Is Sound United on the Ropes? Today's Events Increase the Likelihood of a Sale, But to Whom?

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(September 20, 2024) If you're a fan of Sound United and its premium audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, and Polk, you may have caught wind of financial issues surrounding its parent company, Masimo, and an impending board room battle. Well, the battle has taken place, and the results strongly suggest that Sound United is on a fast track to the chopping block.

Here's the quick and dirty of how we got here. Sound United was acquired by Masimo, a global medical technology company known for its advanced monitoring devices, for roughly $1 billion in April of 2022. The acquisition raised eyebrows because it seemed like an odd pairing—medical devices and high-end audio equipment don't exactly go hand in hand. At the time, Masimo CEO Joe Kiani was enthusiastic about the deal, seeing it as an opportunity to leverage Sound United's consumer channels to distribute Masimo's consumer healthcare products. I've also heard rumblings that Masimo was interested in accessing Sound United's HEOS technology, though Masimo has not publicly confirmed that suggestion.

Fast forward to 2024, and the marriage of consumer healthcare and AV technology has been rocky at best. Yes, Sound United's brands have continued to innovate and craft extremely popular equipment, but Masimo's stock price took a significant hit after the acquisition, dropping nearly 40% on day one, and has yet to recover fully. Of course, losses never sit well with investors, who've remained concerned that the company strayed too far from its core competencies.

More recently, a proxy battle with investor Quentin Koffey and his hedge fund, Politan Capital Management, took hold. Politan wasn't pleased with Masimo's direction, arguing that the Sound United deal was a financial mistake necessitating leadership changes. Yesterday, a vote took place, and Politan succeeded in getting two nominees elected to Masimo's board, effectively ousting Joe Kiani from his seat and putting Sound United's status in jeopardy.

The arrival of new voices on the board has sparked growing speculation that Masimo will sell off Sound United and refocus on its core medical technology business. And that, in a nutshell, is where we find ourselves today. Sound United and its iconic brands appear to be in limbo, and finding a suitable buyer could be challenging. In the few conversations I've had about Sound United's status, I've yet to hear of a confirmed, serious buyer.

For consumers, the immediate impact will likely be minimal. In the short term, Sound United brands will continue to produce the high-quality products they're known for, and support will remain in place. In the long run, though, a sale could lead to changes in product development and customer service, even wholesale changes to the existence of specific brands. Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen. I'll keep my eye on this developing story, though I suspect Masimo will likely play its cards close to its chest.
 

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So, I'm curious... anyone have any predictions of what's going to happen?

I'm secretly hoping we see a private equity group invest into the company. Though, I've heard the last PE group was squeezing the Sound United a bit prior to the sale to Masimo.
 

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It’s clearly not my area of expertise, but I don’t see what PE would find attractive other than selling off parts to get a return, perhaps.
What do you think about Samsung as a possibility, Todd?
 

Mike-48

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To me, the best positioned of the four brands (Denon, Marantz, B&W, Polk) is B&W, with its long history of use at recording and mastering studios and by experienced audiophiles. I can imagine a deal in which someone buys B&W, while not all the other brands survive. Even if the lesser brands do go on, either Denon or Marantz could go the way of Oldsmobile. There was no need for Oldsmobile and Buick; is there need for Denon and Marantz?

Of course, that's pure speculation . . . who knows?
 

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It’s clearly not my area of expertise, but I don’t see what PE would find attractive other than selling off parts to get a return, perhaps.
What do you think about Samsung as a possibility, Todd?
Samsung would certainly have the capital to make a deal happen. Not a bad guess.

I guess they’d essentially slot the companies as part of Harman, which, IMO, would be a great landing spot for Denon and Marantz. I guess B&W could fit under that umbrella as well.

Would Classe and Polk survive or be sold off in that scenario?
 

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To me, the best positioned of the four brands (Denon, Marantz, B&W, Polk) is B&W, with its long history of use at recording and mastering studios and by experienced audiophiles. I can imagine a deal in which someone buys B&W, while not all the other brands survive. Even if the lesser brands do go on, either Denon or Marantz could go the way of Oldsmobile. There was no need for Oldsmobile and Buick; is there need for Denon and Marantz?

Of course, that's pure speculation . . . who knows?

