Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: STMicroelectronics Supervisory Board to propose new member at 2025 AGM

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PR No: C3310C 

    STMicroelectronics Supervisory Board to propose new member at 2025 AGM

    Geneva – January 30, 2025 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announces that its Supervisory Board has agreed to propose for shareholders’ approval at the Company’s 2025 Annual General Meeting the appointment of Werner Lieberherr to the Supervisory Board of ST, in replacement of Janet Davidson whose mandate will expire at the end of the 2025 AGM.

    Werner Lieberherr has successfully led global companies in energy, aviation and automotive in the United States, Asia, Europe and Switzerland, most recently at Landis+Gyr AG, an integrated energy management solutions provider, as Chief Executive Officer.

    About STMicroelectronics
    At ST, we are over 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of the Internet of Things and connectivity. We are committed to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

    INVESTOR RELATIONS
    Jérôme Ramel
    EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication
    Tel: +41 22 929 59 20
    jerome.ramel@st.com

    MEDIA RELATIONS
    Alexis Breton
    Group VP Corporate External Communications
    Tel: +33 6 59 16 79 08
    alexis.breton@st.com

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Sterling Trading Tech Builds its Business Development

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Chicago , Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sterling Trading Tech (Sterling), a leading global provider of technology in order management, risk & margin, and trading platforms, today announced that industry technology sales professional Chris Contrino has joined the firm. Sterling has a robust business development team in place and Contrino brings substantial expertise that will be additive in achieving growth projections.

    Sterling’s products are designed to meet and anticipate the complexity and challenges its clients face in the current global trading environment – driven by regulation, competition, and technology. Clients across professional segments worldwide now look to Sterling’s product suite as they consider cross-asset requirements in risk, order management, and trading technologies. 2024 saw substantial interest in and success with Sterling’s approach across all market segments worldwide and the firm is poised for further growth.

    Contrino brings a breadth and depth of client service and business development capability to the role shaped by key positions at leading financial technology firms. Most recently he served as Customer Service Manager at Trading Technologies and previously contributed to client and business solutions at Eventus and Fidessa, specializing in derivatives. Contrino was a trader with The New York Mercantile Exchange and holds a BA from Brown University.

    Said Jennifer Nayar, Sterling CEO: “We are committed to our clients’ success, as reflected in the confidence they have in our approach and offerings. As Sterling continues to expand globally, attracting top talent is crucial to ongoing success. Chris brings the expertise and skill set that will aid in strengthening our franchise as we grow regionally, diversify asset classes, broaden client segments, and enhance product offerings.”

    -END-

    About Sterling Trading Tech

    Sterling Trading Tech (Sterling) is a leading provider of professional trading technology solutions for the global equities, equity options and futures markets. With over 100 clients including leading brokers, clearing firms and prop groups in over 20 countries, Sterling provides solutions tailored to clients’ needs. Sterling is committed to providing fast, stable technology along with outstanding customer service. Sterling provides trading platforms, OMS and risk products to its clients.

    Media Contact:

    Magdalena Mayer
    magdalena.mayer@sterlingtradingtech.com
    (312) 346-9600 

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    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Shell plc publishes fourth quarter 2024 press release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, January 30, 2025

    “2024 was another year of strong financial performance across Shell. Despite the lower earnings this quarter, cash delivery remained solid and we generated free cash flow of $40 billion across the year, higher than 2023, in a lower price environment. Our continued focus on simplification helped to deliver over $3 billion in structural cost reductions since 2022, meeting our target ahead of schedule, whilst also making significant progress against all our other financial targets1.

    Today, we announce a 4% increase in our dividends and another $3.5 billion buyback programme, making this the 13th consecutive quarter of at least $3 billion of buybacks, all whilst further strengthening our balance sheet this year to position us well for the future.

    We will outline the next steps in our strategy to deliver more value with less emissions at our Capital Markets Day in March.”

    Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan


    SOLID CASH FLOW GENERATION; RESILIENT DISTRIBUTIONS

    • Robust CFFO of $13.2 billion in Q4 2024, with CFFO of $54.7 billion and free cash flow of $39.5 billion for the full year 2024. $22.6 billion distributed to shareholders in 2024, representing 41% of CFFO generated.
    • Q4 2024 Adjusted Earnings2 of $3.7 billion reflect lower prices and margins, higher exploration well write-offs, and the non-cash impact of expiring hedging contracts on LNG trading and optimisation results.
    • Structural cost reductions of $3.1 billion achieved since 2022, meeting the 2023 Capital Markets Day (CMD23) target a year early, with significant progress against the other CMD23 financial targets1.
    • Focus on disciplined capital allocation drove down 2024 cash capex to $21.1 billion; our cash capex range for the full year 2025 is expected to be lower than our 2024 range, with more guidance to come at the Capital Markets Day in March.
    • Increasing dividend per share by 4% to $0.358 for the fourth quarter, while commencing a $3.5 billion share buyback programme, expected to be completed by Q1 2025 results announcement. 
    $ million2 Adj. Earnings Adj. EBITDA CFFO Cash capex
    Integrated Gas 2,165 4,568 4,391 1,337
    Upstream 1,682 7,676 4,509 2,076
    Marketing 839 1,709 1,363 811
    Chemicals & Products3 (229) 475 2,032 1,392
    Renewables & Energy Solutions (311) (123) 850 1,277
    Corporate (380) (24) 16 30
    Less: Non-controlling interest (NCI) 106      
    Shell Q4 2024 3,661 14,281 13,162 6,924
    Q3 2024 6,028 16,005 14,684 4,950
    FY 2024 23,716 65,803 54,684 21,084
    FY 2023 28,250 68,538 54,191 24,392

    1Progress to date on the financial targets that were announced during Capital Markets Day in June 2023 is available at www.shell.com/2024-progress-on-cmd23.html.

    2Income/(loss) attributable to shareholders for Q4 2024 is $0.9 billion. Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.

    3Chemicals & Products Adjusted Earnings at a subsegment level are as follows – Chemicals $(0.3) billion and Products $0.0 billion.

    • CFFO of $13.2 billion for Q4 2024 includes a working capital inflow of $2.4 billion. CFFO reflects tax payments of $2.9 billion, and a $1.4 billion outflow1 related to the timing impact of payments for emissions certificates and biofuel programmes.
    • Net debt increased by $3.6 billion over the quarter to $38.8 billion, reflecting the recognition of the LNG Canada pipeline lease liability. Net debt at the end of 2024 was $4.7 billion lower than at the beginning of the year.
    $ billion2 Q4 2023 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024
    Divestment proceeds 0.6 1.0 0.8 0.2 0.8
    Free cash flow 6.9 9.8 10.2 10.8 8.7
    Net debt 43.5 40.5 38.3 35.2 38.8


    1 Includes payments for the Brennstoffemissionshandelsgesetz (Fuel Emissions Trading Act), excludes the payment of German Mineral Oil Taxes.

    2 Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.

    Q4 2024 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DRIVERS

    INTEGRATED GAS

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 63 63
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 7.9 8.1
    Production (kboe/d) 941 905 930 – 990
    LNG liquefaction volumes (MT) 7.5 7.1 6.6 – 7.2
    LNG sales volumes (MT) 17.0 15.5
    • Adjusted Earnings reflect lower trading and optimisation results driven by the (non-cash) impact of expiring hedging contracts, and lower volumes due to Pearl GTL turnaround, lower feedgas supply and lower liftings (timing) versus Q3 2024.
    • Q1 2025 production outlook reflects Pearl GTL being back in operation; LNG liquefaction volumes outlook is impacted by lower feedgas supply.

    UPSTREAM

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 75 71
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 6.6 7.0
    Liquids production (kboe/d) 1,321 1,332
    Gas production (million scf/d) 2,844 3,056
    Total production (kboe/d) 1,811 1,859 1,750 – 1,950
    • Adjusted Earnings reflect higher volumes, offset by lower prices, above-average well write-offs, and higher year-end opex.
    • First production achieved from Mero-3 and Whale (January), and FID taken on Bonga North, supporting portfolio longevity.

    MARKETING

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 outlook
    Marketing sales volumes (kb/d) 2,945 2,795 2,500 – 3,000
    Mobility (kb/d) 2,119 2,041
    Lubricants (kb/d) 81 77
    Sectors & Decarbonisation (kb/d) 745 678

    Wholesale commercial fuels, previously reported in the Chemicals & Products segment, is reported in the Marketing segment (Mobility) with effect from Q1 2024.
    Comparative information for the Marketing segment and the Chemicals & Products segment has been revised.

    • Adjusted Earnings in Q4 2024 reflect the seasonal impact of lower volumes and lower Mobility margins.
    • 2024 full year Adjusted Earnings were $3.9 billion, up $0.6 billion from 2023, driven by improved margins and lower opex.

    CHEMICALS & PRODUCTS

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 outlook1
    Refinery processing intake (kb/d) 1,305 1,215
    Chemicals sales volumes (kT) 3,015 2,926
    Refinery utilisation (%) 81 76 80 – 88
    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation (%) 76 75 78 – 86
    Global indicative refining margin ($/bbl) 5.5 5.5
    Global indicative chemical margin ($/t) 164 138

    1Oil sands production: In Q1 2025, Shell’s remaining interest in the Canadian oil sands is expected to be swapped for an additional 10% interest in the Scotford upgrader and Quest CCS projects.

    Wholesale commercial fuels, previously reported in the Chemicals & Products segment, is reported in the Marketing segment (Mobility) with effect from Q1 2024.
    Comparative information for the Marketing segment and the Chemicals & Products segment has been revised.

    • Adjusted Earnings reflect significantly lower contribution from trading and optimisation, including seasonality effects, and continued weak chemicals margin environment.

    RENEWABLES & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024
    External power sales (TWh) 79 76
    Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (TWh) 148 165
    Renewables power generation capacity (GW)* 7.3 7.4
    • in operation (GW)
    3.4 3.4
    • under construction and/or committed for sale (GW)
    3.9 4.0

      *Excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

    • Adjusted Earnings were lower than in Q3 2024, largely driven by one-off tax charges in the quarter.
    • Acquired a 609 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Rhode Island, USA.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

    CORPORATE

    Key data Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 outlook
    Adjusted Earnings ($ billion) (0.6) (0.4) (0.6) – (0.4)

    2024 FULL YEAR

    $ billion Adj. Earnings CFFO excl. WC CFFO Cash capex Free cash flow
    FY 2024 23.7 52.6 54.7 21.1 39.5
    FY 2023 28.3 47.1 54.2 24.4 36.5
    Operational performance FY 2023 FY 2024 % change
    Oil and gas production (kboe/d) 2,791 2,836 2%
    LNG liquefaction volumes (MT) 28.3 29.1 3%
    Marketing sales volumes (kb/d) 3,045 2,843 (7)%
    Refinery processing intake (kb/d) 1,349 1,344 (0)%
    Chemicals sales volumes (kT) 11,245 11,875 6%
    Macro indicators FY 2023 FY 2024 % change
    Brent ($/bbl) 83 81 (2)%
    Henry Hub ($/MMBtu) 2.5 2.2 (13)%
    EU TTF ($/MMBtu) 13.0 11.0 (16)%
    Indicative refining margin ($/bbl) 12.5 7.7 (38)%
    Indicative chemicals margin ($/t) 133 152 14%

    UPCOMING INVESTOR EVENTS

    February 25, 2025 Shell LNG Outlook 2025 publication
    March 25, 2025 Capital Markets Day 2025
    May 2, 2025 First quarter 2025 results and dividends
    May 20, 2025 Annual General Meeting
    July 31, 2025 Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
    October 30, 2025 Third quarter 2025 results and dividends

    USEFUL LINKS

    Results materials Q4 2024

    Quarterly Databook Q4 2024

    Webcast registration Q4 2024

    Dividend announcement Q4 2024

    ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES

    This announcement includes certain measures that are calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) such as IFRS, including Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, CFFO excluding working capital movements, Cash capital expenditure, free cash flow, Divestment proceeds and Net debt. This information, along with comparable GAAP measures, is useful to investors because it provides a basis for measuring Shell plc’s operating performance and ability to retire debt and invest in new business opportunities. Shell plc’s management uses these financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating the business performance.

    This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures for cash capital expenditure and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile the non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of the company, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are estimated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. “Subsidiaries”, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; “anticipate”; “believe”; “commit”; “commitment”; “could”; “estimate”; “expect”; “goals”; “intend”; “may”; “milestones”; “objectives”; “outlook”; “plan”; “probably”; “project”; “risks”; “schedule”; “seek”; “should”; “target”; “will”; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, and a significant cyber security breach; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, January 30, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.

    All amounts shown throughout this announcement are unaudited. The numbers presented throughout this announcement may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.

    Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity

    Also, in this announcement we may refer to Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target

    Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    The content of websites referred to in this announcement does not form part of this announcement.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    The financial information presented in this announcement does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2023 were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales, and in Shell’s Form 20-F. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act. The statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024 will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales in due course.

    The information in this announcement does not constitute the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements which are contained in Shell’s fourth quarter 2024 and full year 2024 unaudited results available on www.shell.com/investors.

    CONTACTS

    • Media: International +44 207 934 5550; USA +1 832 337 4355

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Shell plc Fourth Quarter 2024 Interim Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, January 30, 2025 − The Board of Shell plc (the “Company”) (XLON: SHEL, XNYS: SHEL, XAMS: SHELL) today announced an interim dividend in respect of the fourth quarter of 2024 of US$ 0.358 per ordinary share.

    Details relating to the fourth quarter 2024 interim dividend

    Per ordinary share
    (GB00BP6MXD84)
    Q4 2024
    Shell Shares (US$) 0.358

    Shareholders will be able to elect to receive their dividends in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling.

    Absent any valid election to the contrary, persons holding their ordinary shares through Euroclear Nederland will receive their dividends in euros.

    Absent any valid election to the contrary, shareholders (both holding in certificated and uncertificated form (CREST members)) and persons holding their shares through the Shell Corporate Nominee will receive their dividends in pounds sterling.

    The pound sterling and euro equivalent dividend payments will be announced on March 10, 2025.

    Per ADS
    (US7802593050)
    Q4 2024
    Shell ADSs (US$) 0.716

    Cash dividends on American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) will be paid, by default, in US dollars.

    Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. ADSs are evidenced by an American Depositary Receipt (“ADR”) certificate. In many cases the terms ADR and ADS are used interchangeably.

    Dividend timetable for the fourth quarter 2024 interim dividend

    Event Date
    Announcement date January 30, 2025
    Ex- Dividend Date for ADSs February 14, 2025
    Ex- Dividend Date for ordinary shares February 13, 2025
    Record date February 14, 2025
    Closing of currency election date (see Note below) February 28, 2025
    Pound sterling and euro equivalents announcement date March 10, 2025
    Payment date March 24, 2025

    Note

    A different currency election date may apply to shareholders holding shares in a securities account with a bank or financial institution ultimately holding through Euroclear Nederland. This may also apply to other shareholders who do not hold their shares either directly on the Register of Members or in the corporate sponsored nominee arrangement. Shareholders can contact their broker, financial intermediary, bank or financial institution for the election deadline that applies.

