Fujifilm to launch $932 mln bid to buy Toyama -paper

TOKYO, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Fujifilm Holdings Corp (4901.T: Quote, Profile, Research) will launch a tender offer to buy Toyama Chemical Co Ltd 4518.T for more than 100 billion yen ($932 million) as early as this month, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday.

Fujifilm, which may announce its plans as early as this week, will aim to take a majority stake in Toyama Chemical without setting an upper limit on shares it will buy, the paper said.

The tender offer price is likely to be a premium of 20 to 30 percent over the current share price, close to the average for similar deals, it said.

Taisho Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (4535.T: Quote, Profile, Research), Toyama Chemical's current top shareholder, will likely approve Fujifilm's bid plan and retain its 22 percent holding, the paper said.

Toyama Chemical said in a statement it was considering various possibilities regarding business and capital alliances with other companies, but nothing had been decided.

Fujifilm and Taisho also said in a statement that nothing had been decided. (Reporting by Aiko Hayashi)