Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Breaks $10 Milestone by end of the year, GoldenMining Launches High-Yield Contract With $8700 Daily Returns

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, US, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As XRP surges past $3.50 and eyes the $10 milestone by year-end, GoldenMining officially announces the launch of its XRP Cloud Mining Contracts, offering investors a new way to earn stable daily income amid a rapidly changing market.

    Most investors just hold ETH, BTC or XRP, hoping that the price will rise-while dealing with market volatility and uncertain regulation. But the real question is whether to continue holding, reduce positions, or find a better and more balanced strategy? GoldenMining provides another solution

    At GoldenMining, users can turn assets into a continuous source of income by signing XRP cloud mining contracts. There is no need to configure any hardware, and there is no need to worry about price fluctuations during transactions. As long as you participate in the contract, you can get a stable daily income as the value of XRP rises.

    How to participate in the XRP contract

    The XRP cloud mining contract allows users to directly purchase cloud mining services with XRP, without having to purchase mining machines or deal with maintenance issues. After signing the contract, the GoldenMining platform will run the mining business on behalf of users, and users will automatically receive income on a daily basis. This means that you can easily participate and enjoy the benefits of mining without complicated operations or knowledge thresholds.

    XRP Contract Recommendations

    contract Investment Amount Contract Rewards Total income
    VOLCMINER D1 Lite $15 $0.6 $15.6
    Elphapex DG1+ $100 $3 $106
    Bitmain S23 Hyd $500 $32.5 $532.5
    AntminerL916GH $1000   $135 $1135
    L917GH $3000  $621 $3621
    ElphaPex DG Hydro1 $5000 $1400 $6400
    Elphapex DG2 – 25-Day  $8000 $2900 $10900
    Elphapex DG2+ – 30-Day $15000 $6750 $21750

    How to participate in XRP cloud mining contracts

    1. Register an account and get a $15 reward immediately without paying any fees. This reward can be used to test run XRP cloud mining contracts to help users quickly understand the platform operation and profit model

    2. Choose a contract that suits you

    Users can recharge XRP to the platform account through the wallet. The system supports a variety of mainstream cryptocurrencies: Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), SOL, Ripple (XRP), US Dollar (USDC), etc. Subsequently, users can choose the XRP contract that suits their needs (such as 2 days, 5 days, 12 days or longer periods), and the amount and term can be flexibly selected.

    3. After the contract is activated, the system will automatically settle the mining income into the account every day, without manual operation by the user, and the income can be generated within 24 hours and can be withdrawn or reinvested at any time.

    4. All contracts are fully managed by GoldenMining’s professional operation team. No hardware setup, electricity management or technical maintenance is required. SSL encryption, AIG-backed investment insurance, and fund custody by top financial institutions ensure the safety of user funds

    Although XRP is not a mineable asset, through the contract income mechanism, GoldenMining effectively simulates the process of obtaining digital asset income and provides investors with a stable and transparent way to participate. Against the backdrop of the continued strength of XRP prices, such contract products not only reduce the uncertainty caused by currency fluctuations, but also open up another stable income path for investors in addition to buying and selling transactions. With the continuous increase in market demand for stable income, such contract products are expected to become a new direction for digital asset allocation.

    For more information, please visit the official website: www.Goldenmining.com
    For business cooperation, please contact the official email: For more information, please visit the official website: info@Goldenmining.com

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Jason McFarland’s Story

    Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC

    Headline: Jason McFarland’s Story

    Jason McFarland – IADC President

    Jason McFarland (left) and his mentor, Ken Fischer, are pictured in Dubai while on a trip together in 2008.

    When I think about the importance of mentorship in our industry, one person is top of mind: Ken Fischer. Our professional relationship spanned decades, and he fundamentally shaped who I am today.

    Over Thanksgiving in 2008, Ken and I traveled to the UAE on IADC business, then to Oman for the IADC Well Control Middle East Conference. I was IADC’s VP of Membership at the time; I’d been working with Ken since 1996, a year after I started with our Association in what’s known today as the IADC Bookstore.

    We were staying at the Grand Hyatt Muscat Oman, and the hotel was hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for its American guests. Ken and I got our plates and sat out on the patio, and that’s when a seemingly ordinary moment changed the trajectory of my career and my life.

    After our meal, Ken pulled out a scrap piece of paper that had the cab driver’s phone number from the night before. He started drawing out a leadership assessment grid, listing key attributes like vision, leadership, management, and technical competency. Then, he began evaluating several individuals—including me—and grading them on each of these attributes.

    The exercise Ken drew out and the conversation that followed were straightforward, because that was Ken’s way, but they changed my life. There were two things that made this moment transformative for me.

    Most importantly, this was the first time anyone had pulled me aside and told me that they thought I had potential. He believed in me at a time when I didn’t yet believe in myself. He showed me that I have something to offer, even though it took me a while to fully believe what we discussed that day.

    Jason is pictured with Faisal, a representative from an IADC member company that hosted Jason and Ken in Abu Dhabi during their visit to the Middle East in 2008.

    Secondly, he provided a clear, honest roadmap for my personal and professional growth. We talked about my weaknesses and the areas I could improve in, which motivated me to take action.

    At the time of our conversation, serving as IADC’s president was simply nowhere on my radar. But I kept that piece of paper with me, a constant reminder of Ken’s wisdom and encouragement. Years later, in 2015, I was honored to be given an opportunity to serve as IADC’s President—a journey, I believe, that truly began with that simple but powerful conversation in Oman.

    A few years ago, I visited Ken at his ranch during his battle with cancer. I pulled out the same worn piece of paper from Oman. He was astonished I still had it, and I told him what a pivotal moment that had been for me. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to express to Ken how much he meant to me and what an impact he’d had on my personal and professional life before he passed away.

    Mentors like Ken don’t just guide careers—they change lives. They see potential in young professionals and nurture it with care, wisdom, and genuine belief. In our industry, these connections can be a truly invaluable resource.

    To everyone reading this: If you have a mentor who’s inspired you, tell them. Let them know how much you appreciate them and the impact they’ve had on you. And if you’re in a position to mentor others, don’t underestimate the profound impact you can have on someone with a simple, encouraging conversation.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Jason McFarland’s Story

    Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC

    Headline: Jason McFarland’s Story

    Jason McFarland – IADC President

    Jason McFarland (left) and his mentor, Ken Fischer, are pictured in Dubai while on a trip together in 2008.

    When I think about the importance of mentorship in our industry, one person is top of mind: Ken Fischer. Our professional relationship spanned decades, and he fundamentally shaped who I am today.

    Over Thanksgiving in 2008, Ken and I traveled to the UAE on IADC business, then to Oman for the IADC Well Control Middle East Conference. I was IADC’s VP of Membership at the time; I’d been working with Ken since 1996, a year after I started with our Association in what’s known today as the IADC Bookstore.

    We were staying at the Grand Hyatt Muscat Oman, and the hotel was hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for its American guests. Ken and I got our plates and sat out on the patio, and that’s when a seemingly ordinary moment changed the trajectory of my career and my life.

    After our meal, Ken pulled out a scrap piece of paper that had the cab driver’s phone number from the night before. He started drawing out a leadership assessment grid, listing key attributes like vision, leadership, management, and technical competency. Then, he began evaluating several individuals—including me—and grading them on each of these attributes.

    The exercise Ken drew out and the conversation that followed were straightforward, because that was Ken’s way, but they changed my life. There were two things that made this moment transformative for me.

    Most importantly, this was the first time anyone had pulled me aside and told me that they thought I had potential. He believed in me at a time when I didn’t yet believe in myself. He showed me that I have something to offer, even though it took me a while to fully believe what we discussed that day.

    Jason is pictured with Faisal, a representative from an IADC member company that hosted Jason and Ken in Abu Dhabi during their visit to the Middle East in 2008.

    Secondly, he provided a clear, honest roadmap for my personal and professional growth. We talked about my weaknesses and the areas I could improve in, which motivated me to take action.

    At the time of our conversation, serving as IADC’s president was simply nowhere on my radar. But I kept that piece of paper with me, a constant reminder of Ken’s wisdom and encouragement. Years later, in 2015, I was honored to be given an opportunity to serve as IADC’s President—a journey, I believe, that truly began with that simple but powerful conversation in Oman.

    A few years ago, I visited Ken at his ranch during his battle with cancer. I pulled out the same worn piece of paper from Oman. He was astonished I still had it, and I told him what a pivotal moment that had been for me. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to express to Ken how much he meant to me and what an impact he’d had on my personal and professional life before he passed away.

    Mentors like Ken don’t just guide careers—they change lives. They see potential in young professionals and nurture it with care, wisdom, and genuine belief. In our industry, these connections can be a truly invaluable resource.

    To everyone reading this: If you have a mentor who’s inspired you, tell them. Let them know how much you appreciate them and the impact they’ve had on you. And if you’re in a position to mentor others, don’t underestimate the profound impact you can have on someone with a simple, encouraging conversation.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces George Botic to Serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that it has designated George R. Botic to serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, effective July 23, 2025. Current PCAOB Chair Erica Y. Williams has resigned from the Board, effective July 22, 2025.

    “I thank Erica Williams for her dedicated service on the Board, and I look forward to working with George Botic as Acting Chair,” said SEC Chairman Paul Atkins.

    “I am honored to work with the SEC and the staff of the PCAOB as Acting Chair to ensure that we meet the mission established by Congress,” said Mr. Botic.

    Mr. Botic is a Certified Public Accountant and became a PCAOB Board Member on October 25, 2023. Prior to joining the Board, he served as the Director of the PCAOB’s Division of Registration and Inspections, where he oversaw the registration and inspection of all domestic and foreign accounting firms that audit public companies whose securities trade in the U.S., as well as all broker-dealer audits. He previously served in various roles at the PCAOB, including as its Director of the Office of International Affairs, Special Advisor to former Chairperson James R. Doty, and Deputy Director of the Registration and Inspections Division. Earlier in his career, Mr. Botic was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a graduate of Shepherd University and received a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech.

