Pros
The IoT division used to be an incredible business with a world leading set of technologies (particularly LoRa) and great momentum in the market. It was a strong, dedicated team of experts who were on a mission. Then the CEO at the time decided to drive the company off a cliff by acquiring Sierra Wireless. Only with the new CEO Mr Hou, does there seem to be a path back from the abyss.
Cons
The previous CEO Mohan Maheswaran drove the company off a cliff by driving the acquisition of Sierra Wireless - all to try to earn an even bigger payout than the many millions he paid himself for working a 1 day week over his 16 years as CEO - and to save the BOD their jobs. He knowingly overlooked misleading false statements on Sierra’s financial & operational performance and outlook - despite the overwhelming evidence showing it was a failing business. Knowing the massive payout he stood to gain even if he was fired (which he ultimately was) he set light to the business for his own personal gain. To do the deal as an all cash transaction (the shareholders at Sierra had enough foresight to know that stock in the new joint company was likely worthless) more or less guaranteed the outcome - slash and burn cost cutting just to stay alive. A true testament to what unbridled human greed and the failure of Semtech’s Board to provide any oversight or protection of the interests of shareholders (vs trying to hang on to their jobs for another decade or so) can do to a business.