Philips’ $2.9bn deal to offload its lighting components business was thrown into doubt on Monday after US regulators expressed “unforeseen concerns” over the sale to a consortium of Chinese private equity investors.

周一，飞利浦(Philips)以29亿美元出售其照明元件业务的交易突然变得前景难测，原因是美国监管机构对这笔交易表达了“意料之外的担忧”。这笔交易的买方是由多个中国私募股权投资者组成的财团。

The Amsterdam-based group said the sale of an 80 per cent stake in Lumileds, which makes car components and LEDs, was now “uncertain” after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US highlighted worries over the deal.

这家总部位于荷兰阿姆斯特丹的集团表示，在美国外国投资委员会(CFIUS)强调了对这笔交易的担忧之后，其出售在Lumileds公司所持80%股份的交易目前“存在变数”。

CFIUS, which vets sensitive acquisitions of US assets by foreign companies for national security concerns, typically focuses on attempts by Chinese companies looking to buy into high-tech industries.

CFIUS会出于国家安全考虑审查外国企业对美国资产的敏感收购。该机构往往会紧盯寻求购入高科技行业资产的中国企业发起的收购。

In March, Philips sold an 80.1 per cent stake to a consortium led by GO Scale Capital, an investment fund for GSR Ventures and Oak Investment Partners. Other members are venture capital funds Asia Pacific Resource Development and Nanchang Industrial Group.

今年3月，飞利浦将旗下Lumileds公司80.1%的股份出售给一个由GO Scale Capital牵头的财团。GO Scale Capital是金沙江创业投资(GSR Ventures)和橡树投资伙伴(Oak Investment Partners)发起的投资基金。该财团其他成员包括风投基金亚太资源开发(Asia Pacific Resource Development)和南昌工业集团(Nanchang Industrial Group)。

Frans van Houten, chief executive of Philips, said he was confused why the regulator had intervened in the sale of a company that made lightbulbs. “We make simple LEDs for lamps,” said Mr van Houten. “I do not see the excitement, but that is not up to me.”

飞利浦首席执行官范豪顿(Frans van Houten)表示，他搞不懂这家美国监管机构为何会干涉一家灯泡公司的出售。范豪顿表示：“我们只是为电灯生产简单的发光二极管(LED)。我不明白这有什么敏感的，不过这事不取决于我。”

Concerns over the deal surfaced as Philips swung back to a profit for the three months to the end of September, posting net income of 324m after defeat in a patent battle dragged the company into a 103m loss last year.

在这笔交易引发担忧之际，飞利浦在截至9月底的3个月里重新实现盈利，录得3.24亿欧元净利润。此前，一场专利战的失败曾导致该公司在去年录得1.03亿欧元亏损。

Philips is in the process of spinning off the rest of its lighting business, marking an end to its 124-year link with the lighting industry, as it focuses on its more profitable healthcare and consumer divisions.

飞利浦正在剥离其照明业务的剩余部分，为其与照明产业124年的联系画上句号。该集团的注意力目前集中在其盈利更高的医疗保健和消费者业务上。

Mr van Houten said the company would make a decision on whether to sell the division or list it in an initial public offering by the start of 2016 at the latest, with the aim of completing the deal by that summer.

范豪顿表示，飞利浦最迟会在不晚于明年初的时候决定是出售照明业务还是让这块业务上市，以便在明年夏天结束前完成交易。