McIntosh Group Acquired by Highlander Partners

Aside from the design, manufacture and export of its own brands, McIntosh Group also provides fully integrated distribution services across North America, Central and South America, the United Kingdom, and Benelux for their owned brands and several third-party brands including Pro-Ject, Rotel, and Bassocontinuo.

Jeff L. Hull, Highlander Partners President and CEO, commented:

We have been evolving our investment strategy around consumer-focused brands and luxury goods over several years. The opportunity to acquire brands as strong as those within the McIntosh Group does not come often and we are very excited to be part of the Company's next chapter. We believe there is a unique opportunity to acquire other consumer luxury technology brands and intend to stay active in the category.

Jeff Poggi and Charles Randall, co-CEOs of the McIntosh Group, added:

We are thrilled to continue to pursue our growth trajectory alongside the Highlander team. Across all brands and product categories we continue to see remarkable results and an excess of opportunity; we believe Highlander's financial approach and operational expertise can help seize these prospects.

A hint at Highlander's attraction to the McIntosh Group and the industry as a whole was given in Ben Slater, Partner at Highlander's comment:

McIntosh Group sits at the intersection of several strong trends that we are eager to be a part of. The residential environment is rapidly evolving, with technology becoming an integral component throughout the home. Moreover, consumers across the demographic spectrum are demanding high fidelity audio now more than ever, and premium brands such as McIntosh and Sonus Faber are increasingly viewed as functional pieces of art.

McIntosh has been on a roll in recent times with new product announcements, and the looming new ownership and acquisition might go some way to explain that now the news is out.