Huawei sells Honor to consortium of Chinese buyers

Huawei Technologies Co said on Tuesday that it has decided to sell its entire Honor brand to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers for an undisclosed sum.

The sale will help Honor's channel sellers and suppliers to make it through this difficult time, and comes at a time when the parent company's business has been facing severe pressure, due to the persistent unavailability of technical components needed for its mobile phone business, Huawei said in a statement.

The agents and dealers also said in a joint statement on Tuesday: "This acquisition represents a market-driven investment made to save Honor's industry chain. It is the best solution to protect the interests of Honor's consumers, channel sellers, suppliers, partners and employees."

The acquisition is a multi-win move for the industry, said the statement, adding that all shareholders of the new Honor company will fully support the development of the Honor brand, enabling it to leverage the industry's advantages in resources, brands, production, channels and services, and more effectively compete in the marketplace.

The change in ownership will not impact Honor's development direction or the stability of its executive and talent teams, allowing the company to continuously consolidate its foundation for success, the joint statement said.

This move has been made by Honor's industry chain to ensure its own survival. Over 30 agents and dealers of the Honor brand first proposed the acquisition, Huawei said.

"Once the sale is complete, Huawei will not hold any shares or be involved in any business management or decision-making activities in the new Honor company," Huawei said.

Since its creation in 2013, the Honor brand has focused on the youth market by offering phones in the low-end to mid-range price bands. During the past seven years, Honor has developed into a smartphone brand that ships over 70 million handsets every year, Huawei said.

"Huawei highly appreciates the continued dedication, attention and support given by Honor's consumers, channel sellers, suppliers, partners and employees," the company said.

"We hope the new Honor company will embark on a new road of honor with its shareholders, partners and employees. We look forward to seeing Honor continue to create value for consumers and build a new intelligent world for young people."

Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, a newspaper based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where Huawei is headquartered, quoted sources close to the deal as saying that "Honor's independence from Huawei is expected to ensure that the water will continue to flow in Honor's channel and saves the phone maker's upstream and downstream suppliers."