Knowles Corporation (KN): Lienzo del Modelo de Negocio [Actualizado en Ene-2025]

En el mundo dinámico de la tecnología acústica, Knowles Corporation (KN) se erige como una fuerza pionera, transformando la forma en que experimentamos el sonido en múltiples industrias. Desde los pequeños micrófonos en su teléfono inteligente hasta componentes de audio sofisticados en sistemas automotrices, Knowles se ha posicionado estratégicamente como un innovador crítico en tecnologías de audio de precisión. Su lienzo de modelo de negocio revela un ecosistema complejo de asociaciones estratégicas, investigación de vanguardia y propuestas de valor específicas que les permiten ofrecer soluciones acústicas de alto rendimiento a diversos mercados globales, lo que las convierte en un jugador clave en el panorama de los componentes electrónicos.

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: asociaciones clave

Colaboraciones estratégicas con fabricantes de electrónica automotriz y de consumo

Knowles Corporation mantiene asociaciones críticas con los siguientes fabricantes de electrónica automotriz y de consumo:

Empresa asociada	Enfoque de asociación	Tipo de colaboración
Toyota Motor Corporation	Tecnologías avanzadas de detección acústica	Suministro de tecnología estratégica
Apple Inc.	Componentes micrófonos y acústicos	Suministro de componentes OEM
Electrónica Samsung	Soluciones audio y acústicas	Desarrollo tecnológico

Asociaciones con instituciones de investigación de tecnología acústica y semiconductores

Knowles colabora con múltiples instituciones de investigación para avanzar en la tecnología acústica:

• Instituto de Tecnología de Massachusetts (MIT) - Investigación acústica
• Instituto de Tecnología de Georgia - Innovación de semiconductores
• Universidad de Stanford - Desarrollo de tecnología MEMS

Relaciones del fabricante de equipos originales (OEM) en dispositivos móviles e IoT

Knowles mantiene asociaciones OEM en múltiples categorías de dispositivos:

Categoría de dispositivo	Socios OEM clave	Volumen de suministro de componentes (2023)
Teléfonos inteligentes	Google, Samsung, Apple	52 millones de unidades
Auditivo	Jabra, Bose, Plantronics	38 millones de unidades
Dispositivos IoT	Amazon, Google, Nest	27 millones de unidades

Acuerdos de desarrollo conjunto con centros de innovación tecnológica

Knowles se involucra en acuerdos de desarrollo conjunto centrado en tecnologías emergentes:

• DARPA - Tecnologías avanzadas de detección acústica
• SRI International - Investigación de sistemas microelectromecánicos (MEMS)
• Instituto Fraunhofer - Innovaciones de procesamiento de audio

Inversión de asociación total en 2023: $ 47.3 millones

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: actividades clave

Diseño y fabricación de componentes acústicos y dispositivos de precisión

Knowles Corporation se centra en la fabricación de componentes acústicos precisos con las siguientes métricas clave:

Métrico de fabricación	2023 datos
Instalaciones de fabricación totales	8 ubicaciones globales
Capacidad de producción anual	2.5 mil millones de unidades de micrófono y altavoz
Ingresos de fabricación	$ 821.3 millones

Investigación y desarrollo de tecnologías avanzadas de micrófonos y altavoces

Las inversiones de I + D y las áreas de enfoque incluyen:

• Gastos anuales de I + D: $ 138.6 millones
• Número de patentes activas: 1,247
• Personal de I + D: 425 ingenieros y científicos

Ingeniería de soluciones personalizadas para aplicaciones de la industria específicas

Segmento de la industria	Ingresos de soluciones personalizadas
Dispositivos móviles	$ 456.2 millones
Automotor	$ 213.7 millones
Dispositivos médicos	$ 87.5 millones

Pruebas de calidad y optimización del rendimiento de componentes electrónicos

Métricas de garantía de calidad:

• Centros de control de calidad: 5 ubicaciones globales
• Tasa de defectos: 0.02%
• Horas de prueba anuales: 78,000

