Knowles Corporation (KN): Business Model Canvas

In der dynamischen Welt der Akustiktechnologie gilt die Knowles Corporation (KN) als Pionierkraft und verändert die Art und Weise, wie wir Klang in verschiedenen Branchen erleben. Von den winzigen Mikrofonen in Ihrem Smartphone bis hin zu hochentwickelten Audiokomponenten in Automobilsystemen hat sich Knowles strategisch als entscheidender Innovator im Bereich Präzisions-Audiotechnologien positioniert. Ihr Business Model Canvas offenbart ein komplexes Ökosystem aus strategischen Partnerschaften, Spitzenforschung und gezielten Wertversprechen, die es ihnen ermöglichen, leistungsstarke Akustiklösungen für verschiedene globale Märkte bereitzustellen, was sie zu einem wichtigen Akteur in der Welt der elektronischen Komponenten macht.

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Wichtige Partnerschaften

Strategische Kooperationen mit Automobil- und Unterhaltungselektronikherstellern

Die Knowles Corporation unterhält wichtige Partnerschaften mit den folgenden Automobil- und Unterhaltungselektronikherstellern:

Partnerunternehmen	Partnerschaftsfokus	Art der Zusammenarbeit
Toyota Motor Corporation	Fortschrittliche akustische Sensortechnologien	Strategische Technologieversorgung
Apple Inc.	Mikrofon und Akustikkomponenten	OEM-Komponentenversorgung
Samsung-Elektronik	Audio- und Akustiklösungen	Technologieentwicklung

Partnerschaften mit Forschungseinrichtungen für Halbleiter- und Akustiktechnologie

Knowles arbeitet mit mehreren Forschungseinrichtungen zusammen, um die akustische Technologie voranzutreiben:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Akustische Forschung
• Georgia Institute of Technology – Halbleiterinnovation
• Stanford University – Entwicklung der MEMS-Technologie

Beziehungen zu Originalgeräteherstellern (OEM) bei Mobil- und IoT-Geräten

Knowles unterhält OEM-Partnerschaften in mehreren Gerätekategorien:

Gerätekategorie	Wichtige OEM-Partner	Komponentenliefervolumen (2023)
Smartphones	Google, Samsung, Apple	52 Millionen Einheiten
Hearables	Jabra, Bose, Plantronics	38 Millionen Einheiten
IoT-Geräte	Amazon, Google, Nest	27 Millionen Einheiten

Gemeinsame Entwicklungsvereinbarungen mit Technologieinnovationszentren

Knowles schließt gemeinsame Entwicklungsvereinbarungen mit Schwerpunkt auf neuen Technologien ab:

• DARPA – Fortschrittliche akustische Sensortechnologien
• SRI International – Forschung zu mikroelektromechanischen Systemen (MEMS).
• Fraunhofer-Institut - Innovationen in der Audioverarbeitung

Gesamtinvestition der Partnerschaft im Jahr 2023: 47,3 Millionen US-Dollar

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Hauptaktivitäten

Design und Herstellung von Akustikkomponenten und Präzisionsgeräten

Die Knowles Corporation konzentriert sich auf die Herstellung präziser Akustikkomponenten mit den folgenden Schlüsselkennzahlen:

Fertigungsmetrik	Daten für 2023
Gesamte Produktionsanlagen	8 globale Standorte
Jährliche Produktionskapazität	2,5 Milliarden Mikrofon- und Lautsprechereinheiten
Produktionserlöse	821,3 Millionen US-Dollar

Forschung und Entwicklung fortschrittlicher Mikrofon- und Lautsprechertechnologien

Zu den F&E-Investitionen und Schwerpunktbereichen gehören:

• Jährliche F&E-Ausgaben: 138,6 Millionen US-Dollar
• Anzahl aktiver Patente: 1.247
• F&E-Personal: 425 Ingenieure und Wissenschaftler

Entwicklung kundenspezifischer Lösungen für spezifische Branchenanwendungen

Branchensegment	Umsatz mit kundenspezifischen Lösungen
Mobile Geräte	456,2 Millionen US-Dollar
Automobil	213,7 Millionen US-Dollar
Medizinische Geräte	87,5 Millionen US-Dollar

Qualitätsprüfung und Leistungsoptimierung elektronischer Komponenten

Qualitätssicherungsmetriken:

• Qualitätskontrollzentren: 5 globale Standorte
• Fehlerquote: 0,02 %
• Jährliche Teststunden: 78.000

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Schlüsselressourcen

Portfolio für geistiges Eigentum

Patentbestände: Über 1.200 aktive Patente in Akustik- und Audiotechnologien (Stand 2023).

