Who do we talk to at Gibson about a possible purchase?

I have spent the last 28 years in investment banking.  i have worked on several billion in capital raises.  Heck I would consider buying Cakewalk if I hadn't lost most of everything in a bitter nasty divorce.  
 
There are always options in rescuing something.  Obviously price is a big part of the analysis.  As important tho is retaining talent.  
 
If Gibson wants to entertain sales ideas, it needs to happen very soon.  The more talent that departs, the less value there is in the product line.  Ditto on preserving customers.
 
Surely we can come up with a name in the Gibson Corporate Suite that someone could contact and get an idea of what key financial metrics are (revenues, cash flow, liabilities...) and an idea on potential valuation.  
 
Bakers - PM me.  All of my experience is raising money for energy so software and music is way out of my professional expertise, but i do understand the process.  And I have done it many times.  

Here's the problem as I see it for any potential buyer.
A significant number of the user base are eligible for "free lifetime updates".
If the only revenue source is new users, financial solvency is going to be an "uphill slog" at best.
Am I interested in joining a syndicate with the express purpose of keeping Cakewalk "alive and well"?
Oh, hell YES!
But the user base is going to have to agree to some kind of annual renewal fee.
I don't see that happening...
But, I would be willing to invest if something could be worked out.
T

I doubt Gibson is interested in selling the company.  Obviously they want to write the brand off, but hold onto the intellectual property....
 
Gibson essentially, "corporately raided," cakewalk.   Sorry, but that is reality
 
Go watch the movie Wall Street, or Other People's Money
 

Wow...I had no idea until you gave me the heads up...At first I didn't know what you were referencing, but it has happened...I've spent a lot of money and time staying current with this software over a 25-year period.  Now I've got all these projects, plugins, and gear, and I'm thinking, "...how do I stay updated on future technology, because it's certainly coming in one form or another.
It makes me think about switching to Propellerheads or Cubase...If I can ever afford it..

Linear Phase
I doubt Gibson is interested in selling the company.  Obviously they want to write the brand off, but hold onto the intellectual property....
 
Gibson essentially, "corporately raided," cakewalk.   Sorry, but that is reality
 
Go watch the movie Wall Street, or Other People's Money
 

I am afraid you are massively overvaluing the "intellectual property." Without active development, there are a few SONAR-only effects, and a couple of very old in the tooth synths. That is a very crowded market and many of the products in that very large group will have access to bug fixes and updates to keep them running in new versions of the OS. Would you pay a high price for the Cakewalk synths now? SONAR itself requires constant attention, and finding a crew to come in and resurrect it after losing your development and support staff would be far more expensive than keeping it open. Apparently Cakewalk was losing money when it was dumped by Roland, and rather than being "raided" for its copyrights and trade names, it was supposed to have been a turnaround. Gibson may have screwed the pooch on the rescue, but if a raid was the plan they would have broken it up and sold the better stuff years ago, while it still had some shelf life.

The real question is not really the sale price but the amount of debt that one would have to assume.
 
One could always call Gibson corp and see who would talk to you about it. If they were serious and thought you were serious about buying, someone would get on the phone.

DrLumen
The real question is not really the sale price but the amount of debt that one would have to assume.
 
One could always call Gibson corp and see who would talk to you about it. If they were serious and thought you were serious about buying, someone would get on the phone.

Exactly. Beats me why anyone would consider buying a failed company, unless you were a competitor and the assets and client base were worth having.
 
 

CASH MONEY TALKS.
 
and, that's about all.
 
if you are sitting on a big pile of cash,
i'm sure they'll do business with you.
 
otherwise, it falls under that 'pie in the sky' category.
 

bapu

jamesg1213
 
 
unless you were a competitor and the assets and client base were worth having.
 
 

Software assets (IMO) are worthless to the competitors (especially those that are multi-platform).
 
Now the competitors are addressing the customer base by offering lower than BF Sales cross grade offers.
 
Simples.

Yes, that was my point really. When I was in manufacturing our closest rival went into liquidation and we bought the assets for a knock-down price. Effectively increased our client base by about 75% and got a whole factory full of machinery into the bargain. Different kettle o' fish to software.

well done..

space_cowboy
I have spent the last 28 years in investment banking.  i have worked on several billion in capital raises.  Heck I would consider buying Cakewalk if I hadn't lost most of everything in a bitter nasty divorce.  
 
There are always options in rescuing something.  Obviously price is a big part of the analysis.  As important tho is retaining talent.  
 
If Gibson wants to entertain sales ideas, it needs to happen very soon.  The more talent that departs, the less value there is in the product line.  Ditto on preserving customers.
 
Surely we can come up with a name in the Gibson Corporate Suite that someone could contact and get an idea of what key financial metrics are (revenues, cash flow, liabilities...) and an idea on potential valuation.  
 
Bakers - PM me.  All of my experience is raising money for energy so software and music is way out of my professional expertise, but i do understand the process.  And I have done it many times.  

Talk to me!
Please wire all funds to me! :)

Just messing with you!

AI

Moshkito
Hi,
 
Gibson: You are gonna teach someone new to play? We're too busy making new crap instruments, and cardboard copies of older ones.

Cakewalk: No GEEKS ever left behind! Forget the music!
 
(Quoting Kacewalk and Sibgon) CH and CHB: Who/what are they? Anyone cares? 
 
(Thread locked to prevent answers!)

 

 
Hi
 
Pedalboard, that's the most sense you've ever made in here.

cash!