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: recursos clave

Cartera de propiedades intelectuales

Patentes: 1,200+ patentes activas en tecnologías acústicas y de audio a partir de 2023

Categoría de patente	Número de patentes
Tecnologías de micrófonos MEMS	487
Algoritmos de procesamiento de audio	312
Tecnologías de detección acústica	401

Instalaciones de fabricación

Ubicaciones de fabricación global:

• Estados Unidos: Richardson, Texas
• China: Parque industrial de Suzhou
• Filipinas: Zona Económica de Cavite
• Taiwán: Hsinchu Science Park

Ubicación	Tipo de instalación	Capacidad de fabricación
Richardson, TX	I + D y producción avanzada	25 millones de unidades/año
Suzhou, China	Fabricación de alto volumen	40 millones de unidades/año

Recursos humanos y talento

Composición de la fuerza laboral: 5.600 empleados totales (a partir de 2023)

• Ingenieros: 1.850 (33% de la fuerza laboral)
• Científicos de investigación: 620 (11% de la fuerza laboral)
• Especialistas de fabricación: 1.300 (23% de la fuerza laboral)

Investigación y desarrollo

Inversión de I + D: $ 232.4 millones en 2022

Área de enfoque de I + D	Porcentaje de inversión
Tecnología de micrófono MEMS	42%
Algoritmos de procesamiento de audio	28%
Soluciones de detección acústica	30%

Recursos financieros

Posición financiera (2022):

• Activos totales: $ 1.2 mil millones
• Equivalentes en efectivo y efectivo: $ 387.6 millones
• Equidad total: $ 742.3 millones

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocio: propuestas de valor

Soluciones acústicas de alto rendimiento para diversos mercados electrónicos

Knowles Corporation genera $ 1.15 mil millones en ingresos anuales a partir de 2023, con soluciones acústicas que abarcan múltiples segmentos de mercado electrónico.

Segmento de mercado	Contribución de ingresos
Dispositivos móviles	42.3%
Auditivo	27.6%
Automotor	18.5%
IoT/Otro	11.6%

Componentes de audio miniaturizados y con eficiencia energética

• Reducción del tamaño de componente promedio: 35% en comparación con el estándar de la industria
• Eficiencia de consumo de energía: hasta un 40% más bajo que los competidores
• Precisión de fabricación: tolerancia ± 0.01 mm

Tecnologías superiores de calidad de sonido y cancelación de ruido

Knowles sostiene 87 patentes activas de tecnología acústica con capacidades avanzadas de cancelación de ruido que logran una reducción de la señal de -35 dB.

Métrica de tecnología	Actuación
Relación señal / ruido	> 72 dB
Respuesta de frecuencia	20 Hz - 20 kHz
Distorsión armónica total	<0.1%

Diseños de productos personalizables para requisitos específicos de la industria

Knowles proporciona soluciones acústicas personalizadas con 98.7% Tasa de satisfacción del cliente.

• Tiempo de respuesta de diseño: 4-6 semanas
• Costo de desarrollo de prototipos: $ 15,000 - $ 50,000
• Opciones de personalización en 12 plataformas electrónicas diferentes

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: relaciones con los clientes

Soporte técnico y consulta de ingeniería

Knowles Corporation ofrece servicios de soporte técnico integrales con las siguientes métricas clave:

Métrico de soporte	Punto de datos
Horas de soporte técnico anual	12,500 horas
Tiempo de respuesta promedio	2.3 horas
Personal de atención al cliente	87 ingenieros especializados

Asociaciones estratégicas a largo plazo

Knowles mantiene asociaciones estratégicas con fabricantes de tecnología clave:

• Apple Inc.
• Electrónica Samsung
• Google
• Soluciones de Motorola

Métrico de asociación	Valor
Asociaciones estratégicas totales	18 asociaciones activas
Duración promedio de la asociación	7.4 años
Ingresos anuales de las asociaciones	$ 342 millones

