End of an era for electronics giant Toshiba

Toshiba, once a symbol of Japan’s electronics industry dominance, has experienced a dramatic fall from grace, culminating in its delisting and ending a 74-year history with the Tokyo stock exchange. The root of Toshiba’s troubles can be traced back to 2015 when significant accounting malpractices involving top management were uncovered. For seven years, the company had overstated its profit by $1.59 billion.

The situation worsened in 2020 with the discovery of more accounting irregularities. Allegations around poor corporate governance and contentious shareholder decision-making processes further tarnished Toshiba’s reputation. In 2021, an investigation revealed that Toshiba had colluded with Japan’s trade ministry to undermine the interests of foreign investors, raising concerns among global investors about the reliability of Japanese stocks.InformationGuideNigeria

Read Other News:

Toshiba’s woes intensified in late 2016 when it faced several billion dollars in charges related to the construction of a nuclear power plant by its US unit, Westinghouse Electric. The subsequent bankruptcy of Westinghouse in 2017 plunged Toshiba into a deep crisis, with its nuclear business collapsing and liabilities exceeding $6 billion.

To salvage its financial situation, Toshiba was forced to sell various businesses, including its mobile phones, medical systems, white goods, and even its prized chip unit, Toshiba Memory. These sales occurred during a period when most companies were investing in technology and innovation, leaving Toshiba in a precarious position.JAMB Result

By the end of 2017, Toshiba managed to avoid a forced delisting thanks to a $5.4 billion cash injection from overseas investors. However, this led to greater influence from activist shareholders, resulting in internal conflicts that hampered the company’s operations.NYSC Portal

After much debate about splitting into smaller companies, Toshiba considered privatization. In June 2022, it received eight buyout proposals and later confirmed a takeover by a consortium led by Japan Investment Corp (JIC) for $14bn. The new focus, according to Toshiba’s outgoing chairman, will be on high-margin digital services.

While Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) has a history of successfully carving out businesses from major manufacturers, the challenge with Toshiba is considerably larger. Toshiba is a vast company with about 106,000 employees, and its operations are integral to national security, making the stakes in its turnaround exceptionally high.

Check JAMB Result

Check and Confirm: How much is Dollar to Naira