Hard to say. Remember B&W was acquired by Eva Automation in 2016 then sold to Sound United in 2020… they’ve been bounced around quite a bit in the last decade. But, you’re right that they are singularly unique. I think you could argue Def Tech and Polk are less unique… and as you point out, the differentiation between Denon and Marantz has been murky at times. I could see Denon folding into Marantz, ultimately streamlining the two lines. Perhaps Marantz is taken to two-channel only territory?
 

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View attachment 73828
(September 20, 2024) If you're a fan of Sound United and its premium audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, and Polk, you may have caught wind of financial issues surrounding its parent company, Masimo, and an impending board room battle. Well, the battle has taken place, and the results strongly suggest that Sound United is on a fast track to the chopping block.

Here's the quick and dirty of how we got here. Sound United was acquired by Masimo, a global medical technology company known for its advanced monitoring devices, for roughly $1 billion in April of 2022. The acquisition raised eyebrows because it seemed like an odd pairing—medical devices and high-end audio equipment don't exactly go hand in hand. At the time, Masimo CEO Joe Kiani was enthusiastic about the deal, seeing it as an opportunity to leverage Sound United's consumer channels to distribute Masimo's consumer healthcare products. I've also heard rumblings that Masimo was interested in accessing Sound United's HEOS technology, though Masimo has not publicly confirmed that suggestion.

Fast forward to 2024, and the marriage of consumer healthcare and AV technology has been rocky at best. Yes, Sound United's brands have continued to innovate and craft extremely popular equipment, but Masimo's stock price took a significant hit after the acquisition, dropping nearly 40% on day one, and has yet to recover fully. Of course, losses never sit well with investors, who've remained concerned that the company strayed too far from its core competencies.

More recently, a proxy battle with investor Quentin Koffey and his hedge fund, Politan Capital Management, took hold. Politan wasn't pleased with Masimo's direction, arguing that the Sound United deal was a financial mistake necessitating leadership changes. Yesterday, a vote took place, and Politan succeeded in getting two nominees elected to Masimo's board, effectively ousting Joe Kiani from his seat and putting Sound United's status in jeopardy.

The arrival of new voices on the board has sparked growing speculation that Masimo will sell off Sound United and refocus on its core medical technology business. And that, in a nutshell, is where we find ourselves today. Sound United and its iconic brands appear to be in limbo, and finding a suitable buyer could be challenging. In the few conversations I've had about Sound United's status, I've yet to hear of a confirmed, serious buyer.

For consumers, the immediate impact will likely be minimal. In the short term, Sound United brands will continue to produce the high-quality products they're known for, and support will remain in place. In the long run, though, a sale could lead to changes in product development and customer service, even wholesale changes to the existence of specific brands. Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen. I'll keep my eye on this developing story, though I suspect Masimo will likely play its cards close to its chest.
I did find it strange that a company with medical equipment would do such a purchase, maybe they thought they could incorporate in their business? Looked like it didn't work
 

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I did find it strange that a company with medical equipment would do such a purchase, maybe they thought they could incorporate in their business? Looked like it didn't work
It did seem strange, but now that some time has gone by I would judge Masimo as a good steward of Sound United.
i was also impressed with Joe Kiani after seeing him in a video about the lawsuit against Apple.
I would have stuck with him and seen his plan through.
 

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It did seem strange, but now that some time has gone by I would judge Masimo as a good steward of Sound United.
i was also impressed with Joe Kiani after seeing him in a video about the lawsuit against Apple.
I would have stuck with him and seen his plan through.
I wonder who the new buyers would be :dontknow: :justdontknow:
 

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I did find it strange that a company with medical equipment would do such a purchase, maybe they thought they could incorporate in their business? Looked like it didn't work

The Sound United distribution channels had a lot to do with it…
 

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It did seem strange, but now that some time has gone by I would judge Masimo as a good steward of Sound United.
i was also impressed with Joe Kiani after seeing him in a video about the lawsuit against Apple.
I would have stuck with him and seen his plan through.

Agree 100%. I’ve been out to Carlsbad and the SU HQ… Masimo certainly didn’t appear to be strangling the brands. If anything, there was a great energy pulsing through the hallways.
 

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If I had a healthy chunk of a billion laying around, I’d consider it!
 