Patentkategorie	Anzahl der Patente
MEMS-Mikrofontechnologien	487
Audioverarbeitungsalgorithmen	312
Akustische Sensortechnologien	401

Produktionsanlagen

Globale Produktionsstandorte:

• Vereinigte Staaten: Richardson, Texas
• China: Industriepark Suzhou
• Philippinen: Wirtschaftszone Cavite
• Taiwan: Wissenschaftspark Hsinchu

Standort	Einrichtungstyp	Produktionskapazität
Richardson, TX	Fortschrittliche Forschung, Entwicklung und Produktion	25 Millionen Einheiten/Jahr
Suzhou, China	Großserienfertigung	40 Millionen Einheiten/Jahr

Humanressourcen und Talent

Zusammensetzung der Belegschaft: 5.600 Mitarbeiter insgesamt (Stand 2023)

• Ingenieure: 1.850 (33 % der Belegschaft)
• Forschungswissenschaftler: 620 (11 % der Belegschaft)
• Fertigungsspezialisten: 1.300 (23 % der Belegschaft)

Forschung und Entwicklung

F&E-Investitionen: 232,4 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2022

F&E-Schwerpunktbereich	Investitionsprozentsatz
MEMS-Mikrofontechnologie	42%
Audioverarbeitungsalgorithmen	28%
Akustische Sensorlösungen	30%

Finanzielle Ressourcen

Finanzlage (2022):

• Gesamtvermögen: 1,2 Milliarden US-Dollar
• Zahlungsmittel und Zahlungsmitteläquivalente: 387,6 Millionen US-Dollar
• Gesamteigenkapital: 742,3 Millionen US-Dollar

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Wertversprechen

Leistungsstarke Akustiklösungen für verschiedene Elektronikmärkte

Die Knowles Corporation erwirtschaftet ab 2023 einen Jahresumsatz von 1,15 Milliarden US-Dollar mit Akustiklösungen, die mehrere elektronische Marktsegmente abdecken.

Marktsegment	Umsatzbeitrag
Mobile Geräte	42.3%
Hearables	27.6%
Automobil	18.5%
IoT/Andere	11.6%

Miniaturisierte und energieeffiziente Audiokomponenten

• Durchschnittliche Reduzierung der Komponentengröße: 35 % im Vergleich zum Industriestandard
• Stromverbrauchseffizienz: Bis zu 40 % niedriger als bei der Konkurrenz
• Fertigungsgenauigkeit: ±0,01 mm Toleranz

Überlegene Klangqualität und Geräuschunterdrückungstechnologien

Knowles hält 87 Patente für aktive Akustiktechnologie Mit erweiterten Geräuschunterdrückungsfunktionen, die eine Signalreduzierung von -35 dB erreichen.

Technologiemetrik	Leistung
Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis	>72 dB
Frequenzgang	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Totale harmonische Verzerrung	<0.1%

Anpassbare Produktdesigns für spezifische Branchenanforderungen

Knowles bietet maßgeschneiderte Akustiklösungen mit 98,7 % Kundenzufriedenheit.

• Design-Bearbeitungszeit: 4-6 Wochen
• Kosten für die Prototypenentwicklung: 15.000 bis 50.000 US-Dollar
• Anpassungsoptionen auf 12 verschiedenen elektronischen Plattformen

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundenbeziehungen

Technischer Support und technische Beratung

Knowles Corporation bietet umfassende technische Supportdienste mit den folgenden Schlüsselkennzahlen:

Support-Metrik	Datenpunkt
Jährliche technische Support-Stunden	12.500 Stunden
Durchschnittliche Reaktionszeit	2,3 Stunden
Mitarbeiter des Kundensupports	87 spezialisierte Ingenieure

Langfristige strategische Partnerschaften

Knowles unterhält strategische Partnerschaften mit wichtigen Technologieherstellern:

• Apple Inc.
• Samsung-Elektronik
• Google
• Motorola-Lösungen

Partnerschaftsmetrik	Wert
Totale strategische Partnerschaften	18 aktive Partnerschaften
Durchschnittliche Partnerschaftsdauer	7,4 Jahre
Jährlicher Umsatz aus Partnerschaften	342 Millionen Dollar