    The PCAOB was established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and oversees the audits of the financial statements of public companies, brokers, and dealers through registration, standard setting, inspection, and disciplinary programs. Under the Act, the Commission selects members and the Chairperson of the Board.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing for Chinese Government’s Benefit Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch and Detection

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.

    Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.

    According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year.

    The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.

    In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.

    Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.

    Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”

    Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.

    In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer. In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.

    Gong travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”

    According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.

    U.S. District Judge John F. Walter scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, at which time Gong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

    The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: TLGY Acquisition Corp. Announces Rescheduling of Conference Call Relating to its Business Combination with StableCoinX Assets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York , July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TLGY Acquisition Corp. (OTC: TLGYF) (“TLGY”), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with StablecoinX Assets Inc. (“SC Assets”), a newly-formed validator and infrastructure business supporting the Ethena ecosystem (the definitive agreement, the “Business Combination Agreement” and the transactions contemplated thereby, the “Transaction”). The combined company will be named StablecoinX Inc. (“StablecoinX” or the “Company”) and the parties will seek to have StablecoinX’s Class A common shares listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “USDE.”

    TLGY will discuss the proposed Transaction with securities analysts in a call tomorrow, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET. A webcast of the meeting will be available in a listen-only mode to individual investors, media, and other interested parties on TLGY’s website at www.tlgyacquisition.com under the “Events” section. This call has been rescheduled from the previously announced date and time.

    Important Information and Where to Find It

    In connection with the Transaction, StablecoinX intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”), which will include a preliminary proxy statement of TLGY and a preliminary prospectus of StablecoinX, and after the Registration Statement is declared effective, TLGY will mail the definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Transaction to its shareholders as of the record date to be established for voting at the Extraordinary General Meeting. The Registration Statement, including the proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, will contain important information about the Transaction and the other matters to be voted upon at the Extraordinary General Meeting. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the Transaction and other matters and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of such matters. TLGY and StablecoinX may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the Transaction. TLGY’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the Registration Statement, including the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, the amendments thereto and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the Transaction, as these materials will contain important information about TLGY, SC Assets, StablecoinX and the Transaction.

    TLGY’s shareholders and other interested persons will be able to obtain copies of the Registration Statement, including the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed or that will be filed by TLGY and StablecoinX with the SEC, free of charge, through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes certain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements with respect to the proposed Transaction include expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, plans, prospects, financial results or strategies regarding SC Assets, StablecoinX, TLGY and the proposed Transaction, statements regarding the anticipated benefits and timing of the completion of the proposed Transaction, the assets held by SC Assets and StablecoinX, the price and volatility of ENA, ENA’s growing prominence as an issuer of digital dollars on-chain, StablecoinX’s listing on any securities exchange, the macro, political and regulatory conditions surrounding ENA, the planned business strategy including StablecoinX’s ability to develop a corporate architecture capable of supporting its treasury initiatives and strategic stake in the Ethena Protocol, plans and use of proceeds, objectives of management for future operations of StablecoinX, the upside potential and opportunity for investors, StablecoinX’s plan for value creation and strategic advantages, market size and growth opportunities, regulatory conditions, technological and market trends, future financial condition and performance and expected financial impacts of the proposed Transaction, the satisfaction of closing conditions to the proposed Transaction and the level of redemptions of TLGY’s public shareholders, and StablecoinX’s expectations, intentions, strategies, assumptions or beliefs about future events, results of operations or performance or that do not solely relate to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to: the risk that the proposed Transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of TLGY’s securities; the risk that the proposed Transaction may not be completed by TLGY’s business combination deadline; the failure by the parties to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the proposed Transaction, including the approval of TLGY’s shareholders and the listing of StablecoinX’s securities on a national securities exchange at closing; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Transaction; the level of redemptions by TLGY’s public shareholders, which may reduce the public float of, reduce the liquidity of the trading market of, and/or impact the ability of, the shares of Class A common stock of StablecoinX to be listed in connection with the proposed Transaction; the insufficiency of the third-party fairness opinion for the board of directors of TLGY in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed Transaction; the failure of StablecoinX to obtain or maintain the listing of its securities on any securities exchange after closing of the proposed Transaction; risks associated with TLGY, SC Assets and StablecoinX’s ability to consummate the proposed Transaction timely or at all, including in connection with potential regulatory delays or impediments, changes in ENA prices or for other reasons; costs related to the proposed Transaction and as a result of becoming a public company; changes in business, market, financial, political and regulatory conditions; risks relating to StablecoinX’s anticipated operations and business, including the volatile nature of the price of ENA; the risk that StablecoinX’s stock price will be highly correlated to the price of ENA and the price of ENA may decrease between the signing of the definitive documents for the proposed Transaction and the closing of the proposed Transaction or at any time after the closing of the proposed Transaction; risks associated with TLGY, SC Assets and StablecoinX’s ability to consummate the proposed Transaction timely or at all, including in connection with potential regulatory delays or impediments, changes in ENA prices or for other reasons; risks related to increased competition in the industries in which StablecoinX will operate; risks relating to significant legal, commercial, regulatory and technical uncertainty regarding ENA; risks relating to the treatment of crypto assets for U.S. and foreign tax purposes; risks that after consummation of the proposed Transaction, StablecoinX experiences difficulties managing its growth and expanding operations; the risks that launching and growing StablecoinX’s ENA treasury advisory and services in digital marketing and strategy could be difficult; challenges in implementing StablecoinX’s business plan, due to operational challenges, significant competition and regulation; being considered to be a “shell company” by any stock exchange on which StablecoinX’s Class A Common Stock will be listed or by the SEC, which may impact StablecoinX’s ability to list its securities and restrict reliance on certain rules or forms in connection with the offering, sale or resale of securities; the outcome of any potential legal proceedings that may be instituted against StablecoinX, SC Assets, TLGY or others following announcement of the proposed Transaction, and those risk factors discussed in documents that StablecoinX and/or TLGY has filed, or will file, with the SEC. The foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of The Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that have been and/or will be filed by TLGY with the SEC from time to time, the Registration Statement that will be filed by StablecoinX and TLGY and the proxy statement/prospectus contained therein, and other documents that have been or will be filed by TLGY and StablecoinX from time to time with the SEC. These filings do or will identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither TLGY, SC Assets nor StablecoinX presently know or that TLGY, SC Assets and StablecoinX currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.

    Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and each of TLGY, SC Assets, and StablecoinX assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither TLGY, SC Assets, nor StablecoinX gives any assurance that any of TLGY, SC Assets, or StablecoinX will achieve their respective expectations. The inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by TLGY, SC Assets or StablecoinX or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.

    The terms of the proposed Transaction described in this press release, including any dollar-denominated figures or implied valuations, are based on information as of the date of the signing of the definitive Business Combination Agreement and assume no redemptions from the TLGY trust account. These terms are subject to change, including as a result of fluctuations in the price of ENA prior to closing of the proposed Transaction. There can be no assurance that the final terms at the closing of the Transaction will reflect the figures referenced herein.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release does not constitute (i) a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Transaction or (ii) an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase, any securities of TLGY, SC Assets, the combined company or any of their respective affiliates. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom, nor shall any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction be affected. No securities commission or securities regulatory authority in the United States or any other jurisdiction has in any way passed upon the merits of the Transaction or the accuracy or adequacy of this communication.
    Participants in the Solicitation

    TLGY, SC Assets, StablecoinX and their respective directors and officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of TLGY’s shareholders in connection with the Transaction. More detailed information regarding the directors and officers of TLGY, and a description of their interests in TLGY, is contained in TLGY’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on March 5, 2025, and is available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of TLGY’s shareholders in connection with the Transaction and other matters to be voted upon at the Extraordinary General Meeting will be set forth in the Registration Statement for the Transaction when available.
    Media Contacts

    StablecoinX
    press@stablecoinx.com

    TLGY Acquisition Corp.
    media@tlgycpc.com

    Ethena Foundation
    nate.johnson@augustco.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Yorkville Acquisition Corp. Announces the Separate Trading of its Class A Ordinary Shares and Warrants, Commencing on or about July 25, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mountainside, NJ, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yorkville Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: YORKU) (the “Company”) announced that holders of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering of 17,250,000 units, which includes 2,250,000 units issued pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option, completed on June 30, 2025 (the “Offering”), may elect to separately trade the Class A ordinary shares and warrants included in the units commencing on or about July 25, 2025. Any units not separated will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “YORKU”, and each of the Class A ordinary shares and warrants will separately trade on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbols “YORK” and “YORKW,” respectively. Holders of units will need to have their brokers contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company’s transfer agent, in order to separate the units into Class A ordinary shares and warrants.

    A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective on June 26, 2025 in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the anticipated date that the Class A ordinary shares and warrants may begin to trade separately and the ability for those units not separated to continue to trade on Nasdaq. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the registration statement and related prospectus filed in connection with the initial public offering with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

    About Yorkville Acquisition Corp.

    The Company is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company has not selected any specific business combination target and has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination. While the Company may pursue a business combination target in any business or industry, it intends to focus its search for businesses at the intersection of media, technology, and entertainment.

    Contact

    Yorkville Acquisition Corp.
    1012 Springfield Avenue
    Mountainside, New Jersey 07092 

    Kevin McGurn
    Chief Executive Officer
    Email: kjmcgurn@gmail.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: BCB Bank announces Daniel A. Araujo’s promotion to Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BAYONNE, N.J., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BCB Bank is proud to announce the promotion of Daniel A. Araujo to Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. This promotion is in alignment with BCB’s customer-first approach and dedication to organizational excellence.

    Mr. Araujo brings more than 20 years of industry knowledge and lending management experience to the Bank. Araujo is a highly respected industry veteran who brings a wealth of experience and an entrepreneurial mindset to the Bank.

    Prior to joining BCB Bank in 2023, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Real Estate Lending at Citizens Bank and Head of Portfolio Operations and Chief of Staff at Investors Bank (prior to the acquisition by Citizens’ Financial Group). In these roles, he led several of the Banks’ most critical lending initiatives—from integrating and implementing loan origination systems to helping ensure the safety and soundness of the organization through prudent credit practices.

