Toshiba In Talks To Sell Image Sensor Business To Sony: Nikkei

(RTTNews) - Toshiba Corp. (TOSYY.PK, TOSBF.PK) is in late-stage talks on selling its image sensor operations to Sony in a deal estimated at around 20 billion yen, the Nikkei reported. Sony would use the acquisition to expand its CMOS sensor production capacity.

The move which comes after restructuring plan laid out by Chief Executive Masashi Muromachi earlier this year.

Toshiba is reportedly looking to divest its newest production facility in Oita. Its products include CMOS -- complementary metal-oxide semiconductor -- sensors, an area in which Sony excels.

The reported added that Sony would take over some employees as well as customer accounts, which include automakers and camera manufacturers.

President Masashi Muromachi had hinted that the system LSI and discrete semiconductor businesses would be the first to undergo restructuring once a new management team took over in late September.