    Taxation – cash dividends

    If you are uncertain as to the tax treatment of any dividends you should consult your tax advisor.

    Dividend Reinvestment Programmes (“DRIP”)

    The following organisations offer Dividend Reinvestment Plans (“DRIPs”) which enable the Company’s shareholders to elect to have their dividend payments used to purchase the Company’s shares:

    • Equiniti Financial Services Limited (“EFSL”), for those holding shares (a) directly on the register as certificate holder or as CREST Member and (b) via the Shell Corporate Nominee;
    • ABN-AMRO NV (“ABN”) for Financial Intermediaries holding shares via Euroclear Nederland;
    • JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”) for holders of ADSs; and
    • Other DRIPs may also be available from the intermediary through which investors hold their shares and ADSs.

    These DRIP offerors provide their DRIPs fully on their account and not on behalf of the Company. Interested parties should contact the relevant DRIP offeror directly.

    More information can be found at https://www.shell.com/drip

    To be eligible to participate in the DRIPs for the next dividend, shareholders must make a valid dividend reinvestment election before the published date for the close of elections. 

    Enquiries
    Media International: +44 207 934 5550
    Media Americas: +1 832 337 4355

    Cautionary Note

    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties.  The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, and a significant cyber security breach; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader.  Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, January 30, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.

    Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity

    Also, in this announcement we may refer to Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s net-zero emissions target

    Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

    This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    The contents of websites referred to in this announcement do not form part of this announcement.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC.  Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70
    Classification: Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of the United Kingdom

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Underwriting Auction for sale of Government Securities for ₹30,000 crore on January 31, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Government of India has announced the sale (re-issue) of Government Securities, as detailed below, through auctions to be held on January 31, 2025 (Friday).

    As per the extant scheme of underwriting commitment notified on November 14, 2007, the amounts of Minimum Underwriting Commitment (MUC) and the minimum bidding commitment under Additional Competitive Underwriting (ACU) auction, applicable to each Primary Dealer (PD), are as under:

    (₹ crore)
    Security Notified Amount MUC amount per PD Minimum bidding commitment per PD under ACU auction
    6.79% GS 2031 10,000 239 239
    6.79% GOI SGrB 2034 5,000 120 120
    7.34% GS 2064 15,000 358 358

    The underwriting auction will be conducted through multiple price-based method on January 31, 2025 (Friday). PDs may submit their bids for ACU auction electronically through Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) System between 09:00 A.M. and 09:30 A.M. on the day of underwriting auction.

    The underwriting commission will be credited to the current account of the respective PDs with RBI on the day of issue of securities.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2037

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Regeneration of Jakarta: Enhancing the Livelihood of People and the Value of State Assets

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Kasumigaseki Building 8F, 3-2-5, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6008, Japan

    About ADBI

    The Asian Development Bank Institute was established in 1997 in Tokyo, Japan, to help build capacity, skills, and knowledge related to poverty reduction and other areas that support long-term growth and competitiveness in developing economies in Asia and the Pacific.

    ADBI News

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    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A residential building will appear in Kuntsevo under the renovation program

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Another house for resettlement under the renovation program will be built in the west of the capital. It will appear at the address: Molodogvardeyskaya Street, vladikavka 54, 58. The building will be constructed as part of the integrated development project of the territory of part of the former industrial zone Kuntsevo. This was reported by Juliana Knyazhevskaya, Chairman of the Moscow Committee for Architecture and Urban Development (Moskomarkhitektura).

    “Moskomarkhitektura has issued an urban development plan for a land plot of 4.23 hectares for a house that will be built for the purposes of the renovation program. The maximum area of the new building will be 156 thousand square meters,” said Yuliana Knyazhevskaya.

    One of the main advantages of the area is its well-developed infrastructure, which includes convenient access to public transport, educational and medical institutions, and shopping centers. In addition, the Moskvoretsky natural and historical park is located nearby, where residents of the new building can relax in the fresh air.

    Since 2021, a capital company has been engaged in the comprehensive development of a part of the former Kuntsevo industrial zone with an area of 15.89 hectares.

    “The redevelopment project for part of the former Kuntsevo industrial zone provides for the creation of not only housing, but also the necessary infrastructure facilities within walking distance. The total area of residential buildings will exceed 596 thousand square meters. In addition, more than 13 thousand square meters of public and business facilities will appear here. Among them are two kindergartens for 100 and 350 children, as well as a center for additional education. Walking areas, bike paths, and playgrounds and sports grounds will be installed in the adjacent territory,” noted the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property

    Maxim Gaman.

    Renovation program approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin ordered to increasethe pace of implementation of the renovation program has doubled.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction volumes. High rates of housing construction correspond to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149488073/

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: 2024: Mixed picture despite record exports

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Finance

    While foreign trade was still negative in both directions in the previous year, exports reached a new high of +3.2% in 2024. However, this record was achieved almost exclusively thanks to the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector. On the import side, on the other hand, last year’s decline continued at –1.6%, albeit at a slightly slower pace. The opposing trend between imports and exports resulted in a new record trade surplus of CHF 60.6 billion

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Setting New Zealand’s second international climate target

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. 

    New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035.

    “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious and achievable, reinforcing our commitment to the Paris Agreement and global climate action,” Mr Watts says.

    “Meeting this target will mean we are doing our fair share towards reducing the impact of climate change, while enabling New Zealand to be stronger and thrive in the face of a changing climate.

    “This target also brings our international and domestic climate change commitments into line, so we can focus our efforts on the actions that will make the biggest difference towards reaching our net zero 2050 target.”
    “We are already laying the foundation for meaningful emissions reductions, with the potential to meet our net zero target as early as 2044. Our climate strategy focuses on strengthening New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme, supporting innovative technologies to reduce agricultural emissions, and accelerating the transition to a cleaner, electrified economy – ensuring we meet our climate targets while driving economic growth.”

    “This will mean greater innovation originating here in New Zealand to advance low-emission technologies that grow our economy. It will also mean industries are powered by abundant and affordable clean energy, attracting investment and boosting productivity across the country.”

    The Paris Agreement is the global climate treaty which seeks to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Under the Agreement, each country sets targets for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions.

    “New Zealand is committed to achieving its first and second Nationally Determined Contributions and is serious about playing our part to reduce the impact of climate change,” Mr Watts says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Banking: 2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship generates estimated $4.57 million in sponsorship revenue, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship generates estimated $4.57 million in sponsorship revenue, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Sport

    With seven brands sponsoring the 2024/25 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Darts Championship, the competition’s largest sponsorship deal in terms of annual value was with Paddy Power. The title sponsorship agreement is worth an estimated $1.5 million a year for a period of three years. Overall, the championship is estimated to have generated $4.57 million in sponsorship revenue, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Post Event Analysis – World Darts Championship 2024/25”, reveals that the event is involved in a media agreement with the pay-TV broadcaster Sky, worth in total an estimated $93.47 million to air the championship on its platform across the UK and Ireland up until January 2026.

    Tom Subak-Sharpe, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The PDC in 2024 was successful in agreeing to four new commercial deals with brands willing to partner with this year’s world championship. With the help of Luke Littler, darts is going from strength to strength, with more brands becoming intrigued into becoming associated with some of the sport’s biggest events, including its most prestigious competition, the World Darts Championship.”

    Sky’s viewership for this year’s World Darts Championship final averaged 2.7 million, with a peak audience reaching 3.1 million. Though lower than last year, these are very encouraging figures for the PDC, still higher than any other non-football audience in the last 12 months.

    Subak-Sharpe continues: “The fundamental reason for such strong viewership numbers is the pull that teenager Luke Littler has for the UK public. Littler remains one of the sought after sports stars in the UK, with the public eager to witness his journey to dominate the sport.”

    Subak-Sharpe concludes: “The biggest event in darts continues to establish a very strong commercial footprint, as new brands have been added to the portfolio of the event. With darts growing in popularity across many countries, viewership of the World Darts Championship should remain positive for many years to come.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI Banking: VC funding in China shrinks 21.7% to $35.2 billion in 2024, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    VC funding in China shrinks 21.7% to $35.2 billion in 2024, finds GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    A total of 2,537 venture capital (VC) funding deals were announced in China during 2024 while the total disclosed funding value of these deals stood at $35.2 billion. This represents a year-on-year (YoY) decline of 23.2% in VC deal volume, whereas the total disclosed funding value fell by 21.7% compared to the previous year, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database revealed that a total of 3,305 VC deals were announced in China during 2023 while the total disclosed funding value of these deals was $45 billion.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “There seems to be a severe dent in investor sentiment during 2024, which reflects in the decline in VC deal volume as well as value. Although it continues to be a key global market for VC funding activity, China’s share has been diminishing and it is more prominent in terms of value.”

    China, which accounted for 16.6% of the total number of VC deals announced globally during 2023, accounted for 15.4% share of deal volume in 2024. Meanwhile, China saw its share of the total disclosed funding value fall from 18.9% in 2023 to 12.9% in 2024.

    Bose adds: “The impact in terms of value can also be understood from that fact that China experienced a decline in the number of big-ticket deals announcement in 2024 compared to the previous year.”

    For instance, the number of VC deals valued more than or equal to $100 million announced in China fell from 87 in 2023 to 63 in 2024.

    Bose concludes: “The sharp decline in VC activity in China reflects a combination of waning investor confidence and broader economic uncertainties. The reduction in high-value deals further underscores the need for strategic recalibration, as investors increasingly seek opportunities in emerging sectors with higher growth potential.”

    Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI Banking: UK VC funding surges 16.3% to $16.6 billion in 2024 despite fewer deals, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    UK VC funding surges 16.3% to $16.6 billion in 2024 despite fewer deals, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    The UK’s venture capital (VC) market experienced a decline in the number of deals announced in 2024, with 1,209 deals compared to 1,289 in 2023. Despite this, the total funding value rose by 16.3%, reaching $16.6 billion. This shift reflects a growing trend among VC firms to prioritize high-value investments in fewer, more promising startups, according to GlobalData a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database revealed that the UK witnessed the announcement of a total of 1,289 VC deals during 2023 while the disclosed funding value of these deals stood at $14.2 billion.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The growth in funding value despite a decline in deal volume showcases a trend wherein VC firms seem to be weighing quality over quantity and have put in big money in few promising startups. In fact, 2024 saw a growth in the number of big-ticket deals (≥ $100 million) from 23 in 2023 to 29.”

    Bose adds: “The UK, apart from being the top European market for VC funding activity, is also among the top five markets globally in terms of both deal volume and value.”

    The UK accounted for 7.3% of the total number of VC deals announced globally during 2024 while its share in terms of the total funding value stood at 6.1%.

    Some of the notable VC funding deals announced in the UK during 2024 included $1.05 billion worth of funding raised by Wayve Technologies, $1 billion raised by Abound, $500 million by Core Power, $431 million raised by Monzo, $370 million by Lighthouse, and $267 million worth of funding raised by Zepz.

    Bose concludes: “The increase in big-ticket deals underscores strong confidence in the UK’s innovation ecosystem, reinforcing its position as a global VC hotspot. As funding strategies evolve, the market’s resilience and ability to attract large-scale investments will be key in shaping the future of venture capital in the region.”

    Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI Banking: GlobalData 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions: AI to change and complicate the game

    Source: GlobalData

    GlobalData 2025 Cybersecurity Predictions: AI to change and complicate the game

    Posted in Technology

    GlobalData expects in the coming year social engineering, regulatory compliance, and the need to streamline security infrastructure management to lead to shifts in the sector

    With every innovation that a legitimate developer creates, threat actors can and will weaponize. Despite advances in security technology, the threat environment will continue to be complex and challenging for enterprises in 2025. AI can be an important defensive tool, but it stands out as a dangerous instrument in hackers’ toolkits, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report “2025 Enterprise Predictions: Digital Trust and Resiliency,”  reveals that advances in AI will only fuel social engineering campaigns. Bad actors are evolving their social engineering tactics to exploit human vulnerabilities and carry out nefarious activities, including credential theft.

    Amy Larsen DeCarlo, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Technology and Services at GlobalData: “We expect AI to be incorporated in more identity and access management offerings to help better define user and device privileges, restrict access, and track behavior. Providers will extend the use of AI in areas like penetration testing, vulnerability management, and endpoint security.

    “Threat actors have everything to gain and little to lose, as prosecutions and convictions are relatively few and far between. Cybercriminals have long understood the biggest vulnerability in any enterprise is the human element.”

    Advances in AI, automation, and analytics will help ease some of the conflict that exists between enforcing security controls and optimizing end-user experience. GlobalData expects vendors and MSSPs to do more work to remove the friction between the two and improve the process without compromising security.

    On the security management front, enterprises have long struggled to collate security information from disparate sources in a cohesive way. While improvements have been incremental, there has been progress in resolving some of the security infrastructure issues that have hindered successful execution.

    Larsen DeCarlo continues: “In 2025, the industry will see advances that will support more proactive and effective cybersecurity. APIs will play an even larger role in helping organizations correlate data from disparate sources. While challenges remain, enterprises continue to make real progress in implementing DevSecOps initiatives. These will go a long way toward better internal development efforts.”

    GlobalData notes that with a new US administration and other shifts in power around the world, new agendas translate to regulatory changes. Hyperscalers responded to changes in data privacy requirements with more local facilities and personnel to meet data sovereignty laws.

    Larsen DeCarlo concludes: “This investment continues into 2025. The expectation is that there will be more demand for localized data processing and storage and not less. Unfortunately, even with the development of better tools to support compliance needs, the business of meeting these rules will remain a steep challenge.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI: CLIQ Digital Reports Preliminary 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CLIQ Digital Reports Preliminary 2024 Results

    • 4Q sales declined q/q by 11% to €48m (-26% y/y)
    • Total customer acquisition costs in 4Q improved by 15% q/q (-45% y/y)
    • €21m EBITDA before special items realised in FY (€10m reported EBITDA)
    • €12m net cash position per year-end vs. €16m at end of 2023
    • Share buyback programme successfully completed

    DÜSSELDORF, 30 January 2025 – The CLIQ Group announces today its preliminary and unaudited 2024 headline financial results. On 20 February 2025, the audited 2024 Annual Report will be published on the company’s website at https://cliqdigital.com/investors/financialreporting and presented by Management during an earnings call.

