Strategy in TECH...
In a move that has some of Strata-gee’s sources perplexed and scratching their heads, high-end commercial and pro video projector and display manufacturer Barco (Euronext: BAR) announced this week that it has reached an agreement in principle to acquire VerVent Audio Holding (“VerVent” and “Vervent”). VerVent itself was created by the merger of French loudspeaker maker Focal and British high-performance audio electronics manufacturer NAIM some years ago.
Four years ago, in February 2022, Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) acquired the major audio company Sound United from Charlesbank Capital Partners in a transaction valued at $1.025 billion. That was a momentous time for Masimo and Sound United, which was about to embark on a crazy sequence of events that would see Masimo’s stock value crash, the company attempt to enter consumer health, the emergence of an activist investment group, a huge lawsuit ensue with Apple, a massive change in the governing Board, founder Joe Kiani quit (or was fired, depending on who you ask), a major cyberattack, and three years later, Sound United sold to Harman International Industries in a deal worth $350 million.
What was also momentous in February 2022 was that Strata-gee began its coverage of Masimo and took that wild and crazy ride along with them. But why am I writing about Masimo now? They’re back by popular demand…
Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) reported its results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the period that ended on December 27, 2025. The results paint the picture of a company going through a painful transformation. And while some progress has clearly been made, there is still a long way to go – and it remains unclear whether the company will ultimately be successful. However, we’ll look at where they are right now, the plan they roughly sketched out for next steps, and you can see what you think.
Gentex Corporation (Nasdaq: GNTX) announced the results of its financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2025 – the period that ended on December 31, 2025. Management expressed satisfaction with 2025’s results, which it says were achieved despite several challenging headwinds impacting performance.
The industry is all abuzz ever since this past Tuesday, when Sony Corporation announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TCL “for strategic partnership in home entertainment field.” The announcement goes on to describe, in really sketchy terms with virtually no details, an idyllic or almost utopian vision of how this “partnership” would operate.
But it’s all code. The media has scrambled to spread the news of what they know…which is virtually nothing. Let me help you decode the important meaning of this announcement.
Howard’s Appliances, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy, and we now know the path the company’s directors have chosen to take in this transition for the company. In addition to filing a comprehensive Voluntary Petition for Non-Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy, along with a series of attachments containing, among other things, huge inventory lists, the Howard’s team also added a series of Motions requesting the court grant immediate “Hearings on Emergency Basis.”
What was I able to glean from literally hundreds of pages of document filings? Read on…
Emerald Holding, Inc. (NYSE: EEX) – parent company of Emerald Expositions, CEDIA Expo, CEPro, Commercial Integrator, and many more – announced Tuesday that it’s Board of Directors has begun “a review of potential strategic options.” Why does it have to consider “strategic options?” Because Emerald says it has received “inquiries” about offers for a possible acquisition of the company.
Shocking news emerged at the end of last week as we learned that Southern California multi-location retailer Howard’s Appliance suddenly closed all stores. Local media is struggling to get details on the situation, but here is what we know so far: Howard’s Appliances, a large and formerly successful independent TV, Appliance, and Mattress retailer in Southern California, just days after Black Friday, suddenly announced to employees it would be closing in two days. No reason was provided, and all employees were laid off as of December 6.
There was no formal announcement circulated to customers, and some have taken to social media to complain that they had deposits on various appliances and were waiting for delivery…delivery that is apparently not coming.
Calling 2025 a “transitional” year, new Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) CEO Tom Conrad suggested the company turned a corner in the fourth quarter, as part of reporting its financial results for fiscal 2025, the year that ended on September 27, 2025. However, I couldn’t help but notice company executives were carefully choosing their words in describing the company’s performance – referring to just certain key Q4 numbers and “adjusted” results. This always makes me want to take a deeper look, and when I looked at fiscal 2025’s total performance, it was disappointing, with revenues continuing to decline and losses progressively increasing…again.
Even in the fourth quarter, which the executives did want to talk about, the company lost $37.9 million.
On Wednesday, Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: REZI), maker and distributor of tech products for homes and businesses and parent company of Products and Solutions, ADI Global Distribution, Snap One, Control4, and more, announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025. The results looked pretty good. Then, on Thursday, its stock collapsed a stunning 23.75%. By comparison, the S&P 500 was down 1.1%.
Now, on Friday, in midday trading, Resideo is trending down again… yet another 1.5% decline. What’s going on?
