today, with the formation of Namco Bandai and a listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Trading of Namco and Bandai stocks was halted effective September 22nd. The Namco Bandai's official website can be found at bandainamco.co.jp and contains an English section here. Bandai Namco's stock lists under code 7832 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is currently valued at ?1,900 a share. The company has ?10 Billion (US$88 million) in operating capital and expects to have ?44 billion in revenue on ?475 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006 (including revenue and sales the two companies independently generated during the period March 31, 2005 - September 28, 2005). The company projects ?55 billion in revenue for the following fiscal year on sales of ?550 billion. A full list of subsidiaries owned by Namco Bandai is listed (in English) on this page. While listed as a merger, it is essentially Bandai Co that purchased Namco. Earlier this year Bandai purchased 6.3% of Namco for 10.5 billion yen (US$99.9 million) in cash. Merger talks were then conducted, with Bandai offering Namco shareholders 1 share in Namco Bandai for every Namco share owned. Shareholders in Bandai received 1.5 shares for every Bandai share owned. Bandai was the world's third largest toy maker (the largest in Japan) and Japan's fifth largest toy and video game company. With the merger, Namco Bandai is now Japan's second largest toy and video game maker, after Sega Sammy Holdings, which was formed when Sega Corp. and Sammy Corp. merged in October 2004. The new company is expected to to leverage Bandai's strong character rights, with Namco's leading entertainment technology. Bandai long had powerful franchises such as Gundam, but lacked technological resources to put out top quality electronic entertainment. Meanwhile Namco was a leader in the technical field, but lacked franchises with strong brand recognition. At a recent news conference, Takeo Takasu, president of the new company pointed towards recent Namco produced Gundam video games (produced before the merger) as an example fo the direction the company would be heading in. The company has stated that it intends to increase its overseas activity, aiming to increase foreign (non-Japanese) revenue to 50% of its total, compared to 20% currently. |
| Source: Anime News Network |