    Performance

    in millions of € 4Q
    2024
    3Q
    2024
    Δ   FY
    2024
    FY
    2023
    Δ
    Sales 48 54 -11%   243 326 -26%
    Expected average LTV (in €) 70 72 -2%   77 85 -10%
    Total CAC1 -11 -10 15%   -75 -135 -45%
    EBITDA (before special items) 5 6 -15%   21 50 -57%
    EBITDA margin2 10% 11%     9% 15%  
    Operating free cash flow 4 3 39%   3 19 -82%
    • Sales: In 4Q 2024, Group sales declined by 11% quarter-on-quarter to €48 million (3Q 2024: €54 million) mainly due to less customers. The expected average lifetime value (LTV) decreased quarter-on-quarter from €72 to €70 due to the higher churn rates resulting from new customer care tools in place at the card scheme companies, which consequently resulted in shorter average customer loyalty durations. However, the quarter-on-quarter Group sales decrease decelerated notably from -21% in 3Q 2024 to -11% in the fourth quarter.
    • Customer acquisition costs: The Group’s decision to strategically increase its focus on profitability was attributable for the lowering of the cost per acquisition (CPA).
    • EBITDA: Quarter-on-quarter, EBITDA before special items in 4Q 2024 decreased by 15% to €5 million (3Q 2024: €6 million) and the corresponding EBITDA margin was marginally lower at 10% (3Q 2024: 11%) predominantly as a result of the lower sales development and despite reduced cost of sales and operating expenses. €2 million special items related mostly to costs incurred from the “Fit For Future” transformation programme to restructure and optimise the Group’s operational structures. Reported EBITDA was stable at €3 million (3Q 2024: €3 million) and the EBITDA margin came in at 6% (3Q 2024: 5%).
    • Liquidity: Quarter-on-quarter, CLIQ increased its operating free cash flow by €1 million to €4 million in 4Q 2024 (3Q 2024: €3 million). In the full year 2024, the operating free cash flow decreased by €16 million to €3 million (2023: €19 million). The net cash position at the year-end close was €12 million (31/12/2023: €16 million) after buying back shares for €5.5 million and distributing €0.3 million in dividends in April 2024.

    Share buyback programme

    The Group successfully completed its share buyback programme ahead of schedule on 3 January 2025. In total, CLIQ bought back 646,871 own shares for €5.5 million at an average share price of €8.48, which equalled 9.9% of the total share capital issued.

    Management Board statement

    2024 was a very tough year for CLIQ and also for my fellow shareholders as our business faced tougher market conditions and the new sales growth initiatives progressed slower than expected,” said Luc Voncken, CEO. “Although market conditions in 2025 remain unstable, we have fixed our foundations and now we must build the future with a fresh entrepreneurial spirit and a clear sense of renewal to tap into the growth opportunities that lie ahead of us.”

    Contacts

    Investor Relations:
    Sebastian McCoskrie, s.mccoskrie@cliqdigital.com, +49 151 52043659

    Media Relations:
    Daniela Münster, daniela.muenster@h-advisors.global, +49 174 3358111

    Financial calendar

    Annual report 2024 & earnings call Thursday 20 February 2025
    Annual General Meeting 2025 Friday 11 April 2025
    Financial report 1Q 2025 & earnings call Thursday 8 May 2025
    Half-year financial report 2025 & earnings call Thursday 7 August 2025
    Financial report 3Q/9M 2025 and earnings call Thursday 6 November 2025

    About CLIQ

    The CLIQ Digital Group is a leading online performance marketing company selling subscription-based streaming services that bundle movies & series, music, audiobooks, sports and games to consumers worldwide. The Group licenses streaming content from partners, bundles it and sells the content through its numerous streaming services. Over the years, CLIQ Digital has become a specialist in online advertising and creating streaming services that are advertised towards specific consumer groups.

    CLIQ Digital operated in 40 countries and employed 132 staff from 33 different nationalities as at 31 December 2024. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf and has offices in Amsterdam, Paris and Toronto. CLIQ Digital is listed in the Scale segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A35JS40, GSIN/WKN: A35JS4) and is a constituent of the MSCI World Micro Cap Index.

    Visit our website at https://cliqdigital.com/investors, where you will find all publications as well as further information about CLIQ Digital and please follow us on LinkedIn.


    1 customer acquisition costs
    2 before special items

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Proposals by the Board of Directors to Nokia Corporation’s Annual General Meeting 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    30 January 2025 at 8:10 EET

    Proposals by the Board of Directors to Nokia Corporation’s Annual General Meeting 2025

    Nokia Corporation’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 13:00 (EEST) at Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland. The Board submits the following proposals to the Annual General Meeting. Complete proposals are available as of today at www.nokia.com/agm2025. The notice of the Annual General Meeting with more detailed information on the participation and voting will be published separately during week 7, 2025 on the Company’s website and by a stock exchange release.

    Authorization of the Board of Directors to decide on the distribution of dividend and assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting to be authorized to resolve in its discretion on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.14 per share as dividend from the retained earnings and/or as assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity.

    The authorization will be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the period of validity of the authorization unless the Board of Directors decides otherwise for a justified reason. The proposed total authorization for asset distribution is in line with the Company’s dividend policy. The authorization would be valid until the opening of the next Annual General Meeting.

    The Board would make separate resolutions on the amount and timing of each distribution of the dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity so that the preliminary record and payment dates will be as set out below. The Company shall make a separate announcement of each such Board resolution.

    Preliminary record date Preliminary payment date
    5 May 2025 12 May 2025
    29 July 2025 7 August 2025
    28 October 2025 6 November 2025
    3 February 2026 12 February 2026

    Each installment based on the resolution of the Board of Directors will be paid to a shareholder registered in the Company’s shareholders’ register maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy on the record date of the payment.

    Board composition and remuneration

    Søren Skou and Carla Smits-Nusteling have informed the Board’s Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee that they will no longer be available to serve on the Nokia Board of Directors after the Annual General Meeting. On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of Board members be ten (10). However, should any number of the candidates proposed by the Board not be available for election, the number of Board members shall be decreased accordingly.

    On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board further proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the following current Board members be re-elected as members of the Board of Directors for a term until the close of the next Annual General Meeting: Timo Ahopelto, Sari Baldauf, Elizabeth Crain, Thomas Dannenfeldt, Lisa Hook, Mike McNamara, Thomas Saueressig and Kai Öistämö. In addition, it is proposed that Pernille Erenbjerg, Danish citizen, former Group CEO and President of TDC Group; and Timo Ihamuotila, Finnish citizen, Chief Financial Officer of ABB Ltd, be elected as new members of the Board of Directors for a term until the close of the next Annual General Meeting.

    Resumes of the Board candidates are presented in the Board’s proposal available as of today at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee will propose in the assembly meeting of the new Board of Directors after the Annual General Meeting that Sari Baldauf be re-elected as the Chair of the Board and Timo Ihamuotila be elected as the Vice Chair, subject to their election to the Board.

    On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the annual fees payable to Board members for a term ending at the close of the next Annual General Meeting are kept at the current levels:

    • EUR 440 000 for the Chair of the Board;
    • EUR 210 000 for the Vice Chair of the Board;
    • EUR 185 000 for each member of the Board;
    • EUR 30 000 each for the Chairs of the Audit Committee and the Personnel Committee and EUR 20 000 for the Chairs of the Technology Committee and the Strategy Committee as an additional annual fee; and
    • EUR 15 000 for each member of the Audit Committee and the Personnel Committee and EUR 10 000 for each member of the Technology Committee and the Strategy Committee as an additional annual fee.

    In line with Nokia’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board proposes that approximately 40% of the annual fee be paid in Nokia shares. The rest of the annual fee would be paid in cash to cover taxes arising from the remuneration. The Directors shall retain until the end of their directorship such number of shares that they have received as Board remuneration during their first three years of service on the Board.

    In addition, the Board proposes that the meeting fees for Board and Committee meetings remain at their current level. The meeting fees are based on travel required between the Board member’s home location and the location of a meeting and paid for a maximum of seven meetings per term as follows:

    • EUR 5 000 per meeting requiring intercontinental travel; and
    • EUR 2 000 per meeting requiring intracontinental travel.

    Only one meeting fee is paid if the travel entitling to the fee includes several meetings of the Board and the Committees. Moreover, it is proposed that members of the Board shall be compensated for travel and accommodation expenses as well as other costs directly related to Board and Committee work.

    Auditor election and remuneration

    On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Deloitte Oy be re-elected as the auditor of the Company for the financial year 2026.

    It is also proposed that the auditor elected for the financial year 2026 be reimbursed based on the purchase policy approved by the Audit Committee and the invoice approved by the Company.

    Sustainability reporting assurer election and remuneration

    On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Authorized Sustainability Audit Firm Deloitte Oy be re-elected as the sustainability reporting assurer for the financial year 2026.

    It is also proposed that the assurer of the sustainability reporting elected for the financial year 2026 be reimbursed based on the purchase policy approved by the Audit Committee and the invoice approved by the Company.

    Authorization to the Board to issue shares and repurchase Company’s shares

    The Board proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorize the Board to resolve to issue in total a maximum of 530 million shares through issuance of shares or special rights entitling to shares under Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act in one or more issues during the effective period of the authorization. The Board may issue either new shares or treasury shares held by the Company. Shares and special rights entitling to shares may be issued in deviation from the shareholders’ pre-emptive rights within the limits set by law. The authorization may be used to develop the Company’s capital structure, diversify the shareholder base, finance or carry out acquisitions or other arrangements, to settle the Company’s equity-based incentive plans or for other purposes resolved by the Board. It is proposed that the authorization be effective until 28 October 2026 and terminate the authorization for issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares resolved at the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024.

    The Board also proposes that the Board be authorized to resolve to repurchase a maximum of 530 million shares. The repurchases would reduce distributable funds of the Company. The shares may be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shares held by the shareholders (directed repurchase). Shares may be repurchased to be cancelled, held to be reissued, transferred further or for other purposes resolved by the Board. It is proposed that the authorization be effective until 28 October 2026 and terminate the authorization for repurchasing the Company’s shares granted by the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 to the extent that the Board has not previously resolved to repurchase shares based on such authorization.

    530 million shares corresponds to less than 10 percent of the Company’s total number of shares. The Board shall resolve on all other matters related to the issuance or repurchase of Nokia shares in accordance with the resolution by the Annual General Meeting.

    Other matters to be addressed by the Annual General Meeting

    Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting would address adopting the Company’s financial statements for the financial year 2024, discharging the members of the Board of Directors and the President and Chief Executive Officer from liability for the financial year 2024, adopting the updated Remuneration Policy for the Company’s governing bodies and adopting the Remuneration Report 2024.

    The Remuneration Report for 2024 and the “Nokia in 2024” annual report, which includes the Company’s Annual Accounts, the review by the Board of Directors and the auditor’s report, are expected to be published and available at www.nokia.com/agm2025 in week 11 of 2025. The updated Remuneration Policy is expected to be published as an attachment to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting and available at www.nokia.com/agm2025 in week 7 of 2025.

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Head of External Communications

    Nokia
    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese satellite enterprises provide expanded, improved global services

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese space companies have been expanding their satellite services, including communication, navigation and remote sensing, while also accelerating the deployment of satellite constellations in pursuit of better services.

    At the start of 2025, China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), which offers commercial launch and satellite in-orbit delivery services, completed the delivery of an intelligent remote sensing satellite, known as IRSS-1, to an Omani company.

    Launched on Nov. 11, 2024, this one-meter resolution satellite weighs 95 kilograms and has a design life of five years. It will be used for surveys of land and forests, as well as urban planning and disaster monitoring.

    The successful delivery of the satellite will play an important role in improving Oman’s remote sensing satellite application capabilities, the CGWIC said.

    WIDE REMOTE SENSING COVERAGE

    Users from around the world who log on to the website of Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd, can browse satellite images captured by the company’s Jilin-1 satellite constellation.

    The Jilin-1 constellation, which had its first group of satellites launched back in October 2015, now features more than 117 satellites and is capable of observing any point on the globe about 40 times a day, according to Huang Jian, head of Chang Guang’s overseas business data application.

    The Jilin-1 constellation can cover the world six times a year and the entire China 24 times annually, and so can provide frequent updates of satellite images of any location, Huang said, while adding that this capability supports the company’s overseas business expansion.

    Chang Guang has been cooperating with more than 130 overseas users in providing services regarding land surveys, urban building investigations, agriculture and forestry.

    In response to disasters and emergencies, the company has recently provided satellite images of fires and floods in different parts of the world, following a request from the United Nations.

    Notably, the company is planning a new constellation consisting of 200 satellites, according to Xuan Ming, chairman and general manager of Chang Guang. This new constellation will have a spatial resolution of 20 centimeters and can cover the entire globe once a day.

    Its temporal resolution, combined with the contribution of the Jilin-1 constellation, will make it possible to revisit any point on Earth within approximately three minutes.

    EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

    The commercialization of China’s aerospace sector started in 2014, when the country’s State Council, in a guideline, encouraged private capital to participate in the construction of national civil space infrastructure.

    Founded in 2018, Geespace is a science and technology innovation enterprise under the Chinese automaker Geely. It currently operates 30 satellites in three orbital planes, thereby achieving 24-hour coverage of 90 percent of the world, and provides satellite communication services to overseas users.

    These satellites are part of the Geesatcom constellation. The low-orbit communication constellation can enable direct satellite connection for automotive autonomous driving, intelligent internet connection, smartphones and other consumer electronic products.

    Geesatcom in June 2024 completed its first commercial deployment test in the Middle East. It will cooperate with a number of global operators in switching on a worldwide commercial application.

    Through a combination of Geesatcom and its ground system, Geespace provides global medium-and-low-speed satellite communication operations, satellite-based high-precision positioning services and a satellite remote sensing AI service, according to Wan Yang, founder of Geespace.

    In the future, Geespace expects to provide access to its satellite application services to clients in both Southeast Asia and Africa.

    Another Chinese commercial satellite constellation, Spacesail, will provide satellite communication services to Brazil and broadband internet access for that country’s remote and under-served regions from 2026.

    Spacesail is a low Earth orbit mega-constellation with full frequency bands and a multi-layer and multi-orbit design. Its commercial network construction was officially launched on Aug. 6, 2024.

    The market for connecting smartphones directly to satellites has become increasingly promising. “Except for the North Pole and South Pole, almost any location on Earth, including oceans, deserts and remote mountainous regions where traditional communications are difficult to achieve, will enjoy a stable network connection — with smartphones directly connected to satellites,” said Wang.

    By the end of June 2024, 546 commercial space enterprises were registered and effectively operating in China, China Space Foundation Secretary General Wang Cheng said in November last year at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) in Zhuhai, south China’s Guangdong Province.

    This booming development of Chinese commercial satellite companies was firmly supported by a series of related policies.

    China has issued both a medium- and long-term development plan for civil space infrastructure for the period from 2015 to 2025, aiming to support and regulate the development of its commercial space industry.

    The country is also mapping a development plan for civil space infrastructure from 2026 to 2035, according to Li Guoping, chief engineer at the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI: Klaus Agent Becomes the First Blockchain AI Agent to Integrate Custom DeepSeek Model

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Klaus Agent, the AI-powered blockchain assistant, has officially integrated a custom DeepSeek model, making it one of the most intelligent, cost-effective, and autonomous AI agents in the market.

    Built on the Klaus meme, the Klaus AI agent is designed to be an advanced digital assistant, capable of voice-to-voice interactions and executing real-world tasks such as sending emails, purchasing products, trading crypto, and managing schedules.

    With this latest integration, the Klaus development team has downloaded, modified, and optimized the DeepSeek large language model (LLM) to run on their own GPUs, enhancing performance, efficiency, and affordability within its proprietary tech stack.