    Since joining the BCB family, Mr. Araujo has been an integral part of the Bank’s overall credit evolution. Overseeing the implementation of a new loan origination system, the restructuring of departments, and the continued improvement of the overall lending process, all while focusing on perfecting the Bank’s customer service experience.

    In his new role, he will oversee credit policy, risk governance, and portfolio strategy across the Bank’s lending operations. Mr. Araujo will also continue to build strong cross-functional partnerships while enhancing the customer experience through strategic vision, collaboration, and exceptional leadership.

    “It is truly an honor to be in this position and have the ability to continue to work with this talented group of people,” said Araujo. “The commitment to producing an exceptional experience to our banking community will remain the same, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead our lending teams as we continue to grow, innovate, and look toward the future. It is only onward and upward from here. The best is yet to come.”

    “Dan has been a proven leader for our organization since he arrived,” said Michael Shriner, President/CEO of BCB Bank. “His extensive lending experience and industry knowledge will continue to help drive innovations and efficiencies within our lending areas and the Bank as a whole.”

    Please join us in congratulating Mr. Araujo on this well-earned promotion!

    About BCB Bank

    Established in 2000 and headquartered in Bayonne, N.J., BCB Community Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary of BCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCBP). The Bank has twenty-three branch offices in Bayonne, Edison, Hoboken, Fairfield, Holmdel, Jersey City, Lyndhurst, Maplewood, Monroe Township, Newark, Parsippany, Plainsboro, River Edge, Rutherford, South Orange, Union, and Woodbridge, New Jersey, and four branches in Hicksville and Staten Island, New York. The Bank provides businesses and individuals a wide range of loans, deposit products, and retail and commercial banking services. For more information, please go to www.bcb.bank.

    MICHAEL SHRINER, PRESIDENT & CEO JAWAD CHAUDHRY, EVP, CFO & TREASURER (201) 823-0700

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Directives issued to get more homes built in Oak Bay, West Vancouver

    Ministerial directives have been issued to the districts of Oak Bay and West Vancouver to continue helping the communities improve local processes and build more homes people need.

    This year, advisers were appointed in the districts of Oak Bay and West Vancouver to provide recommendations for what these councils can do to deliver more homes for people faster and improve affordability in their communities. Oak Bay and West Vancouver are two of the most unaffordable places in British Columbia.

    The Province consulted with the districts, which had 30 days to provide feedback about the proposed ministerial directives.

    Feedback from both districts helped inform the final directives, and they align with many current council initiatives.

    The directives to the District of Oak Bay are it must:

    1. amend its Development Application Procedures Bylaw to delegate minor development variance permits to municipal staff by Dec. 31, 2025; and
    2. amend its Parking Facilities Bylaw for sites containing multiple units, to a minimum of one parking stall per unit where the bylaw currently requires a minimum of more than one parking stall per unit, by Dec. 31, 2025.

    Additionally, Oak Bay must provide updates on work toward:

    • meeting the Dec. 31, 2025, deadline for updating its official community plan, with a focus on housing; and
    • amending its Building and Plumbing Bylaw in relation to blasting activities, in consultation with the development community.

    The directives to the District of West Vancouver are it must:

    1. amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw to increase density in the Park Royal-Taylor Way area by Dec. 31, 2025. The amendments must provide development regulations and an accompanying schedule that defines the area and provides for the minimum required densities;
    2. amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw to provide for increased density in the single-family and duplex prescribed areas adjacent to Ambleside and Dundarave, by Dec. 31, 2025; and
    3. adopt the proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan by Dec. 31, 2025.

    Additionally, West Vancouver must:

    • identify in future annual progress reporting the type of development applications and number of housing units considered and rejected under the Preliminary Development Proposal and Public Consultation Policy.

    Housing targets have delivered 16,130 net-new homes built across the first 30 priority municipalities since the legislation was passed in 2023. 

    Through a historic $19-billion investment, the Province has delivered 93,250 homes in B.C. since 2017, including more than 7,200 units in Greater Victoria and nearly 400 units in West Vancouver.

    Quick Facts: 

    • West Vancouver delivered 58 of its 220 net-new units Year 1 housing target.
    • Oak Bay delivered 16 of its 56 net-new units Year 1 housing target.

    Learn More:

    To view the directive letter to Oak Bay, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBay_Murdoch_Signed_Final.pdf

    To view the directive letter to West Vancouver, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/WestVan_Sager_Signed.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Tech Corp. Announces $5 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-The-Market Under Nasdaq Rules

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the purchase and sale of 14,285,718 shares of its common stock at a purchase price of $0.35 per share in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. In a concurrent private placement, the Company will issue unregistered warrants to purchase up to 14,285,718 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.35 per share that will be exercisable upon issuance and will expire five years from the effective date of the registration statement covering the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the unregistered warrants. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about July 22, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

    The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company, are expected to be approximately $5 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, which could include repayment of debt, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and the purchase of cryptocurrencies in accordance with the Company’s cryptocurrency investment policy.

    The common stock (but not the unregistered warrants and the shares of common stock underlying the unregistered warrants) described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-283284) that was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 26, 2024. The offering of the shares of common stock is being made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10022, by phone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at placements@hcwco.com.

    The unregistered warrants described above are being offered in a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying such unregistered warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act, or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the unregistered warrants and underlying shares of common stock may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company transforming the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements as to the completion of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s ability to regain and sustain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s continued listing standards and remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market; reAlpha’s ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha’s liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings against reAlpha; reAlpha’s ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha’s ability to successfully identify and acquire companies that are complementary to its business model; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; the inability of reAlpha to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets to fund its ongoing operations on acceptable terms and conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that might be instituted against reAlpha; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Cristol Rippe, Chief Marketing Officer
    cristol@realpha.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey, VP of Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Honors the Life and Contributions of Valued Board Member William H. Neukom

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the passing of William H. “Bill” Neukom, a distinguished member of Fortinet’s Board of Directors since 2013. During his tenure, Bill provided unwavering leadership, thoughtful guidance, and mentorship that anchored the company through years of significant growth.

    The Fortinet Board of Directors issues the following statement: “We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Bill Neukom. His contributions to Fortinet and to the technology industry are immeasurable, and he will be deeply missed as a friend and colleague across our entire organization. Bill embodied a combination of vision, intellect, and warmth. He brought extraordinary insight and dedication to every discussion, always rooted in integrity, accountability, and a deep commitment to people and purpose. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bill’s family, friends, and all those fortunate enough to have worked alongside him. He will be dearly missed and always remembered.” 

    Bill’s legacy extends far beyond Fortinet’s boardroom, bringing a lifetime of experience, including from his time at Microsoft, where he served as the company’s first general counsel, and as founder and CEO of the World Justice Project, a global nonprofit devoted to promoting the rule of law. His lifelong work elevated the importance of corporate responsibility, customer trust, and technology’s role in society. His leadership, character, and contributions will remain a lasting part of Fortinet’s legacy.

    About Fortinet (www.fortinet.com)
    Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTS), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

    Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: RBB Bancorp Reports Second Quarter 2025 Earnings and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.16 Per Common Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ:RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (the “Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as the “Company,” announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net income totaled $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share
    • Return on average assets of 0.93%, compared to 0.24% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net interest margin expanded to 2.92%, up from 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net loans held for investment growth of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized
    • Nonperforming assets decreased $3.6 million, or 5.5%, to $61.0 million at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million at March 31, 2025
    • Book value and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025

    The Company reported net income of $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.13 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income for the second quarter of 2025 included income from an Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) of $5.2 million (pre-tax), which was included in other income, offset partially by professional and advisory costs associated with filing and determining eligibility for the ERC totaling $1.2 million (pre-tax).

    “Another quarter of strong loan growth and stable loan yields drove increasing net interest income and margin expansion in the second quarter,” said Johnny Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of RBB Bancorp. “We also benefited from the receipt of a $5.2 million ERC in the second quarter. We continue to work through our nonperforming assets and remain focused on resolving our nonperforming loans as quickly as possible while minimizing the impact to earnings and capital.”

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income was $27.3 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $26.2 million for the first quarter of 2025. The $1.2 million increase was due to a $1.9 million increase in interest income, offset by a $698,000 increase in interest expense. The increase in interest income was mostly due to a $2.1 million increase in interest and fees on loans. The increase in interest expense was due to a $433,000 increase in interest on borrowings and a $265,000 increase in interest on deposits.

    The net interest margin (“NIM”) was 2.92% for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 4 basis points from 2.88% for the first quarter of 2025. The NIM expansion was due to a 3 basis point increase in the yield on average interest-earning assets, combined with a 1 basis point decrease in the overall cost of funds. The yield on average interest-earning assets increased to 5.79% for the second quarter of 2025 from 5.76% for the first quarter of 2025 due mainly to a 2 basis point increase in the yield on average loans to 6.03%. Average loans represented 85% of average interest-earning assets in the second quarter of 2025, as compared to 84% in the first quarter of 2025.

    The average cost of funds decreased to 3.14% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.15% for the first quarter of 2025, driven by an 11 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by a 75 basis point increase in the average cost of total borrowings. The average cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 3.66% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.77% for the first quarter of 2025. The overall funding mix for the second quarter of 2025 remained relatively unchanged from the first quarter of 2025 with total deposits representing 90% of interest bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits representing 17% of average total deposits. The average cost of borrowings increased as $150 million in long term FHLB advances matured during the first quarter of 2025, the majority of which were replaced and repriced at current market rates. The all-in average spot rate for total deposits was 2.95% at June 30, 2025.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    The provision for credit losses was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $6.7 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 provision for credit losses reflected an increase in general reserves of $1.5 million due mainly to net loan growth, and an increase in a specific reserve of $924,000 related to one lending relationship. The second quarter provision also took into consideration factors such as changes in the outlook for economic conditions and market interest rates, and changes in credit quality metrics, including changes in loans 30-89 days past due, nonperforming loans, special mention and substandard loans during the period. Net charge-offs of $3.3 million in the second quarter related to loans which had these specific reserves at March 31, 2025. Net charge-offs on an annualized basis represented 0.42% of average loans for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 0.35% for the first quarter of 2025.

