ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Not the best read, but as expected.
Looking forward to the new products coming:
https://www.bang-olufsen.com/~/mediaV3/files/press-releases/bang-olufsen/quarter-reports/bang-olufsen-pressrelease-q1-3-10.pdf
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
New: Beovision Harmony, Beolab 50's, Beolab 28's, Beolab 18's, Beolab 17's, Beosound Stage & LG, Beosound 2, Beoplay M3, Beoplay A1, Beoplay Portal, Beoplay H4 gen 2, Beoplay E8 3.0
Mikipedia on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mikipedia
Mikipedi4 on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mikipedi4
Mikipedia on Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikipedi4/
Old: Beosound 9000 mk3, Beolab 3's, Beovision Eclipse, Beolab 1's, Beolab 2, Beovision 10-46, Overture 2300, beolab 8000's, Beolab 4000's, Beovision avant 32" etc. etc.
Very curious to see if the Harmony & Stage can improve the sales numbers within the next 6months..
Also hope that they reduce the numbers of headsets/headphones as this has been a major loss-maker the last year.
.. fingers crossed that B&O can survive the next years and become a “100y old” company.
From the:
https://vod.eventcdn.net/bo/Webcast_presentation_Q1_2019.pdf
Wonder what that could be?
I think we all know where this is headed now.
Sandyb:I think we all know where this is headed now.
Sandyb: I think we all know where this is headed now.
Yes - but not the way you think!
The results for that quarter were awaited and announced in the latest general meeting.......are you really surpriced?
Hi Duels, all I can say is now we are entering the busy period...the next 6 months will be crucial - pleased I’m out of it🙂
Mikipidia:New things that are even more software dependant, which makes me nervous
Unfortunately, the financial development is no surprise. A company with such bad IT strategy, changing its software platform strategy three times within 10 years and never managed to finalise a full working product before discontinuing it, e.g.
.
Present: BL90, Core, BL6000, CD7000, Beogram 7000, Essence Remote.
Past: BL1, BL2, BL8000, BS9000, BL5, BC2, BS5, BV5, BV4-50, Beosystem 3, BL3, DVD1, Beoremote 4, Moment.
That makes the results any the better?
The company needs saving, from themselves.
But as I've said before, its far from obvious why a sensible well matched partner will come in and buy them.
Death by a thousand cuts, I think is the best description.
The financial metrics, when it comes to balance sheet strength, liquidity, leverage etc look actually ok.
But the trajectory with respect to sales and profits is poor, and the product offering looks less convincing, even to its more traditional core customer, than it used to be.
So no, not imminent collapse, and a good trade partner looks odds against. The market value of the company has been small change for very large players for quite a while now, so the sound of silence speaks volumes to me, Admittedly that could change, though I wouldn't bet on it. Its too niche a brand for Apple etc anyway.
Will they disappear in 10 years time? I suspect probably not, as there is always someone out there who might inject some money. But unless its someone who can add value beyond the $, that just prolongs the agony. And the sales outlook might bottom out in the next 12-18 months, but that just prompts more retrenchment by the company, as resources for investment are squeezed further.
Once you take the emotion out of it, the analysis is not that difficult.
Especially when the odds on a global economic slowdown in the next 12-24 months are higher than they have been for a good few years.
If the pipeline of new products accelerates, and they're exciting, then all good - but the evidence of the last few years is not encouraging on that front.
Exactly right.
I prey that Apple buy them, and come to their rescue, but that's wishful thinking on my part!
mm08642: Mikipidia:New things that are even more software dependant, which makes me nervous Unfortunately, the financial development is no surprise. A company with such bad IT strategy, changing its software platform strategy three times within 10 years and never managed to finalise a full working product before discontinuing it, e.g. Beosound 5 (MOTS - Microsoft Windows - Spotify support) Beosound Moment (MoodWheel - Android based - Deezer support) Beosound Core (no - Linux based? - only Deezer and limited Spotify support) … what will be next …? naturally ends up loosing trust, customers and in the end profit. Companies with such bad leadership team / management will be taken out of the market. That is capitalism (= „Creative destruction“ see Schumpeter). At the end the companies with the better ideas, strategy and products will survive. Unfortunately I do not see, that it will be Bang & Olufsen.
naturally ends up loosing trust, customers and in the end profit. Companies with such bad leadership team / management will be taken out of the market. That is capitalism (= „Creative destruction“ see Schumpeter). At the end the companies with the better ideas, strategy and products will survive. Unfortunately I do not see, that it will be Bang & Olufsen.
