Huawei confirms handset business up for sale

Huawei Technologies has confirmed it’s looking to sell its mobile phone business in order to focus more on the profitable network equipment market. The company said it has appointed Morgan Stanley to look at possible investments in the business by private equity firms, Bloomberg reports. Two people familiar with the matter told the news agency that Huawei had set a deadline of 23 June for non-binding offer for the handset business, which also includes mobile data cards and modems. The bidding will be opened to only private equity companies, with rival handset makers excluded. Bidding documents estimate that the Huawei business will generate USD 380 million in profit on USD 3.5 billion in sales this year, the sources said.

华为欲40亿美元出售手机业务 主攻电信设备强项

　　中国最大的电信设备企业华为公司正计划通过出售手机终端部门，主攻电信设备领域的强项。这一消息已得到证实，华为内部人士表示，对于已经有多款手机和数据卡获得TD-SCDMA终端入网许可的华为来说，终端部门寻求海外合作不会影响TD业务发展。

　　将出售近半股权

　　据华为内部人士透露，目前华为已经邀请了多家私募基金和战略投资者对其手机终端部门的股权进行收购，竞标成功方将获得华为手机终端公司的股权，甚至取得控股地位。尽管华为邀请的私募基金及投资者名单至今尚未揭晓，但可以肯定的是，华为已聘请摩根士丹利负责售股事宜。

　　目前来自市场内部的消息显示，华为计划出售其手机部门至少49%的股权，预计价值超过40亿美元。有意竞标华为手机部门的多为全球资本巨头，其中包括黑石集团、贝恩资本、KKR、凯雷集团等多家私募股权投资公司，但本次私募的期限并不明确。

　　另外，AT&T、沃达丰等战略投资者也有意收购华为终端业务股权。对此，华为终端业务主管卢瑛证实：“公司对出售股份持开放态度，正在考虑剥离终端业务。”