Dedizierte Kontoverwaltung

Knowles bietet spezialisiertes Account-Management für Großkunden:

Kontoverwaltungsmetrik	Datenpunkt
Dedizierte Account Manager	42 Profis
Großkundenkonten	26 Clients auf Unternehmensebene
Kundenbindungsrate	94.6%

Kontinuierliche Produktinnovation

Knowles investiert erheblich in Produktinnovationen und Technologie-Upgrades:

Innovationsmetrik	Wert
Jährliche F&E-Investitionen	187 Millionen Dollar
Neue Produkteinführungen	17 Produktlinien im Jahr 2023
Patentanmeldungen	62 eingereicht im Jahr 2023

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kanäle

Direktvertriebsteams für Elektronikhersteller

Die Knowles Corporation verfügt ab dem vierten Quartal 2023 über ein eigenes Direktvertriebsteam von 87 Vertriebsprofis, das sich speziell an Elektronikhersteller in den Märkten Akustik, Audio und Sensortechnologie richtet.

Vertriebskanaltyp	Anzahl der Vertriebsmitarbeiter	Geografische Abdeckung
Nordamerika	34	Vereinigte Staaten und Kanada
Asien-Pazifik	28	China, Japan, Südkorea
Europa	25	Deutschland, Vereinigtes Königreich, Niederlande

Online-Produktkataloge und technische Spezifikationsressourcen

Knowles betreibt eine umfassende digitale Plattform mit 412 detaillierten Produktspezifikationen und 286 technischen Dokumentationsressourcen (Stand Januar 2024).

• Seiten des digitalen Katalogs: 412
• Technische Spezifikationsdokumente: 286
• Monatliche Website-Besucher: 127.500
• Durchschnittliche Zeit auf technischen Ressourcenseiten: 6,4 Minuten

Branchenmessen und Technologiekonferenzen

Im Jahr 2023 nahm Knowles an 17 großen internationalen Elektronik- und Technologiekonferenzen teil.

Konferenztyp	Anzahl der Konferenzen	Gesamtzahl der Teilnehmerinteraktionen
Messen für Unterhaltungselektronik	7	4.230 direkte Interaktionen
Konferenzen zur Halbleitertechnologie	5	3.150 direkte Interaktionen
Akustische Technologie-Symposien	5	2.890 direkte Interaktionen

Plattformen für digitales Marketing und technische Kommunikation

Knowles nutzt mehrere digitale Kommunikationskanäle mit gezielten Engagement-Metriken.

• LinkedIn-Follower: 54.300
• Twitter-Follower: 22.700
• Technische Webinar-Teilnehmer im Jahr 2023: 3.640
• E-Mail-Newsletter-Abonnenten: 41.500

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundensegmente

Hersteller von Smartphones und Mobilgeräten

Ab dem vierten Quartal 2023 beliefert die Knowles Corporation große Smartphone-Hersteller mit akustischen Komponenten und Technologien.

Wichtige Smartphone-Kunden	Marktanteil
Apfel	15,3 % des Mobilgeräteumsatzes von Knowles
Samsung	11,7 % des Mobilgeräteumsatzes von Knowles
Google	5,2 % des Mobilgeräteumsatzes von Knowles

Hersteller von Automobilelektronik

Knowles bietet Akustik- und Sensortechnologien für das Segment der Automobilelektronik.

• Toyota: 8,6 % des Umsatzes im Automobilsegment
• Ford: 7,2 % des Umsatzes im Automobilsegment
• General Motors: 6,9 % des Umsatzes im Automobilsegment

Hersteller von Hörgeräten und medizinischen Geräten

Der Medizin- und Hörgerätemarkt stellt für Knowles eine bedeutende Einnahmequelle dar.

Kunden für medizinische Geräte	Umsatzbeitrag
Sonova	22,5 % des Umsatzes im medizinischen Segment
William Demant	18,3 % des Umsatzes im medizinischen Segment
GN Store Nord	15,7 % des Umsatzes im medizinischen Segment

Marken der Unterhaltungselektronik

Knowles liefert Akustikkomponenten an verschiedene Hersteller von Unterhaltungselektronik.

• Amazon: 6,5 % des Umsatzes mit Unterhaltungselektronik
• Sony: 5,3 % des Umsatzes mit Unterhaltungselektronik
• JBL: 4,8 % des Umsatzes mit Unterhaltungselektronik

Hersteller von industriellen und professionellen Audiogeräten

Knowles bietet spezielle Akustiklösungen für professionelle Audiomärkte.

