EagleTree Capital Pays $525 Million For A Majority Share In Corsair

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The rumors were true: EagleTree Capital has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Corsair from Francisco Partners and several minority shareholders. Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) and the Honeywell Pension Fund will also be co-investing in Corsair. According to Corsair, founder and CEO Andy Paul will maintain a sizable equity stake in the company and continue as CEO.

Corsair was founded in 1994, and in the little more than two decades since, the company has expanded far beyond its initial focus on performance memory. It's one of the top brands in power supplies, coolers, cases, memory products, and peripherals like keyboards, mice, and headsets. Its portfolio also includes complete systems--the company's happy to sell you a PC in bits and pieces or as a pre-built system.

In a statement, Paul said the following:

"We are excited about the opportunity to partner with EagleTree and leverage the team’s consumer products expertise to further accelerate our progress,” said Andy Paul, Founder and CEO of CORSAIR. “We are very fortunate to have attracted such experienced investment partners. EagleTree’s backing will allow us to continue to focus first and foremost on our loyal and passionate customers, and accelerate our investment in innovation and new technology and products to enhance the quality experience that enthusiasts and gamers have come to expect from us.

EagleTree co-managing partner George Majoros Jr. said:

This is a transformative time in the PC gaming industry. A rapidly growing global gamer population, together with the rise of eSports and streaming, has made PC gaming one of the world’s most dynamic industries. Corsair is the undisputed leader in PC gaming hardware and has built a strong brand on a foundation of quality, innovation and an unwavering commitment to its passionate fans. We look forward to working with Andy and Corsair’s talented management team to maintain the company’s focus on innovative products, to expand into new markets, and to pursue selective transactions.

The transaction is expected to close in the next few months. We'll know if this major change will have an effect on Corsair's course soon enough.

Aris Mpitziopoulos
Contributing Editor

Aris Mpitziopoulos is a Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware US, covering PSUs.

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jtd871
    I don't know whether to be encouraged or dismayed by the VCs consolidating the stock for a majority stake. I fear that the new "ownership" could portend mediocrity and commoditization for Corsair's products.
    Reply
  • 10tacle
    19985716 said:
    I fear that the new "ownership" could portend mediocrity and commoditization for Corsair's products.

    That's my concern as well. Business history has shown time after time where majority share "investors" ruin companies by controlling from the quarterly profit results over quality and innovation (and especially customer service). But I will say this as a 20-year PC builder: I have never bought something Corsair just for the name brand, specifically cases, power supplies, and memory.

    There's a LOT of competition out there among those three core PC build components, and Corsair has to earn my buck. However without question they do dominate the AIO water cooler market and I'd go with them just based on their premium performance over competitors in the same price range (high end specifically - nobody can touch their H110i GT).
    Reply
  • Dragon4570
    We will be lucky if they stop at mere mediocrity. When investors that have zero experience in an industry start calling the shots it only ends badly. The only thing this might help is to get their higher output power supplies back in stock. But otherwise we are going to see the VC's want a higher margin due to Corsairs premium name.
    Reply
  • g-unit1111
    19986024 said:
    19985716 said:
    I fear that the new "ownership" could portend mediocrity and commoditization for Corsair's products.

    That's my concern as well. Business history has shown time after time where majority share "investors" ruin companies by controlling from the quarterly profit results over quality and innovation (and especially customer service). But I will say this as a 20-year PC builder: I have never bought something Corsair just for the name brand, specifically cases, power supplies, and memory.

    Yeah I know, this could either be a good thing or a bad thing. I'm hoping more money means better Corsair products. But on the other hand, putting emphasis on profit over products could hinder Corsair's ability to provide quality. And I also agree that Corsair makes a lot of good products. I love the K65 RGB keyboard, I have two of them and they are great. I've had varying experience with Corsair PSUs, RAM, and cases. My 500R has been holding up strong after nearly 4 1/2 years of use and 2 builds. But I've had good and terrible experiences with Corsair PSUs.
    Reply
  • EpIckFa1LJoN
    Corsair stuff is already pricey, but you get what you pay for with them for the most part at least. Hands down best cases around, and don't get me started on RAM. I wish their fans were better, but I still own 5 of them because they are also easily the best looking LED fans out there.

    I'm really hoping they can actually start improving, instead of everyone's predictions that they will fall into mediocrity or worse.
    Reply