Elpida Memory Inc., Japan’s biggest maker of memory to store data in computers, said it bought flash-chip technology assets from Spansion Inc. to develop semiconductors for use in mobile phones.

The purchase includes the U.S. chipmaker’s research and development facility in Milan, Italy, and intellectual property rights, Tokyo-based Elpida spokesman Hiroshi Tsuboi said by phone today. The company will research semiconductors that combine Spansion’s and its own technologies, Tsuboi said, declining to comment on manufacturing plans.

Elpida is looking to reduce its reliance on computer memory after a glut of the chips resulted in nine consecutive quarterly losses at the company. Developing new chips may provide another revenue source for the company, said Yuichi Ishida, an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities.

“If they can successfully develop and mass-produce such compound memory, it would give them a competitive edge against their rivals,” Ishida said by phone from Tokyo. He rates Elpida’s stock “neutral plus.”

Elpida gained 1.6 percent to 1,645 yen as of 9:24 a.m. on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, compared with a 0.2 percent retreat by the benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average. The shares almost tripled in value last year.

The purchase price may be as much as 5 billion yen ($57 million), the Nikkei newspaper reported earlier. The acquisition was “much less” than the reported figure, Tsuboi said.

 source:bloomberg