On Monday, Toshiba released their twice-delayed final financial data for the last fiscal year (ended March 2015) in what it undoubtedly hoped would be the first step to turning the page from a scandal-racked year. But forces out of their control conspire to keep them in the hot seat – with a regulatory agency threatening large fines and a major shareholder demanding the company sue its former executives.
Manufacturers
Apple’s Big Event is Mostly Meh, With Some Evolutionary Goodies
Apple, Inc. held their regularly scheduled September event today to announce new products – this time to introduce: a minor new Watch update, a more significant new bigger iPad they call the iPad Pro, a new Apple TV with a revamped user interface, and finally the new interim smartphone update – the iPhone 6s & 6s Plus. Using lots of exciting & cool music, dramatic video segments, and massive colorful images on a huge screen – presenters worked hard to milk applause from the Apple friendly crowd. But for us, most of these “innovations” were “meh” – more evolutionary than revolutionary.
See our brief on the Apple update… [Read more…] about Apple’s Big Event is Mostly Meh, With Some Evolutionary Goodies
Toshiba Stuns Markets Again, New Whistleblowers Claim More Wrongdoing
10 New Investigations into Allegations of Improprieties, Including at U.S. Subsidiary
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse for the aging Japanese industrial giant, Toshiba Corp. again stunned the financial community in Japan – forced to postpone their already delayed financial reports which were expected at the end of August. The company said it was forced to delay the report in the face of ten whistleblowers who have come forward alleging more company misdeeds. The company has launched ten new investigations, including one at a U.S. subsidiary.
See more on this shocking development from the already damaged company… [Read more…] about Toshiba Stuns Markets Again, New Whistleblowers Claim More Wrongdoing
Investment Advisor on Potential Nortek Acquisition: ‘Nortek is a Bit of a Train Wreck’
After the Wall Street Journal revealed late last month that United Technologies Corp. (UTC) was in talks to potentially acquire Nortek, Inc., we questioned why UTC would even want to acquire Nortek. Within days of our post, investment advisory firm The Motley Fool (TMF) also raised the issue in a post last week about this not-quite-so-obvious marriage. Well, maybe it’s more like a dalliance than a marriage…at least at this point.
We found the Motley Fool’s analysis interesting – both in their clear-eyed assessment of Nortek and why the acquisition may in fact make sense for United Technologies.
See more on this Motley Fool discussion of the potential UTC-Nortek deal… [Read more…] about Investment Advisor on Potential Nortek Acquisition: ‘Nortek is a Bit of a Train Wreck’
Bluesound: Talkin’ ‘Bout Our Generation
New Brand Hits Key Milestone – Launches ‘Generation 2’ Products
This week in New York City, executives from Lenbrook America and Bluesound conducted a media presentation informing them of a major update to the Bluesound brand, which is distributed in the U.S. by Lenbrook America along with NAD and PSB. It is the first major line update since the brand was first launched in 2013. With this update, called “Generation 2,” the Bluesound brand appears to have gained solid momentum – or at least enough traction for the company to justify a significant investment in further product development.
See more of what we learned, including both product and business updates… [Read more…] about Bluesound: Talkin’ ‘Bout Our Generation
Toshiba Struggles to Get Past Troubles
Toshiba Corp. has been subjected to almost daily press stories and analyses in the Japanese media on their continued struggles in the wake of a huge accounting scandal at the formerly blue-chip powerhouse company. The scandal was likely large in terms of financial losses, but even larger in terms of decimating the reputation of the company and its management. To turn the situation around, the company must start to build a new reputation for reliability. It isn’t going to be easy…
New President, new board, secret ballets…strange stuff… [Read more…] about Toshiba Struggles to Get Past Troubles
Planar Systems Acquired by Chinese Video Wall Maker Leyard Optoelectronic
Planar Systems, Inc. announced today that it has agreed to be acquired by Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese provider of fine pitch LED video wall systems. Leyard will purchase all outstanding shares of Planar stock paying $6.58 per share, valuing the deal at $156.8 million. This represents a 42% premium over the value of the stock at closing before the deal was announced.
See more on this Leyard and this deal… [Read more…] about Planar Systems Acquired by Chinese Video Wall Maker Leyard Optoelectronic
TiO Turns On Next Color of ‘Belt’ in Ninja Training Program
Turn It On (TiO), the affordable wired and wireless multiroom home automation solution from Anuva Automation, announced on Wednesday that the next level in their comprehensive training program – known as the yellow belt level – is now live. TiO training, called “Ninja” training follows the conventions typical of martial arts programs, where each program level connotes to a different colored “belt” and dealers earn multiple colors of belts as they progress through the program. The first level of training, called the white belt, debuted in March and now the company has released the yellow belt level.
See more on TiO’s unique training solution… [Read more…] about TiO Turns On Next Color of ‘Belt’ in Ninja Training Program
Nortek Management Scrambles in Wake of Troubling Q2 Results
Company Loses Almost 6% of Total Market Value in Just a Few Hours
Nortek, Inc. released the results for its fiscal second quarter after the market’s close on Monday and took the unusual step of issuing optimistic performance guidance for the remainder of the year. The company does not typically release future performance guidance as a matter of policy, but did so in an apparent attempt to calm investor reaction to their troubling report. It didn’t work – investors reacted strongly on Tuesday by driving Nortek’s stock to a close of $75.23 per share, down sharply from the previous close of $79.88. In just a matter of hours, the total market value of Nortek collapsed almost 6%.
Why did investors react so strongly?… [Read more…] about Nortek Management Scrambles in Wake of Troubling Q2 Results
Bluesound to Offer iHeartRadio Streaming Internet Radio
Bluesound, a line of high performance wireless multi-room music components offered by specialty supplier Lenbrook America, announced this week that it has added iHeartRadio to the list of streaming services its line offers. iHeartRadio, one of the more popular Internet radio solutions, joins a growing list of cloud-based music services offered by the industry’s first high performance wireless multi-room system.