    Noninterest Income

    Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2025 was $8.5 million, an increase of $6.2 million from $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 included other income of $5.2 million for the receipt of ERC funds from the IRS. The ERC was a grant program established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and these funds relate to qualifying amended payroll tax returns the Company filed for the first and second quarters of 2021.

    Upon receipt of the ERC funds, certain professional and tax advisory costs associated with the assessment and compilation of the ERC refunds became due and payable. These amounts totaled $1.2 million and are included in legal and professional expense in our consolidated statements of income for the second quarter of 2025. There were no such ERC amounts received or associated costs recognized during the first quarter of 2025 or the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The second quarter of 2025 also included a higher gain on sale of loans of $277,000 and recoveries associated with a fully-charged off loan acquired in a bank acquisition of $350,000, the latter included in “other income.”

    Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest expense for the second quarter of 2025 was $20.5 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $18.5 million for the first quarter of 2025. This increase was mostly due to higher legal and professional expense of $1.4 million, of which $1.2 million was attributed to the aforementioned ERC advisory costs, and a $437,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expenses. The increase in compensation includes higher incentives related to sustained production levels, the impact of annual pay increases, and approximately $330,000 in costs related to executive management transitions, offset by lower payroll taxes. The efficiency ratio was 57.2% for the second quarter of 2025, down from 65.1% for the first quarter of 2025 due mostly to higher noninterest income related to the ERC, partially offset by higher noninterest expense related to the ERC advisory costs.

    Income Taxes

    The effective tax rate was 27.8% for the second quarter of 2025 and 28.2% for the first quarter of 2025. 

    Balance Sheet

    At June 30, 2025, total assets were $4.1 billion, an $80.6 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $221.9 million increase compared to June 30, 2024.

    Loan and Securities Portfolio

    Loans held for investment (“HFI”) totaled $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $187.0 million, or 6.1%, compared to June 30, 2024. The second quarter of 2025 net loan growth included $182.8 million in new production with an average yield of 6.76%. The increase from March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a $57.3 million increase in single-family residential (“SFR”) mortgage loans, a $28.0 million increase in commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans, a $5.3 million increase in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans and a $2.7 million increase in commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans. The loan to deposit ratio was 101.5% at June 30, 2025, compared to 100.0% at March 31, 2025 and 100.9% at June 30, 2024. 

    As of June 30, 2025, available for sale securities (“AFS”) totaled $413.1 million, an increase of $35.0 million from March 31, 2025, primarily related to purchases of $68.0 million, offset by maturities and amortization of $33.0 million during the second quarter of 2025. As of June 30, 2025, net unrealized losses totaled $23.1 million, a $1.9 million decrease, when compared to net unrealized losses of $25.0 million as of March 31, 2025.

    Deposits

    Total deposits were $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $45.6 million, or 5.8% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $164.6 million, or 5.4%, compared to June 30, 2024. The increase during the second quarter of 2025 was due to a $29.9 million increase in interest-bearing deposits coupled with a $15.7 million increase in noninterest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest-bearing deposits included increases in time deposits of $59.5 million, offset by decreases in interest-bearing non-maturity deposits of $29.5 million. Wholesale deposits totaled $183.8 million at June 30, 2025, an increase of $25.3 million compared to $158.5 million at March 31, 2025. Noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $543.9 million and represented 17.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2025 compared to $528.2 million and 16.8% at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Nonperforming assets totaled $61.0 million, or 1.49% of total assets, at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million, or 1.61% of total assets, at March 31, 2025. The $3.6 million decrease in nonperforming assets was due to $3.3 million in net charge-offs and $1.7 million in payoffs and paydowns, partially offset by $1.4 million in additions from loans migrating to nonaccrual status in the second quarter of 2025. Nonperforming assets included one $4.2 million other real estate owned (included in “accrued interest and other assets”) at June 30, 2025 and March 31, 2025.

    Special mention loans totaled $91.3 million, or 2.82% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $64.3 million, or 2.05% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $27.0 million increase was primarily due to the addition of loans totaling $30.1 million and $1.6 million in balance increases, partially offset by the downgrade of two CRE loans totaling $4.0 million to substandard-rated loans and payoffs and paydowns totaling $660,000. As of June 30, 2025, all special mention loans were paying current.

    Substandard loans totaled $91.0 million at June 30, 2025, up from $76.4 million at March 31, 2025. The $14.6 million increase was primarily due to the downgrades totaling $20.6 million, partially offset by net charge-offs totaling $3.3 million and payoffs and paydowns totaling $2.7 million. Of the total substandard loans at June 30, 2025, there were $34.2 million on accrual status.

    30-89 day delinquent loans, excluding nonperforming loans, totaled $18.0 million, or 0.56% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $5.9 million, or 0.19% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $12.1 million increase was mostly due to $15.5 million in new delinquent loans, offset by $2.2 million in loans returning to current status, $798,000 in loans migrating to nonaccrual status, and $427,000 in paydowns and payoffs. The additions include an $8.5 million CRE loan that has since been brought current.

    As of June 30, 2025, the allowance for credit losses totaled $51.6 million and was comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.0 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 (included in “accrued interest and other liabilities”). This compares to the allowance for credit losses of $52.6 million, comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.9 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 at March 31, 2025. The $918,000 decrease in the allowance for credit losses for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net charge-offs of $3.3 million, offset by a $2.4 million provision for credit losses. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans HFI decreased to 1.58% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.65% at March 31, 2025, due mainly to net charge-offs of amounts included in specific reserves at March 31, 2025. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of nonperforming loans HFI was 90% at June 30, 2025, an increase from 86% at March 31, 2025. 

      For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2025     For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025  
    (dollars in thousands) Allowance
    for
    loan losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan commitments
        Allowance
    for
    credit losses
        Allowance
    for loan
    losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan
    commitments
        Allowance
    for credit
    losses
     
    Beginning balance $ 51,932     $ 629     $ 52,561     $ 47,729     $ 729     $ 48,458  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses   2,387             2,387       9,233       (100 )     9,133  
    Less loans charged-off   (3,339 )           (3,339 )     (6,065 )           (6,065 )
    Recoveries on loans charged-off   34             34       117             117  
    Ending balance $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643     $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643  
     

    Shareholders’ Equity

    At June 30, 2025, total shareholders’ equity was $517.7 million, a $7.3 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $6.4 million increase compared to June 30, 2024. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net income of $9.3 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $1.3 million and equity compensation activity of $1.1 million, offset by common stock cash dividends paid totaling $2.9 million and common stock repurchases totaling $1.5 million. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the last twelve months was due to net income of $23.0 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $4.9 million, and equity compensation activity of $2.5 million, offset by common stock repurchases totaling $12.5 million and common stock cash dividends paid totaling $11.5 million. Book value per share and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025 and up from $28.12 and $24.06 at June 30, 2024.

    Dividend Announcement

    The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per common share. The dividend is payable on August 12, 2025 to shareholders of record on July 31, 2025.

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Corporate Overview

    RBB Bancorp is a community-based financial holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of June 30, 2025, the Company had total assets of $4.1 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominately to the Asian-centric communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Ventura County in California, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York, in Edison, New Jersey, in the Chicago neighborhoods of Chinatown and Bridgeport, Illinois, and on Oahu, Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.

    Conference Call

    Management will hold a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time/2:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to discuss the Company’s second quarter 2025 financial results.

    To listen to the conference call, please dial 1-888-506-0062 or 1-973-528-0011, the Participant ID code is 710803, conference ID RBBQ225. A replay of the call will be made available at 1-877-481-4010 or 1-919-882-2331, the passcode is 52690, approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call and will remain available through August 05, 2025.

    The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; please visit our Royal Business Bank website at www.royalbusinessbankusa.com and click on the “Investors” tab to access the call from the site. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on our website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call.

    Disclosure

    This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial disclosures for tangible common equity and tangible assets and adjusted earnings. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance. Please refer to the tables at the end of this release for a presentation of performance ratios in accordance with GAAP and a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures.

    Safe Harbor

    Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the United States (U.S.) federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic or foreign financial markets; the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; failure to comply with debt covenants; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, including direct and indirect costs and impacts on clients, the Company and its employees from the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires; or other adverse external events could harm our business; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; tariffs, trade policies, and related tensions, which could impact our clients, specific industry sectors, and/or broader economic conditions and financial market; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; adverse results in legal proceedings; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system and increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the impact of changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate and the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessments; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.

