Headset maker Merry Electronics has announced new investments, foraying into the hearing aid device and smart audio solution segments.
The company said it plans to take up a 82.5% stake in China-based AST Hearing Science and Technology, a leading provider of hearing aid devices and equipment in China, for CNY61.6 million (US$9.72 million).
Combining AST's design and manufacturing capability and its sales channels for hearing aids and Merry's large-scale production capacity for acoustic products, the two companies will fast penetrate into the hearing aid device markets in China and around the globe, according to Merry's CFO Huang Chao-feng.
Merry will also invest US$45.8 million in three subsidiaries of the Sonavox Group. The investment project includes taking up a certain stake in Suzhou Sonavox Electronics and Sonavox Canada as well as a 100% stake of Seas Fabrikker in Norway.
The planned investment in Sonavox will help Merry foray into the smart speaker segment as Merry is a relative newcomer to the market, which is now developing rapidly, Huang noted.
The investment in Sonavox will enable Merry to secure key technology for the production of complete set of smart speakers, while further enhancing the company's competitiveness in the smart audio device market, Huang added.
Meanwhile, the company plans to deal out a cash dividend of NT$16.44 for its performance in 2017, in which the company posted net profits of NT$3.622 billion or NT$18.94 per share.
Merry CFO Huang Chao-feng
Photo: Ninelu Tu, Digitimes, March 2018
Article translated by Steve Shen