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Maybe… maybe not… you just never know! Of course, you’ll definitely know if you see an “Anderson United” announcement next week! :heehee:
 

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I thought I remembered the discussion when Masimo purchased Sound United, but can't find it. Always thought it was a bit odd, but who am I but a redneck hillabilly!

What happened to Onkyo and Pioneer... weren't they under Sound United?
 

MusicManLen

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As a Marantz AV10 owner this does not make me feel warm and fuzzy. Continued support and software updates are a concern going forward.
 

Travis Ballstadt

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So, I'm curious... anyone have any predictions of what's going to happen?

I'm secretly hoping we see a private equity group invest into the company. Though, I've heard the last PE group was squeezing the Sound United a bit prior to the sale to Masimo.
Private equity rarely ends well for the brands involved.
 

Todd Anderson

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I thought I remembered the discussion when Masimo purchased Sound United, but can't find it. Always thought it was a bit odd, but who am I but a redneck hillabilly!

What happened to Onkyo and Pioneer... weren't they under Sound United?
No, that deal fell through and Onkyo was purchased by the parent company of Klipsch (Voxx). It’s now owned by a subsidiary within the company called PAC (Premium Audio Company).

Pioneer is licensed by PAC
 

Todd Anderson

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Behringer 1124p; Aura Bass Shaker Pros; SuperSub X
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JVC NX7
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LG Electronics 65-inch B6 OLED, Sony 65-inch X900F, ZeroSurge 8R15W x 2, ZeroSurge 2R15W x 2
As a Marantz AV10 owner this does not make me feel warm and fuzzy. Continued support and software updates are a concern going forward.
If it’s worth anything, I was with some folks from Marantz a few weeks ago. They still seemed very excited about the new releases and a super cool new product that’s coming in the next month.

I think Marantz will continue to do great things regardless of who the parent company is
 

Sonnie Parker

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Harman? Maybe they'd be interested.
 

Todd Anderson

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Behringer 1124p; Aura Bass Shaker Pros; SuperSub X
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Seymour Screen Excellence, Enlightor NEO AT Screen
Video Display Device
JVC NX7
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LG Electronics 65-inch B6 OLED, Sony 65-inch X900F, ZeroSurge 8R15W x 2, ZeroSurge 2R15W x 2
That’s what I’m thinking, Sonnie. Unless Premium Audio Company decides to make a big jump… there just aren’t that many companies out there!

I do think the Samsung mention is worth some attention.
 

Sonnie Parker

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RTJ 410
Front Wide Speakers
JTR Neosis 110HT
Center Channel Speaker
MartinLogan Focus C-18
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JTR Neosis 210RT
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JTR Neosis 210RT
Front Height Speakers
JTR Neosis 110HT-SL
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JTR Neosis 110HT-SL
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JTR Neosis 110HT-SL
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JTR Captivators - 4000ULF-TL x2 + 2400 x6
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Sony 98X90L
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VTI Amp Stands for the Monoblocks
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HIFIMAN HE1000se
Unique Melody Mest MKII
Headphone DAC/Amp
Eversolo DMP-A6
RME ADI-2 DAC FS
HIFIMAN Goldenwave Serenade
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Home-150 Speaker x6
Samsung S9 Tablet w/ HEOS
Office/Study System
Office System
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Roon Networked
Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Plus Speakers
Secondary/Additional Room System
AV Test Room System
NAD M33 Streaming DAC Amp
MartinLogan Motion XT F200
JTR Captivator RS1
miniDSP EARS
Zero Surge 8R15W-1
Zero Surge 2R20W
Dell Optiplex
Roon Networked
Secondary/Additional Room System
Sunroom System
Denon AVR-X1800H HEOS Receiver
Soundfield Custom Speakers
Dayton Audio IO8XTW Outdoor Speakers
Roon Networked
Dish Joey
JVC 37" TV
Secondary/Additional Room System
Cabin System
Onkyo TX-SR805 Receiver
Infinity Primus P163 Speakers
RSL Outsiders Outdoor Speakers
Shield TV Pro
Sony 55" TV
Secondary/Additional Room System
Vinyl Room
Accuphase E-280 Integrated Amp
Technics SL-1210GR2 Turntable
Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge
KLH Model Three Speakers
Zero Surge 8R15W-1
Okay... now I get it... Samsun owns Harman. lol... makes sense.
 
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