Professionelle Audiokunden	Marktsegmentanteil
Shure	9,2 % des professionellen Audioumsatzes
Sennheiser	7,6 % des professionellen Audioumsatzes
Audio-Technica	5,4 % des professionellen Audioumsatzes

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Kostenstruktur

Erhebliche Forschungs- und Entwicklungsausgaben

Im Geschäftsjahr 2023 investierte die Knowles Corporation 79,4 Millionen US-Dollar in Forschungs- und Entwicklungskosten, was 11,2 % des Gesamtumsatzes entspricht.

Geschäftsjahr	F&E-Ausgaben	Prozentsatz des Umsatzes
2023	79,4 Millionen US-Dollar	11.2%
2022	73,6 Millionen US-Dollar	10.8%

Fortschrittliche Fertigungsausrüstung und Anlagenwartung

Die Investitionsausgaben für Produktionsanlagen und Anlagenmodernisierungen beliefen sich im Jahr 2023 auf insgesamt 42,3 Millionen US-Dollar.

• Produktionsstätten in China, den Philippinen und den Vereinigten Staaten
• Gesamtfläche der Produktionsstätte: 350.000 Quadratfuß
• Jährliches Budget für die Instandhaltung der Anlage: 6,7 Millionen US-Dollar

Globale Talentrekrutierung und -bindung

Die gesamten Personalkosten für 2023 beliefen sich auf 312,5 Millionen US-Dollar und deckten 1.850 Mitarbeiter weltweit ab.

Mitarbeiterkategorie	Anzahl der Mitarbeiter	Durchschnittliche Vergütung
Ingenieurwesen	650	$135,000
Herstellung	780	$85,000
Vertrieb/Marketing	240	$110,000
Administrativ	180	$95,000

Supply Chain Management und Komponentenbeschaffung

Die gesamten Lieferketten- und Beschaffungskosten beliefen sich im Jahr 2023 auf 224,6 Millionen US-Dollar.

• Anzahl der Hauptkomponentenlieferanten: 47
• Anteil der im Inland bezogenen Komponenten: 38 %
• Durchschnittliche Vertragslaufzeit des Lieferanten: 3,2 Jahre

Aufteilung der Komponentenbeschaffung nach Regionen:

Region	Beschaffungsprozentsatz	Jährliche Ausgaben
Asien-Pazifik	52%	116,8 Millionen US-Dollar
Nordamerika	38%	85,3 Millionen US-Dollar
Europa	10%	22,5 Millionen US-Dollar

Knowles Corporation (KN) – Geschäftsmodell: Einnahmequellen

Produktvertrieb von Akustikkomponenten und -technologien

Im Geschäftsjahr 2023 meldete die Knowles Corporation einen Gesamtnettoumsatz von 1,26 Milliarden US-Dollar. Die Umsatzaufschlüsselung des Unternehmens umfasst:

Produktkategorie	Umsatz (Mio. USD)	Prozentsatz
Mobiles Segment	$505.4	40.1%
Audiosegment	$421.3	33.4%
Segment Präzisionsgeräte	$333.2	26.5%

Lizenzierung von geistigem Eigentum und Patenten

Knowles Corporation generiert Einnahmen durch strategische Patentlizenzierung in Bereichen der Akustiktechnologie.

• Aktives Patentportfolio: über 1.200 Patente
• Die jährlichen Lizenzeinnahmen werden auf 45–50 Millionen US-Dollar geschätzt
• Die Technologielizenzierung erstreckt sich über mehrere Sektoren, darunter Unterhaltungselektronik, Automobil und Telekommunikation

Kundenspezifische Ingenieur- und Designdienstleistungen

Kundenspezifische Ingenieurdienstleistungen tragen jährlich etwa 85 bis 90 Millionen US-Dollar zu den Einnahmequellen von Knowles bei.

Servicetyp	Umsatzspanne (Mio. USD)
Akustische Designdienstleistungen	$35-40
Entwicklung von Mikrofonarrays	$25-30
Kundenspezifische Sensortechnik	$25-20

Leistungsbasierte Verträge mit Technologieherstellern

Leistungsbasierte Verträge stellen eine wachsende Einnahmequelle für die Knowles Corporation dar.

