Strategy in TECH...
Multiple sources are reporting that last week, Resideo Technologies’ company ADI unexpectedly executed layoffs of what they believe to be large numbers of employees, potentially in the hundreds. Many, if not most, of these layoffs are said to be centered on ADI’s Control4 unit legacy employees.
In a surprising new survey of 141 of the Fortune Global 500 Chief Executive Officers, the leaders of some of the largest companies in the world, we learn that they are losing confidence in the U.S. economy. The survey, conducted by The Conference Board, a nonpartisan think tank, and The Business Council, an association of CEOs, showed a significant decline in CEO confidence in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to the first quarter.
How CEOs feel about the economy is important. When CEOs lose confidence, they tend to pull back on hiring and investment, further weighing down the economy, according to AXIOS reporter Emily Peck.
Sony Group recently announced it is forming a co-development partnership with chip manufacturing giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to create what it calls the next generation of AI image sensors. In announcing the partnership, the company revealed that, with these next-level AI sensors, it is targeting the advanced robotics and automotive segments.
Word came out this week that Samsung Electronics and its union members have reached a deal that staves off a threatened strike that could have had a global impact. Samsung is the world’s largest manufacturer of memory chips, and as the chip manufacturing employees’ contract was up for renewal, negotiations were challenging. However, with 90 minutes left before the strike deadline, the parties reached an agreement that includes a bonus that will average $340,000 per employee in the chip manufacturing division.
On Wednesday, Victrola & KLH announced it has appointed Heather Squire as its new Chief Commercial Officer. While many in our industry come from a tech enthusiast background, Squire appears to come from an unusually diverse and somewhat more heavyweight background, including executive roles at major players like GoPro and Logitech.
The University of Michigan (U of M) has posted its final May report on consumer sentiment, known as the Index of Consumer Sentiment, which follows an earlier preliminary May assessment and finalizes the results. And as I noted in the April report last month, the results remain noteworthy, with a new low reading that exceeds the historically low consumer sentiment reading recorded in June 2022.
The cause of these historically significant readings on declining consumer sentiment, or should I say, increasing consumer pessimism, is the usual suspects – increasing inflation…and the continuing war with Iran.
This week, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) unexpectedly announced that CEO Daryl Friedman would retire from the organization in 2027. No reason was offered for this unexpected retirement…and no specific date in 2027 when Friedman’s retirement was to be final was provided.
The popular Northern California CI Expo & Technology Conference is preparing to run on May 28, 2026, in the same facility where the event was hosted last year – the DoubleTree Hotel at the Club, in Pleasanton, California. Organizers tell me that this year’s CI Expo will be even bigger and better than last year, with expanded exhibition space housing a greater assortment of booths presenting all of the latest technology innovations in the custom integration (CI) industry.
Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: REZI), predominantly a security and safety products company with two major divisions, including Products and Solutions (manufacturing) and ADI (distribution), announced the financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2026 this week. The company reported that revenues beat previously forecasted guidance, and adjusted earnings grew as well.
And yet the market reacted strongly, with the value of Resideo’s stock crashing almost 18% on the day after it released its results. Read on to see why the stock declined.
Sound United, now part of Harman, which itself is part of Samsung, announced on Thursday that it is launching the next generation of the well-regarded Denon X-Series AV receivers – the AVR-X2900H and the AVR-X3900H. The company says these models are targeted at the advanced AV enthusiast who wishes to push their systems to higher performance levels, as well as the custom integration community who seek products with advanced calibration options, flexible configuration capabilities, and deeper control.
