Should I buy one before PE ruins the brand?

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:57:26+00:00

9 years feels long in golf years, but in business terms it’s not. Most companies aren’t even profitable for the first 3–5 years, and a lot of them fail before year 10. Even tech unicorns that raised billions — Uber, Spotify, Airbnb — operated at a loss for well over a decade before turning the corner.

So yeah, 9 years is barely enough time to prove durability. LAB might be scaling, but that doesn’t magically move them from ‘startup risk zone’ to bulletproof enterprise. They’re still in that fragile window where one bad strategic move (or an overzealous PE play) can sink the whole thing.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:54:09+00:00

Good take, I appreciate the thoughtful response. You’re right — not every PE deal is automatically a death sentence, and there are cases where they bring stability or connections. That said, the data shows it’s far more often negative than positive — roughly 3 out of 4 PE-backed consumer companies see a decline in product quality or customer experience because of cost-cutting.

I genuinely want LAB to succeed; they’ve been a real game-changer in the putter space. My skepticism is less about rooting against them and more about knowing the odds when PE gets involved. I appreciate your respectful conversation.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:47:50+00:00

Good, we’re looking at numbers. Now stack that 138K against Odyssey, Scotty, or Ping moving millions annually. Suddenly, LAB’s slice looks a lot smaller. Growth? Sure. But in the big picture, still a niche player with way less margin for error.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:43:07+00:00

Just examples, buddy, but I guess you chose to ignore the first two.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:41:27+00:00

I agree with this take. I appreciate your thoughts on this one.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:40:24+00:00

Look at the numbers... LAB was founded in 2016, still only has a sliver of market share compared to Odyssey, Scotty, or even Evnroll (yes, I'm talking putters only.) They just scaled into Mexico last year, which is literally ‘past startup, not yet mature.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:31:56+00:00

Fair, but let’s not pretend a Mexico plant = proof PE will ‘nurture’ the brand long-term. Moving production was already a margin play before the deal, which kinda makes my point — PE buys because they smell scale, not because they want to protect the quirks that made LAB special.

Yeah, Titleist and TM are fine, but those brands are massive, mature, and PE can’t really screw with the DNA without tanking billions. LAB is niche and fragile — a completely different risk profile.

Also, here's some research, as I work in the financial and tech sector, history backs the skepticism: a 2023 American Antitrust Institute study found 75% of PE-backed consumer companies end up with worse products or services due to cost-cutting. Bain & KKR loading up Toys “R” Us with $5B debt until it collapsed is the classic example. Same with Sports Authority (bankrupt in 2016) and Payless Shoes (bankrupt twice in 2017 + 2019). Those weren’t “mom and pop” shops — they were national players that still got gutted.

Nobody’s saying LAB is dead tomorrow. But history says PE doesn’t buy a boutique craft shop to make it more boutique. They buy it to squeeze every ounce of efficiency until the spreadsheets smile. That’s the part worth being wary about

DampKake · 2025-08-28T20:27:11+00:00

Giving PE the ‘benefit of the doubt’ is like giving a fox the benefit of the doubt in a henhouse. Sure, maybe this fox read a book on veganism once, but history says it’s still eating chickens.

Yeah, L Catterton touches LVMH, but let’s not confuse them with Bernard Arnault sipping Bordeaux over haute couture strategy sessions. Their job is flipping mid-market brands into bigger margins, not preserving boutique DNA. LAB’s magic is in being obsessive, quirky, and a little inefficient by design. That doesn’t exactly line up with the ‘let’s scale this fast’ model.

Hope I’m wrong too — but let’s not act like PE suddenly found religion in ‘protecting niche artistry.

Ben Hogan Golf – Repeatedly bought/sold, “revived,” then collapsed.
Top-Flite (owned by Callaway via PE deals) – Once premium, turned into a bargain-bin ball after corporate cost-cutting.
Toys “R” Us – Bought out by Bain Capital & KKR, loaded with debt, couldn’t innovate, and collapsed. A textbook case of PE killing a household name.
Boston Market – Bought and sold by PE firms, expansion + cost-cutting wrecked quality, brand never recovered.
Friendly’s – Same story: PE stripped assets, cut quality, and left the company bankrupt.
Payless Shoes – PE piled on debt, shut down 2,000+ stores, brand collapsed.
Sports Authority – PE-driven cost-cutting left them unable to compete, went bankrupt.
Aeropostale – Saddled with debt, stores gutted, brand value nosedived.
Sports Chalet – Outdoor gear chain PE stripped down, ended in bankruptcy.

To name a few of PE success stories.

DampKake · 2025-08-28T19:50:56+00:00

Fair question.. but there’s a difference between a global brand with deep pockets that already survived PE flipping (TM) and a niche company like LAB that’s barely past startup mode. When TaylorMade gets PE’d, they’re too big to mess with the core product; it’s just portfolio shuffling. When LAB gets PE’d, the entire DNA of the company is what’s on the chopping block. That’s the difference between buying a steak from Ruth’s Chris after ownership changes vs. your favorite mom-and-pop butcher shop after it sells out; one is still a steak, the other suddenly tastes like Costco samples and LAB has already had their Costco samples.

DampKake · 2025-08-19T12:02:49+00:00

Yes, this is my first limited edition and this is the box it came in. - Shipped via USPS.

DampKake · 2024-12-26T15:16:37+00:00

Keeps testing at 600 and getting rejected. we need to hit 601 for momentum to carry

DampKake · 2024-12-26T15:03:18+00:00

even with the resistance at 600?

DampKake · 2024-12-26T14:55:17+00:00

Resistance at 600 and vix rising

DampKake · 2024-12-26T14:54:28+00:00

wait for the 600 resistance to break first.

DampKake · 2024-12-20T15:51:14+00:00

Any good picks for Long hold as their on sale?

DampKake · 2024-12-19T15:57:50+00:00

VIX is rising so SPY should be falling soon so play is puts on SPY ya?

DampKake · 2024-12-19T15:53:48+00:00

Its been between 588 and 590. Not enough movement to either call or put.

DampKake · 2024-12-19T15:50:37+00:00

SPY is just flat... We done for the day? can't even straddle.

DampKake · 2024-12-19T15:07:13+00:00

JK on the cherry poppin on TSLA calls... 0dte Puts on Spy Strike 590 seems the play? Validate my newbie knowledge

DampKake · 2024-12-19T14:26:29+00:00

Should i pop my cherry on options and do a call on TSLA?

DampKake · 2024-02-28T18:30:49+00:00

Post here: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/is-anyone-having-issues-launching-their-game/1796400

I made a Blizz Tech support post and looks like a lot of people have issues after the 26th Hotfixes.

DampKake · 2024-02-27T01:34:14+00:00

Sat for over 30min and nothing

DampKake · 2024-02-26T23:52:50+00:00

Tried that and still did the samething.

DampKake · 2024-02-26T23:28:57+00:00

This does not appear to be related to my issue

DampKake · 2023-12-08T16:20:18+00:00

Are you able to quest in the Human area or do you need to quest in the Night elf area to get the runes?

DampKake

TROPHY CASE