With PCs, Lenovo is studying buying a BlackBerry

Lenovo Group Ltd. is studying making an offer for the entire BlackBerry Ltd., the Canadian maker of smartphones in difficulties, according to people apprised of the subject, in the latest sign of the voracious appetite of Chinese companies for international acquisitions.
The Chinese manufacturer of personal computers and smartphones has signed an agreement of "Confidentiality" that allows you to analyze the financial data of the BlackBerry, said one of the people.
Spokesmen of the BlackBerry and Lenovo, which is the largest manufacturer of PCs in the world, refused to comment.
If implemented, the agreement between Lenovo and the BlackBerry would be among the largest and most notable acquisitions of a Western firm by a Chinese and I would stress, once again, the wish of companies from the world's second-largest economy to become weight players in the West, where they can acquire knowledge and more industrial products to sell to their customers.
Last month, the Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd. has completed the purchase of Smithfield Foods ' American fridge Inc. for $ 4.7 billion, the largest acquisition of a company of the United States by a Chinese woman.
But if Lenovo go ahead with a bid to buy a BlackBerry, something still quite uncertain, she surely will face analysis of Canada's Governments and USA. The offers for BlackBerry must be submitted until November 4, according to a person familiar with the sale process.
The BlackBerry is the supplier of 470,000 of 600,000 smartphones used by the u.s. Department of Defense, according to a Pentagon spokesman. In all, more than 1 million BlackBerry devices were used by officials of the federal and State Governments of the United States until the end of 2012, according to the company. President Barack Obama has been seen with a BlackBerry, but the White House did not confirm if he continues using the appliance.
A spokesman for the u.s. foreign investment Committee, which probably will review a purchase of BlackBerry by Lenovo, was unavailable for comment. A spokesman for the Canadian industry Minister James Moore-responsible for approving any bid led by a foreign company which may arise for the BlackBerry, said that the Government is aware that the manufacturer of smartphones is exploring a sale, but declined to comment on the process or "speculation" about potential buyers.
At the same time, Lenovo is well-known in Washington. In 2005, she bought the personal computer Division of International Business Machines Corp., IBM, for $ 1.25 billion-at the time, one of the largest acquisitions ever made by a Chinese company. Since then she's done several smaller business that required approval of the u.s. Government. In June, Lenovo opened a factory in the State of North Carolina. More than a third of his 12 top executives are Westerners, according to the company Web site.
The BlackBerry can venture to tolerate a bit of political opposition and a prolonged review process to be rewarded with a higher price, says Jeff Bialos, a lawyer and former adviser to the u.s. Department of State. "If all the factors are equal, [BlackBerry] would be sold to an American buyer," says Bialos. "China would be chosen by the highest value."
In 2012, Lenovo spent $ 110,000 to lobby in the u.s., according to OpenSecrets.org. In 2011, were $ 480,000. Both sums are relatively modest compared with other large technology companies. Hewlett-Packard Co., for example, spent $ 7.2 million on lobbying in 2012.
As for Canada, currently any proposal for a foreign firm to acquire a company in the country more than 344 million Canadian dollars ($ 334 million) requires an analysis of the Government to see if the business will generate a "net economic benefit", or cause any security risk for the country.
The Conservative Government of Canada rejected three proposals for the country's asset acquisitions by foreign companies since he took power in early 2006. But last year, approved a $ 15.1 billion agreement by which Chinese State-owned Cnooc Ltd. bought the oil exploration company in tar sands Nexen Inc.
Lenovo would face competition for the BlackBerry, which in August if placed officially for sale, after years of losing market to rivals such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.
Last month, the BlackBerry reached a preliminary deal to acquire for $ 4.7 billion by Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., Canadian insurer that already is one of the largest shareholders of the company. The private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, who signed a confidentiality agreement, and the founders of the BlackBerry Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin, also consider offers.
Unlike some large Chinese companies, Lenovo, publicly traded, is not state-owned. A report this year from the research firm IDC showed that she became the world's largest manufacturer of PCs in the second quarter, surpassing Hewlett-Packard, while sales in the sector as a whole fell by 12% over a year earlier.
Even so, sales of Lenovo PCs also come falling, and the company has indicated that it is trying to expand its Smartphone business to get another source of growth.