Honestly, as much of a fan of Lampert I am, I can’t figure why this was not done a year or two ago…
Think about it. If Black and Decker (BDK)can achieve a $4b market cap selling their goods everywhere, how much value is there in the Craftsmen name? Kenmore? Sears has a $10b cap right now. I have to believe with the quality associated with both brands, if Sears were to cut them loose and sell them in Lowes (LOW) and Home Depot (HD), their value combined would be $6b-$8b.
Here are some posts from the archives on the subject…
Sears Brands Management Corporation announced a trademark license agreement with Schumacher Electric Corporation today which will enable DieHard-branded power accessories to be sold to retailers in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Mexico.
“DieHard is the top selling brand of power accessories in the U.S.,” said Guenther Trieb, senior vice president and president of brands. “We’re excited that this agreement will allow our customers the opportunity to purchase DieHard power accessories at additional retail outlets.”
The DieHard products to be sold as part of the agreement include battery chargers, jump starters, and power inverters. In a 2009 Battery Brand Tracker Survey, DieHard products were selected by an overwhelming margin as “most trusted,” “dependable” and “performs in extreme conditions.”
“The DieHard name is the most trusted in the automotive battery industry and the brand is instantly recognized by millions of consumers,” said Don Schumacher, CEO of Schumacher Electric. “Through this license agreement, we look forward to expanding the reach of the DieHard brand and the availability of DieHard products through retail channels.”
In related news, DieHard is serving as the primary sponsor of the Don Schumacher Racing Dodge Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The 23-event season begins in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 11-14. Hagan is in his second season with Don Schumacher Racing.
DieHard has a new home on the Web at the relaunched DieHard.com and a mobile companion atmobile.diehard.com. The sites include a help center, battery selector, maintenance guide and a series of videos documenting DieHard’s performance inside the DieHard Torture Labs.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well known labels as Lands’ End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered exclusively by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit Sears Holdings’ website at www.searsholdings.com.
About the DieHard brand
Introduced in 1967, Sears designed the DieHard to produce 35 percent more usable starting power than other similar batteries. Featuring a revolutionary tough, thin-walled case of translucent polypropylene plastic, which was 50 percent thinner than conventional black rubber-type battery enclosures, the design’s extra room meant bigger plates, more acid and extra starting power. Consumers consistently rate DieHard as “most trusted,” “dependable,” “performs in extreme conditions” by overwhelming margins, according to a 2009 Battery Brand Tracker Survey.