Hermes Microvision Inc (HMI, 漢微科) shareholders yesterday gave the go-ahead to a NT$100 billion (US$3.15 billion) takeover bid by ASML Holding NV.
Nearly 80 percent of HMI shareholders voted to allow the acquisition, chairman Shu Chin-yung (許金榮) told investors on the sidelines of an extraordinary meeting of shareholders in Hsinchu.
In June, Netherlands-based ASML offered to buy all 71 million capital shares of HMI at NT$1,410 each in cash.
The transaction marks the second-largest acquisition in the nation’s semiconductor industry this year, following US memorychip maker Micron Technology Inc’s NT$130 billion buyout of the remaining 67 percent stake in Inotera Memories Inc (華亞科技).
The deal is expected to be completed next quarter at the earliest, if it receives approval from the Fair Trade Commission, as well as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and other government agencies in China and Singapore, Shu said.
Shu said he is optimistic about getting permission to proceed with the deal.
“Our products do not overlap with those of ASML. Instead, we are quite complementary to each other in terms of product lineup, which usually does not raise anti-trust concerns,” he said.
The combination of the two firms would help solve technological challenges for chipmakers, which are developing next-generation 7-nanometer (nm) and 5nm technologies, Shu said.
Hermes Microvision is the world’s largest e-beam semiconductor inspection tool supplier, with an 85 percent share of the global market. The company counts Intel Corp and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) among its major clients.
ASML is the world’s top manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet tools, which are to be used for 7nm and 5nm chip manufacturing, replacing immersion tools.
The transaction would not lead to any job cuts, Shu said, adding that he expects the third quarter to be a busy period for the firm.
The 65-year-old Shu said he plans to retire from his current post after the transaction completes.
HMI shares, which will be delisted from the Taipei Exchange following the completion of the deal, were unchanged at NT$1,355 yesterday.
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