Has the HC curse been transferred?

[RoadRanger]

I hear tell that GC/MF is doing better and now Gibson is in trouble?

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/industries/music/2016/03/04/gibson-brands-hit-credit-downgrade/81336440/

 

OTOH the whole industry ain't all that healthy

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'm not in any position to know the details, but I suspect the 2015 model year's rather "soft" reception hurt sales, but that's behind Gibson now that the 2016 models are out and doing well. There were also a few corporate acquisitions (including HC) recently.

 

From the article linked to in the OP:

 

"The company has posted quarterly results for our quarter ending December 2015 that were materially better than they were for the prior year," Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz said. "While we experienced a soft reception to our 2015 products, we have since introduced our improved 2016 product line that is performing extremely well both in sales to retailers and sell through to consumers globally. We feel we are on an upward trend, poised for an excellent year and are confident of the future."

[Anderton]

I can confirm that the 2016 models are doing very well.

[Anderton]

And just to set the record straight, when HC was part of Musician's Friend, both were very successful. It's when GC folded them into the mothership that the problems kicked in. However, the people running the GC show now are different from the ones back then.

[Etienne Rambert]

I was looking at those $1999 ES 335 & 339's Studios today. Gas ensued.

 

I don't know anything about the company's financial prospects.