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"Now we have to focus on developing the four companies we have
left, that is the only strategy we have," Lars Boilesen told
Reuters after selling the TV unit to tech-focused investment
firm Moore Freres.
However he would not rule out the possibility of further
divestment "if a good offer is to surface, but the focus right
now is to develop companies and create value".
"Synergies between the four companies are limited," he said.
In charge since 2010, Boilesen initially expanded Opera's
business through a string of acquisitions before putting the
whole company up for sale in mid-2015.
In the end only parts of the firm, the core internet browser
business and related units, were sold to a Chinese consortium.
The company said on Tuesday it expected to use proceeds from the
sale of the TV unit on extraordinary dividends. Opera received
$80 million cash and preferred shares equivalent to 30 percent
of Opera TV's common equity.
In addition to announcing the sale of the majority stake in its
TV business to Moore Freres, the Norwegian software firm
separately warned of weaker earnings in its mobile advertising
unit.
Boilesen expected the market for mobile advertising to remain
tough into the first quarter of next year and said it might take
five to six months to see an improvement.
Opera needs to address costs and streamline this part of its
business, the biggest of its four remaining units, he said.
Opera's other units are Skyfire, an online cloud-based service
for operators of mobile phone networks, Bemobi for Apps and
Games, and virtual private network division SurfEasy.
Opera shares fell 6.9 percent to 40.3 crowns while Oslo Bourse
benchmark index<.OSEBX> was down 0.2 percent at GMT 0935.
(Reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord, writing by Stine Jacobsen,
editing by Alister Doyle and Louise Heavens)
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