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.
Pivot Point
The Future of Electronics? Two Words: Graphene Nanoribbons
On Tuesday, the University of Wisconsin-Madison gave us all a glimpse of the future of microelectronic devices when they reported a breakthrough in the development of a next generation technology – graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). This new technology promises to be a major advance in semiconductors with performance that is described as “dramatically” faster while simultaneously exhibiting better energy-efficiency properties.
See more about this breakthrough and learn why scientists are so excited about it… [Read more…] about The Future of Electronics? Two Words: Graphene Nanoribbons
Is HydraConnect Out of Business?
BREAKING NEWS
*STORY UPDATED* (See note below…)
It started innocently enough when we received calls and email messages asking us what we knew of what was going on at HydraConnect, the manufacturer of unique and useful HDMI matrixes and other devices. Rumors were swirling that the company was out of business. The plot thickened when we visited the HydraConnect website and found that it was down. Now we had a bit of a mystery. Phones at the company went straight to voicemail and we weren’t getting called back.
More twists and turns at the HDMI specialist company… [Read more…] about Is HydraConnect Out of Business?
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
Toshiba’s Top Executive Team Resigns in Wake of Scandal
BREAKING NEWS
See more on this new development… [Read more…] about Toshiba’s Top Executive Team Resigns in Wake of Scandal
Stressing the Industry, LCD Panel Prices Collapse 10% in 2015
In a sign of continuing struggles in the TV business, reports out of Japan indicate that LCD panel prices continue to decline. So far in 2015, the average price of LCD panels have dropped 10%…and show no sign of slowing down.
See what’s driving the decline in sales of LCD panels… [Read more…] about Stressing the Industry, LCD Panel Prices Collapse 10% in 2015
Toshiba’s Troubles Hit Tipping Point
BREAKING NEWS
Reports Say CEO is Out; Board of Directors Faces Massive Overhaul
When Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced an initiative to tighten up corporate oversight he couldn’t possibly have known that his administration’s first catch might be his biggest – Toshiba Corp. Toshiba, one of the largest and most respected companies in Japan, is being investigated for what many sources are calling one of Japan’s worst accounting scandals.
See what is coming for this titan of Japanese industry… [Read more…] about Toshiba’s Troubles Hit Tipping Point
Apple Watch Sales Drop 90% Since Intro
It is not unusual for a hot new product to launch with huge demand, only to see unit sales taper down to more sustainable levels after the initial launch demand is fulfilled. Surely, Apple, Inc. was expecting just this type of behavior after the launch of their long-awaited Apple Watch wearable. However, new data from Slice Intelligence shows that sales of the Apple Watch have plummeted by 90% – an amount well beyond Apple’s typical experience.
See more on this surprising sales curve for this new Apple product… [Read more…] about Apple Watch Sales Drop 90% Since Intro
Origin Acoustics, Facing Its 1st Birthday, is Big For Its Age
“It’s been tremendous,” declared Origin CEO Jeremy Burkhardt with his typical over-the-top enthusiasm, when asked how his nearly one-year old company is doing since its launch at the 2014 CEDIA Expo. “I’ve been on the road for 3-weeks a month for the last 12-months.” And apparently, from what Burkhardt tells us, loving every single minute of it.
See more on Origin on the eve of its first birthday… [Read more…] about Origin Acoustics, Facing Its 1st Birthday, is Big For Its Age
Dave Donald Leaves Origin; Takes Position at Kaleidescape
BREAKING NEWS
Well-known industry executive Dave Donald has left Origin Acoustics where he was Vice President of Marketing to take a position at media center manufacturer Kaleidescape. Donald left Origin approximately two weeks ago and oddly, neither company has offered any type of official announcement. We first heard about this situation from multiple sources and confirmed it with both Origin and Mr. Donald.
