Deja vu: Apple buyout rumors resurface, juicing shares of luxury TV-maker Loewe by 40%

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
German television and electronics manufacturer Loewe saw its shares jump considerably on Wednesday when rumors that Apple was preparing to buy the firm ? originally reported by AppleInsider last summer ? resurfaced on European markets.

Loewe ID
Pictured: Loewe's Individual HDTV


Loewe's shares jumped more than 40 percent Wednesday morning according to Reuters. Market rumors claim Apple is planning to bid 4? ($5.40) per share, a 40 percent premium above the company's 2.85? closing price on Tuesday.

AppleInsider first broke word of Apple's presumed interest in Loewe in May of 2012, when a source leaked that Apple was considering acquiring the company. At the time, Loewe was said to have been advised by its financial advisor to accept the offer. Ironically, Loewe denied the rumor with prejudice.

Representatives from Loewe have again said they are unaware of any buyout bid from Apple. Apple, per usual, also declined comment.

iMacs


Loewe makes luxury television and sound equipment with a minimalist design aesthetic, as well as Blu-ray players, DVD recorders, and hard disk recorders. While the firm faces stiff competition from Samsung, LG, and Panasonic, Loewe said last year that it expected a future European fiscal recovery to boost sales through the end of 2013. Despite that optimism, Loewe's losses nearly tripled to 29? million in 2012, and the company is in the midst of cutting 1,000 personnel.

The firm's market cap hit 53? million on Wednesday's Apple rumor. Japanese manufacturer Sharp holds 28.8 percent of Loewe's shares, while Loewe's management holds another 14 percent. French digital storage device manufacturer LaCie holds another 11.2 percent.

The spike in Loewe's share price is the result of a near perfect storm of Apple rumors. The Loewe rumor reflects a coming together of two main concern investors have with Apple: a rumored move into televisions and what Apple will do with its $137 billion cash pile. Speaking on the topic of acquisitions on Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the firm buys smaller companies every other month, but is very deliberate and thoughtful in doing so, purchasing only companies that will mesh well with Apple's culture and produce superior products.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    neilmneilm Posts: 985member
    Fat chance that Apple is going to buy a money-losing boutique consumer electronics outfit in Germany. Where's the value? Technology, market presence, design chops that Apple lacks? No, no and no, respectively.
  • Reply 2 of 25
    neilm wrote: »
    Fat chance that Apple is going to buy a money-losing boutique consumer electronics outfit in Germany. Where's the value? Technology, market presence, design chops that Apple lacks? No, no and no, respectively.

    Fully agree. Totally useless company for Apple. Not for the market; they make really nice TV's, but Apple is very good at designing (CE). They didn't buy a phone company in order to create the iPhone. Stupid rumor, though I love rumor sites. How's that for an oxymoron?
  • Reply 3 of 25
    Wonder if you could iWatch a Loewe Apple TV?
  • Reply 4 of 25
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    AppleInsider first broke word of Apple's presumed interest in Loewe in May of 2012, when a source leaked that Apple was considering acquiring the company. At the time, Loewe was said to have been advised by its financial advisor to accept the offer. Ironically, Loewe denied the rumor with prejudice.


     


    I am confused as to how Loewe denying the rumor is a case of irony. 

  • Reply 5 of 25
    How appropriate, Loewe means lion in german!
  • Reply 6 of 25
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member


    Are there patents Lowes has that Apple would want?  Otherwise I don't get the point of it.  I'm sure Apple could design a TV as sleek and asthetically pleasing as what Lowes has.

  • Reply 7 of 25
    indigo80 wrote: »
    Wonder if you could iWatch a Loewe Apple TV?

    No, we have B&O for that:
    100010001000

    edit: why do the pictures change in this article?
  • Reply 8 of 25
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,239member
    What's the German equivalent of the SEC? Sounds like stock manipulation to me and I thought this only happened in the US. ;s
  • Reply 9 of 25
    philboogie wrote: »
    No, we have B&O for that:
    [images]

    edit: why do the pictures change in this article?

    And I thought Samsung's easel TV was bad.

    That pic does look like this concept which I've lauded for years…
    "This would allow the customer to choose from a variety of HDTVs in various sizes, shapes, type and features that have partnered with Apple. It would also resolve the issues between TV update cycles and computer update cycles, potentially allowing you to keep an HDTV for a decade whilst updating your Apple TV yearly."