    A Breakthrough AI Tech Stack

    Unlike most AI agents that rely solely on external LLMs, Klaus Agent operates on a proprietary AI system built for speed, intelligence, and autonomy. The core tech stack includes:

    • Google DialogFlow – Enables ultra-fast response times by interpreting user commands before engaging LLM processing.
    • Klaus Novel Graph – A supervised learning graph that categorizes and routes user queries, reducing reliance on generative AI.
    • Klaus Neural Network – A multi-cluster system that organizes and processes AI-driven tasks, from shopping to crypto trading.
    • Klaus Vectorized Database – A self-learning database that enables continuous improvement, user behavior adaptation, and seamless AI development.
    • Claude Anthropic – Enhances response structuring while providing advanced human-like interaction modeling.

    DeepSeek Integration: A New Era of AI Learning

    DeepSeek’s open-source model has now been fully incorporated into the Klaus Agent’s unsupervised learning framework. Unlike closed-source LLMs such as GPT or Claude, DeepSeek allows fine-tuning using the Klaus vectorized data, enabling the AI to learn and evolve based on real-world interactions.

    “This integration means Klaus Agent is no longer just a passive AI responding to prompts—it’s an adaptive digital entity, capable of learning from its experiences while leveraging DeepSeek’s extensive training data,” said the Klaus Agent’s Lead Developer.

    Klaus Agent’s First Live Deployment

    The first use case of this powerful AI integration is already live at x.com/Klaus_Agent, where Klaus:

    • Finds and verifies the latest news using AI-driven fact-checking.
    • Cross-references multiple sources to eliminate misinformation.
    • Presents unbiased, AI-curated insights in real time.

    Join the AI Revolution

    As one of the first blockchain AI agents with an independently trained DeepSeek model, Klaus is pioneering the future of autonomous digital assistants.

    For more information, visit x.com/Klaus_Agent and experience the next evolution in AI.

    Media details:
    Webmail: Info@klausoneth.com
    Website: https://www.klausoneth.com
    Location: Dubai, UAE
    Person Name: Liam Johnson

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Klaus on ETH. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in cloud mining and related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96dd2bcd-841c-45f5-b2e3-2273b4d62ac0

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: STMicroelectronics Reports Q4 and FY 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PR No: C3309C 

    STMicroelectronics Reports Q4 and FY 2024 Financial Results

    • Q4 net revenues $3.32 billion; gross margin 37.7%; operating margin 11.1%; net income $341 million
    • FY net revenues $13.27 billion; gross margin 39.3%; operating margin 12.6%; net income $1.56 billion
    • Business outlook at mid-point: Q1 net revenues of $2.51 billion and gross margin of 33.8%
    • Start of the company-wide program to resize global cost base*

        
    Geneva, January 30, 2025 – STMicroelectronics N.V. (“ST”) (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024. This press release also contains non-U.S. GAAP measures (see Appendix for additional information).

    ST reported fourth quarter net revenues of $3.32 billion, gross margin of 37.7%, operating margin of 11.1%, and net income of $341 million or $0.37 diluted earnings per share.

    Jean-Marc Chery, ST President & CEO, commented:

    • “FY24 revenues decreased 23.2% to $13.27 billion. Operating margin was 12.6% compared to 26.7% in FY23 and net income decreased 63.0% to $1.56 billion. We invested $2.53 billion in Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP) while delivering free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP) of $288 million.”
    • “Q4 net revenues were in line with the mid-point of our business outlook range driven by higher revenues in Personal Electronics offset by lower revenues in Industrial, while Automotive and CECP were as expected. Q4 gross margin of 37.7% was broadly in line with the mid-point of our business outlook range.”
    • “Our book-to-bill ratio remained below 1 in Q4 as we continued to face a delayed recovery and inventory correction in Industrial and a slowdown in Automotive, both particularly in Europe.”
    • “Our first quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $2.51 billion, decreasing year-over-year by 27.6% and decreasing sequentially by 24.4%; gross margin is expected to be about 33.8%, impacted by about 500 basis points of unused capacity charges.”
    • “For 2025, we plan to invest between $2.0 to $2.3 billion in Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP).”

    Quarterly Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

    (US$ m, except per share data) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q/Q Y/Y
    Net Revenues $3,321 $3,251 $4,282 2.2% -22.4%
    Gross Profit $1,253 $1,228 $1,949 2.1% -35.7%
    Gross Margin 37.7% 37.8% 45.5% -10 bps -780 bps
    Operating Income $369 $381 $1,023 -3.3% -64.0%
    Operating Margin 11.1% 11.7% 23.9% -60 bps -1,280 bps
    Net Income $341 $351 $1,076 -2.6% -68.3%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.37 $0.37 $1.14 0% -67.5%

    * For each of the concerned countries, the start of the program will take place in accordance with applicable regulations. 

    Annual Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

    (US$ m, except earnings per share data) FY2024 FY2023 Y/Y
    Net Revenues $13,269 $17,286 -23.2%
    Gross Profit $5,220 $8,287 -37.0%
    Gross Margin 39.3% 47.9% -860 bps
    Operating Income $1,676 $4,611 -63.7%
    Operating Margin 12.6% 26.7% -1,410 bps
    Net Income $1,557 $4,211 -63.0%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share $1.66 $4.46 -62.8%

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Summary Review

    Reminder: On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization which implied a change in segment reporting starting Q1 2024. Prior year comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly. See Appendix for more detail.

    Net Revenues by Reportable Segment (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q/Q Y/Y
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment 1,198 1,185 1,418 1.1% -15.5%
    Power and discrete products (P&D) segment 752 807 965 -6.8% -22.1%
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group 1,950 1,992 2,383 -2.1% -18.2%
    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment 887 829 1,272 7.0% -30.2%
    Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment 481 426 623 13.0% -22.8%
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group 1,368 1,255 1,895 9.0% -27.8%
    Others 3 4 4
    Total Net Revenues $3,321 $3,251 $4,282 2.2% -22.4%

    Net revenues totaled $3.32 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 22.4%. Year-over-year net sales to OEMs and Distribution decreased 19.8% and 28.7%, respectively. On a sequential basis, net revenues increased 2.2%, in line with the mid-point of ST’s guidance.

    Gross profit totaled $1.25 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 35.7%. Gross margin of 37.7%, 30 basis points below the mid-point of ST’s guidance, decreased 780 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to product mix and, to a lesser extent, to sales price and higher unused capacity charges.

    Operating income decreased 64.0% to $369 million, compared to $1.02 billion in the year-ago quarter. ST’s operating margin decreased 1,280 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 11.1% of net revenues, compared to 23.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    By reportable segment1, compared with the year-ago quarter:

    In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:

    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 15.5% mainly due to decreases in Analog and in Imaging.   
    • Operating profit decreased by 41.2% to $176 million. Operating margin was 14.7% compared to 21.1%.

    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 22.1%.
    • Operating profit decreased by 63.7% to $89 million. Operating margin was 11.9% compared to 25.4%.

    In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:

    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 30.2% mainly due to a decrease in GP MCU.
    • Operating profit decreased by 66.4% to $127 million. Operating margin was 14.3% compared to 29.8%.

    Digital ICs and RF products (D&RF) segment:

    • Revenue decreased 22.8% mainly due to a decrease in ADAS (automotive ADAS and infotainment).
    • Operating profit decreased by 33.2% to $149 million. Operating margin was 31.0% compared to 35.7%.

    Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share decreased to $341 million and $0.37 respectively compared to $1.08 billion and $1.14 respectively in the year-ago quarter. As a reminder, the fourth quarter 2023 net income included a one-time non-cash income tax benefit of $191 million.

    Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

            Trailing 12 Months
    (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q4 2024 Q4 2023 TTM Change
    Net cash from operating activities 681 723 1,480 2,965 5,992 -50.5%
    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)2 128 136 652 288 1,774 -83.8%

    Net cash from operating activities was $681 million in the fourth quarter compared to $1.48 billion in the year-ago quarter. For the full-year 2024, net cash from operating activities decreased 50.5% to $2.97 billion, which represents 22.3% of total revenues.

    Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP), were $470 million in the fourth quarter and $2.53 billion for the full year 2024. In the respective year-ago periods, net capital expenditures were $798 million and $4.11 billion.

    Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP) was $128 million and $288 million in the fourth quarter and full year 2024, respectively, compared to $652 million and $1.77 billion in the year-ago respective periods.

    Inventory at the end of the fourth quarter was $2.79 billion, compared to $2.88 billion in the previous quarter and $2.70 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory at quarter-end was 122 days, compared to 130 days in the previous quarter, and 104 days in the year-ago quarter.

    In the fourth quarter, ST paid cash dividends to its stockholders totaling $88 million and executed a $92 million share buy-back, as part of its current share repurchase program.

    ST’s net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP) was $3.23 billion as of December 31, 2024, compared to $3.18 billion as of September 28, 2024 and reflected total liquidity of $6.18 billion and total financial debt of $2.95 billion. Adjusted net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP), taking into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances from capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet, stood at $2.85 billion as of December 31, 2024.

    Corporate developments

    In Q4, we announced the launch of a new company-wide program to reshape our manufacturing footprint accelerating our wafer fab capacity to 300mm Silicon (Agrate and Crolles) and 200mm Silicon Carbide (Catania) and resizing our global cost base.

    This program should result in strengthening our capability to grow our revenues with an improved operating efficiency resulting in annual cost savings in the high triple-digit million-dollar range exiting 2027. Specifically in terms of operating expenses (SG&A and R&D), ST expects annual cost savings totaling $300 to 360 million, exiting 2027, compared to the cost base of 2024.

    Business Outlook

    ST’s guidance, at the mid-point, for the 2025 first quarter is:

    • Net revenues are expected to be $2.51 billion, a decrease of 24.4% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points.
    • Gross margin of 33.8%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
    • This outlook is based on an assumed effective currency exchange rate of approximately $1.06 = €1.00 for the 2025 first quarter and includes the impact of existing hedging contracts.
    • The first quarter will close on March 29, 2025.

    Conference Call and Webcast Information

    ST will conduct a conference call with analysts, investors and reporters to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results and current business outlook today at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (CET) / 3:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at ST’s website, https://investors.st.com, and will be available for replay until February 14, 2025.

    Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information

    This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information.

    Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information from other companies. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with ST’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    See the Appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of ST’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures.

    Forward-looking Information

    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements due to, among other factors:

    • changes in global trade policies, including the adoption and expansion of tariffs and trade barriers, that could affect the macro-economic environment and adversely impact the demand for our products;
    • uncertain macro-economic and industry trends (such as inflation and fluctuations in supply chains), which may impact production capacity and end-market demand for our products;
    • customer demand that differs from projections which may require us to undertake transformation measures that may not be successful in realizing the expected benefits in full or at all;
    • the ability to design, manufacture and sell innovative products in a rapidly changing technological environment;
    • changes in economic, social, public health, labor, political, or infrastructure conditions in the locations where we, our customers, or our suppliers operate, including as a result of macroeconomic or regional events, geopolitical and military conflicts, social unrest, labor actions, or terrorist activities;
    • unanticipated events or circumstances, which may impact our ability to execute our plans and/or meet the objectives of our R&D and manufacturing programs, which benefit from public funding;
    • financial difficulties with any of our major distributors or significant curtailment of purchases by key customers;
    • the loading, product mix, and manufacturing performance of our production facilities and/or our required volume to fulfill capacity reserved with suppliers or third-party manufacturing providers;
    • availability and costs of equipment, raw materials, utilities, third-party manufacturing services and technology, or other supplies required by our operations (including increasing costs resulting from inflation);
    • the functionalities and performance of our IT systems, which are subject to cybersecurity threats and which support our critical operational activities including manufacturing, finance and sales, and any breaches of our IT systems or those of our customers, suppliers, partners and providers of third-party licensed technology;
    • theft, loss, or misuse of personal data about our employees, customers, or other third parties, and breaches of data privacy legislation;
    • the impact of intellectual property (“IP”) claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions;
    • changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes in tax rules, new or revised legislation, the outcome of tax audits or changes in international tax treaties which may impact our results of operations as well as our ability to accurately estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize deferred tax assets;
    • variations in the foreign exchange markets and, more particularly, the U.S. dollar exchange rate as compared to the Euro and the other major currencies we use for our operations;
    • the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as the impact of any new litigation to which we may become a defendant;
    • product liability or warranty claims, claims based on epidemic or delivery failure, or other claims relating to our products, or recalls by our customers for products containing our parts;
    • natural events such as severe weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions or other acts of nature, the effects of climate change, health risks and epidemics or pandemics in locations where we, our customers or our suppliers operate;
    • increased regulation and initiatives in our industry, including those concerning climate change and sustainability matters and our goal to become carbon neutral by 2027 on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3;
    • epidemics or pandemics, which may negatively impact the global economy in a significant manner for an extended period of time, and could also materially adversely affect our business and operating results;
    • industry changes resulting from vertical and horizontal consolidation among our suppliers, competitors, and customers; and
    • the ability to successfully ramp up new programs that could be impacted by factors beyond our control, including the availability of critical third-party components and performance of subcontractors in line with our expectations.

    Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “are expected to”, “should”, “would be”, “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

    Some of these risk factors are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 22, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

    Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.

    About STMicroelectronics

    At ST, we are over 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are committed to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    INVESTOR RELATIONS:
    Jérôme Ramel
    EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication
    Tel: +41 22 929 59 20
    jerome.ramel@st.com

    MEDIA RELATIONS:
    Alexis Breton
    Corporate External Communications
    Tel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08
    alexis.breton@st.com

    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME      
    (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share data ($))      
           
      Three months ended  
      December 31, December 31,  
      2024 2023  
      (Unaudited) (Unaudited)  
           
    Net sales 3,301 4,262  
    Other revenues 20 20  
    NET REVENUES 3,321 4,282  
    Cost of sales (2,068) (2,333)  
    GROSS PROFIT 1,253 1,949  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (420) (416)  
    Research and development expenses (523) (521)  
    Other income and expenses, net 59 11  
    Total operating expenses (884) (926)  
    OPERATING INCOME 369 1,023  
    Interest income, net 52 57  
    Other components of pension benefit costs (3) (5)  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST 418 1,075  
    Income tax (expense) benefit (82) 6  
    NET INCOME 336 1,081  
    Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest 5 (5)  
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 341 1,076  
           
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.38 1.19  
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 0.37 1.14  
           
    NUMBER OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES USED IN CALCULATING DILUTED EPS 935.7 942.9  
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME      
    (in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share data ($))      
           
      Twelve months ended
      December 31, December 31,  
      2024 2023  
      (Unaudited) (Audited)  
           
    Net sales 13,217 17,239  
    Other revenues 52 47  
    NET REVENUES 13,269 17,286  
    Cost of sales (8,049) (8,999)  
    GROSS PROFIT 5,220 8,287  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (1,649) (1,631)  
    Research and development expenses (2,077) (2,100)  
    Other income and expenses, net 182 55  
    Total operating expenses (3,544) (3,676)  
    OPERATING INCOME 1,676 4,611  
    Interest income, net 218 171  
    Other components of pension benefit costs (15) (19)  
    Loss on financial instruments, net (1)  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND NONCONTROLLING INTEREST 1,878 4,763  
    Income tax expense (313) (541)  
    NET INCOME 1,565 4,222  
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest (8) (11)  
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1,557 4,211  
           
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1.73 4.66  
    EARNINGS PER SHARE (DILUTED) ATTRIBUTABLE TO PARENT COMPANY STOCKHOLDERS 1.66 4.46  
           
    NUMBER OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES USED IN CALCULATING DILUTED EPS 939.3 944.2  
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS      
    As at December 31, September 28, December 31,
    In millions of U.S. dollars 2024 2024 2023
      (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited)
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents 2,282 3,077 3,222
    Short-term deposits 1,450 977 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,452 2,242 1,635
    Trade accounts receivable, net 1,749 1,730 1,731
    Inventories 2,794 2,875 2,698
    Other current assets 1,007 1,062 1,295
    Total current assets 11,734 11,963 11,807
    Goodwill 290 303 303
    Other intangible assets, net 346 354 367
    Property, plant and equipment, net 10,877 11,258 10,554
    Non-current deferred tax assets 464 547 592
    Long-term investments 71 20 22
    Other non-current assets 961 1,071 808
      13,009 13,553 12,646
    Total assets 24,743 25,516 24,453
           
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Short-term debt 990 1,003 217
    Trade accounts payable 1,323 1,585 1,856
    Other payables and accrued liabilities 1,306 1,327 1,525
    Dividends payable to stockholders 88 177 54
    Accrued income tax 66 116 78
    Total current liabilities 3,773 4,208 3,730
    Long-term debt 1,963 2,112 2,710
    Post-employment benefit obligations 377 397 372
    Long-term deferred tax liabilities 47 60 54
    Other long-term liabilities 904 935 735
      3,291 3,504 3,871
    Total liabilities 7,064 7,712 7,601
    Commitment and contingencies      
    Equity      
    Parent company stockholders’ equity      
    Common stock (preferred stock: 540,000,000 shares authorized, not issued; common stock: Euro 1.04 par value, 1,200,000,000 shares authorized, 911,281,920 shares issued, 898,175,408 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024) 1,157 1,157 1,157
    Additional Paid-in Capital 3,088 3,032 2,866
    Retained earnings 13,459 13,118 12,470
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 236 657 613
    Treasury stock (491) (400) (377)
    Total parent company stockholders’ equity 17,449 17,564 16,729
    Noncontrolling interest 230 240 123
    Total equity 17,679 17,804 16,852
    Total liabilities and equity 24,743 25,516 24,453
           
           
           
    STMicroelectronics N.V.      
           
