Probably the most iconic identify in guitar amps could possibly be about to have yet one more new proprietor. Stories declare that the homeowners of the Marshall Group – which was created when Marshall bluetooth headphone and speaker licensee Zound Industries purchased a controlling stake within the firm in 2023, after which renamed itself – is talking to banks a couple of sale.

In accordance with Betaville’s report, the Swedish-based conglomerate is in discussions with funding financial institution big Goldman Sachs on “strategic choices” – together with promoting the whole firm for the sizeable sum of round €800 Million.

The present Marshall Group encompasses Marshall amplifiers, the Marshall audio system and headphones, Marshall Information, Marshall Dwell Company, Marshall Studio, Natal Drums, Urbanears, and adidas Headphones.

This merger left the Marshall household with a 24pc stake within the enterprise which was began by the late Jim Marshall in 1962. Different main shareholders within the firm embrace Scandinavian enterprise capital corporations equivalent to Zenith Enterprise Capital. Non-public buyers maintain important stakes as properly.

Sources accustomed to the matter state that Marshall Group generates an EBITDA of €80 million from revenues of €400 million. Thus with 10 instances the EBITDA, an anticipated worth of sale could possibly be €800 million. A report printed earlier this yr confirmed that simply 5% of the corporate’s income got here from the sale of guitar amps.

No indication as to why the homeowners of the Marshall Group could be contemplating promoting so quickly after the merger – the corporate’s new CEO Jeremy de Maillard was bullish about the way forward for the broader Marshall model earlier this yr, saying after the earnings announcement:

“It has been a historic yr for everybody at Marshall. We delivered robust development and profitability for the third yr in a row whereas efficiently integrating into the Marshall Group. We’re unlocking the potential of the Marshall model whereas staying true to its legacy and investing into the long run.”

De Millard additionally promised to spend money on Marshall’s music-making merchandise, and in a separate interview with Guitar World, de Maillard promised that the corporate would “over-invest” within the amp facet of the enterprise as a way to assist the model meet up with the trendy necessities of guitar gamers.

“We don’t have all the merchandise that the guitarist right now expects of us, in relation to digital amplifiers, or digital merchandise, basically,” he defined. “And right here we’re over-investing to catch up. We’ve been behind and now we wish to catch up.”

De Millard promised a swathe of latest merchandise over the next 12-24 months, and whereas nothing has been revealed as but, it’s unknown what affect the sale of the corporate – ought to it happen – would have on these plans.