    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      June 30,     March 31,     December 31,     September 30,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024     2024     2024  
    Assets                                      
    Cash and due from banks $ 27,338     $ 25,315     $ 27,747     $ 26,388     $ 23,313  
    Interest-earning deposits with financial institutions   164,514       213,508       229,998       323,002       229,456  
    Cash and cash equivalents   191,852       238,823       257,745       349,390       252,769  
    Interest-earning time deposits with financial institutions   600       600       600       600       600  
    Investment securities available for sale   413,142       378,188       420,190       305,666       325,582  
    Investment securities held to maturity   4,186       5,188       5,191       5,195       5,200  
    Loans held for sale         655       11,250       812       3,146  
    Loans held for investment   3,234,695       3,143,063       3,053,230       3,091,896       3,047,712  
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )     (51,932 )     (47,729 )     (43,685 )     (41,741 )
    Net loans held for investment   3,183,681       3,091,131       3,005,501       3,048,211       3,005,971  
    Premises and equipment, net   23,945       24,308       24,601       24,839       25,049  
    Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock   15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000  
    Cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance   61,111       60,699       60,296       59,889       59,486  
    Goodwill   71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498  
    Servicing assets   6,482       6,766       6,985       7,256       7,545  
    Core deposit intangibles   1,667       1,839       2,011       2,194       2,394  
    Right-of-use assets   25,554       26,779       28,048       29,283       30,530  
    Accrued interest and other assets   91,322       87,926       83,561       70,644       63,416  
    Total assets $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    Liabilities and shareholders’ equity                                      
    Deposits:                                      
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885     $ 528,205     $ 563,012     $ 543,623     $ 542,971  
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       721,216       663,034       666,089       647,770  
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   1,010,674       1,000,106       1,007,452       1,052,462       1,014,189  
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   941,993       893,101       850,291       830,010       818,675  
    Total deposits   3,188,231       3,142,628       3,083,789       3,092,184       3,023,605  
    FHLB advances   180,000       160,000       200,000       200,000       150,000  
    Long-term debt, net of issuance costs   119,720       119,624       119,529       119,433       119,338  
    Subordinated debentures   15,265       15,211       15,156       15,102       15,047  
    Lease liabilities – operating leases   27,294       28,483       29,705       30,880       32,087  
    Accrued interest and other liabilities   41,877       33,148       36,421       23,150       16,818  
    Total liabilities   3,572,387       3,499,094       3,484,600       3,480,749       3,356,895  
    Shareholders’ equity:                                      
    Common stock   259,863       260,284       259,957       259,280       266,160  
    Additional paid-in capital   3,579       3,360       3,645       3,520       3,456  
    Retained earnings   270,152       263,885       264,460       262,946       262,518  
    Non-controlling interest   72       72       72       72       72  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net   (16,013 )     (17,295 )     (20,257 )     (16,090 )     (20,915 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   517,653       510,306       507,877       509,728       511,291  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended     For the Six Months Ended  
      June 30,
    2025
        March 31,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
        June 30,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
     
    Interest and dividend income:                                      
    Interest and fees on loans $ 47,687     $ 45,621     $ 45,320     $ 93,308     $ 90,867  
    Interest on interest-earning deposits   1,750       2,014       3,353       3,764       8,393  
    Interest on investment securities   4,213       4,136       3,631       8,349       7,242  
    Dividend income on FHLB stock   324       330       327       654       658  
    Interest on federal funds sold and other   231       235       255       466       521  
    Total interest and dividend income   54,205       52,336       52,886       106,541       107,681  
    Interest expense:                                      
    Interest on savings deposits, NOW and money market accounts   4,567       4,468       4,953       9,035       9,431  
    Interest on time deposits   19,250       19,084       21,850       38,334       45,172  
    Interest on long-term debt and subordinated debentures   1,634       1,632       1,679       3,266       3,358  
    Interest on FHLB advances   1,420       989       439       2,409       878  
    Total interest expense   26,871       26,173       28,921       53,044       58,839  
    Net interest income before provision for credit losses   27,334       26,163       23,965       53,497       48,842  
    Provision for credit losses   2,387       6,746       557       9,133       557  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   24,947       19,417       23,408       44,364       48,285  
    Noninterest income:                                      
    Service charges and fees   1,060       1,017       1,064       2,077       2,056  
    Gain on sale of loans   358       81       451       439       763  
    Loan servicing fees, net of amortization   541       588       579       1,129       1,168  
    Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance   411       403       385       814       767  
    Gain on OREO               292             1,016  
    Other income   6,108       206       717       6,314       1,090  
    Total noninterest income   8,478       2,295       3,488       10,773       6,860  
    Noninterest expense:                                      
    Salaries and employee benefits   11,080       10,643       9,533       21,723       19,460  
    Occupancy and equipment expenses   2,377       2,407       2,439       4,784       4,882  
    Data processing   1,713       1,602       1,466       3,315       2,886  
    Legal and professional   2,904       1,515       1,260       4,419       2,140  
    Office expenses   405       408       352       813       708  
    Marketing and business promotion   212       197       189       409       361  
    Insurance and regulatory assessments   709       730       981       1,439       1,963  
    Core deposit premium   172       172       201       344       402  
    Other expenses   921       848       703       1,769       1,291  
    Total noninterest expense   20,493       18,522       17,124       39,015       34,093  
    Income before income taxes   12,932       3,190       9,772       16,122       21,052  
    Income tax expense   3,599       900       2,527       4,499       5,771  
    Net income $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
                                           
    Net income per share                                      
    Basic $ 0.53     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.66     $ 0.83  
    Diluted $ 0.52     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.65     $ 0.82  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.32     $ 0.32  
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding                                      
    Basic   17,746,607       17,727,712       18,375,970       17,737,212       18,488,623  
    Diluted   17,797,735       17,770,588       18,406,897       17,784,237       18,529,299  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended  
      June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                                                      
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 163,838     $ 1,980       4.85 %   $ 194,236     $ 2,249       4.70 %   $ 255,973     $ 3,608       5.67 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       324       8.66 %     15,000       330       8.92 %     15,000       327       8.77 %
    Securities                                                                      
    Available for sale(2)   399,414       4,189       4.21 %     390,178       4,113       4.28 %     318,240       3,608       4.56 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,028       48       3.83 %     5,189       49       3.83 %     5,203       46       3.56 %
    Total loans(3)   3,171,570       47,687       6.03 %     3,079,224       45,621       6.01 %     3,017,050       45,320       6.04 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,754,850     $ 54,228       5.79 %     3,683,827     $ 52,362       5.76 %     3,611,466     $ 52,909       5.89 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   254,029                       260,508                       240,016                  
    Total average assets $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
                                                                           
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    NOW $ 66,755       368       2.21 %   $ 61,222     $ 321       2.13 %   $ 56,081     $ 276       1.98 %
    Money market   482,669       3,774       3.14 %     463,443       3,625       3.17 %     431,559       3,877       3.61 %
    Saving deposits   141,411       425       1.21 %     155,116       522       1.36 %     164,913       800       1.95 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   996,249       9,768       3.93 %     989,622       10,046       4.12 %     1,049,666       12,360       4.74 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   922,540       9,482       4.12 %     864,804       9,038       4.24 %     772,255       9,490       4.94 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,609,624       23,817       3.66 %     2,534,207       23,552       3.77 %     2,474,474       26,803       4.36 %
    FHLB advances   159,286       1,420       3.58 %     176,833       989       2.27 %     150,000       439       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,657       1,296       4.34 %     119,562       1,295       4.39 %     119,275       1,296       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,230       338       8.90 %     15,175       337       9.01 %     15,011       383       10.26 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,903,797       26,871       3.71 %     2,845,777       26,173       3.73 %     2,758,760       28,921       4.22 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   526,113                       520,145                       529,450                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,278                       66,151                       51,087                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   591,391                       586,296                       580,537                  
    Shareholders’ equity   513,691                       512,262                       512,185                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 27,357       2.08 %           $ 26,189       2.03 %           $ 23,988       1.67 %
    Net interest margin                   2.92 %                     2.88 %                     2.67 %
                                                                           
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,135,737     $ 23,817       3.05 %   $ 3,054,352     $ 23,552       3.13 %   $ 3,003,924     $ 26,803       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,429,910     $ 26,871       3.14 %   $ 3,365,922     $ 26,173       3.15 %   $ 3,288,210     $ 28,921       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      Six Months Ended June 30,  
      2025     2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                              
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 178,953     $ 4,230       4.77 %   $ 310,476     $ 8,914       5.77 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       654       8.79 %     15,000       658       8.82 %
    Securities                                              
    Available for sale(2)   394,822       8,302       4.24 %     319,127       7,197       4.54 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,108       97       3.83 %     5,205       94       3.63 %
    Total loans(3)   3,125,652       93,308       6.02 %     3,017,737       90,867       6.06 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,719,535     $ 106,591       5.78 %     3,667,545     $ 107,730       5.91 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   257,250                       243,178                  
    Total average assets $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
                                                   
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                              
    NOW $ 64,004       689       2.17 %   $ 57,513     $ 574       2.01 %
    Money market   473,109       7,399       3.15 %     421,655       7,403       3.53 %
    Saving deposits   148,225       947       1.29 %     161,070       1,454       1.82 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   992,954       19,815       4.02 %     1,112,735       26,165       4.73 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   893,832       18,519       4.18 %     778,713       19,007       4.91 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,572,124       47,369       3.71 %     2,531,686       54,603       4.34 %
    FHLB advances   168,011       2,409       2.89 %     150,000       878       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,610       2,591       4.37 %     119,228       2,591       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,203       675       8.95 %     14,984       767       10.29 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,874,948       53,044       3.72 %     2,815,898       58,839       4.20 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                              
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   523,145                       528,898                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,711                       53,441                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   588,856                       582,339                  
    Shareholders’ equity   512,981                       512,486                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 53,547       2.06 %           $ 48,891       1.71 %
    Net interest margin                   2.90 %                     2.68 %
                                                   
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,095,269     $ 47,369       3.09 %   $ 3,060,584     $ 54,603       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,398,093     $ 53,044       3.15 %   $ 3,344,796     $ 58,839       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
      At or for the Three Months Ended     At or for the Six Months Ended June 30,  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,                  
      2025     2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Per share data (common stock)                                      
    Book value $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12     $ 29.25     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value(1) $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06     $ 25.11     $ 24.06  
    Performance ratios                                      
    Return on average assets, annualized   0.93 %     0.24 %     0.76 %     0.59 %     0.79 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized(1)   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %
    Noninterest income to average assets, annualized   0.85 %     0.24 %     0.36 %     0.55 %     0.35 %
    Noninterest expense to average assets, annualized   2.05 %     1.90 %     1.79 %     1.98 %     1.75 %
    Yield on average earning assets   5.79 %     5.76 %     5.89 %     5.78 %     5.91 %
    Yield on average loans   6.03 %     6.01 %     6.04 %     6.02 %     6.06 %
    Cost of average total deposits(2)   3.05 %     3.13 %     3.59 %     3.09 %     3.59 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing deposits   3.66 %     3.77 %     4.36 %     3.71 %     4.34 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   3.71 %     3.73 %     4.22 %     3.72 %     4.20 %
    Net interest spread   2.08 %     2.03 %     1.67 %     2.06 %     1.71 %
    Net interest margin   2.92 %     2.88 %     2.67 %     2.90 %     2.68 %
    Efficiency ratio(3)   57.22 %     65.09 %     62.38 %     60.70 %     61.21 %
    Common stock dividend payout ratio   30.19 %     123.08 %     41.03 %     48.48 %     38.55 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non–GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    (2 ) Total deposits include non-interest bearing deposits and interest-bearing deposits.
    (3 ) Ratio calculated by dividing noninterest expense by the sum of net interest income before provision for credit losses and noninterest income.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      At or for the quarter ended  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024  
    Credit Quality Data:                      
    Special mention loans $ 91,317     $ 64,279     $ 19,520  
    Special mention loans to total loans HFI   2.82 %     2.05 %     0.64 %
    Substandard loans $ 91,019     $ 76,372     $ 63,076  
    Substandard loans to total loans HFI   2.81 %     2.43 %     2.07 %
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans $ 18,003     $ 5,927     $ 11,270  
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans, to total loans   0.56 %     0.19 %     0.37 %
    Nonperforming loans $ 56,817     $ 60,380     $ 54,589  
    OREO $ 4,170     $ 4,170     $  
    Nonperforming assets $ 60,987     $ 64,550     $ 54,589  
    Nonperforming loans to total loans HFI   1.76 %     1.92 %     1.79 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets   1.49 %     1.61 %     1.41 %
                           