    SELECTED CASH FLOW DATA      
           
    Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023
           
    Net Cash from operating activities 681 723 1,480
    Net Cash used in investing activities (1,259) (601) (1,610)
    Net Cash from (used in) financing activities (209) (142) 336
    Net Cash increase (decrease) (795) (15) 211
           
    Selected Cash Flow Data (in US$ millions) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023
           
    Depreciation & amortization 451 440 414
    Net payment for Capital expenditures (501) (601) (798)
    Dividends paid to stockholders (88) (80) (60)
    Change in inventories, net (2) (17) 219
           

    Appendix
    ST
    New organization

    On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization to deliver enhanced product development innovation and efficiency, time-to-market as well as customer focus by end market. This new organization implies a change in segment reporting which is applied from January 1, 2024.

    ST moved from three reportable segments (ADG, AMS and MDG) to four reportable segments as follows:

    • In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:
      • Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment, comprised of ST analog products, MEMS sensors and actuators, and optical sensing solutions.
      • Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment comprised of discrete and power transistor products.

    In this Press Release, “Analog” refers to ST analog products, “MEMS” to MEMS sensors and actuators and “Imaging” to optical sensing solutions.

    • In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:
      • Microcontrollers (MCU) segment, comprised of general-purpose and automotive microcontrollers, microprocessors and connected security products (including EEPROM).
      • Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment, comprised of automotive ADAS, infotainment, RF and communications products.

    In this Press release, “Auto MCU” refers to Automotive microcontrollers and microprocessors, “GP MCU” to general purpose microcontrollers and microprocessors, “Connected Security” to connected security products (including EEPROM), “ADAS” to automotive ADAS and infotainment, “RF Communications” to RF and communications products.

    Prior year quarters comparative information has been adjusted accordingly. 

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST – Supplemental Financial Information

      Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 FY
    2024
    FY
    2023
    Net Revenues By Market Channel (%)              
    Total OEM 73% 76% 73% 70% 70% 73% 66%
    Distribution 27% 24% 27% 30% 30% 27% 34%
                   
    €/$ Effective Rate 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.08
                   
    Reportable Segment Data (US$ m)              
    Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment              
    – Net Revenues 1,198 1,185 1,165 1,217 1,418 4,764 5,478
    – Operating Income 176 175 144 185 300 680 1,191
    Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment              
    – Net Revenues 752 807 747 820 965 3,126 3,852
    – Operating Income 89 121 110 138 245 458 1,006
    Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group              
    – Net Revenues 1,950 1,992 1,912 2,037 2,383 7,890 9,330
    – Operating Income 265 296 254 323 545 1,138 2,197
    Microcontrollers (MCU) segment              
    – Net Revenues 887 829 800 950 1,272 3,466 5,668
    – Operating Income 127 116 72 185 378 499 2,018
    Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment              
    – Net Revenues 481 426 516 475 623 1,898 2,272
    – Operating Income 149 114 150 150 223 564 810
    Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group              
    – Net Revenues 1,368 1,255 1,316 1,425 1,895 5,364 7,940
    – Operating Income 276 230 222 335 601 1,063 2,828
    Others (a)              
    – Net Revenues 3 4 4 3 4 15 16
    – Operating Income (Loss) (172) (145) (101) (107) (123) (525) (414)
    Total              
    – Net Revenues 3,321 3,251 3,232 3,465 4,282 13,269 17,286
    – Operating Income 369 381 375 551 1,023 1,676 4,611

    (a)   Net revenues of Others include revenues from sales assembly services and other revenues. Operating income (loss) of Others include items such as unused capacity charges, including incidents leading to power outage, impairment and restructuring charges, management reorganization costs, start-up and phase out costs, and other unallocated income (expenses) such as: strategic or special research and development programs, certain corporate-level operating expenses, patent claims and litigations, and other costs that are not allocated to reportable segments, as well as operating earnings of other products. Others includes:

    (US$ m) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 FY 2024 FY 2023
    Unused capacity charges 118 104 84 63 57 370 120

    (Appendix – continued)
    ST
    Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information
    U.S. GAAP – Non-U.S. GAAP Reconciliation

    The supplemental non-U.S. GAAP information presented in this press release is unaudited and subject to inherent limitations. Such non-U.S. GAAP information is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP measurements. Also, our supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled non-U.S. GAAP measures used by other companies. Further, specific limitations for individual non-U.S. GAAP measures, and the reasons for presenting non-U.S. GAAP financial information, are set forth in the paragraphs below. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    ST believes that these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures provide useful information for investors and management because they offer, when read in conjunction with ST’s U.S. GAAP financials, (i) the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of ST’s on-going operating results, (ii) the ability to better identify trends in ST’s business and perform related trend analysis, and (iii) to facilitate a comparison of ST’s results of operations against investor and analyst financial models and valuations, which may exclude these items.

    Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    Net Financial Position, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, represents the difference between our total liquidity and our total financial debt. Our total liquidity includes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits, and marketable securities, and our total financial debt includes short-term debt and long-term debt, as reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Starting Q4 2023, ST also presents adjusted net financial position as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, to take into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances received on capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet. Reporting periods prior to Q4 2023 are not impacted.

    ST believes its Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position provide useful information for investors and management because they give evidence of our global position either in terms of net indebtedness or net cash by measuring our capital resources based on cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, if any, short-term deposits and marketable securities and the total level of our financial debt. Our definitions of Net Financial Position and Adjusted Net Financial Position may differ from definitions used by other companies, and therefore, comparability may be limited.

    (US$ m) Dec 31
    2024
    Sep 28
    2024
    June 29
    2024
    Mar 30
    2024
    Dec 31 2023
    Cash and cash equivalents 2,282 3,077 3,092 3,133 3,222
    Short term deposits 1,450 977 975 1,226 1,226
    Marketable securities 2,452 2,242 2,218 1,880 1,635
    Total liquidity 6,184 6,296 6,285 6,239 6,083
    Short-term debt (990) (1,003) (236) (238) (217)
    Long-term debt (a) (1,963) (2,112) (2,850) (2,875) (2,710)
    Total financial debt (2,953) (3,115) (3,086) (3,113) (2,927)
    Net Financial Position 3,231 3,181 3,199 3,126 3,156
    Advances received on capital grants (385) (366) (402) (351) (152)
    Adjusted Net Financial Position 2,846 2,815 2,797 2,775 3,004

    (a)  Long-term debt contains standard conditions but does not impose minimum financial ratios. Committed credit facilities for $634 million equivalent, are currently undrawn.

    (Appendix – continued)

    Net Capex and Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measures)

    ST presents Net Capex as a non-U.S. GAAP measure, which is reported as part of our Free Cash Flow (non-U.S. GAAP measure), to take into consideration the effect of advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    Net Capex, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported plus (ii) Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported plus (iii) Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported plus (iv) Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period.

    ST believes Net Capex provides useful information for investors and management because annual capital expenditures budget includes the effect of capital grants. Our definition of Net Capex may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q4
    2024
    Q3
    2024
    Q2
    2024
    Q1
    2024
    Q4
    2023
    FY 2024 FY 2023
    Payment for purchase of tangible assets, as reported (584) (669) (690) (1,145) (1,076) (3,088) (4,439)
    Proceeds from sale of tangible assets, as reported 2 1 2 5 8
    Proceeds from capital grants and other contributions, as reported 83 66 143 149 278 441 320
    Advances from capital grants allocated to property, plant and equipment 31 36 18 27 111
    Net Capex (470) (565) (528) (967) (798) (2,531) (4,111)

    Free Cash Flow, which is a non-U.S. GAAP measure, is defined as (i) net cash from operating activities plus (ii) Net Capex plus (iii) payment for purchase (and proceeds from sale) of intangible and financial assets and (iv) net cash paid for business acquisitions, if any.

    ST believes Free Cash Flow provides useful information for investors and management because it measures our capacity to generate cash from our operating and investing activities to sustain our operations.

    Free Cash Flow reconciles with the total cash flow and the net cash increase (decrease) by including the payment for purchases of (and proceeds from matured) marketable securities and net investment in (and proceeds from) short-term deposits, the net cash from (used in) financing activities and the effect of changes in exchange rates, and by excluding the advances from capital grants received on prior periods allocated to property, plant and equipment in the reporting period. Our definition of Free Cash Flow may differ from definitions used by other companies.

    (US$ m) Q4
    2024
    Q3
    2024
    Q2
    2024
    Q1
    2024
    Q4
    2023
    FY 2024 FY 2023
    Net cash from operating activities 681 723 702 859 1,480 2,965 5,992
    Net Capex (470) (565) (528) (967) (798) (2,531) (4,111)
    Payment for purchase of intangible assets, net of proceeds from sale (32) (20) (15) (26) (28) (93) (97)
    Payment for purchase of financial assets, net of proceeds from sale (51) (2) (2) (53) (10)
    Free Cash Flow 128 136 159 (134) 652 288 1,774

    1See Appendix for the definition of reportable segments.

    2Non-U.S. GAAP. See Appendix for reconciliation to U.S. GAAP and information explaining why ST believes these measures are important.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Financial Statement Release
    30 January 2025 at 08:00 EET

    Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024

    Strong Q4 growth and profitability as market trends improve

    • Q4 net sales increased 9% y-o-y in constant currency (10% reported). Network Infrastructure net sales grew strongly with all units contributing, Nokia Technologies grew significantly and Cloud and Network Services also grew in Q4.
    • Comparable gross margin in Q4 increased by 250bps y-o-y to 47.2% (reported increased 280bps to 46.1%), with a strong contribution from Nokia Technologies along with smaller contributions from other businesses.
    • Q4 comparable operating margin increased 380bps y-o-y to 19.1% (reported up 540bps to 15.3%), mainly due to higher gross margin, continued cost control and higher contribution from Nokia Technologies.
    • Q4 comparable diluted EPS for the period of EUR 0.18; reported diluted EPS for the period of EUR 0.15.
    • Q4 free cash flow of EUR 0.05 billion, net cash balance of EUR 4.9 billion.
    • Full year 2024 net sales declined 9% in both reported and constant currency, of which 7 percentage points was related to India. Comparable operating profit was EUR 2.6 billion (reported EUR 2.0 billion).
    • Full year comparable diluted EPS of EUR 0.39; reported diluted EPS of 0.23.
    • Board proposes dividend authorization of EUR 0.14 per share.
    • Nokia issues full year 2025 outlook on an organic basis. Nokia expects comparable operating profit of between EUR 1.9 billion and 2.4 billion and free cash flow conversion from comparable operating profit of between 50% and 80%.

    This is a summary of the Nokia Corporation Financial report for Q4 and full year 2024 published today. Nokia only publishes a summary of its financial reports in stock exchange releases. The summary focuses on Nokia Group’s financial information as well as on Nokia’s outlook. The detailed, segment-level discussion will be available in the complete financial report hosted at www.nokia.com/financials. A video interview summarizing the key points of our Q4 results will also be published on the website. Investors should not solely rely on summaries of Nokia’s financial reports and should also review the complete reports with tables.

    PEKKA LUNDMARK, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ON Q4 AND FULL YEAR 2024 RESULTS

    In the following quote, net sales growth rates are on a constant currency basis
    We saw a strong finish to 2024 with 9% net sales growth year-on-year in Q4. I am optimistic that the improving market trends we are now seeing will persist into 2025. Alongside the net sales growth, we saw excellent profitability in Q4 with a comparable operating margin of 19.1%. This meant our full year comparable operating profit was EUR 2.6 billion, at the mid-point of our guidance of EUR 2.3 to 2.9 billion.

    All business groups delivered a strong operational performance in the quarter. Net sales growth in Network Infrastructure accelerated to 17%, with IP Networks growing 24%, Fixed Networks 16% and Optical Networks 7%. This reflected a strong recovery in demand from communication service providers, notably in North America.

    Mobile Networks net sales stabilized with continued resilience in gross margin. We also secured many important deals, winning 18 000 additional base station sites, since the start of 2024 on a net basis. This was achieved while maintaining our commercial and pricing discipline to protect our gross margins.

    Cloud and Network Services returned to 7% net sales growth in the quarter, despite a headwind of 4 percentage points from a prior business disposal, and its operating margin improved over the full year. Both Core Networks and Enterprise Campus Edge grew strongly. The fourth quarter saw the acquisition of Rapid’s technology assets. This will bolster our R&D capacity in Network as Code and increase our developer access. Taken together with our autonomous networks application suite, we are accelerating our efforts to help operators fully automate and monetize their networks.

    Nokia Technologies had an extremely active quarter. We signed a deal with Transsion, a previously unlicensed mobile devices vendor, along with multimedia deals with HP and Samsung, as well as many other smaller deals. Our annual net sales run-rate increased to approximately between EUR 1.3 and 1.4 billion in Q4, progressing towards our mid-term EUR 1.4 to 1.5 billion target.