Acquisition by Apple will not happen. It gives me no joy to say so.
https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/thread/287982.aspx
Here’s something that is possible, though an admitted long-shot: B&O could hire Jonny Ives’ new design firm to provide a coherent, distinctive, future-focused design language and portfolio.
BeoFrederic:Acquisition by Apple will not happen. It gives me no joy to say so. https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/thread/287982.aspx
BeoFrederic: Here’s something that is possible, though an admitted long-shot: B&O could hire Jonny Ives’ new design firm to provide a coherent, distinctive, future-focused design language and portfolio.
I think Johnny Ives' currency has been spent!
Ban boring signatures!
B&O cannot afford Lord Ives.
Karel.
The canceled support/integration of Spotify in BS5/BM5 was very disappointing. I hoped some other streaming service should have shown up but no. Today I have Music via Horizon instead.
Earlier; BV 10-46, 2*BL3, BM5/BS5, BS9000, BL8000, BV7-32, MX7000, Beoport, Beocord 8000, MX4002, BL2000, Beocom1, Beotalk1200
Unfortunately, they might get to profitability, but it will be hard to get to revenue growth. There is certainly a lot of opportunities to streamline their offerings:
1. Headphones that compete directly with Bose in price and range. B&O = Bose with better design, build and sound quality
2. BeoPlay line that is directly aimed at a more premium level of Sonos (soundbar seems a good move). In the US they should have a section in Best Buy where the headphones and BeoPlay lines are displayed in a Store inside a store model - similar to what Bose and Sonos do...
3. Kill the BeoSound line just add them to BeoPlay and make BeoPlay the upscale-Sonos line.
4. Premium audio line - BeoLab (Subwoofer, Beolab 18, BeoLab 17 and Beolab 50). The BeoLab 18 needs to be $4,999 for a pair, BeoLab 17 for $2,999 a pair the BeoLab 19 should be $1,999 and the Beolab 50 should be $19,999. Compete with B&W and Dynaudio.
5. Makes no sense for B&O to be in the TV business
6. makes no sense to invest in B&O proprietary interfaces and connections.
Their prices are too high currently relative to what they offer compared to alternatives. My 2 cents worth....
B&O in my life 😊:
Most TV and Audio now seems to be too software dependent. No one is going to spend big money on something that can be made redundant by the software or by a streaming method. Look at the BBC. They stopped mp3 streaming and made a lot of hardware redundant (for BBC broadcasts). Now they've just switched to BBC 'Sounds' and say they can't afford to support older Apple platforms or related systems. B&O have little chance in keeping pace with the changes unless they produce upgradeable plug in modules so that buyers can protect their purchases from becoming out of date prematurely. Exceptional quality universal speakers is their last hope.
Graham
mm08642:At the end the companies with the better ideas, strategy and products will survive.
Bang & Olufsen still did not manage to get from the analog to the digital century.
Look at the B&O app, look at the outdated stores concept, look for a multichannel distribution concept, look at the internet presence without social community or technical content, look at the helpless / low educated online customer service, look at the not perfect working products, look at the very slow speed things are changing.
Additionally Bang & Olufsen lost its former technology leadership perception in multiroom integration (to Sonos, Apple AP2, Google CC), intuitive operating concepts for TV (not anymore controlled by B&O) music (to Apple, Sonos, Bose, Roon - the B&O app is bad copy of the Deezer app and all additional features follow the goal to be maximum complex and confusing) and active loudspeaker concept (to Sonos, Bose, Bluesound, Apple, etc.).
So the only left unique selling point is the design of loudspeakers ?!?In my eyes this is not enough to survive. Hopefully I am wrong!
HH1971:Bang & Olufsen still did not manage to get from the analog to the digital century. Look at the B&O app, look at the outdated stores concept, look for a multichannel distribution concept, look at the internet presence without social community or technical content, look at the helpless / low educated online customer service, look at the not perfect working products, look at the very slow speed things are changing. Additionally Bang & Olufsen lost its former technology leadership perception in multiroom integration (to Sonos, Apple AP2, Google CC), intuitive operating concepts for TV (not anymore controlled by B&O) music (to Apple, Sonos, Bose, Roon - the B&O app is bad copy of the Deezer app and all additional features follow the goal to be maximum complex and confusing) and active loudspeaker concept (to Sonos, Bose, Bluesound, Apple, etc.). So the only left unique selling point is the design of loudspeakers ?!? In my eyes this is not enough to survive. Hopefully I am wrong!
