Panasonic to Boost Profits or Consider ‘Best Owner’ for Units

  • Electronics maker pushing for more autonomy, profits at units
  • Goal is not to sell businesses, CEO Yuki Kusumi says

Panasonic CEO Yuki Kusumi

Photographer: Shoko Takayasu/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Panasonic Holdings Corp. will seek to improve the profitability of underperforming units over the next two years while considering whether it’s the “best owner” for the businesses, Chief Executive Officer Yuki Kusumi said.

The Japanese electronics maker’s decision last year to sell part of its automotive systems unitBloomberg Terminal to affiliates of Apollo Global Management Inc. for ¥311 billionBloomberg Terminal ($2 billion) was driven by such considerations, Kusumi said in a group interview Tuesday. “But our goal is not to sell,” he added.