South Korean conglomerate Samsung could be “shaken up” after the death of chairman Lee Kun-hee (pictured) last week, says the BBC. Shares in several Samsung businesses have jumped amid reports that his heirs could be “forced into asset sales or dividend payments” in order to pay a “massive” inheritance tax bill.
A large tax bill isn’t the only problem that Samsung faces, says Elizabeth Koh and Jonathan Cheng in The Wall Street Journal. While Lee transformed a “second-tier electronic-parts maker into the world’s biggest manufacturer of smartphones and televisions”, the company has faced a “string of scandals and business challenges” in recent years. In particular, Lee’s attempt to pass his empire to his son, vice chairman Lee Jae-yong, who is widely expected to succeed his father as chairman, sparked continuing legal cases into “alleged bribery and financial fraud” that could see Jae-yong imprisoned. Samsung is also battling “slowing momentum” in mobile phones”.
But don’t underestimate Jae-yong or Samsung, says The Economist. Since the younger Lee effectively took over control in 2014, Samsung has defended its position in mobile devices against competition from China while also forging global partnerships, including with Apple – a Samsung subsidiary supplies the screens used in iPhones. Jae-yong is also moving the company away from producing “solid but unsexy hardware” towards an “emphasis on design and software” – the same strategy that has won American tech firms “trillion-dollar valuations”.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
-
How to invest in nuclear powerWe need nuclear power to go green, says Dominic Frisby. But there is a better option than huge power stations
-
Chase slashes its easy-access savings rate – is it time to switch?The Chase easy-access savings account has proved popular with savers thanks to its competitive rate and bonus deals. But, as the rate has dropped, has it lost its charm?
-
Pfizer shares rise as US investor takes $1 billion stakePfizer shares are on the up since US activist investor Starboard Value built up a stake in the drug maker. But strategic options appear limited
-
Japan’s new PM Shigeru Ishiba calls snap election – why now?The new leader, Shigeru Ishiba, has called a snap election seeking a new mandate just three days into his post. What does this mean for the country's economy?
-
Qualcomm could acquire rival Intel – but securing the deal won't be easyA tie-up between Qualcomm and its semiconductor rival Intel would be a coup. But multiple regulatory and commercial hurdles lie ahead.
-
Modi’s reforms set Indian stocks on fireIndian stocks pass a new milestone, but global fund managers are holding back. Are there signs of overheating?
-
How to invest in the quiet market monthsHere's how to invest in the quiet market months, since “sell in May” hasn’t paid off this year.
-
Spire Healthcare: invest in the booming demand for private healthcareSpire Healthcare is one of the few listed companies benefiting from the growing trend in private healthcare. Should you invest?
-
Are insurance companies a good investment?Costs may be soaring but the insurance sector is currently going through one of its most profitable periods. The market has been slow to realise the opportunity here
-
Google's legal challenges – could it be broken up?Google is fending off legal challenges from both the EU and the US. But would breaking it up actually work?