    We delivered a strong cash performance throughout 2024, ending with full year free cash flow of EUR 2.0 billion. This means we continue to have a strong balance sheet supporting our business with net cash of EUR 4.9 billion at the end of the year, even after returning EUR 1.4 billion to shareholders through dividend and share buybacks. The Board is proposing an increase in the dividend to EUR 0.14 per share in respect of the financial year 2024. We also continue to execute against our outstanding share buyback program to offset any dilution from the equity component of our pending Infinera acquisition. Going forward, our target remains to maintain a net cash position of between 10-15% of annual net sales.

    Q4 also saw further progress in efforts to expand our presence in the data center market. We signed important deals with Microsoft and Nscale for our data center switching products, along with announcing partnerships with both Kyndryl and Lenovo. We are now stepping up our investments to broaden our addressable market in data center IP networking. We will invest up to an additional EUR 100 million in annual operating expenses with a view to driving incremental net sales of EUR 1 billion by 2028. In the short-term this will moderate the pace of operating margin expansion in Network Infrastructure, but we anticipate a strong return on investment considering the momentum we already have today in the market.

    Looking further ahead into 2025, we expect the improved trends we have seen in Network Infrastructure in the second half of this year, to sustain and drive strong growth. Cloud and Network Services is also expected to grow with strong 5G Core momentum and growth in our Enterprise Campus Edge business. End markets in Mobile Networks are improving and we currently assume largely stable net sales. Nokia Technologies is expected to deliver approximately EUR 1.1 billion of operating profit.

    At the Nokia level, we currently estimate we will deliver comparable operating profit of between EUR 1.9 and 2.4 billion in 2025. We also target free cash flow conversion from comparable operating profit of between 50% and 80%. Excluding the one-time items that benefited 2024 by over EUR 700 million which were mostly in the first half of the year, this guidance would imply a strong improvement in our comparable operating profit in 2025 despite select increased investments.

    Given the market volatility in 2024, our results demonstrate the responsiveness and capacity of the Nokia team to execute in all market conditions. I thank the whole Nokia team for their commitment, hard work and drive which made these results possible.

    FINANCIAL RESULTS

    EUR million (except for EPS in EUR) Q4’24 Q4’23 YoY change Constant currency YoY change Q1-Q4’24 Q1-Q4’23 YoY change Constant currency YoY change
    Reported results                
    Net sales 5 983 5 416 10% 9% 19 220 21 138 (9)% (9)%
    Gross margin % 46.1% 43.3% 280bps   46.1% 40.4% 570bps  
    Research and development expenses (1 136) (1 080) 5%   (4 512) (4 277) 5%  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (789) (774) 2%   (2 890) (2 878) 0%  
    Operating profit 917 534 72%   1 999 1 661 20%  
    Operating margin % 15.3% 9.9% 540bps   10.4% 7.9% 250bps  
    Profit/(loss) from continuing operations 746 (51)     1 711 649 164%  
    Profit/(loss) from discontinued operations 67 18 272%   (427) 30    
    Profit/(loss) for the period 813 (33)     1 284 679 89%  
    EPS for the period, diluted 0.15 (0.01)     0.23 0.12 92%  
    Net cash and interest-bearing financial investments 4 854 4 323 12%   4 854 4 323 12%  
    Comparable results                
    Net sales 5 983 5 416 10% 9% 19 220 21 138 (9)% (9)%
    Gross margin % 47.2% 44.7% 250bps   47.1% 41.1% 600bps  
    Research and development expenses (1 129) (1 023) 10%   (4 298) (4 143) 4%  
    Selling, general and administrative expenses (638) (615) 4%   (2 423) (2 448) (1)%  
    Operating profit 1 142 830 38%   2 619 2 337 12%  
    Operating margin % 19.1% 15.3% 380bps   13.6% 11.1% 250bps  
    Profit for the period 977 555 76%   2 175 1 590 37%  
    EPS for the period, diluted 0.18 0.10 80%   0.39 0.28 39%  
    ROIC(1) 13.0% 9.9% 310bps   13.0% 9.9% 310bps  

    1 Comparable ROIC = Comparable operating profit after tax, last four quarters / invested capital, average of last five quarters’ ending balances. Refer to the Alternative performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for details.

    Business group results Network
    Infrastructure
    Mobile
    Networks
    Cloud and Network Services Nokia
    Technologies
    Group Common and Other
    EUR million Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23 Q4’24 Q4’23
    Net sales 2 031 1 712 2 431 2 450 1 054 977 463 251 6 25
    YoY change 19%   (1)%   8%   84%   (76)%  
    Constant currency YoY change 17%   (2)%   7%   85%   (76)%  
    Gross margin % 45.4% 44.7% 38.1% 38.3% 48.1% 47.6% 99.8% 100.0%    
    Operating profit/(loss) 398 264 187 281 236 223 356 169 (35) (106)
    Operating margin % 19.6% 15.4% 7.7% 11.5% 22.4% 22.8% 76.9% 67.3%    

    SHAREHOLDER DISTRIBUTION

    Dividend

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting 2025 authorizes the Board to resolve on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.14 per share to be paid in respect of the financial year 2024. The authorization would be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the authorization period, in connection with the quarterly results, unless the Board decides otherwise for a justified reason.

    Under the current authorization by the Annual General Meeting held on 3 April 2024, the Board of Directors may resolve on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.13 per share to be paid in respect of financial year 2023. The authorization will be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the authorization period, in connection with the quarterly results, unless the Board decides otherwise for a justified reason.

    On 30 January 2025, the Board resolved to distribute a dividend of EUR 0.03 per share. The dividend record date is 4 February 2025 and the dividend will be paid on 13 February 2025. The actual dividend payment date outside Finland will be determined by the practices of the intermediary banks transferring the dividend payments.

    Following this announced distribution of the fourth installment and executed payments of the previous installments, the Board has no remaining distribution authorization.

    Share buyback programs

    In January 2024, Nokia’s Board of Directors initiated a share buyback program to repurchase shares to return up to EUR 600 million of cash to shareholders in tranches over a period of two years. The share buyback execution started on 20 March 2024. On 19 July 2024, Nokia’s Board of Directors decided to accelerate the timeframe for the share buyback program with the aim of completing the full EUR 600 million program by the end of the year instead of the initial two year timeframe. The program was completed on 21 November 2024 and the repurchased 157 646 220 shares were canceled on 4 December 2024.

    On 27 June 2024, Nokia announced its intention to acquire Infinera in a transaction that valued Infinera at US$1.7 billion equity value with up to 30% of the consideration to be paid in Nokia American depositary shares (“ADSs”), depending on the elections of Infinera shareholders. To offset the dilution from the transaction to Nokia shareholders, on 22 November 2024 Nokia announced a new share buyback program targeting to repurchase 150 million shares for an aggregate purchase price not exceeding EUR 900 million. Under this share buyback program, by 31 December 2024, Nokia had repurchased 19 186 046 of its own shares at an average price per share of approximately EUR 4.14.

    OUTLOOK

      Full Year 2025
    Comparable operating profit(1) EUR 1.9 billion to EUR 2.4 billion (excluding any impact from pending Infinera acquisition)
    Free cash flow(1) 50% to 80% conversion from comparable operating profit (excluding any impact from pending Infinera acquisition)

    1Please refer to Alternative performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for a full explanation of how these terms are defined.

    The outlook, long-term targets and all of the underlying outlook assumptions described below are forward-looking statements subject to a number of risks and uncertainties as described or referred to in the Risk Factors section later in this report. release.

    Along with Nokia’s official outlook targets provided above, Nokia provides the below additional assumptions that support the group level financial outlook. Considering the pending Infinera acquisition along with the transfer of Managed Services from Cloud and Network Services to Mobile Networks (further details of this transfer are included in the Additional Topics section), Nokia is not currently providing assumptions by business group as it did previously.

      Full year 2025
    Group Common and Other operating expenses approximately
    EUR 400 million
    Comparable financial income and expenses Positive EUR 50 to 150 million
    Comparable income tax rate ~25%
    Cash outflows related to income taxes EUR 450 million
    Capital Expenditures EUR 550 million

    2026 TARGETS

    Nokia’s current targets for its existing perimeter of the business for 2026 are outlined below. This does not consider pending acquisitions. Nokia sees further opportunities to increase margins beyond 2026 and believes an operating margin of 14% remains achievable over the longer term.

    Net sales Grow faster than the market
    Comparable operating margin(1) ≥ 13%
    Free cash flow(1) 55% to 85% conversion from comparable operating profit

    1 Please refer to Alternative Performance measures section in Nokia Corporation Financial Report for Q4 and full year 2024 for a full explanation of how these terms are defined.

    The comparable operating margin target for Nokia group is built on the following assumptions by business group for 2026:

    Network Infrastructure 13 – 16% operating margin
    Mobile Networks 6 – 9% operating margin
    Cloud and Network Services 7 – 10% operating margin
    Nokia Technologies Operating profit more than EUR 1.1 billion
    Group common and other Approximately EUR 300 million of operating expenses

    ADDITIONAL TOPICS

    Progress on Infinera acquisition
    On 27 June 2024, Nokia announced a definitive agreement under which Nokia will acquire Infinera, a global supplier of innovative open optical networking solutions and advanced optical semiconductors. The acquisition process continues to proceed as expected. On 13 September 2024, the applicable waiting period under the US pre-merger review expired and the Department of Justice decided not to investigate the planned transaction. On 1 October 2024, Infinera shareholders approved the planned acquisition. On 7 October 2024, Nokia and Infinera received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). During the fourth quarter Nokia received many of the outstanding required approvals for the deal. At this point approval from the European Union and Taiwan, along with contractual closing conditions, are the major items outstanding to proceed to closing. Assuming the current target timelines, Nokia and Infinera now expect the deal to close during the first quarter of 2025.

    Nokia exercised NSB call option to simplify ownership structure in China

    Nokia and its joint venture partner China Huaxin have been together reviewing the future ownership structure of Nokia Shanghai Bell (NSB). Following those discussions, Nokia exercised its call option, outlined in NSB’s shareholders’ agreement, to initiate the process to become the sole shareholder by purchasing China Huaxin’s approximately 50% share in NSB. This will allow Nokia to simplify its ownership structure in China while Nokia remains committed to continue serving the local market.
    Since the creation of the joint venture Nokia has recorded a liability on its balance sheet based on the estimated future cash settlement to acquire China Huaxin’s ownership interest. The execution of the call option is subject to completing required steps under the shareholders’ agreement.

    Managed Services business transferred from Cloud and Network Services into Mobile Networks in 2025
    Nokia has moved its Managed Services business into Mobile Networks (MN), effective 1 January 2025. The Managed Services business provides outsourced network management of multi-vendor RAN networks for operators and since 2021 has been part of our Cloud and Network Services (CNS) business group. Considering CNS is increasingly transitioning towards cloud-native software sales, ‘as-a-service’ product offerings and helping customers to monetize networks through API’s, Nokia believes that this business is more aligned and fits better with its MN business. Based on 2024 results, this change is expected to lead to a transfer of approximately EUR 430 million of net sales and approximately EUR 40 million of comparable operating profit from CNS to MN. Nokia will provide recast financial information for 2024 for MN and CNS reflecting this change prior to Nokia’s Q1 financial results.

    RISK FACTORS

    Nokia and its businesses are exposed to a number of risks and uncertainties which include but are not limited to:

    • Competitive intensity, which is expected to continue at a high level as some competitors seek to take share;
    • Changes in customer network investments related to their ability to monetize the network;
    • Our ability to ensure competitiveness of our product roadmaps and costs through additional R&D investments;
    • Our ability to procure certain standard components and the costs thereof, such as semiconductors;
    • Disturbance in the global supply chain;
    • Impact of inflation, increased global macro-uncertainty, major currency fluctuations, changes in tariffs and higher interest rates;
    • Potential economic impact and disruption of global pandemics;
    • War or other geopolitical conflicts, disruptions and potential costs thereof;
    • Other macroeconomic, industry and competitive developments;
    • Timing and value of new, renewed and existing patent licensing agreements with licensees;
    • Results in brand and technology licensing; costs to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; on-going litigation with respect to licensing and regulatory landscape for patent licensing;
    • The outcomes of on-going and potential disputes and litigation;
    • Our ability to execute, complete, successfully integrate and realize the expected benefits from our ongoing transactions;
    • Timing of completions and acceptances of certain projects;
    • Our product and regional mix;
    • Uncertainty in forecasting income tax expenses and cash outflows, over the long-term, as they are also subject to possible changes due to business mix, the timing of patent licensing cash flow and changes in tax legislation, including potential tax reforms in various countries and OECD initiatives;
    • Our ability to utilize our Finnish deferred tax assets and their recognition on our balance sheet;
    • Our ability to meet our sustainability and other ESG targets, including our targets relating to greenhouse gas emissions;

    as well the risk factors specified under Forward-looking statements of this release, and our 2023 annual report on Form 20-F published on 29 February 2024 under Operating and financial review and prospects-Risk factors.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Certain statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect Nokia’s current expectations and views of future developments and include statements regarding: A) expectations, plans, benefits or outlook related to our strategies, projects, programs, product launches, growth management, licenses, sustainability and other ESG targets, operational key performance indicators and decisions on market exits; B) expectations, plans or benefits related to future performance of our businesses (including the expected impact, timing and duration of potential global pandemics, geopolitical conflicts and the general or regional macroeconomic conditions on our businesses, our supply chain, the timing of market changes or turning points in demand and our customers’ businesses) and any future dividends and other distributions of profit; C) expectations and targets regarding financial performance and results of operations, including market share, prices, net sales, income, margins, cash flows, cost savings, the timing of receivables, operating expenses, provisions, impairments, taxes, currency exchange rates, hedging, investment funds, inflation, product cost reductions, competitiveness, revenue generation in any specific region, and licensing income and payments; D) ability to execute, expectations, plans or benefits related to our ongoing transactions, investments and changes in organizational structure and operating model; E) impact on revenue with respect to litigation/renewal discussions; and F) any statements preceded by or including “anticipate”, “continue”, “believe”, “envisage”, “expect”, “aim”, “will”, “target”, “may”, “would”, “see”, “plan” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are based on management’s best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to them. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon our current expectations and views of future events and developments and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause these differences, include those risks and uncertainties identified in the Risk Factors above.

    ANALYST WEBCAST

    • Nokia’s webcast will begin on 30 January 2025 at 11.30 a.m. Finnish time (EET). The webcast will last approximately 60 minutes.
    • The webcast will be a presentation followed by a Q&A session. Presentation slides will be available for download at www.nokia.com/financials.
    • A link to the webcast will be available at www.nokia.com/financials.
    • Media representatives can listen in via the link, or alternatively call +1-412-317-5619.

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR

    • Nokia plans to publish its “Nokia in 2024” annual report, which includes the review by the Board of Directors and the audited annual accounts, during the week starting on 10 March 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its first quarter 2025 results on 24 April 2025.
    • Nokia’s Annual General Meeting 2025 is planned to be held on 29 April 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its second quarter and half year 2025 results on 24 July 2025.
    • Nokia plans to publish its third quarter and January-September 2025 results on 23 October 2025.