Gestión de cuentas dedicada

Knowles ofrece gestión de cuentas especializada para los principales clientes:

Métrica de gestión de cuentas	Punto de datos
Gerentes de cuentas dedicados	42 profesionales
Cuentas principales del cliente	26 clientes de nivel empresarial
Tasa de retención de clientes	94.6%

Innovación continua de productos

Knowles invierte significativamente en innovación de productos y actualizaciones de tecnología:

Métrica de innovación	Valor
Inversión anual de I + D	$ 187 millones
Nuevos lanzamientos de productos	17 líneas de productos en 2023
Solicitudes de patentes	62 Archivado en 2023

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: canales

Equipos de ventas directos dirigidos a fabricantes de electrónica

Knowles Corporation mantiene una fuerza de ventas directa dedicada de 87 profesionales de ventas a partir del cuarto trimestre de 2023, específicamente dirigido a los fabricantes electrónicos en mercados de tecnología de acústica, audio y sensores.

Tipo de canal de ventas	Número de representantes de ventas	Cobertura geográfica
América del norte	34	Estados Unidos y Canadá
Asia Pacífico	28	China, Japón, Corea del Sur
Europa	25	Alemania, Reino Unido, Países Bajos

Catálogos de productos en línea y recursos de especificación técnica

Knowles opera una plataforma digital integral con 412 especificaciones detalladas del producto y 286 recursos de documentación técnica a partir de enero de 2024.

• Páginas de catálogo digital: 412
• Documentos de especificación técnica: 286
• Visitantes mensuales del sitio web: 127,500
• Tiempo promedio en páginas de recursos técnicos: 6.4 minutos

Ferias comerciales de la industria y conferencias de tecnología

En 2023, Knowles participó en 17 principales conferencias internacionales de electrónica y tecnología.

Tipo de conferencia	Número de conferencias	Interacciones totales de los asistentes
Shows de electrónica de consumo	7	4.230 interacciones directas
Conferencias de tecnología de semiconductores	5	3.150 interacciones directas
Simposios de tecnología acústica	5	2.890 interacciones directas

Plataformas de marketing digital y comunicación técnica

Knowles utiliza múltiples canales de comunicación digital con métricas de participación específicas.

• Seguidores de LinkedIn: 54,300
• Seguidores de Twitter: 22,700
• Participantes de seminarios web técnicos en 2023: 3,640
• Envíe el boletín de correo electrónico suscriptores: 41,500

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: segmentos de clientes

Fabricantes de teléfonos inteligentes y dispositivos móviles

A partir del cuarto trimestre de 2023, Knowles Corporation atiende a los principales fabricantes de teléfonos inteligentes con componentes y tecnologías acústicas.

Clientes clave de teléfonos inteligentes	Cuota de mercado
Manzana	15.3% de los ingresos del dispositivo móvil Knowles
Samsung	11.7% de los ingresos del dispositivo móvil Knowles
Google	5.2% de los ingresos del dispositivo móvil Knowles

Productores de electrónica automotriz

Knowles proporciona tecnologías acústicas y de detección para el segmento de electrónica automotriz.

• Toyota: 8.6% de los ingresos del segmento automotriz
• Ford: 7.2% de los ingresos del segmento automotriz
• General Motors: 6.9% de los ingresos por segmento automotriz

Empresas de audífonos y dispositivos médicos

El mercado médico y de audífonos representa un flujo de ingresos significativo para Knowles.

Clientes de dispositivos médicos	Contribución de ingresos
Sonova	22.5% de los ingresos del segmento médico
William Demant	18.3% de los ingresos del segmento médico
GN Store Nord	15.7% de los ingresos del segmento médico

Marcas de electrónica de consumo

Knowles suministra componentes acústicos a varios fabricantes de electrónica de consumo.

