From Deseret News archives:
Toshiba to pay Micron $288 million to end litigation over flash memory
Lexar Media Inc. sued Tokyo-based Toshiba over NAND flash memory that stores large amounts of data in digital cameras and music players such as Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod. Toshiba will get some of Lexar's patent rights and license others.
The accord ends a battle that included a $465.4 million jury verdict in a trade secrets case against Toshiba, to be retried on damages in California, and a U.S. International Trade Commission complaint seeking to block the importation of Toshiba products accused of infringing Lexar patents. The agreement came sooner than expected, J.P. Morgan analyst Shawn Webster said.
"We are surprised a settlement was reached already as we had expected the case to remain open until at least the end of" the year, Webster told clients in a note. He called the $288 million "extra gravy, spread out over multiple years."
Micron, based in Boise, is the biggest U.S. maker of computer memory chips. In a regulatory filing Friday, the company said the payments from Toshiba will be made over a period of years and it hasn't decided how to account for them.
Micron bought Lexar for $801 million in June over the objections of billionaire Carl Icahn and hedge fund managers who said the price was too low.
Former Lexar shareholder Elliott Associates LP, which sold its stake after losing the fight against Micron's purchase, in March estimated that Lexar could get as much as $600 million pretax from the trade secrets case alone, and a total of $1.3 billion from all of its litigation.
Toshiba said the settlement doesn't affect its earnings outlook for the current fiscal year.
"We appreciate that Micron approached this issue in a positive spirit that allowed the parties to work together to bring all outstanding litigation and claims to a full and final resolution," Masashi Muromachi, corporate executive vice president of Toshiba and head of the company's semiconductor unit, said in the statement.
NAND is a type of flash memory that is faster at writing data and more reliable than the type called NOR, which is used to store programs in other electronics
Contributing: Mari Murayama; Pavel Alpeyev
Comments
- Nuggets win after clock review 1:41 a.m.
- Robbery ends poorly for one suspect 1:20 a.m.
- Wednesday on TV 12:59 a.m.
- Integration is possible on TV 12:59 a.m.
- Herbert talks land issues in D.C. 12:59 a.m.
- Developer looking to buy RSL share 12:58 a.m.
- Civilians help S.L. officer make arrest 12:58 a.m.
- 5A teams best of decade 12:57 a.m.
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends 12:50 a.m.
- Fire damages Taylorsville home 12:49 a.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
263 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
149 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
105 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
So are you saying that women's soccor should evolve into this type of...
The Church has never been about hating gays, or any other group. It has only...
To which I add Amen, and Amen! [Thank you!]
this is going to so much fun? Gee who do i cheer for if REAL plays Galaxy? ...
The great QBs make defenses pay for bringing pressure. Hall offers up...
I completely concur, this exhibition game was supposed to be easy and a blow...
Maybe we should just back up 50 years and do away with all laws etc. passed...
So does Hall enjoy absorbing the contact as Call says, or in Hall's own...
Well put, let it die. A lot people who want the health care bill haven't...
If Jerry studies "game tape" he will see how to beat the Celtics, see Phoenix...


You can be the first to comment on this story.