    Allowance for loan losses $ 51,014     $ 51,932     $ 41,741  
    Allowance for loan losses to total loans HFI   1.58 %     1.65 %     1.37 %
    Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans HFI   89.79 %     86.01 %     76.46 %
    Net charge-offs $ 3,305     $ 2,643     $ 551  
    Net charge-offs to average loans   0.42 %     0.35 %     0.07 %
                           
    Capitalratios(1)                      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets(2)   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Tier 1 leverage ratio   12.04 %     12.07 %     12.48 %
    Tier 1 common capital to risk-weighted assets   17.61 %     17.87 %     18.89 %
    Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets   18.17 %     18.45 %     19.50 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets   24.00 %     24.42 %     25.67 %

    ___________

    (1 ) June 30, 2025 capital ratios are preliminary.
    (2 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non-GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
    Loan Portfolio Detail As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $     %     $     %  
    Loans:                                          
    Commercial and industrial $ 138,263       4.3 %   $ 135,538       4.3 %   $ 126,649       4.2 %
    SBA   55,984       1.7 %     50,651       1.6 %     50,323       1.7 %
    Construction and land development   157,970       4.9 %     158,883       5.1 %     202,459       6.6 %
    Commercial real estate(1)   1,273,442       39.4 %     1,245,402       39.6 %     1,190,207       39.1 %
    Single-family residential mortgages   1,603,114       49.6 %     1,545,822       49.2 %     1,467,802       48.2 %
    Other loans   5,922       0.1 %     6,767       0.2 %     10,272       0.2 %
    Total loans $ 3,234,695       100.0 %   $ 3,143,063       100.0 %   $ 3,047,712       100.0 %
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )         (51,932 )             (41,741 )        
    Total loans, net $ 3,183,681         $ 3,091,131             $ 3,005,971          

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes non-farm and non-residential loans, multi-family residential loans and non-owner occupied single family residential loans.
    Deposits As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $   %     $   %  
    Deposits:                                          
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885       17.1 %   $ 528,205       16.8 %   $ 542,971       18.0 %
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       21.7 %     721,216       22.9 %     647,770       21.4 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   848,379       26.6 %     863,962       27.5 %     921,712       30.5 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   920,481       28.8 %     870,708       27.8 %     790,478       26.1 %
    Wholesale deposits(1)   183,807       5.8 %     158,537       5.0 %     120,674       4.0 %
    Total deposits $ 3,188,231       100.0 %   $ 3,142,628       100.0 %   $ 3,023,605       100.0 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes brokered deposits, collateralized deposits from the State of California, and deposits acquired through internet listing services.

    Non-GAAP Reconciliations

    Tangible Book Value Reconciliations

    Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP disclosure. Management measures tangible book value per share to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as additional tools for further understanding our performance. The following is a reconciliation of tangible book value to the Company shareholders’ equity computed in accordance with GAAP, as well as a calculation of tangible book value per share as of as of the dates indicated.

                         
    (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
    Tangible common equity:                      
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 517,653     $ 510,306     $ 511,291  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible common equity $ 444,488     $ 436,969     $ 437,399  
    Tangible assets:                      
    Total assets-GAAP $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,868,186  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible assets $ 4,016,875     $ 3,936,063     $ 3,794,294  
    Common shares outstanding   17,699,091       17,738,628       18,182,154  
    Common equity to assets ratio   12.66 %     12.73 %     13.22 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Book value per share $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value per share $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06  

    Return on Average Tangible Common Equity

    Management measures return on average tangible common equity (“ROATCE”) to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding our performance. Tangible equity excludes goodwill and other intangible assets (excluding mortgage servicing rights) and is reviewed by banking and financial institution regulators when assessing a financial institution’s capital adequacy. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. The following table reconciles ROATCE to its most comparable GAAP measure:

      Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended June 30,  
    (dollars in thousands) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024     2025     2024  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
    Average shareholders’ equity   513,691       512,262       512,185       512,981       512,486  
    Adjustments:                                      
    Average goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Average core deposit intangible   (1,780 )     (1,951 )     (2,525 )     (1,865 )     (2,625 )
    Adjusted average tangible common equity $ 440,413     $ 438,813     $ 438,162     $ 439,618     $ 438,363  
    Return on average common equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: RBB Bancorp Reports Second Quarter 2025 Earnings and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.16 Per Common Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ:RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (the “Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as the “Company,” announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net income totaled $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share
    • Return on average assets of 0.93%, compared to 0.24% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net interest margin expanded to 2.92%, up from 2.88% for the quarter ended March 31, 2025
    • Net loans held for investment growth of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized
    • Nonperforming assets decreased $3.6 million, or 5.5%, to $61.0 million at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million at March 31, 2025
    • Book value and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025

    The Company reported net income of $9.3 million, or $0.52 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.13 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income for the second quarter of 2025 included income from an Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) of $5.2 million (pre-tax), which was included in other income, offset partially by professional and advisory costs associated with filing and determining eligibility for the ERC totaling $1.2 million (pre-tax).

    “Another quarter of strong loan growth and stable loan yields drove increasing net interest income and margin expansion in the second quarter,” said Johnny Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of RBB Bancorp. “We also benefited from the receipt of a $5.2 million ERC in the second quarter. We continue to work through our nonperforming assets and remain focused on resolving our nonperforming loans as quickly as possible while minimizing the impact to earnings and capital.”

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income was $27.3 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $26.2 million for the first quarter of 2025. The $1.2 million increase was due to a $1.9 million increase in interest income, offset by a $698,000 increase in interest expense. The increase in interest income was mostly due to a $2.1 million increase in interest and fees on loans. The increase in interest expense was due to a $433,000 increase in interest on borrowings and a $265,000 increase in interest on deposits.

    The net interest margin (“NIM”) was 2.92% for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 4 basis points from 2.88% for the first quarter of 2025. The NIM expansion was due to a 3 basis point increase in the yield on average interest-earning assets, combined with a 1 basis point decrease in the overall cost of funds. The yield on average interest-earning assets increased to 5.79% for the second quarter of 2025 from 5.76% for the first quarter of 2025 due mainly to a 2 basis point increase in the yield on average loans to 6.03%. Average loans represented 85% of average interest-earning assets in the second quarter of 2025, as compared to 84% in the first quarter of 2025.

    The average cost of funds decreased to 3.14% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.15% for the first quarter of 2025, driven by an 11 basis point decrease in the average cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by a 75 basis point increase in the average cost of total borrowings. The average cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased to 3.66% for the second quarter of 2025 from 3.77% for the first quarter of 2025. The overall funding mix for the second quarter of 2025 remained relatively unchanged from the first quarter of 2025 with total deposits representing 90% of interest bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits representing 17% of average total deposits. The average cost of borrowings increased as $150 million in long term FHLB advances matured during the first quarter of 2025, the majority of which were replaced and repriced at current market rates. The all-in average spot rate for total deposits was 2.95% at June 30, 2025.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    The provision for credit losses was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $6.7 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 provision for credit losses reflected an increase in general reserves of $1.5 million due mainly to net loan growth, and an increase in a specific reserve of $924,000 related to one lending relationship. The second quarter provision also took into consideration factors such as changes in the outlook for economic conditions and market interest rates, and changes in credit quality metrics, including changes in loans 30-89 days past due, nonperforming loans, special mention and substandard loans during the period. Net charge-offs of $3.3 million in the second quarter related to loans which had these specific reserves at March 31, 2025. Net charge-offs on an annualized basis represented 0.42% of average loans for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 0.35% for the first quarter of 2025.

    Noninterest Income

    Noninterest income for the second quarter of 2025 was $8.5 million, an increase of $6.2 million from $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter of 2025 included other income of $5.2 million for the receipt of ERC funds from the IRS. The ERC was a grant program established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and these funds relate to qualifying amended payroll tax returns the Company filed for the first and second quarters of 2021.

    Upon receipt of the ERC funds, certain professional and tax advisory costs associated with the assessment and compilation of the ERC refunds became due and payable. These amounts totaled $1.2 million and are included in legal and professional expense in our consolidated statements of income for the second quarter of 2025. There were no such ERC amounts received or associated costs recognized during the first quarter of 2025 or the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The second quarter of 2025 also included a higher gain on sale of loans of $277,000 and recoveries associated with a fully-charged off loan acquired in a bank acquisition of $350,000, the latter included in “other income.”

    Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest expense for the second quarter of 2025 was $20.5 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $18.5 million for the first quarter of 2025. This increase was mostly due to higher legal and professional expense of $1.4 million, of which $1.2 million was attributed to the aforementioned ERC advisory costs, and a $437,000 increase in salaries and employee benefits expenses. The increase in compensation includes higher incentives related to sustained production levels, the impact of annual pay increases, and approximately $330,000 in costs related to executive management transitions, offset by lower payroll taxes. The efficiency ratio was 57.2% for the second quarter of 2025, down from 65.1% for the first quarter of 2025 due mostly to higher noninterest income related to the ERC, partially offset by higher noninterest expense related to the ERC advisory costs.