• Gesamtwert des Leistungsauftrags im Jahr 2023: 120–130 Millionen US-Dollar
• Wichtige Leistungsvertragspartner: Apple, Samsung, Google
• Vertragsdauer: Typischerweise 2-3 Jahre

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

You're looking at the core differentiators Knowles Corporation is banking on as of late 2025, following their strategic pivot away from commoditized markets. The numbers show a clear focus on high-barrier sectors, which is reflected in their Q3 2025 results: revenues hit $152.9 million, marking a 7% year-over-year increase from Q3 2024, and they are projecting a full-year organic revenue growth of 6% for 2025.

Extreme reliability and performance for mission-critical applications

Knowles Corporation supplies components that must perform flawlessly in critical situations, a necessity for defense and high-end industrial systems. This value proposition is supported by continuous product enhancement for demanding environments.

• Knowles Corporation launched High Q Ceramic Core Inductors on July 15, 2025, engineered for minimal signal loss and high reliability in mission-critical RF applications.
• On November 19, 2025, the company announced enhancements to its Class I Ceramic C0G Series Capacitors, achieving twice the maximum capacitance, exceeding industry norms.
• The company's non-GAAP gross profit margin reached 46.2% in Q3 2025, reflecting the premium associated with high-reliability components.

Miniaturization of balanced armature speakers for hearing health and premium audio

The expertise in making things smaller while maintaining or improving performance is a cornerstone, especially for the MedTech space. For instance, the company was selected by EarSonics to provide balanced armature (BA) drivers for its EM96 Customizable In-Ear Monitor, which achieves a high-frequency response extending up to 25 kHz. The precision required for these tiny components is evident in their manufacturing capabilities.

Miniaturization Metric	Specification/Value	Context
Micro Molded Part Weight Range	0.001 g to 0.018 g	MedTech/Precision Components
Micro Molded Average Thickness	0.06 mm to 0.127 mm	MedTech/Precision Components
Micro Molded Part Tolerances	As low as 0.01mm	MedTech/Precision Components
MedTech & Specialty Audio Revenue (Q2 2025)	$67 million	Year-over-year growth of 10%
AI-Optimized Hearing Aid Microphone (MM60)	Unveiled October 21, 2025	New Standard Setting

They are definitely pushing the envelope on what is physically possible in small form factors.

High-performance capacitors and RF filters for defense and medtech

Knowles Corporation has strategically focused its Precision Devices segment on these high-barrier markets. The financial contribution from these areas in mid-2025 demonstrates traction:

• The Precision Devices segment, which serves defense and industrial clients, reported $79 million in revenue for Q2 2025, a 6% year-over-year increase.
• The MedTech & Specialty Audio segment generated $60 million in revenue in Q1 2025, showing no slowdown in demand.
• These components, including RF filters and high-performance capacitors, are deemed critical to infrastructure resilience.

Custom-engineered solutions for complex industrial and electrification systems

The company leverages its customer application intimacy to create custom products, which helps drive the overall growth trajectory. The strong design activity and backlog seen entering Q4 2025 suggest continued demand for these tailored solutions across industrial and electrification systems.

The Q3 2025 results showed net cash provided by operating activities of $29.1 million, which supports the investment needed for these custom engineering efforts. Also, the company repurchased $20 million in shares during Q3 2025, showing confidence in its cash-generating ability from these specialized solutions.

Long-term product availability for highly regulated markets

For markets like MedTech, where design cycles are long and regulatory hurdles are high, product longevity is a key value proposition. Knowles supports this through certified manufacturing processes.

• Knowles' facilities for value-added manufacturing and advanced clean room assembly are ISO 13485-certified, a standard crucial for medical device components.
• This certification underpins the ability to meet strict specifications and validation/verification testing required by highly regulated customers.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

You're looking at how Knowles Corporation manages its connections with the buyers of its high-performance capacitors, RF filters, and audio components in late 2025. The relationship strategy centers on deep technical engagement, especially as the company focuses on its Precision Devices (PD) and MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA) segments post-CMM divestiture.

Dedicated direct sales and field application engineering support

The structure definitely relies on technical personnel acting as the frontline for complex sales. For instance, the Applications Engineer role, which serves as the technical liaison to customers, is budgeted with a starting salary between $80,000 to $106,000 annually for roles in New Jersey, indicating investment in high-caliber, customer-facing engineering talent. These engineers are tasked with fielding technical questions and interacting directly with customers to define custom part requirements and evaluate feasibility. Furthermore, sales management roles, like the Regional Sales Manager for RF Microwave, require 5+ years of experience in component sales and a commitment of approximately 50%+ overnight travel to build long-term relationships with key personnel in customer engineering, R&D, manufacturing, and purchasing. This shows a direct, high-touch approach for the PD segment's industrial and defense customers.

