5 Things to Know: January 10

BridgeComm LLC started 2026 by filing a new patent lawsuit against Armacost Lighting LLC, the latest in a series of thirteen nearly identical complaints targeting lighting manufacturers over the past 18 months.

The Texas-based business, which appears to exist primarily for patent enforcement, is asserting two decade-old patents tied to variable-effect LED lighting. Prior defendants include Acuity, Inc., Cree Lighting USA LLC, and Osram Sylvania Inc., among others — many of whom have quietly settled or resolved their cases. Complaints are filed across multiple jurisdictions but often rely on similar language and claims.

Armacost’s inclusion marks the latest step in what appears to be a calculated legal campaign aimed at extracting settlements from key players in the lighting sector.

• U.S. Patent 8,203,275 — Covers AC-powered, color-changing LED systems with the ability to save lighting effects across power cycles.
• U.S. Patent 8,390,206 — Focuses on current conduction timing for two-color LED setups on alternating AC cycles.

In a new SEC filing, Energy Focus, Inc. CEO Jay Huang disclosed that he now controls nearly 32% of the company’s outstanding shares — a stake accumulated over time using approximately $4.2 million in personal and affiliate capital.

The disclosure, made through a Schedule 13D and companion Form 4, details Huang’s most recent purchase of 262,009 shares at $2.29 per share on November 26. That acquisition follows three prior private placements earlier this year, all funded from his own accounts.

Once a generator of $64 million in annual revenues, Energy Focus remains financially fragile despite narrowing losses. New product initiatives have yet to translate into meaningful revenue, and institutional ownership remains thin. Huang’s growing stake signals more than confidence — it represents a structural shift. With control now formalized, the company effectively answers to a single investor.

For a business long hovering at the edge, the message is clear: survival, for now, is personal.

The United States Supreme Court could issue a ruling as soon as Wednesday, January 14 in a closely watched case challenging the government’s use of an obscure emergency powers statute to impose tariffs without congressional approval.

At the center of the dispute is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law originally intended for sanctions and asset freezes. The government has increasingly relied on IEEPA to fast-track trade barriers, but several justices appeared skeptical during oral arguments in November.

If the Court invalidates the tariffs, importers could become eligible for $130–200 billion in refunds. Still, a legal victory may not translate into real-world relief. “If we were to somehow realize a benefit... who would we give it to?” Neil Ashe, CEO of Acuity, said on a Thursday's earnings call, questioning whether any refunds would ultimately reach contractors or building owners.

With the administration already preparing alternative legal routes to reimpose duties, fixture prices are not expected to fall — regardless of the Court’s decision.

RH has recalled approximately 320 oversized antler chandeliers following multiple reports of mounting hardware failures that caused fixtures to fall when installed on sloped or vaulted ceilings.

The chandeliers, measuring four to five feet in diameter and weighing up to 45 pounds, are constructed from naturally shed elk antlers and were sold between 2021 and 2024 for prices reaching $7,700.

According to the recall notice, the canopy hardware can fracture under angled tension, particularly on sloped surfaces. At least one chandelier detached completely and fell to the floor, though no injuries have been reported. Restoration Hardware is offering free in-home repairs to replace the mounting system.

It has been three weeks since French publication, La Lettre, published takeover rumors surrounding Rexel, and this marks the first “5 Things” since the story broke on December 17. That day, Rexel issued an unusual press release denying any discussions with potential buyers after reports linked the distributor to CVC Capital and, more unexpectedly, General Electric.

While Rexel maintained that it has “no ongoing contacts” with potential buyers and remains focused on its current strategy, the statement drew attention precisely because of the company’s typical silence on market speculation.

Possible private equity interest, combined with GE’s name lingering in the background, has kept the story alive. With Swedish activist fund Cevian Capital reportedly acting as an intermediary, attention now turns to what Rexel does — or pointedly does not — say or do next.