    Income Taxes

    The effective tax rate was 27.8% for the second quarter of 2025 and 28.2% for the first quarter of 2025. 

    Balance Sheet

    At June 30, 2025, total assets were $4.1 billion, an $80.6 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $221.9 million increase compared to June 30, 2024.

    Loan and Securities Portfolio

    Loans held for investment (“HFI”) totaled $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $91.6 million, or 12% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $187.0 million, or 6.1%, compared to June 30, 2024. The second quarter of 2025 net loan growth included $182.8 million in new production with an average yield of 6.76%. The increase from March 31, 2025 was primarily due to a $57.3 million increase in single-family residential (“SFR”) mortgage loans, a $28.0 million increase in commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans, a $5.3 million increase in Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans and a $2.7 million increase in commercial and industrial (“C&I”) loans. The loan to deposit ratio was 101.5% at June 30, 2025, compared to 100.0% at March 31, 2025 and 100.9% at June 30, 2024. 

    As of June 30, 2025, available for sale securities (“AFS”) totaled $413.1 million, an increase of $35.0 million from March 31, 2025, primarily related to purchases of $68.0 million, offset by maturities and amortization of $33.0 million during the second quarter of 2025. As of June 30, 2025, net unrealized losses totaled $23.1 million, a $1.9 million decrease, when compared to net unrealized losses of $25.0 million as of March 31, 2025.

    Deposits

    Total deposits were $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $45.6 million, or 5.8% annualized, compared to March 31, 2025 and an increase of $164.6 million, or 5.4%, compared to June 30, 2024. The increase during the second quarter of 2025 was due to a $29.9 million increase in interest-bearing deposits coupled with a $15.7 million increase in noninterest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest-bearing deposits included increases in time deposits of $59.5 million, offset by decreases in interest-bearing non-maturity deposits of $29.5 million. Wholesale deposits totaled $183.8 million at June 30, 2025, an increase of $25.3 million compared to $158.5 million at March 31, 2025. Noninterest-bearing deposits totaled $543.9 million and represented 17.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2025 compared to $528.2 million and 16.8% at March 31, 2025.

    Credit Quality

    Nonperforming assets totaled $61.0 million, or 1.49% of total assets, at June 30, 2025, down from $64.6 million, or 1.61% of total assets, at March 31, 2025. The $3.6 million decrease in nonperforming assets was due to $3.3 million in net charge-offs and $1.7 million in payoffs and paydowns, partially offset by $1.4 million in additions from loans migrating to nonaccrual status in the second quarter of 2025. Nonperforming assets included one $4.2 million other real estate owned (included in “accrued interest and other assets”) at June 30, 2025 and March 31, 2025.

    Special mention loans totaled $91.3 million, or 2.82% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $64.3 million, or 2.05% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $27.0 million increase was primarily due to the addition of loans totaling $30.1 million and $1.6 million in balance increases, partially offset by the downgrade of two CRE loans totaling $4.0 million to substandard-rated loans and payoffs and paydowns totaling $660,000. As of June 30, 2025, all special mention loans were paying current.

    Substandard loans totaled $91.0 million at June 30, 2025, up from $76.4 million at March 31, 2025. The $14.6 million increase was primarily due to the downgrades totaling $20.6 million, partially offset by net charge-offs totaling $3.3 million and payoffs and paydowns totaling $2.7 million. Of the total substandard loans at June 30, 2025, there were $34.2 million on accrual status.

    30-89 day delinquent loans, excluding nonperforming loans, totaled $18.0 million, or 0.56% of total loans, at June 30, 2025, up from $5.9 million, or 0.19% of total loans, at March 31, 2025. The $12.1 million increase was mostly due to $15.5 million in new delinquent loans, offset by $2.2 million in loans returning to current status, $798,000 in loans migrating to nonaccrual status, and $427,000 in paydowns and payoffs. The additions include an $8.5 million CRE loan that has since been brought current.

    As of June 30, 2025, the allowance for credit losses totaled $51.6 million and was comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.0 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 (included in “accrued interest and other liabilities”). This compares to the allowance for credit losses of $52.6 million, comprised of an allowance for loan losses of $51.9 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments of $629,000 at March 31, 2025. The $918,000 decrease in the allowance for credit losses for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net charge-offs of $3.3 million, offset by a $2.4 million provision for credit losses. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans HFI decreased to 1.58% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.65% at March 31, 2025, due mainly to net charge-offs of amounts included in specific reserves at March 31, 2025. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of nonperforming loans HFI was 90% at June 30, 2025, an increase from 86% at March 31, 2025. 

      For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2025     For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025  
    (dollars in thousands) Allowance
    for
    loan losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan commitments
        Allowance
    for
    credit losses
        Allowance
    for loan
    losses
        Reserve for
    unfunded
    loan
    commitments
        Allowance
    for credit
    losses
     
    Beginning balance $ 51,932     $ 629     $ 52,561     $ 47,729     $ 729     $ 48,458  
    Provision for (reversal of) credit losses   2,387             2,387       9,233       (100 )     9,133  
    Less loans charged-off   (3,339 )           (3,339 )     (6,065 )           (6,065 )
    Recoveries on loans charged-off   34             34       117             117  
    Ending balance $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643     $ 51,014     $ 629     $ 51,643  
     

    Shareholders’ Equity

    At June 30, 2025, total shareholders’ equity was $517.7 million, a $7.3 million increase compared to March 31, 2025, and a $6.4 million increase compared to June 30, 2024. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the second quarter of 2025 was due to net income of $9.3 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $1.3 million and equity compensation activity of $1.1 million, offset by common stock cash dividends paid totaling $2.9 million and common stock repurchases totaling $1.5 million. The increase in shareholders’ equity for the last twelve months was due to net income of $23.0 million, lower net unrealized losses on AFS securities of $4.9 million, and equity compensation activity of $2.5 million, offset by common stock repurchases totaling $12.5 million and common stock cash dividends paid totaling $11.5 million. Book value per share and tangible book value per share(1) increased to $29.25 and $25.11 at June 30, 2025, up from $28.77 and $24.63 at March 31, 2025 and up from $28.12 and $24.06 at June 30, 2024.

    Dividend Announcement

    The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per common share. The dividend is payable on August 12, 2025 to shareholders of record on July 31, 2025.

    (1 ) Reconciliations of the non–U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) measures included at the end of this press release.
         

    Corporate Overview

    RBB Bancorp is a community-based financial holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of June 30, 2025, the Company had total assets of $4.1 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominately to the Asian-centric communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Ventura County in California, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan in New York, in Edison, New Jersey, in the Chicago neighborhoods of Chinatown and Bridgeport, Illinois, and on Oahu, Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.

    Conference Call

    Management will hold a conference call at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time/2:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to discuss the Company’s second quarter 2025 financial results.

    To listen to the conference call, please dial 1-888-506-0062 or 1-973-528-0011, the Participant ID code is 710803, conference ID RBBQ225. A replay of the call will be made available at 1-877-481-4010 or 1-919-882-2331, the passcode is 52690, approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call and will remain available through August 05, 2025.

    The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; please visit our Royal Business Bank website at www.royalbusinessbankusa.com and click on the “Investors” tab to access the call from the site. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on our website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the conference call.

    Disclosure

    This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial disclosures for tangible common equity and tangible assets and adjusted earnings. The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company’s operational performance and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of such financial performance. Please refer to the tables at the end of this release for a presentation of performance ratios in accordance with GAAP and a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures.

    Safe Harbor

    Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the United States (U.S.) federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic or foreign financial markets; the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; failure to comply with debt covenants; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, including direct and indirect costs and impacts on clients, the Company and its employees from the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires; or other adverse external events could harm our business; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; tariffs, trade policies, and related tensions, which could impact our clients, specific industry sectors, and/or broader economic conditions and financial market; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; adverse results in legal proceedings; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system and increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the impact of changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate and the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessments; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.

    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      June 30,     March 31,     December 31,     September 30,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024     2024     2024  
    Assets                                      
    Cash and due from banks $ 27,338     $ 25,315     $ 27,747     $ 26,388     $ 23,313  
    Interest-earning deposits with financial institutions   164,514       213,508       229,998       323,002       229,456  
    Cash and cash equivalents   191,852       238,823       257,745       349,390       252,769  
    Interest-earning time deposits with financial institutions   600       600       600       600       600  
    Investment securities available for sale   413,142       378,188       420,190       305,666       325,582  
    Investment securities held to maturity   4,186       5,188       5,191       5,195       5,200  
    Loans held for sale         655       11,250       812       3,146  
    Loans held for investment   3,234,695       3,143,063       3,053,230       3,091,896       3,047,712  
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )     (51,932 )     (47,729 )     (43,685 )     (41,741 )
    Net loans held for investment   3,183,681       3,091,131       3,005,501       3,048,211       3,005,971  
    Premises and equipment, net   23,945       24,308       24,601       24,839       25,049  
    Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock   15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000       15,000  
    Cash surrender value of bank owned life insurance   61,111       60,699       60,296       59,889       59,486  
    Goodwill   71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498       71,498  
    Servicing assets   6,482       6,766       6,985       7,256       7,545  
    Core deposit intangibles   1,667       1,839       2,011       2,194       2,394  
    Right-of-use assets   25,554       26,779       28,048       29,283       30,530  
    Accrued interest and other assets   91,322       87,926       83,561       70,644       63,416  
    Total assets $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    Liabilities and shareholders’ equity                                      
    Deposits:                                      
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885     $ 528,205     $ 563,012     $ 543,623     $ 542,971  
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       721,216       663,034       666,089       647,770  
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   1,010,674       1,000,106       1,007,452       1,052,462       1,014,189  
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   941,993       893,101       850,291       830,010       818,675  
    Total deposits   3,188,231       3,142,628       3,083,789       3,092,184       3,023,605  
    FHLB advances   180,000       160,000       200,000       200,000       150,000  
    Long-term debt, net of issuance costs   119,720       119,624       119,529       119,433       119,338  
    Subordinated debentures   15,265       15,211       15,156       15,102       15,047  
    Lease liabilities – operating leases   27,294       28,483       29,705       30,880       32,087  
    Accrued interest and other liabilities   41,877       33,148       36,421       23,150       16,818  
    Total liabilities   3,572,387       3,499,094       3,484,600       3,480,749       3,356,895  
    Shareholders’ equity:                                      
    Common stock   259,863       260,284       259,957       259,280       266,160  
    Additional paid-in capital   3,579       3,360       3,645       3,520       3,456  
    Retained earnings   270,152       263,885       264,460       262,946       262,518  
    Non-controlling interest   72       72       72       72       72  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net   (16,013 )     (17,295 )     (20,257 )     (16,090 )     (20,915 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   517,653       510,306       507,877       509,728       511,291  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,992,477     $ 3,990,477     $ 3,868,186  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited)
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended     For the Six Months Ended  
      June 30,
    2025
        March 31,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
        June 30,
    2025
        June 30,
    2024
     