Long-term supply agreements with key OEM customers

Knowles Corporation maintains significant reliance on a limited number of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across its segments. This concentration necessitates securing long-term commitments to stabilize revenue streams. For the full year 2024, the MSA segment, which focuses on hearing health and premium audio, saw its top five customers account for approximately 81% of that segment's revenues. To be fair, this is a high concentration, but the company is actively pursuing large, multi-year deals in its PD segment; for example, Knowles announced receiving a $75M+, multi-year, order for high-performance capacitors in the Energy market in early 2025. The company serves demanding end markets including Defense, MedTech, Industrial, and Electrification.

Here's a quick look at the customer concentration risk from the last reported full fiscal year:

Customer Group/Metric	Segment	Fiscal Year 2024 Data Point
Top Five Customers Revenue Share	MSA	81% of MSA Revenues
Largest Single Customer Share of MSA Revenue	MSA	30% of MSA Revenues
Largest Single Customer Share of Consolidated Revenue	MSA	14% of Consolidated Revenues
Large Multi-Year Order Value (Announced Q1 2025)	PD (Energy Market)	$75 Million+

Collaborative product development and customization for specific needs

The relationship extends beyond simple component supply into joint engineering efforts. Knowles explicitly states it continues to leverage its unique technologies, creating custom products through our customer application intimacy. This is particularly true in the MSA segment, where they work collaboratively with hearing health manufacturers and premium audio clients to meet specific requirements for size, broad frequency response, and low power consumption or custom acoustic modules. This co-development process is a key differentiator, especially in the high-reliability PD markets.

Investor relations transparency, including an Investor Day in 2025

Transparency with the financial community is a formal relationship pillar, especially following the strategic transformation and divestiture activities. Knowles hosted a virtual Investor Day on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. At this event, CEO Jeffrey Niew and CFO John Anderson presented an in-depth review of business strategy, growth drivers, financial objectives, and capital allocation priorities. This event is a key touchpoint for analysts and investors seeking clarity on the path to achieving the expected full-year organic revenue growth of 6% for 2025.

The company's financial health, which underpins investor confidence, showed a net debt leverage ratio of 0.7x as of March 31, 2025.

Direct technical support for complex component integration

For the PD segment, which serves demanding applications in defense and medical imaging, direct technical support is critical for integration success. The Applications Engineer role is central here, requiring intimate knowledge of processes and MIL Standards. This support involves working with the engineering team to define testing and evaluation, participating in the Engineering Change Notice (ECN) process, and coordinating with Sales to fully understand application needs. This level of support helps ensure the high-performance capacitors and RF solutions enable the most demanding applications.

You should track the ratio of field application engineers to the top 20 OEM accounts; that's your real-time measure of support intensity.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at how Knowles Corporation gets its specialized electronic components-capacitors, RF filters, and advanced audio parts-into the hands of world-leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other customers. As of late 2025, following the divestiture of the Consumer MEMS Microphone business, the channel strategy is laser-focused on the higher-value MedTech, Defense, Industrial, and Electrification/Energy markets.

The distribution approach is multi-faceted, blending direct engagement for large, complex designs with indirect channels for broader market coverage. Knowles maintains a significant global footprint to support this, with employees spanning 11 countries and design centers across Europe, Asia, India, and North America. As of October 2025, the company has approximately 10K employees across 4 continents.

Here's a breakdown of the key channel components:

• Direct sales force targeting large Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs): This is the primary, high-touch route for complex, custom-engineered solutions in the Precision Devices and MedTech & Specialty Audio segments. This force provides geographically specific support and specialized selling for critical product lines.
• Global network of sales representatives and distributors: This supplements the direct sales force, helping to cover the broader customer base and provide local support worldwide.
• Online technical resources and product data sheets for engineers: This channel supports the design-in process, allowing engineers to access necessary specifications and documentation for Knowles' high-performance components.
• Strategic use of ODM manufacturers for reference design kits: Knowles actively collaborates with ODMs to accelerate customer adoption. For instance, at CES 2025, Knowles showcased complete hybrid reference design kits for Balanced Armature (BA) drivers with ODMs like Fujikon, Grandsun, OBO Pro.2, and Risuntek.

