Readers came through again, delivering another record year for Strata-gee in 2024! Not only is it another all-time record in terms of website content consumption, it’s the third such record in a row! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the support of readers who continue to select Strata-gee.com as a primary resource for industry news and views. Considering that 2024 was a tough year for most media, I guarantee you that I will not to take your support for granted.
Strategy
Savant Partners with Top Solar Provider Sunder Energy to Make Solar Smart
I first heard about Savant’s interest in energy for the home back in 2018 when a company representative walked me through the Racepoint Energy booth at CEDIA Expo 2018. Racepoint Energy was a sister company to Savant and the two were partnering on creating new concepts in automating, monitoring, and controlling power as part of a smart home system. Ultimately, the two companies would merge to become Savant Power which turbocharged the development of deeper integration and automation of energy solutions for the now smarter smart home.
Now, Savant is partnering with Sunder Energy to provide smart solar power…
[Read more…] about Savant Partners with Top Solar Provider Sunder Energy to Make Solar SmartFast Growing Nationwide Mktg Grp CI Div – Working the Plan Because the Plan is Working
Part 1 of 2 – 2024 Progress in Executing Custom Integration Growth Plan
It was March of 2023 when I began picking up on the buzz that something big was in the works in the buying group world. At the Spring members conference of Azione Unlimited, which had been acquired by and was now part of Nationwide Marketing Group, President and founder Richard Glikes introduced Azione members to a new initiative called the “Drive to 1,000.” Although not a lot of details were discussed at this event, clearly something big was in the works.
Now, a little over a year later, I met with the entire management team of Nationwide’s Custom Integration Group, including Andy Orozco (Nationwide Senior Vice President of Custom Integration), Patrick McCarthy (Executive Director of Azione Unlimited), Hank Alexander (Executive Director of Oasys Residential Technology Group) and Chris Whitley (Executive Director of Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group) to take stock of just what has transpired over the last year or so with the new, expanded family of groups that are all under the Nationwide Marketing Group umbrella.
Read more on Nationwide Marketing Group’s progress in the CI channel
[Read more…] about Fast Growing Nationwide Mktg Grp CI Div – Working the Plan Because the Plan is WorkingGentex to Acquire Voxx Intl for $7.50/Share
Long rumored and now confirmed, Gentex Corporation (Nasdaq: GNTX), an approximately $2.4 billion supplier of largely automotive-related products, announced this morning that it has agreed to acquire Voxx International (Nasdaq: VOXX) in an all-cash transaction valued at $7.50 per share. The transaction covers all Voxx divisions, including the newly shrunk Premium Audio Company that holds just three audio brands – Onkyo, Klipsch, and Integra.
Learn more on the acquisition of Voxx Int’l by Gentex Corp
[Read more…] about Gentex to Acquire Voxx Intl for $7.50/ShareHas Daisy Cracked the Code to Driving Scale in the Smart Home Biz?
It was a cool fall morning as I headed into New York City for a meeting that I’d been anxiously anticipating for weeks. The skies were gray and rain was definitely threatening, but nothing could dampen my interest in meeting with one of the newest key executives already exerting significant influence in our industry – Hagan Kappler, CEO of Daisy.
Learn all about the unique solution Daisy offers the integration community
[Read more…] about Has Daisy Cracked the Code to Driving Scale in the Smart Home Biz?Masimo Responds to ‘Speculative Articles’ on Sound United
‘Discontinued Operation’ is a Financial Reporting Designation
Late Tuesday, Masimo’s communications team reached out to Strata-gee to provide a statement designed to counter or otherwise address unspecified “speculative articles” on the recent pronouncement from Masimo CFO Micah Young that the Sound United division may end up being treated as a “discontinued operation” if the Board decides not to spin it off as a publicly-traded company.
Why are people speculating about that? Read on…
See more on the Sound United ‘Discontinued Operation’ controversy
[Read more…] about Masimo Responds to ‘Speculative Articles’ on Sound UnitedMcIntosh Group Acquired by Bose; Does This Deal Make Any Sense?
On Tuesday, Bose Corporation – a privately held manufacturer and marketer of a variety of predominantly audio products like headphones, speakers, soundbars and car audio – announced it has acquired McIntosh Group, a high-end manufacturer of electronics under the McIntosh brand and speakers/phono cartridges under the Sonus faber brand. Terms of the deal were not revealed and a buzz has descended around the industry as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Learn more about Bose acquiring McIntosh
[Read more…] about McIntosh Group Acquired by Bose; Does This Deal Make Any Sense?Samsung Electronics and Union Finally Reach a Preliminary Agreement
Samsung Electronics and the largest union at the company have finally reached a preliminary agreement on a new contract that provides for a wage increase as well as other benefit enhancements, the company announced today in Korea. The deal should put an end to any further labor actions. However, it still needs to be ratified by the union membership.
Learn more about this first labor action at Samsung
[Read more…] about Samsung Electronics and Union Finally Reach a Preliminary AgreementMasimo Releases 3Q/2024 Results, First Under New Management; Investors Like It
Sound United to be ‘A Discontinued Operation’
On Tuesday, Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) announced the results of its financial performance for the third quarter (3Q) of Fiscal 2024 (FY2024) – the first such report under the new management. While the report comes from the new management, including interim CEO Michelle Brennan, the period of this report is for the quarter that ended September 28, 2024 – meaning the bulk of the actual performance occurred under previous CEO Joe Kiani. Still, the numbers, for the most part, looked pretty good.
Learn all about the performance of Masimo in 3Q/2024
[Read more…] about Masimo Releases 3Q/2024 Results, First Under New Management; Investors Like ItMasimo Terminates Kiani’s Employment; Files Lawsuit Alleging He Violated Securities Law
In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the new Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI) Board of Directors reaffirmed its non-GAAP 3Q and full-year financial guidance as previously provided by the company to investors. It also notified the commission that the Board has officially terminated the employment of former CEO Joe Kiani.
Perhaps most surprisingly, it has additionally filed a major lawsuit against Joe Kiani and RTW Investments alleging, among other things, that they colluded to create a group that violated federal securities laws.