Japan’s Panasonic Corporation announced that it has entered into a share transfer agreement with Munich-based Fidelium Partners, under which all shares of Panasonic Lighting Europe, which focuses on the lighting device business in Europe as a wholly owned consolidated subsidiary of Panasonic, will be transferred to the German investment firm. Panasonic acquired German lighting device manufacturer Vossloh Schwabe in August 2002 to expand its lighting device business in Europe and worked to strengthen sales of lighting devices for conventional light sources such as f...

Cree announced that Cree’s wholly owned Power and RF subsidiary has submitted a draft registration statement on a confidential basis to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential initial public offering of the subsidiary’s Class A common stock.

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) announced that today’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) has approved the separation of the Lighting business from Royal Philips. Following the vote in Amsterdam, Royal Philips will continue the process to set up two market-leading independent companies that will focus on the vast opportunities in health technology and lighting solutions.

Osram is systematically tackling its realignment. At yesterday’s meeting, the supervisory board of OSRAM Licht gave the green light for a mandate to examine the carve-out of the general lighting lamps business. As an independent entity, the business could operate more freely on the market and realize strategic options, such as for example partnerships, more easily. The businesses with opto semiconductors, automotive and specialty lighting as well as luminaires, lighting systems and solutions would as a result form the future core business of Osram. With this move, the company will increase its focus on growth, innovation and technology leadership and addresses the different dynamics and requirements in the changing lighting market.

Despite delivering strong sales in its LED business, Philips profits in 1Q15 declined 28% due to slowdown in its health business, reportedFinancial Times and Marketwatch.

Taiwanese LED package manufacturer Ledtech recently released their fiscal 2013 financial report. The company benefited from strong growth in profit margin in both their Chinese white household product and lighting product business, which drove up revenue in 2013.