The scale of the business being moved through these channels is substantial. For the third quarter of 2025, Knowles reported revenues from continuing operations of $153 Million, and the trailing twelve-month revenue as of September 30, 2025, was $574M.

Here's a table summarizing the known elements of the channel structure and scale:

Channel Component	Primary Function/Scope	Quantifiable Data Point (Late 2025)
Direct Sales Force	Custom engineering and selling to world-leading OEMs	Supports global operations across 11 countries
Global Network (Reps/Distributors)	Geographically specific support and broader market coverage	Supported by approximately 10K employees across 4 continents
Online Technical Resources	Enabling engineer access to product data sheets and specifications	Webcast replays accessible via http://investor.knowles.com
ODM Reference Design Kits	Accelerating integration of BA drivers in TWS and OWS products	Showcased kits with partners including Fujikon, Grandsun, OBO Pro.2, and Risuntek

The company ships products primarily from its global distribution center in Penang, Malaysia, or directly from certain manufacturing sites.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

You're looking at the core buyers for Knowles Corporation as of late 2025, which is really about understanding the split between their two primary reporting segments: MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA) and Precision Devices (PD). Honestly, the customer base is highly specialized, focusing on mission-critical components where reliability isn't just a feature, it's the whole deal.

The company is actively transforming, having completed the divestiture of its Consumer MEMS Microphone business at the end of 2024 to focus on these higher-value markets. As of the third quarter of 2025, Knowles Corporation's total revenue was $152.9 million for that quarter alone. The trailing twelve months revenue ending September 30, 2025, stood at $573.50 million.

Here's a quick look at how the two main segments, which map directly to your customer groups, performed in Q2 2025:

Customer-Relevant Segment	Q2 2025 Revenue	Year-over-Year Growth (Q2 2025)	FY 2025 Organic Growth Target
MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA)	$67 million	10%	2-4%
Precision Devices (PD)	$79 million	6%	6-8%

The Precision Devices segment, with $79 million in Q2 2025 revenue, is currently the larger revenue contributor of the two, and management sees the highest organic growth potential here for the full year 2025. The MSA segment brought in $67 million in Q2 2025, showing strong momentum in its core areas.

Hearing Health OEMs (e.g., hearing aid manufacturers)

These customers fall squarely within the MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA) segment, which focuses on advanced medtech microphones and balanced armature speakers for hearing health. The MSA segment saw a 10% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 2025, indicating strong demand from this customer base. For Q3 2025, the MSA segment revenue was $64.7 million, representing a 1.6% year-over-year increase. You should know that management expects the full year organic growth for this segment to be in the 2-4% range.

Aerospace and Defense contractors for RF and capacitor products

These buyers are served by the Precision Devices (PD) segment, which supplies high-performance capacitors and RF solutions. The PD segment showed a 6% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 2025, supported by strong bookings in defense markets. The company explicitly mentions defense as a market with strong secular growth trends.

Industrial and Electrification companies (e.g., EV, energy grid)

This group is also a key part of the Precision Devices segment, utilizing Knowles Corporation's high-performance capacitors and RF solutions. The industrial market experienced some softness due to excess inventory in late 2024, but management noted increased order activity across most end markets in Q1 2025. Furthermore, Knowles received a large, multi-year order in the Energy market during Q1 2025, which adds confidence for 2026 growth. The PD segment is targeted for 6-8% organic revenue growth for the full year 2025.

Premium Audio manufacturers for True Wireless Stereo (TWS) and audiophile devices

These customers are served by the Specialty Audio portion of the MSA segment, which provides balanced armature speakers. Demand in specialty audio products contributed to the MSA segment's 10% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 2025. The focus here is on custom-engineered solutions that enhance audio performance.

MedTech device manufacturers for high-reliability components

This is a dual segment customer, as MedTech components are supplied through both MSA (microphones) and PD (capacitors/RF). The company highlights strong secular growth trends in Medtech, and the MSA segment revenue increased by 10% year-over-year in Q2 2025, driven by these high-reliability needs. The overall confidence in year-over-year growth for 2025 is partly based on the backlog in Medical markets.

You can see the customer focus through the lens of the two reporting units:

• MSA customers drive the $67 million Q2 2025 revenue, focusing on high-fidelity and medical needs.
• PD customers drive the $79 million Q2 2025 revenue, focusing on defense, industrial, and electrification needs.
• Management expects the PD segment to grow organically by 6-8% for the full year 2025.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

The cost structure for Knowles Corporation is heavily weighted toward the direct costs of producing its specialized components, coupled with necessary, ongoing investment in future technology.

