Sony Corp and Fujifilm Holdings are leading contenders for an equity stake in Olympus Corp, sources familiar with the situation said, as the scandal-hit medical equipment maker moves to shore up its finances. The field of possibilities has narrowed, with foreign firms and some domestic companies such as Panasonic Corp now seen as unlikely partners, the sources said, although a leadership vacuum at Olympus was slowing progress on a deal.
"It looks like the contenders will be domestic players," said a source close to one of Olympus's banks. Sony, which has relatively little experience in the healthcare sector, supplies image sensors to Olympus and is considered keen to tap into its lucrative business in diagnostic endoscopes, where it holds a 70 percent global market share.
"Sony has been trying to integrate software, content and hardware to create an entertainment network. But Apple has a stranglehold on this market, so however hard it tries, it's going to be a runner-up at best," said Mizuho Investors Securities analyst Nobuo Kurahashi. "On the other hand, healthcare is a growth market ... If it is not too damaging to Sony's balance sheet, it is certainly interesting," he said.