From Nikkei’s recent article:
“Last year, Olympus invited two activist investors from U.S.-based ValueAct Capital to join its board as non-executive directors, and in November it announced a medium-term business plan that targets an operating profit margin of 20% or more by fiscal 2023. It was only natural that it would withdraw from its loss-making imaging business.
Ricoh is also exposed to activist investors. With the company already having narrowed and consolidated its operations, such as through the sale of some shares in Ricoh Leasing, the direction of its digital camera unit is worth watching. Inevitably, Panasonic, which in the 2000s jointly developed the mirrorless interchangeable standard Micro Four Thirds with Olympus, also needs to shore up its operations.”