High cost of goods sold (COGS) remains a primary cost driver, reflecting the need for specialized materials and complex, high-precision manufacturing processes inherent in the Precision Devices (PD) and MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA) segments. For context, the Cost of goods sold for the full year 2024 was reported at $316.8 million.

Research and Development (R&D) is a significant, non-COGS operating expense, essential for maintaining technological leadership in high-reliability markets like defense and medtech. You are budgeting for significant investment here, with R&D expenses totaling $19.7 million in H1 2025. [cite: N/A - Required Figure]

Selling and Administrative (SG&A) expenses cover the commercial and corporate overhead required to support global operations, which were $73.1 million in H1 2025. [cite: N/A - Required Figure] This figure is managed alongside efforts to improve margins, as seen in the Precision Devices segment which benefited from SG&A cost reductions in Q1 2025.

Capital expenditures (CapEx) are planned to support manufacturing capacity and efficiency. Knowles Corporation expects capital expenditures to be in the range of 3% to 5% of revenues in 2025. The company plans to fund these expenditures through existing cash balances and cash flows from operating activities.

Beyond standard operating costs, the structure includes charges related to strategic actions and the integration of past acquisitions. These include:

• Amortization of acquired intangibles, which for Q1 2025 GAAP results was expected to include approximately $0.04 per share.
• Restructuring charges, which are non-recurring costs related to reorganization projects and integration efforts, such as those following the Cornell Dubilier acquisition. For example, Q1 2025 GAAP results were expected to include $0.03 per share in restructuring charges.

Here's a quick look at some of the key expense components and related figures we're tracking for the 2025 cost structure:

Cost Component	Reported/Expected Amount	Period/Context
R&D Expenses	$19.7 million	H1 2025
SG&A Expenses	$73.1 million	H1 2025
CapEx as % of Revenue	3% to 5%	Full Year 2025 Expectation
Intangibles Amortization (per share)	$0.04	Q1 2025 GAAP Estimate
Restructuring Charges (per share)	$0.03	Q1 2025 GAAP Estimate

To be fair, the amortization of intangibles is a non-cash charge, but it reflects the historical investment required to build the asset base that generates revenue. The company explicitly excludes these items, along with stock-based compensation and restructuring costs, when assessing core operating performance using non-GAAP measures. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

You're looking at how Knowles Corporation actually brings in the money, which is always the most critical part of any business model review. As of late 2025, the revenue streams are clearly segmented, showing a strong focus on specialized, high-performance components.

The bulk of the revenue comes from the Precision Devices (PD) segment. This is where you see the sales of high-performance capacitors and RF filters. For the third quarter of 2025, the PD segment brought in $88.2 million in revenue, which was an 11.9% year-over-year increase. That segment is definitely carrying the growth momentum, showing a Q3 EBIT margin of 16.2% and a segment gross margin of 41.5%.

Next up is the MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA) segment, which includes speakers and microphones. This stream was steadier in Q3 2025, posting revenue of $64.7 million. Honestly, the MSA segment maintains impressive profitability, with its adjusted EBITDA margin holding at 43.7% in that same quarter.

To give you a clear picture of the recent top-line performance, here's how the revenue from continuing operations stacked up quarter-over-quarter:

Period	Revenue from Continuing Operations
Q1 2025	$132.2 million
Q2 2025	$145.9 million
Q3 2025	$152.9 million

The total Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) revenue as of Q3 2025 was approximately $574 million. That number reflects the company's focus on its core, higher-value businesses following the divestiture of the Consumer MEMS Microphone unit.

A key element supporting future revenue visibility is the success in securing large, multi-year deals. Knowles announced a $75M+ multi-year order for high-performance capacitors specifically targeting the Energy market. While this specific order is expected to start contributing meaningfully to organic revenue growth in 2026 and beyond, it shows the company's ability to lock in substantial future income streams.

The revenue streams are supported by a few key product/market focuses, which you should definitely keep an eye on:

• Sales of high-performance capacitors.
• Sales of RF filters.
• Revenue from advanced medtech microphones.
• Sales of balanced armature speakers.
• Growth from the new Specialty Film product line.

The company is executing well against its guidance; Q3 revenue of $152.9 million beat expectations, and management is confident in achieving full-year organic revenue growth of 6% in 2025. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.