On Tuesday, Voxx International Corporation (Nasdaq: VOXX) held its annual shareholders meeting, closing out a tough Fiscal 2024 with declining sales (down 12.2%) and deepening net losses (up over 53%). Sounding a little defensive, Ari M. Shalam, the company’s Co-Vice Chairman of the Board and son of company founder John J. Shalam, promised investors more restructuring and said the company will shed assets, including some of its previous brand acquisitions, to generate cash to lower debt and prepare the company for healthier growth ahead.
News
With Week 3 of Strike About to Begin, Samsung Management Says, Let’s Talk
As I’ve been reporting, Samsung’s largest union, the 30,000+ member strong National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), has launched a strike against one of the largest employers in all of South Korea. This is not a common occurrence anywhere in Asia, and it is the first major strike Samsung has ever experienced.
Now, after two weeks of continuous work stoppage, Samsung management finally indicated to the union that it was interested in restarting the negotiations – a big win for union leaders.
See more on the first-ever union-directed work stoppage at Samsung
[Read more…] about With Week 3 of Strike About to Begin, Samsung Management Says, Let’s TalkSavant Names Bryce Judd as CRO for Installed Smart Home & Power Biz
Savant Systems, Inc. today announced that it has named Bryce Judd as its Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) for the professionally installed smart home solutions and Savant Power business units. You may recognize that name as Bryce was head of sales for Control4 from 2016-2020.
Learn more about Bryce Judd at Savant
[Read more…] about Savant Names Bryce Judd as CRO for Installed Smart Home & Power BizPolitan Returns Fire; Files Countersuit Against Masimo & Directors in Delaware
Claims Company is Violating Its Own Bylaws & Delaware Law
On Tuesday, I told you that Joe Kiani and Masimo Directors filed a lawsuit against Politan Capital Management and Quentin Koffey, asking the courts to force Poltian to correct what it claims are material misrepresentations in Politan’s proxy materials provided to Masimo stockholders. Late Wednesday, Politan returned fire, filing its own countersuit – but in a much more strategic way…
See more on Politan countersuing Masimo
[Read more…] about Politan Returns Fire; Files Countersuit Against Masimo & Directors in DelawareParasound VP of Sales Larry Bennett Leaves Company as It Enters New Phase
Several sources have reported that Parasound Vice President of Sales Larry Bennett has left the company. Bennett was one of the first people brought in when new owner David Sheriff purchased the company from retiring founder Richard Schram and has been at his side during a challenging transition period. I reached out to both Larry Bennett and CEO David Sheriff, finally connecting with Sheriff late Wednesday afternoon, to learn more about this unexpected news.
Learn more about Larry Bennett leaving Parasound
[Read more…] about Parasound VP of Sales Larry Bennett Leaves Company as It Enters New PhaseSamsung Strike Suddenly Gets Serious
The relationship between Samsung and its largest union is rapidly deteriorating and suddenly, a strike called by the union initially more for show than impact, has turned very serious. That means that as the union progresses its tactics, the impact on production is likely to quickly reach the point that it will be felt by the company and all of its customers.
See more on the escalating strike at Samsung
[Read more…] about Samsung Strike Suddenly Gets SeriousOn the Defensive, Kiani & Masimo’s Claws Come Out; Postpones Annual Meeting & Sues Politan
Company Chooses to Delay Annual Stockholders Meeting & Set New Record Date
Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: Masi) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in California against Politan Capital Management and CIO Quentin Koffey, asking the court for an injunction to force Politan “to correct material misstatements and omissions”…in its “proxy materials.” It also says it has set a new date for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, with a new record date, “to ensure that the vote of the Company’s stockholders is fair and fully informed.” That move is clearly in reaction to evidence uncovered by Politan of a legal but ethically questionable move called “empty voting” in an apparent attempt by an individual who is a friend of Joe Kiani to swing the vote in management’s favor – a move that Politan says would disenfranchise investors who voted.
See the latest outburst of filings and accusations between Masimo & Politan
[Read more…] about On the Defensive, Kiani & Masimo’s Claws Come Out; Postpones Annual Meeting & Sues PolitanCambridge Audio Intros P100, Its First Over-Ear Wireless Headphones in Melomania Series
Cambridge Audio, the U.K.-based audio specialty maker and merchant of affordable premium-grade audio gear, introduced today its first-ever over-ear headphones in its award-winning Melomania wireless headphone series. The new Melomania P100 balances elegant design with spectacular sound quality…blending in mind-blowing battery life and a healthy dose of best-in-class technology.
Learn all about the Cambridge Audio P100 wireless over-ear headphones
[Read more…] about Cambridge Audio Intros P100, Its First Over-Ear Wireless Headphones in Melomania SeriesAnother Analog Comeback: Meet the New Pentax 17 Analog Film Camera
Interesting news out of Japan as we learn that Ricoh, a large Japanese imaging company that owns the Pentax camera brand, is launching its first film camera under the Pentax brand in over 20 years. This new model, the Pentax 17, will launch first in overseas markets in June, and then in the domestic (Japan) market in July.
See more on the re-emergence of analog film cameras by Pentax
[Read more…] about Another Analog Comeback: Meet the New Pentax 17 Analog Film CameraIn a Rare Move in Asia, Workers’ Union Calls for a Strike at Samsung
The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) announced on Monday that it will launch a general strike against Samsung that will continue until the company meets its demands for better pay and more time off, according to a report by Reuters. The union went on to warn “of [a] more damaging action” against the company than a one-day walkout last month.