Strategy in TECH...
An announcement recently appeared on an audio enthusiast website that appears to announce the sale of Audio Research Corp. to a Canadian high-end speaker manufacturer. However, when reached for confirmation of this news, the officially appointed receiver issued a terse “no comment.”
After the close of the stock market Wednesday, Sonos, Inc. released its fiscal 2023 second quarter (Q2) financial results. The numbers were pretty rough, but the company had previously adjusted its forward forecast downward. Yet even though the company’s latest Q2 numbers beat analysts’ revenue forecast and were in line with their guidance, the market reacted negatively. How negatively? Sonos’ stock lost more than 25% of its value on the day after the Q2 earnings were announced.
Why such a strong reaction? Read on…
Masimo Corporation (NASDAQ: MASI) released the financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2023 (the quarter that ended on April 1, 2023), and at first glance, the numbers looked pretty good. The company reported revenues grew by an eye-popping 87.5% over the same quarter last year, a number that beat analysts’ estimates. Not only that, but the company delivered adjusted earnings per share of $0.87, which were also well over analysts’ projected adjusted earnings per share of $0.83.
Denver-based YG Acoustics has announced it will debut the third generation of its Reference line of loudspeakers – called Reference 3 – at the upcoming Munich High End show, running from May 18 to May 21. The Munich event is one of the world’s preeminent high-end audio expositions. As such, it is the perfect venue for the company to launch its latest generation of Reference with many new technological innovations sure to be appreciated by the event’s audiophile attendees.
In a new round of filings from the designated “Assignee” in the matter of Audio Research Corporation’s filing of an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, we actually learn a few new things and get a little more detail on the state of affairs for the beleaguered but popular high-end audio brand. And these new details help to put a finer point on just where things stand at the moment for the company.
A couple of interesting announcements this week from Premium Audio Company (PAC), the Voxx Int’l subsidiary that markets the company’s premier audio brands such as Klipsch, Onkyo, Integra, Jamo, Pioneer, Elite, and more. First up, Rob Standley gets a big promotion to President of Technology and Product, a big step up. Second, and I would say counter-intuitively, the company says it’s lowering prices on many of its “most popular and best-selling audio solutions.”
Minnesota Bank & Trust (MB&T) of Minnetonka, MN has filed documents with the Fourth Judicial District of the Minnesota District Court notifying the court of the existence of a secured agreement with Audio Research Corporation (ARC) and its principal owner, Trent Suggs. This agreement, the bank wants the court to know, has been subject to “Numerous events of default” which “are continuing.”
With this being the case, the bank is asking the court to issue a judgment for the amount owed, plus accrued interest, plus attorneys’ fees, and other collection costs – an amount in excess of $1.5 million.
In a result likely to be viewed by many as anti-climatic, U.S. District Judge James V. Selna has declared a mistrial in the matter of the $1.8 billion trade secret lawsuit between Masimo Corp. et al vs. Apple Inc. et. al. And while I am sure that both sides are disappointed that they failed to prevail, both can take away some positive elements from this null decision that will most likely inform their approach in a new trial.
Another storied high-end audio brand has seen itself fall into hard times. Audio Research Corporation of Maple Grove, MN has filed paperwork with Minnesota District Court to start a form of the receivership process known as an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors.’
In more late-breaking news from the Masimo v. Apple trade secrets trial, we learn that U.S. District Judge James V. Selna has cut Masimo’s trade secrets claims in half, down from twelve initial claims to now six viable claims. Based on the expert estimated value of the claims cut, that takes this case from one valued at $3.1 billion in damages to one now valued at $1.8 billion.
