Fender Going Public...IPO - FNDR

[Elemeno P]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-in ... le2362660/

Wonder what everyone thinks?

You can own a Fender.

You can own Fender.

[sickbutnottired]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/maker-of-iconic-fender-guitars-to-go-public/article2362660/

Wonder what everyone thinks?

You can own a Fender.

You can own Fender.

I'd rather own Fender, than a Fender. Lol, well said LMNOP. Anyway, I might take some interest in some future SEC filings, at least from an curiosity perspective. And I wonder if you could get an old fashioned stock certificate? Might be a sorta cool practice room decoration.

[Elemeno P]

I was trying to think if the move is out of desperation or innovation.

After seeing how much debt they hold and the loss from the year before......

Got to look at the filings.

[KenC]

Wow, a company that for the most part sells reduced-cost (I almost said low-cost, but I think they are all overpriced) copies of old Fender instruments. They seem to be all about selling the brand rather than the instrument - "looks just like a real Fender ***caster, with a genuine tone wood body!". Anyhow, I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality.

I have to wonder if a large music retailer will end up as majority shareholder...

Ken

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

Wow, a company that for the most part sells reduced-cost (I almost said low-cost, but I think they are all overpriced) copies of old Fender instruments. They seem to be all about selling the brand rather than the instrument - "looks just like a real Fender ***caster, with a genuine tone wood body!". Anyhow, I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality.

I have to wonder if a large music retailer will end up as majority shareholder...

Ken

I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality either.

[louis cyfer]

Wow, a company that for the most part sells reduced-cost (I almost said low-cost, but I think they are all overpriced) copies of old Fender instruments. They seem to be all about selling the brand rather than the instrument - "looks just like a real Fender ***caster, with a genuine tone wood body!". Anyhow, I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality.

I have to wonder if a large music retailer will end up as majority shareholder...

Ken

I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality either.

interestingly, improving quality would be almost the only possible way return maximum wealth to the shareholders, but that would take long term wisdom, and i agree it is unlikely to happen.

[Lefty]

I was trying to think if the move is out of desperation or innovation.

After seeing how much debt they hold and the loss from the year before......

Got to look at the filings.

~~ Private equity firm Weston Presidio now owns 43 per cent of Fender. Its distributor in Japan, Yamano Music, holds the No. 2 stake with 14 per cent of the company. ~~

I'd wager that Weston Persidio is merely trying to "cash out" of their investment in Fender?

[Tom Valentine]

I can't imagine a duty to return maximum wealth to a bunch of shareholders will do anything for their quality either.

Remember what happened the last time Fender was "public" ... (ie: CBS)

TV

[JagInTheBag]

interestingly, improving quality would be almost the only possible way return maximum wealth to the shareholders, but that would take long term wisdom, and i agree it is unlikely to happen.

Once a company is owned by the mob on Wall Street "long term wisdom" will go right out the door. Look for Fender Select Series Paperjamz in a Walmart near you!

[Gabe]

Leo Fender is a personal hero of mine. I would buy into Fender, but now that I know G&L is what Fender used to be, I'm pretty strictly G&L now. I love my Tele though.

That being said what Fender does as far as selling the brand and not the instruments, I think they've done it for a while now.