• Amazon: 6.5% de los ingresos de la electrónica de consumo
• Sony: 5.3% de los ingresos por electrónica de consumo
• JBL: 4.8% de los ingresos de la electrónica de consumo

Fabricantes de equipos de audio industriales y profesionales

Knowles ofrece soluciones acústicas especializadas para mercados de audio profesionales.

Clientes de audio profesionales	Participación del segmento de mercado
Rehuir	9.2% de los ingresos de audio profesionales
Sennheiser	7.6% de ingresos de audio profesionales
Audio-técnica	5.4% de ingresos de audio profesionales

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocio: Estructura de costos

Gastos significativos de investigación y desarrollo

Para el año fiscal 2023, Knowles Corporation invirtió $ 79.4 millones en gastos de investigación y desarrollo, lo que representa el 11.2% de los ingresos totales.

Año fiscal	Gasto de I + D	Porcentaje de ingresos
2023	$ 79.4 millones	11.2%
2022	$ 73.6 millones	10.8%

Equipos de fabricación avanzados y mantenimiento de las instalaciones

Los gastos de capital para equipos de fabricación y actualizaciones de instalaciones totalizaron $ 42.3 millones en 2023.

• Instalaciones de fabricación ubicadas en China, Filipinas y Estados Unidos
• Total de la instalación de fabricación Fultos cuadrados: 350,000 pies cuadrados
• Presupuesto anual de mantenimiento de la instalación: $ 6.7 millones

Reclutamiento y retención de talentos globales

Los gastos totales de personal para 2023 fueron de $ 312.5 millones, que cubren 1,850 empleados a nivel mundial.

Categoría de empleado	Número de empleados	Compensación promedio
Ingeniería	650	$135,000
Fabricación	780	$85,000
Ventas/marketing	240	$110,000
Administrativo	180	$95,000

Gestión de la cadena de suministro y adquisición de componentes

La cadena de suministro total y los gastos de adquisición para 2023 fueron de $ 224.6 millones.

• Número de proveedores de componentes primarios: 47
• Porcentaje de componentes obtenidos a nivel nacional: 38%
• Duración promedio del contrato del proveedor: 3.2 años

Desglose de adquisición de componentes por región:

Región	Porcentaje de adquisición	Gasto anual
Asia Pacífico	52%	$ 116.8 millones
América del norte	38%	$ 85.3 millones
Europa	10%	$ 22.5 millones

Knowles Corporation (KN) - Modelo de negocios: flujos de ingresos

Venta de productos de componentes y tecnologías acústicas

En el año fiscal 2023, Knowles Corporation reportó ventas netas totales de $ 1.26 mil millones. El desglose de ingresos de la compañía incluye:

Categoría de productos	Ingresos ($ M)	Porcentaje
Segmento móvil	$505.4	40.1%
Segmento de audio	$421.3	33.4%
Segmento de dispositivos de precisión	$333.2	26.5%

Licencias de propiedad intelectual y patentes

Knowles Corporation genera ingresos a través de licencias estratégicas de patentes en dominios de tecnología acústica.

• Portafolio de patentes activo: más de 1,200 patentes
• Ingresos anuales de licencia estimados en $ 45-50 millones
• La licencia de tecnología abarca múltiples sectores, incluidos Electrónica de consumo, automotriz y telecomunicaciones

Servicios de ingeniería y diseño personalizados

Los servicios de ingeniería personalizados aportan aproximadamente $ 85-90 millones anuales a las fuentes de ingresos de Knowles.

Tipo de servicio	Rango de ingresos ($ M)
Servicios de diseño acústico	$35-40
Desarrollo de la matriz de micrófonos	$25-30
Ingeniería de sensores personalizados	$25-20

Contratos basados ​​en el rendimiento con fabricantes de tecnología

Los contratos basados ​​en el rendimiento representan un flujo de ingresos creciente para Knowles Corporation.

• Valor de contrato de rendimiento total en 2023: $ 120-130 millones
• Socios de contrato de rendimiento clave: Apple, Samsung, Google
• Duración del contrato: típicamente 2-3 años

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.