Samsung adds Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, and Polk to its audio empire

Samsung subsidiary Harman has agreed to acquire the audio business division of Masimo, taking ownership of audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, and Polk Audio.

The $350 million deal brings them under the same roof as JBL, Harman Kardon, Arcam, AKG, Mark Levinson, and Revel, which Samsung acquired back in 2016 with its $8 billion acquisition of Harman. The Masimo transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.

“Finding the right home for this business has been a stated priority of the new Board from day one, and this transaction represents an important milestone,” said Masimo vice chairman Quentin Koffey. Masimo, you might recall, is the global medical technology company that launched a US patent infringement lawsuit against Apple over the pulse oximetry tech used in the Apple Watch.

In its press release, Samsung says it “plans to solidify its global No. 1 position in the consumer audio market” by combining the Harman and Massimo businesses. Part of that plan also includes applying professional audio technology from Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, and Marantz to Samsung’s lineup of smartphones, wireless earphones, headphones, TVs, and sound bars, alongside expanding its car audio business portfolio with brands like Bowers & Wilkins.

“Harman is proud to have grown into a world-class audio company with 75 years of history, and we expect that the acquisition of another luxury audio brand, B&W, will further solidify Harman’s position as a true audio powerhouse,” said Dave Rogers, president of Harman’s lifestyle business unit.