    About Nokia

    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia
    Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia
    Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: TGS Awarded Offshore Wind Site Characterization Contract in UK

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OSLO, Norway (30 January 2025) – TGS, a leading provider of energy data and intelligence, is pleased to announce the award of another offshore wind site characterization contract on the UK continental shelf. The contract has a total duration of approximately 30 days and the Ramform Vanguard will mobilize for the project in Q2 2025.

    Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, commented, “We are very pleased to secure more offshore wind site characterization contracts. Our geophysical approach for mapping the shallow subsurface layers with an ultra-high resolution 3D streamer is significantly more efficient than conventional site survey solutions. Energy companies value the shorter lead time we can offer to access high-quality data.”

    For more information, visit TGS.com or contact:

    Bård Stenberg
    VP IR & Communication
    Mobile: +47 992 45 235
    investor@tgs.com

    About TGS
    TGS provides advanced data and intelligence to companies active in the energy sector. With leading-edge technology and solutions spanning the entire energy value chain, TGS offers a comprehensive range of insights to help clients make better decisions. Our broad range of products and advanced data technologies, coupled with a global, extensive and diverse energy data library, make TGS a trusted partner in supporting the exploration and production of energy resources worldwide. For further information, please visit www.tgs.com (https://www.tgs.com/).

    Forward Looking Statement
    All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include volatile market conditions, investment opportunities in new and existing markets, demand for licensing of data within the energy industry, operational challenges, and reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: Will new $10,000 apprentice payments help solve job shortages in construction? Not anytime soon

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University

    In an election pitch last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced new incentive payments of $10,000 for eligible apprentices in residential construction.

    The federal government has committed to an ambitious target of building 1.2 million new homes over the next five years through the National Housing Accord. That means it urgently needs to boost Australia’s construction workforce.

    But a recent strategic review into incentives for Australian apprentices and trainees found cost-of-living pressures were a major barrier to apprenticeship entry and completion.

    Only about half of apprentices currently finish their apprenticeships.

    The new program has been touted as the federal government’s initial response. It will target 62,690 apprentices and cost $627 million.

    But previous attempts to attract new apprentices with cash payments have had mixed results. A similar 2023 scheme to get more tradies into “green jobs” only attracted about 2,200 sign-ups in the first year.

    There are also concerns the new scheme may have unintended consequences, such as diverting talent from important sectors of the new economy – including the previous “green jobs” scheme.




    Read more:
    There may not be enough skilled workers in Australia’s pipeline for a post-COVID-19 recovery


    How will it work?

    From July 1, eligible apprentices in the new Housing Construction Apprenticeship Program will receive five payments of $2,000 each: after six, 12, 24 and 36 months, and upon completion. The payments are staged to encourage apprentices to complete their training.

    Cash payments won’t be the only new financial incentive. There’ll also be a boost to the Living Away From Home Allowance to help cover the costs of relocating, while an increase in the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support payment provides financial support to employers who hire apprentices with disability.




    Read more:
    Albanese to promise $10,000 for apprentices in housing construction


    Will the scheme succeed?

    The government’s previous attempts to address chronic labour shortages through cash incentives have had mixed results.

    Introduced in 2023, the New Energy Apprenticeships Program also offers $10,000 in staged payments to apprentices in priority green roles, such as electric vehicle technicians.

    Despite 2,200 apprentices joining in the first year, the program was deemed too restrictive by the industry. That was despite employers themselves receiving $15,000 per apprentice (which is also what is proposed for the construction scheme).




    Read more:
    Yes, we know there is a ‘skills shortage’. Here are 3 jobs summit ideas to start fixing it right away


    As part of the strategic review, the Centre for International Economics was commissioned to conduct an international literature review. It found that financial incentives such as wage or training subsidies and incentives were only “somewhat relevant” to the Australian context, and there was mixed support, at best, for their effectiveness.

    A major factor behind the mixed results may be the crowding-out effect in economic theory.

    This suggests that increasing public spending (by giving financial incentives) could undermine the intended effect by reducing or even eliminating private-sector investment. And it does not address apprehension among employers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, about taking on more apprentices.

    More than six months after the government expanded eligibility for clean energy work, the green energy sector continues to face significant skills shortages.

    While these payments may help in the long run, their staggered nature over three years won’t provide immediate relief.

    The plan will likely only contribute to the government’s home-building targets by 2029, if and when more Australians enrol and complete their apprenticeships in the construction sector.

    Will this have effects outside the construction industry?

    More strategically, by shifting the focus from “new economy” industries outlined in the Future Made in Australia policy, this scheme risks weakening efforts to transform Australia’s economy.




    Read more:
    Australia has a new National Skills Agreement. What does this mean for vocational education?


    The cash incentive for apprentices in home-building comes at a time when there is intense global competition for skills in “new industries”.

    However, despite the many state and federal government initiatives for fee-free TAFE courses since the COVID pandemic, recently released data indicates a continued trend of long-term decline in Vocational Education and Training (VET) enrolments.

    Albanese was asked about the government’s commitment to technology and digital innovation, with increasing global competition in artificial intelligence.

    He responded by discussing the government’s commitment to the “new economy”.

    However, the construction sector has until now not been identified as an essential part of the new economy’s priority industries by the government.

    Instead, expanding incentives to construction apprentices marks a shift away from the priorities on green energy and new industries, and towards more traditional trades.

    The cash incentives could divert school leavers from considering apprenticeships in key future industries. That is something that schemes such as the new energy program were specifically designed to do in response to multiple skills and training reviews over the past two decades.

    So, despite the lack of evidence that cash incentives work, and the fact they may cause unintended effects, the proposed incentive payments appear to be a pitch addressing cost-of-living/cost-of-building concerns for the upcoming election.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Will new $10,000 apprentice payments help solve job shortages in construction? Not anytime soon – https://theconversation.com/will-new-10-000-apprentice-payments-help-solve-job-shortages-in-construction-not-anytime-soon-248446

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland News – Developers Urged to Act Swiftly as Auckland Council Plans Major Development Fee Increases

    Source: WarkWorth Web

    The Auckland Council is planning a considerable hike in development contributions, which are the monetary fees residential property developers pay to fund local infrastructure projects. These contributions, currently calculated over a 10-year timeframe, are proposed to be spread over 30 years, leading to significant cost increases for developers.

    The average development contribution in Auckland is projected to increase from $21,000 per lot to around $50,000 per lot. In some areas, such as Tamaki, the rise is even steeper, jumping from $31,157 to $119,000 per lot. The Inner Northwest region is set to see contributions soar from $25,167 to between $89,000 and $101,000 per lot.

    Troy Patchett, Director of Auckland residential development company Subdivide Simplified, expressed concern over these proposed changes. “This increase could halt housing developments. Many developers may struggle to pass these costs on to consumers, making some projects unfeasible. This could further restrict future development and worsen the housing shortage in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing city,” Patchett stated.

    Patchett also warned that the increased contributions could lead to fewer housing developments and place upward pressure on the value of existing properties.

    He strongly advises developers to submit their council applications as soon as possible. “If you can get your applications in before March, you should only need to pay the current development contributions and avoid this increase. Don’t delay starting your development projects,” he urged.

    The calculation of development contributions takes place when development applications are lodged, with this window expected to close around April.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Result of the Daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction held on January 30, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Tenor 1-day
    Notified Amount (in ₹ crore) 1,50,000
    Total amount of bids received (in ₹ crore) 1,17,354
    Amount allotted (in ₹ crore) 1,17,354
    Cut off Rate (%) 6.51
    Weighted Average Rate (%) 6.51
    Partial Allotment Percentage of bids received at cut off rate (%) NA

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2036

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why the WHO has recommended switching to a healthier salt alternative

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu, Scientia Lecturer, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    goodbishop/Shutterstock

    This week the World Health Organization (WHO) released new guidelines recommending people switch the regular salt they use at home for substitutes containing less sodium.

    But what exactly are these salt alternatives? And why is the WHO recommending this? Let’s take a look.

    A new solution to an old problem

    Advice to eat less salt (sodium chloride) is not new. It has been part of international and Australian guidelines for decades. This is because evidence clearly shows the sodium in salt can harm our health when we eat too much of it.

    Excess sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which affects millions of Australians (around one in three adults). High blood pressure (hypertension) in turn increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, among other conditions.

    The WHO estimates 1.9 million deaths globally each year can be attributed to eating too much salt.

    The WHO recommends consuming no more than 2g of sodium daily. However people eat on average more than double this, around 4.3g a day.

    In 2013, WHO member states committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025. But cutting salt intake has proved very hard. Most countries, including Australia, will not meet the WHO’s goal for reducing sodium intake by 2025. They WHO has since set the same target for 2030.

    The difficulty is that eating less salt means accepting a less salty taste. It also requires changes to established ways of preparing food. This has proved too much to ask of people making food at home, and too much for the food industry.

    There’s been little progress on efforts to cut sodium intake.
    snezhana k/Shutterstock

    Enter potassium-enriched salt

    The main lower-sodium salt substitute is called potassium-enriched salt. This is salt where some of the sodium chloride has been replaced with potassium chloride.

    Potassium is an essential mineral, playing a key role in all the body’s functions. The high potassium content of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the main reasons they’re so good for you. While people are eating more sodium than they should, many don’t get enough potassium.

    The WHO recommends a daily potassium intake of 3.5g, but on the whole, people in most countries consume significantly less than this.

    Potassium-enriched salt benefits our health by cutting the amount of sodium we consume, and increasing the amount of potassium in our diets. Both help to lower blood pressure.

    Switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death in large trials around the world.

    Modelling studies have projected that population-wide switches to potassium-enriched salt use would prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke) each year in China and India alone.

    The key advantage of switching rather than cutting salt intake is that potassium-enriched salt can be used as a direct one-for-one swap for regular salt. It looks the same, works for seasoning and in recipes, and most people don’t notice any important difference in taste.

    In the largest trial of potassium-enriched salt to date, more than 90% of people were still using the product after five years.

    Excess sodium intake increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can cause a range of health problems.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Making the switch: some challenges

    If fully implemented, this could be one of the most consequential pieces of advice the WHO has ever provided.

    Millions of strokes and heart attacks could be prevented worldwide each year with a simple switch to the way we prepare foods. But there are some obstacles to overcome before we get to this point.

    First, it will be important to balance the benefits and the risks. For example, people with advanced kidney disease don’t handle potassium well and so these products are not suitable for them. This is only a small proportion of the population, but we need to ensure potassium-enriched salt products are labelled with appropriate warnings.

    A key challenge will be making potassium-enriched salt more affordable and accessible. Potassium chloride is more expensive to produce than sodium chloride, and at present, potassium-enriched salt is mostly sold as a niche health product at a premium price.

    If you’re looking for it, salt substitutes may also be called low-sodium salt, potassium salt, heart salt, mineral salt, or sodium-reduced salt.

    A review published in 2021 found low sodium salts were marketed in only 47 countries, mostly high-income ones. Prices ranged from the same as regular salt to almost 15 times higher.

    An expanded supply chain that produces much more food-grade potassium chloride will be needed to enable wider availability of the product. And we’ll need to see potassium-enriched salt on the shelves next to regular salt so it’s easy for people to find.

    In countries like Australia, about 80% of the salt we eat comes from processed foods. The WHO guideline falls short by not explicitly prioritising a switch for the salt used in food manufacturing.

    Stakeholders working with government to encourage food industry uptake will be essential for maximising the health benefits.

    Bruce Neal receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and MTP Connect, for research on potassium-enriched salts. All funds are administered by UNSW Sydney and The George Institute for Global Health.

    Xiaoyue (Luna) Xu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Why the WHO has recommended switching to a healthier salt alternative – https://theconversation.com/why-the-who-has-recommended-switching-to-a-healthier-salt-alternative-248436

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Sales, Production, and Export Results for 2024 (January – December)

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Sales, Production, and Export Results for 2024 (January – December)

    Toyota City, Japan, January 30, 2025 Toyota Motor Corporation announces its sales, production, and export results for December 2024 as well as the cumulative total from January to December 2024, including those for subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. and Hino Motors, Ltd.

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock to Vote Against Kennedy Leading America’s Health Care System Following Concerning Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock to Vote Against Kennedy Leading America’s Health Care System Following Concerning Nomination Hearing

    During a Wednesday Senate Finance committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
    Senator Reverend Warnock’s questioning defended the importance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which employs over 10,000 hardworking Georgians
    Senator Reverend Warnock expressed concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “The CDC is an agency filled with hard-working, dedicated public health servants. They wake up every single day working to keep us safe. We don’t think often enough about their work because it’s easy not to celebrate folks who are protecting you from that which doesn’t appear because of the work that they’re doing”

