Late last year Qualcomm announced that it would be making a $120 million investment in Sharp. The investment was doled out in two parts of $60 million each, the second investment was delayed earlier this year as Sharp had failed to meet certain conditions that were attached with the investment. It was back in March when Sharp had announced it wouldn’t be able to meet the conditions that had been set, so the second half was delayed. The company confirmed that the outstanding $60 million installment has now been received, completing Qualcomm’s commitment.
This investment gives Qualcomm a 3.53 percent share in Sharp, it is not the only company that has taken a stake in the ailing manufacturer. Samsung also owns a 3 percent stake in Sharp. Qulacomm’s investment will increase its involvement in new display technology that both companies are developing together. New displays based on Sharp’s IGZO panels and Qualcomm’s MEM technology are likely to be used in devices with various screen sizes. Qualcomm is now one of the largest shareholders of Sharp, as its investment is significantly larger than Samsung’s $110 million which was made in March 2012.