OmniVision has agreed to allow a consortium of private investors purchase the company for about $1.9 billion. OmniVision makes digital imaging products, such as camera sensors for smartphones.
Apple has, for example, used OmniVision’s sensors in the iPhone. OmniVision is based in California, but has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan. The private equity investors purchasing the company are Chinese, and OmniVision agreed to divest its Taiwan assets in order to make the deal work.
OmniVision expects the deal, which will require regulatory approval, to close late this year or early next year. Once the deal is concluded, OmniVision will stop being a public company and will be a private company moving forward.