    Watch Senator Warnock at Wednesday’s Senate Finance committee hearing  HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Finance committee hearing on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Senator Reverend Warnock (D-GA) pressed Kennedy on disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs and thousands of Georgia health care jobs.
    “Mr. Kennedy, you have compared the CDC’s work to Nazi death camps. You’ve compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic Church. You’ve also said that many of them belong in jail,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “For me, those are disturbing characterizations of the CDC workers that I know, who are trying to keep the American public safe every single day.”
    During the line of questioning, Senator Warnock also asked the nominee about the bureaucratic hoops many people in Georgia have to jump through in order to access health care. This line of questioning led to Kennedy admitting that people in these situations need health care as opposed to programs, like work requirements in Georgia, one of the many barriers to entry for Medicaid in the state.
    “A woman I think of all the time, her name is Heather. She’s a traveling nurse from Dalton, Georgia who falls into the Medicaid coverage gap. Heather experienced a series of small strokes leaving her unable to work full time. She’s dedicated her life to caring for patients, but now she can’t afford her own medical care out-of-pocket costs because she doesn’t make enough to qualify for tax credits to buy private insurance. What does Heather need? Does she need work requirements, or does she need access to health care so she can finally get healthy and get back to work?” Senator Warnock asked Kennedy.
    “The individual that you described would need healthcare and not a work requirement,” said Kennedy.
    Senator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. Last year, the Senator visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. In addition to pushing for solutions to close the coverage gap, Senator Warnock led a delegation of Georgia lawmakers in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide tools to Medicaid non-expansion states like Georgia to help them protect health care access for Medicaid enrollees who lose eligibility after the end of the public health emergency declaration. Senator Warnock made his first visit to Georgia’s legislative session as a U.S. Senator last year, highlighting the need to expand Medicaid for more than 640,000 Georgians.
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning  HERE.
    See below a full transcript of the exchanges between Senator Warnock and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “I want to talk to you first about the CDC, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I’m proud of the work that the CDC does, proud that it’s located in Georgia, with more than 10,000 employees in my state. If confirmed, you would be the cabinet secretary over the CDC. Representing HHS is about 29% of the federal budget, CDC is a part of that.
    “Do you agree that the CDC’s work is critical to Georgia, critical for our country, and the health of the entire world?”
    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK): Yes, Senator.
    SRW: Senator Isakson, my Republican predecessor would have agreed with that, bless his memory, he was a fierce advocate for the CDC, as am I. The CDC is an agency filled with hard-working, dedicated public health servants.
    “They wake up every single day working to keep us safe. We don’t think often enough about their work because it’s easy not to celebrate folks who are protecting you from that which doesn’t appear because of the work that they’re doing. So grateful for the work that the CDC employees do, some of them are members of my church. I saw that deep commitment firsthand when I visited the CDC just last summer.
    “Mr. Kennedy, you have compared the CDC’s work to Nazi death camps. You’ve compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic Church. You’ve also said that many of them belong, this is a direct quote, many of them belong in jail. For me those are disturbing characterizations of the CDC workers that I know who are trying to keep the American public safe every single day and as you are presented as the nominee for this position, I need to know, do you stand by those statements that you, you made in the past or do you retract those previous statements?”
    RFK: “Senator, I don’t believe that I ever compared the CDC to Nazi death camps. I support the CDC, my job is not to dismantle or harm the CDC, my job is to empower the scientists if I’m privileged to be confirmed.”
    SRW: “So, you retract those statements?”
    RFK: “I’m not retracting it. I never said it.”
    SRW: “Well, actually I have a transcript. Let me read your words, you said ‘That the institution CDC and the vaccine program is more important than the children that is supposed to protect and you know it’s the same reason we had a pedophile scandal in the Catholic Church it’s because people were able to convince themselves that the institution of the church was more important than those little boys and girls who were being raped’
    “That’s pretty provocative language you said in another statement to me ‘This is like Nazi death camp. […] What happened to these kids? 1 in 31 boys in this country, their minds are being robbed from them.”
    RFK: “I was not comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps, I was comparing the injury rate to our children to other atrocities and I wouldn’t compare the, of course, the CDC to Nazi death camps to any extent.
    “And any statement that I made has been interpreted that way, I don’t agree with that.”
    […]
    SRW: “It sounds like you stand by those statements?”
    RFK: “My objective is to support the CDC. There’s nothing I’m going to do that is going to harm CDC. I want to make sure that our science is gold standard science, that it’s free from that same government oversight investigation committee, and that the panels [… ] within CDC. I think 97% of the people on it had conflicts. I don’t believe that that’s right. I think we need to end those conflicts and make sure that scientists are doing unobstructed science.”
    SRW: “Last week the White House gagged HHS and the CDC, preventing them from communicating all important public health information to anyone. Including our allies in the United States and global disease prevention. Do you agree with that action?”
    RFK: “I was not consulted on it, but that’s pretty much standard operating procedure for the incoming administration.”
    SRW: “So you agree with the action that gagged HHS and CDC from communicating important public health information?”
    RFK: “That directive made sure that no use public health and only non-essential travel and mass communications were temporarily suspended, pending the confirmation of a new HHS secretary, this is standard operating procedure for administration.”
    SRW: “I don’t think what we’ve seen over the last several days is standard operation for a new administration. I think we’re seeing some unprecedented actions, but you agree with it.
    “Last night mem members of the CDC, along with other federal employees were actually invited to resign, these buyouts. I actually got text messages from folks I know from the CDC (who work) for the CDC that do this important work who got that note. It’s really important because my experience is that when you send out that kind of note, the folks who resign are the folks who you least likely want to see resign.
    “They got other options, they’re gifted folks, they’ve got a lot of expertise. A lot of them are doing this work because of their patriotism, because of their commitment. Do you agree with the buyouts that were presented to CDC employees just last night?”
    RFK: “I agree the vast majority of the scientists and experts at CDC are patriots and government servants.
    SRW: “Can you tell me yes or no? […] Ok, you agree with the buyouts.”
    “In our meeting, I asked you to confirm your support for the Affordable Care Act. You also mentioned that you and President Trump want to fix the ACA by making premiums more affordable.
    “Did you know that tax credits that help families afford health insurance and save George’s an average of $531 per month per person are set to expire at the end of the year? Did you know that?”
    RFK: “I do.”
    SRW: “Do you support Congress extending these tax credits so that Americans can continue to afford health care?
    *RFK gives non “Yes” or “No” response
    SRW: “I think that the fact that you find it difficult to answer basic questions is deeply troubling for me as you present yourself as a nominee to run HHS.
    SRW: “Based on our conversations, it’s my understanding that you support work requirements and Medicaid. In 2020, President Trump approved a proposal from Georgia state leaders requiring Georgians to jump through a number of onerous bureaucratic hoops and fill out even more paperwork, to verify work and get access to health care.
    “I asked this as someone who represents a state that has not expanded Medicaid, the federal government, because of this waiver, spent $70 million on Georgia’s Medicaid waiver. 82% of that went to administrative costs.
    “The point that I’m making is that the folks that they’re insisting need to work, 90% of those folks are working. They are caregivers or they have a disability.
    “Let me give you one example. A woman I think of all the time, her name is Heather. She’s a traveling nurse from Dalton, Georgia who falls into the Medicaid coverage gap. Heather experienced a series of small strokes leaving her unable to work full time. She’s dedicated her life to caring for patients, but now she can’t afford her own medical care out-of-pocket costs because she doesn’t make enough to qualify for tax credits to buy private insurance.
    “What does Heather need? Does she need work requirements, or does she need access to health care so she can finally get healthy and get back to work?
    RFK: “The individual that you described would need healthcare and not a work requirement.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Time to pull plug on banking wokery

    Source: ACT Party

    “So far, the inquiry into rural banking has not changed my suspicion that a cabal of woke banks is neglecting rural communities in the name of climate action,” says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron.

    “Banks are starving rural New Zealand of capital. Farmers have long complained they’re getting a raw deal on loans compared to their urban cousins. BNZ won’t even lend for people to set up or expand rural petrol stations.

    “Banks should be supporting Kiwi farmers. If they are concerned about emissions globally, they should be falling over themselves to lend to the most efficient dairy producers in the world, lest production shift offshore where farming activity creates more emissions.

    “The problem is that here we have banks acting in concert to virtue signal with anti-rural lending practices. This is in part thanks to their association with overseas umbrella organisations and the way banks are regulated.

    “Through the banks’ parent companies they are part of the UN’s Net Zero Banking Alliance, which was set up to change lending practices for the sake of climate goals. The six largest banks in the United States have all left the Net Zero alliance in the last few months. It’s time for banks in New Zealand to do the same. There’s been a political sea-change and there’s no longer an appetite for corporate virtue-signalling.

    “Meanwhile, the Financial Markets Authority imposes emissions reduction reporting on banks. In 2021, ACT was the only party to vote against the legislation that introduced these reporting requirements, warning that they could affect loans to farmers. We continue to support the repeal of these requirements.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-Evening Report: Even as the tide turned for fur, crocodile leather kept selling in high-end fashion. But for how much longer?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Lamarche-Beauchesne, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Enterprise, Torrens University Australia

    apple2499/Shutterstock

    Dotted across northern Australia are 21 saltwater crocodile farms, home to around 130,000 crocodiles. Their skins are turned into crocodile leather, long sought for use in luxury handbags, belts and other items.

    While fur lost favour due to welfare concerns about animals such as mink, chinchillas and arctic foxes raised for their skins, crocodile leather has kept selling. Australia dominates the global market of saltwater crocodile skins, producing almost 60% of all such skins traded internationally.

    But the industry now faces real headwinds. Major retailers and fashion events in Australia and internationally are phasing out or banning crocodile and other exotic skins due to growing concerns over animal welfare.

    The Northern Territory government’s crocodile farming plan acknowledges shifting consumer demand and increasing scrutiny as the industry’s largest threat.

    Most of the world’s crocodile leather comes from Australian farms.
    Venus Angel/Shutterstock

    Feathers, fur and now skins

    Early animal rights activists in the 19th century focused on feathers due to concern about the enormous environmental damage done by plume hunters killing ostriches and egrets. Only later did activists turn their focus to fur.

    In the early 20th century, countries such as the United States and Britain enacted bans or restrictions on feathers. In this century, sentiment has largely turned against wearing real fur, though faux fur and vintage fur are still popular.

    But even as feathers went out of fashion, new animal products were arriving. By 1928, exotic skins such as crocodile, alligator and snake began commercialisation in Europe and the US. By the 1970s, they were widely used in fashion.

    That looks to be changing.

    By 2026, department store David Jones will phase out all exotic skins, including ostrich, crocodile, alligator, lizard and snake. The move builds on the company’s existing animal welfare policies, which already prohibit the sale of fur, angora rabbit wool and foie gras (duck or goose liver).

    The 2025 Melbourne Fashion Festival will also ban exotic leathers, while London Fashion Week will be the first of the “Big Four” fashion weeks to follow suit.

    In recent years, the kangaroo leather industry has also come under pressure due to concerns over animal welfare. California banned it altogether, and a full US ban is under consideration.

    Feathers are also under increasing scrutiny, with fashion weeks in Copenhagen, Helsinki and Melbourne announcing feather bans starting this year.

    These decisions reflect a growing shift toward ethical fashion, driven by consumer demand and rising awareness of animal welfare.

    Fur has lost its appeal for many consumers.
    ChiccoDodiFC/Shutterstock

    Exotic leather, native species

    Crocodile leather is described as an “exotic” skin, even though saltwater crocodiles are native to Australia.

    Two-thirds of Australia’s skins come from the Northern Territory, while Queensland and Western Australia have smaller industries.

    Crocodile farms operate by harvesting eggs from the wild and raising the animals in captivity. In the wild, they are protected from hunting. But in farms, they are legally considered stock or production animals, which means they lose these protections.

    When we farm animals, it’s common to think of them as resources waiting to be used for our purposes.

    But the fashion backlash suggests another way of thinking is emerging. My research points to a more animal-centric perspective on how animal-derived materials are produced for fashion.

    Crocodile farms emerged as a way to protect these reptiles from being hunted to extinction. But the industry is now under increasing scrutiny.
    RWK007/Shutterstock

    From unregulated hunting to farmed crocodiles

    Skin hunters nearly drove the saltwater crocodile to extinction in Australia. An estimated 300,000 animals were killed for their skins between 1945 and 1970. Saltie populations fell as low as 3,000 animals before authorities acted.

    Freshwater crocodiles, too, were hunted for their skins from 1959. After both species were protected in the 1970s, their populations rebounded.

    Crocodile farming started in Queensland in 1972, and in the Northern Territory in 1979.

    In 1975, the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora on trading endangered animals came into effect, in part to regulate the trade of exotic animals in luxury products.

    But this agreement doesn’t rule out uses for fashion. As crocodile experts at the International Union for Conservation of Nature write:

    […] crocodile farming was seen not only as a way to reduce pressure on the wild populations, but also as a means through which commercial incentives for the conservation of crocodilians could be generated.

    As the website of one Australian crocodile farm states, crocodiles are a “natural renewable resource with considerable potential for sustainable commercial use”.

    By 2018, the crocodile farming industry was worth A$26.7 million to the Northern Territory’s economy. Around 100,000 juvenile crocodiles are raised annually on farms. The NT industry plans to expand in coming years, with a target of 50,000 skins annually.

    Trends in fashion heavily influence how crocodiles are farmed. While saltwater crocodiles can live up to 70 years in the wild, it takes three to four years for a crocodile to reach 1.5 metres, at which point their skins can make larger fashion items.

    But in recent years, crocodiles have been slaughtered at around two years. Their smaller skins are used for smaller accessories.

    Welfare concerns

    The crocodile farming industry promotes its sustainability and positive economic impacts on First Nations communities. But this has come under question in recent years, with the release of documentaries featuring ex-crocodile farm workers, while activists from the Farm Transparency Project flew drones over crocodile farms and released footage of slaughtering practices in an effort to increase scrutiny and draw media coverage.

    This image of a crocodile in a Northern Territory farm was taken by activists using a drone.
    Farm Transparency Project, CC BY

    Animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA have long opposed the practice.

    In 2023, the federal government announced an update of the code of humane treatment of wild and farmed crocodiles to incorporate new science and techniques, according to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. The updated code was expected late last year but has not been released.

    In response, NT Crocodile Farmers Association chief Jodi Truman said the industry “supports independent audits to ensure humane treatment”. She added:

    […] animal rights activists have made clear that they are against all farms and the farming of all animals.

    This drone image taken by animal activists shows the slaughter of crocodiles at a NT farm.
    Farm Transparency Project, CC BY

    What’s likely to happen?

    While commercial operators and governments plan to expand, there are now real barriers to the industry’s growth.

    For decades, animal derived products such as fur, feathers and leather have been prized in fashion. But consumers are increasingly less comfortable with how these products are made. That’s the thing about fashion – it changes.

    The author has previously been a member and lower-house candidate for the Animal Justice Party in Victoria.

    ref. Even as the tide turned for fur, crocodile leather kept selling in high-end fashion. But for how much longer? – https://theconversation.com/even-as-the-tide-turned-for-fur-crocodile-leather-kept-selling-in-high-end-fashion-but-for-how-much-longer-245471

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall to HHS Nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in Senate Finance Hearing: What Does Making America Healthy Again Look Like?

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. voted in support of President Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing today. 
    Senator Marshall highlighted America’s chronic disease epidemic and the impact ultra-processed foods have had on our national health. Additionally, Senator Marshall questioned RFK Jr. about the impact of his proposed initiatives on American agriculture.  
    As the founder of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Caucus, Senator Marshall has been vocal in his support of RFK Jr. and the MAHA movement. In his hearing, RFK Jr. emphasized his holistic approach to leading HHS and what making America healthy again means: increasing access to fresh foods, ensuring medical transparency, and supporting America’s farmers and ranchers by working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) every step of the way.
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks.
    Highlights from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Responses to Senator Marshall Include: 
    On RFK Jr.’s Vision to Make America Healthy Again: 
    “We’re having epidemics of all these chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, allergic diseases, obesity. When my uncle was president, 3% of Americans were obese. Today, 74% of Americans are obese or overweight. No other country has anything like this. In Japan, the obesity rate is still 3%.”
    “Epidemics are not caused by genes. Genes may provide the vulnerability, but you need an environmental toxin. Something is poisoning the American people, and we know that the primary culprits are our changing food supply – the switch to highly chemical-intensive processed foods.”
    “We don’t have good science on all these things, and that is deliberate. That’s a deliberate choice not to study the things that are truly making us sick, that are not only contributing to chronic disease, to mortalities, from infectious disease. We need to get a handle on this because if we don’t, it’s an existential threat.”
    “Our country is not going to be destroyed because we get the marginal tax rate wrong, or because we get one of these culture war issues that we’ve been talking about today wrong, it’s going to be destroyed if we continue down this trajectory of chronic disease. We need to fix our food supply, and that’s the number one.” 
    On RFK Jr. supporting America’s farmers and ranchers: 
    “What we need to do is we need to support the farmers. We need the farmers as partners if we’re going to make the MAHA work – and I don’t want a single farmer to go out of business under our watch.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Introduces Kelly Loeffler at Confirmation Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, introduced former Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), President Trumps’ nominee to lead the U.S. Small Business Administration, at her confirmation hearing.
    “As a small business owner for 15 years, I have great confidence in your ability to do the job. To my fellow members of this Committee, I hope that you’ll hear her out. But I’m also asking for you to vote for her, because it is time for us to right the ship to focus on the underserved communities around this country, and to make sure that every single zip code in this nation has strong, powerful small businesses,” said Senator Scott. “Because without small businesses, we will have high unemployment [and] low enthusiasm.”

    MIL OSI USA News