    How appropriate, Loewe means lion in german!

    So Mountain Lion is Loewe Berg?

    edit: LOL Google Translate just changes mountain lion in English to Puma in German. Now I've learned two German words today.
  • Reply 10 of 25
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    rob53 wrote: »
    What's the German equivalent of the SEC? Sounds like stock manipulation to me and I thought this only happened in the US. ;s

    Only I'd have thought the stock would go down if the company were associated with the loser tech giant Apple /s
  • Reply 11 of 25

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NeilM View Post



    Fat chance that Apple is going to buy a money-losing boutique consumer electronics outfit in Germany. Where's the value? Technology, market presence, design chops that Apple lacks? No, no and no, respectively.


    Creating synergies -- when you know what you're doing, as an acquirer -- is all about buying companies with the kind of weaknesses that you point out, since it makes them cheaper than they otherwise would be.


     


    This is especially true of brand-name, high-quality products that are underperforming; even more so if they have IP. You would expect Apple to bring its own technology, market presence, and design chops to build on what the target company has.

  • Reply 12 of 25
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    Fully agree. Totally useless company for Apple. Not for the market; they make really nice TV's, but Apple is very good at designing (CE). They didn't buy a phone company in order to create the iPhone. Stupid rumor, though I love rumor sites. How's that for an oxymoron?


     


    I agree also, with the exception that I disagree that Loewe makes "really nice" TV's.  They seem pretty ordinary to me and not that attractive. 

  • Reply 13 of 25

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    Only I'd have thought the stock would go down if the company were associated with the loser tech giant Apple /s


    Thats the fun of the game. Their stock goes up but Apples goes down.

  • Reply 14 of 25


    I hope Apple puts out a TV soon.


     


    I cut the cable and sold my TV about 5 years ago... and although I've saved ~$6K, I really miss watching Tiger Woods, F1 and tennis. Plus PBS.


     


    I may have to buy a non-Apple TV with ATV set-top box, though. (Guarantee you, it won't be a Samsung!)

  • Reply 15 of 25
    I hope Apple puts out a TV soon.

    I cut the cable and sold my TV about 5 years ago... and although I've saved ~$6K, I really miss watching Tiger Woods, F1 and tennis. Plus PBS.

    I may have to buy a non-Apple TV with ATV set-top box, though. (Guarantee you, it won't be a Samsung!)

    Panasonic makes some amazing looking award winning plasmas.
  • Reply 16 of 25

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post



    Panasonic makes some amazing looking award winning plasmas.


    Agreed. I have the Panasonic 65-inch VT plasma, and it's by far the best TV I have ever viewed. 

  • Reply 17 of 25
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Creating synergies -- when you know what you're doing, as an acquirer -- is all about buying companies with the kind of weaknesses that you point out, since it makes them cheaper than they otherwise would be.


     


    This is especially true of brand-name, high-quality products that are underperforming; even more so if they have IP. You would expect Apple to bring its own technology, market presence, and design chops to build on what the target company has.



    Are you saying that this is the case with Apple and Loewe?


     


    Personally making a TV seems infinitely easier than making a smart phone and Apple didn't have to partner with anyone to crack that market.  If Apple did acquire a company like this, it would just be about acquiring the personnel.  But again, I don't know what's so special about making a TV that would require this.

  • Reply 18 of 25
    I am holding off buying one of those Panasonic 65 inch plasmas to see what Apple delivers. I currently have a beautiful Panasonic 50 inch plasma so the wait has been bearable. I will likely buy whatever Apple sells...
  • Reply 19 of 25
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by currentinterest View Post



    I am holding off buying one of those Panasonic 65 inch plasmas to see what Apple delivers. I currently have a beautiful Panasonic 50 inch plasma so the wait has been bearable. I will likely buy whatever Apple sells...


    You'll be holding off a while longer then. Apple holding a TV-centric event next month? Jim Dalrymple says "Nope".  

  • Reply 20 of 25

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    Panasonic makes some amazing looking award winning plasmas.


    Thanks, I'm leaning towards LED...LG, Sharp maybe even a Sony. :)

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