Strategy in TECH...
It was a small thing really. I mean, any decline in revenue is not good, but a 3% decline doesn’t sound particularly troublesome. But when that small 3% revenue decline hit Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), that slight shudder hit more like an earthquake that had the whole world of luxury shaking. You see LVMH is the world’s most valuable luxury company.
Or, I should say, LVMH was the world’s most valuable luxury company…
On Tuesday, a Schedule 13G/A Form was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on behalf of former Masimo Corporation CEO Joe Kiani. The form is a “Statement of Ownership” and it is used to disclose the amount of ownership of top holders of public company stock. In this filing, Kiani reports to the SEC that he holds 13.2% of Masimo stock.
There’s just one problem…he doesn’t…
**7/11/25 – New program adjustments. See below** The reality is beginning to set in. Most industry manufacturers have updated their pricing with tariff-driven price increases…some as high as 50+%. Two weeks ago, on a day I call T-Day (for tariff day), the Trump Administration announced a new “reciprocal” tariff program on America’s top 100 trading partners that is bigger and more impactful than anything he ever toyed with during his first term. Even though most of that plan has been put on a 90-day hold (except for China), anywhere from 10%…to 10%+20% is now implemented. The impact of that is starting to hit economies around the world.
And the reality and impact of that is also beginning to hit individual businesses and consumers.
According to the latest Chinese customs data, outbound shipments in March increased by 12.4% year-over-year (YoY) far exceeding all previous estimates. In addition to that, first quarter GDP lept 5.4% in China, a huge increase over recent historical moves. It appears that exporters are seeking to beat the newly aggressive U.S. tariff policy by front-loading their needs.
The University of Michigan (U of M) has released a preliminary reading of its Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) for April and it shows a continuing and startling slide in consumer sentiment, dropping another double-digit percentage from last month’s reading. In fact, this preliminary reading for April is the second-lowest reading in consumer sentiment in the entire 73-year history of the survey!
Well-known Denver, CO-based custom integration dealer ListenUp announced that it has acquired Timberline Audio Video based in Loveland, Colorado. This is now the fifth location for the company as it continues to grow its regional footprint, expanding its ability to serve even more clients throughout Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.
Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) announced today that director Mike Volpi is stepping down from the Sonos Board of Directors. No reason was given for why Volpi was leaving. The company announced that Hugo Barra will replace Volpi on the board.
Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) latest filing with the SEC continues to project an undeniable shift in style that is sure to please investors. The filing, a Schedule 14A (DEF14A) filing with information for shareholders in advance of the April 29, 2025, Annual Meeting of Stockholders, is absolutely stuffed with information on its new management, new goals, new policies, and new shareholder-friendly approach to running this business.
It also had plenty of tasty tidbits for those curious as to what is going on at the company.
On Wednesday, the Trump Administration unveiled its long-anticipated tariff policy, the details of which showed tariff rates turned out to be much higher than expected and a rollout plan that turned out to be much faster than expected. Overseas markets dropped as investors feared the onset of a trade war was brewing. Thursday morning, U.S. markets followed the rest of the world and saw stock values collapse in the wake of the announcement.
Redwood Marketing, Inc. announced the dates and plans for this year’s CI Expo 2025, taking place at a new, expanded venue at the Doubletree Hotel at the Club in Pleasanton, CA. The Expo is scheduled for May 29, 2025, and will offer new upgraded features such as multiple upscale outdoor vignettes, an expanded exhibit space, a new program, and more participating brands.