SHEFFIELD:Hi Duels, all I can say is now we are entering the busy period...the next 6 months will be crucial - pleased I’m out of it🙂
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-08/bang-olufsen-names-new-ceo-after-reporting-yet-another-loss?srnd=premium-europe
Here is the official document from B&O:
https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0324b90f-54b4-4d18-98e5-cb9fcaa2d826
Ferdinand:B&O has fired CEO
The danish national tv wrote about it in the news.
However, they added:
Opdatering: Det har tidligere fremgået af indledningen i denne artikel, at Henrik Clausen blev fyret. Det er ændret til “udskiftet”, da en fyring ikke er bekræftet.
Which means the changed ‘sacked’ to ‘replaced’.
Whatwver happened, I see this more as a sign for the investors to calm down - if it will change anything is the question....
....in many things happened on the financial front the chairman Ole Andersen is the ‘architect’.
As the head of th board he is the one, who sets the course!
But of course it will be interesting to hear, what the new CEO has in mind for (the future of) B&O
Share prices hit a 52-week low yesterday...
In my humble opinion the slide of the brand (and ensuing confusion) will take a huge amount of investment to drag itself out of. B&O as a company simply doesn't have the cash to do this, so it's either scale back drastically - or find a buyer with deep pockets and a belief in the brand.
Personally I don't think there's huge value in the name any more as it's gradually gone 'off radar' for most AV buyers - even long-standing customers, but the people (and the patents) do have value. Bang & Olufsen employs some gifted people who could be utilised well within other organisations - or within B&O as a 'Halo Brand' for a big manufacturer.
As for a new CEO, I feel the old one has been put to the sword to satisfy the market and shareholders. The new CEO, with limited cash as well as a dwindling market (globally, for many premium brands - not just B&O) will face the same challenges as the old one. Unless he has great ideas and lots of cash to back him up, they'll just stay great ideas and the company will keep sliding.
Nervous times for B&O. Will they pull through it? Big brands, old names, and companies with a long history no longer seem truly 'valued' in today's market place - so it's not a given. As ever, though, I wish them well.
Lee
Millemissen: But of course it will be interesting to hear, what the new CEO has in mind for (the future of) B&O
In my experience of a new CEO taking charge of a new company is that they do not have any plan or 'has in mind for the future' of the brand. They get a call, get an offer and it all happens within a short space of time.
I think it's mostly doomed now. Smacks a little of desperation to try and please outside investors. Certain people on here are way too patient and calm.
New CEO on a downward spiral???
“he was Global Chief Operating Officer for BlackBerry with headquarters in Canada. Prior to that, he held management positions at Sony Ericsson, respectively, as Executive Vice President with global responsibility for sales and marketing and as regional President at Ericsson“
vikinger: New CEO on a downward spiral??? “he was Global Chief Operating Officer for BlackBerry with headquarters in Canada. Prior to that, he held management positions at Sony Ericsson, respectively, as Executive Vice President with global responsibility for sales and marketing and as regional President at Ericsson“ Graham
Maybe he will be much better at f***ing it up!
moxxey:I think it's mostly doomed now. Smacks a little of desperation to try and please outside investors. Certain people on here are way too patient and calm.
Puncher: Maybe he will be much better at f***ing it up!
I'm afraid that my personal experience of CEO's is that they bring along a personal advisor from a management consultancy, (who will provide the ***-up defence when the board finally get fed up with the poor decisions). Typically, stays for 2 years and then moves on with a generous pay off to another similar post.
Kristian Tear. Source: Bang & OlufsenBang & Olufsen A/S enlisted a former BlackBerry Ltd. manager to try to revive the fading Danish electronics maker after consumers abandoned its sleek living room hi-fi systems in favor of listening to music on the go.Kristian Tear, 55, will take over as chief executive officer from Henrik Clausen, who presided over three profit warnings in less than a year. The stock rose as much as 9.5% in Copenhagen on Tuesday but it dropped more than 70% over the previous 12 months, eroding the company’s market value to $225 million.
I thought that was the UK actor John Barrowman for a moment
9 LEE: I thought that was the UK actor John Barrowman for a moment
Who lives in Palm Springs with his learned American accent.