    Interest and dividend income:                                      
    Interest and fees on loans $ 47,687     $ 45,621     $ 45,320     $ 93,308     $ 90,867  
    Interest on interest-earning deposits   1,750       2,014       3,353       3,764       8,393  
    Interest on investment securities   4,213       4,136       3,631       8,349       7,242  
    Dividend income on FHLB stock   324       330       327       654       658  
    Interest on federal funds sold and other   231       235       255       466       521  
    Total interest and dividend income   54,205       52,336       52,886       106,541       107,681  
    Interest expense:                                      
    Interest on savings deposits, NOW and money market accounts   4,567       4,468       4,953       9,035       9,431  
    Interest on time deposits   19,250       19,084       21,850       38,334       45,172  
    Interest on long-term debt and subordinated debentures   1,634       1,632       1,679       3,266       3,358  
    Interest on FHLB advances   1,420       989       439       2,409       878  
    Total interest expense   26,871       26,173       28,921       53,044       58,839  
    Net interest income before provision for credit losses   27,334       26,163       23,965       53,497       48,842  
    Provision for credit losses   2,387       6,746       557       9,133       557  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   24,947       19,417       23,408       44,364       48,285  
    Noninterest income:                                      
    Service charges and fees   1,060       1,017       1,064       2,077       2,056  
    Gain on sale of loans   358       81       451       439       763  
    Loan servicing fees, net of amortization   541       588       579       1,129       1,168  
    Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance   411       403       385       814       767  
    Gain on OREO               292             1,016  
    Other income   6,108       206       717       6,314       1,090  
    Total noninterest income   8,478       2,295       3,488       10,773       6,860  
    Noninterest expense:                                      
    Salaries and employee benefits   11,080       10,643       9,533       21,723       19,460  
    Occupancy and equipment expenses   2,377       2,407       2,439       4,784       4,882  
    Data processing   1,713       1,602       1,466       3,315       2,886  
    Legal and professional   2,904       1,515       1,260       4,419       2,140  
    Office expenses   405       408       352       813       708  
    Marketing and business promotion   212       197       189       409       361  
    Insurance and regulatory assessments   709       730       981       1,439       1,963  
    Core deposit premium   172       172       201       344       402  
    Other expenses   921       848       703       1,769       1,291  
    Total noninterest expense   20,493       18,522       17,124       39,015       34,093  
    Income before income taxes   12,932       3,190       9,772       16,122       21,052  
    Income tax expense   3,599       900       2,527       4,499       5,771  
    Net income $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
                                           
    Net income per share                                      
    Basic $ 0.53     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.66     $ 0.83  
    Diluted $ 0.52     $ 0.13     $ 0.39     $ 0.65     $ 0.82  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.16     $ 0.32     $ 0.32  
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding                                      
    Basic   17,746,607       17,727,712       18,375,970       17,737,212       18,488,623  
    Diluted   17,797,735       17,770,588       18,406,897       17,784,237       18,529,299  
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended  
      June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                                                      
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 163,838     $ 1,980       4.85 %   $ 194,236     $ 2,249       4.70 %   $ 255,973     $ 3,608       5.67 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       324       8.66 %     15,000       330       8.92 %     15,000       327       8.77 %
    Securities                                                                      
    Available for sale(2)   399,414       4,189       4.21 %     390,178       4,113       4.28 %     318,240       3,608       4.56 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,028       48       3.83 %     5,189       49       3.83 %     5,203       46       3.56 %
    Total loans(3)   3,171,570       47,687       6.03 %     3,079,224       45,621       6.01 %     3,017,050       45,320       6.04 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,754,850     $ 54,228       5.79 %     3,683,827     $ 52,362       5.76 %     3,611,466     $ 52,909       5.89 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   254,029                       260,508                       240,016                  
    Total average assets $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
                                                                           
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    NOW $ 66,755       368       2.21 %   $ 61,222     $ 321       2.13 %   $ 56,081     $ 276       1.98 %
    Money market   482,669       3,774       3.14 %     463,443       3,625       3.17 %     431,559       3,877       3.61 %
    Saving deposits   141,411       425       1.21 %     155,116       522       1.36 %     164,913       800       1.95 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   996,249       9,768       3.93 %     989,622       10,046       4.12 %     1,049,666       12,360       4.74 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   922,540       9,482       4.12 %     864,804       9,038       4.24 %     772,255       9,490       4.94 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,609,624       23,817       3.66 %     2,534,207       23,552       3.77 %     2,474,474       26,803       4.36 %
    FHLB advances   159,286       1,420       3.58 %     176,833       989       2.27 %     150,000       439       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,657       1,296       4.34 %     119,562       1,295       4.39 %     119,275       1,296       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,230       338       8.90 %     15,175       337       9.01 %     15,011       383       10.26 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,903,797       26,871       3.71 %     2,845,777       26,173       3.73 %     2,758,760       28,921       4.22 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                                                      
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   526,113                       520,145                       529,450                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,278                       66,151                       51,087                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   591,391                       586,296                       580,537                  
    Shareholders’ equity   513,691                       512,262                       512,185                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 4,008,879                     $ 3,944,335                     $ 3,851,482                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 27,357       2.08 %           $ 26,189       2.03 %           $ 23,988       1.67 %
    Net interest margin                   2.92 %                     2.88 %                     2.67 %
                                                                           
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,135,737     $ 23,817       3.05 %   $ 3,054,352     $ 23,552       3.13 %   $ 3,003,924     $ 26,803       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,429,910     $ 26,871       3.14 %   $ 3,365,922     $ 26,173       3.15 %   $ 3,288,210     $ 28,921       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Unaudited)
     
      Six Months Ended June 30,  
      2025     2024  
      Average     Interest     Yield /     Average     Interest     Yield /  
    (tax-equivalent basis, dollars in thousands) Balance     & Fees     Rate     Balance     & Fees     Rate  
    Interest-earning assets                                              
    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 178,953     $ 4,230       4.77 %   $ 310,476     $ 8,914       5.77 %
    FHLB Stock   15,000       654       8.79 %     15,000       658       8.82 %
    Securities                                              
    Available for sale(2)   394,822       8,302       4.24 %     319,127       7,197       4.54 %
    Held to maturity(2)   5,108       97       3.83 %     5,205       94       3.63 %
    Total loans(3)   3,125,652       93,308       6.02 %     3,017,737       90,867       6.06 %
    Total interest-earning assets   3,719,535     $ 106,591       5.78 %     3,667,545     $ 107,730       5.91 %
    Total noninterest-earning assets   257,250                       243,178                  
    Total average assets $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
                                                   
    Interest-bearing liabilities                                              
    NOW $ 64,004       689       2.17 %   $ 57,513     $ 574       2.01 %
    Money market   473,109       7,399       3.15 %     421,655       7,403       3.53 %
    Saving deposits   148,225       947       1.29 %     161,070       1,454       1.82 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   992,954       19,815       4.02 %     1,112,735       26,165       4.73 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   893,832       18,519       4.18 %     778,713       19,007       4.91 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits   2,572,124       47,369       3.71 %     2,531,686       54,603       4.34 %
    FHLB advances   168,011       2,409       2.89 %     150,000       878       1.18 %
    Long-term debt   119,610       2,591       4.37 %     119,228       2,591       4.37 %
    Subordinated debentures   15,203       675       8.95 %     14,984       767       10.29 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,874,948       53,044       3.72 %     2,815,898       58,839       4.20 %
    Noninterest-bearing liabilities                                              
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   523,145                       528,898                  
    Other noninterest-bearing liabilities   65,711                       53,441                  
    Total noninterest-bearing liabilities   588,856                       582,339                  
    Shareholders’ equity   512,981                       512,486                  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,976,785                     $ 3,910,723                  
    Net interest income / interest rate spreads         $ 53,547       2.06 %           $ 48,891       1.71 %
    Net interest margin                   2.90 %                     2.68 %
                                                   
    Total cost of deposits $ 3,095,269     $ 47,369       3.09 %   $ 3,060,584     $ 54,603       3.59 %
    Total cost of funds $ 3,398,093     $ 53,044       3.15 %   $ 3,344,796     $ 58,839       3.54 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes income and average balances for interest-earning time deposits and other miscellaneous interest-earning assets.
    (2 ) Interest income and average rates for tax-exempt securities are presented on a tax-equivalent basis.
    (3 ) Average loan balances relate to loans held for investment and loans held for sale and include nonaccrual loans. Interest income on loans includes the effects of discount accretion and net deferred loan origination fees and costs accounted for as yield adjustments.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
      At or for the Three Months Ended     At or for the Six Months Ended June 30,  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,                  
      2025     2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Per share data (common stock)                                      
    Book value $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12     $ 29.25     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value(1) $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06     $ 25.11     $ 24.06  
    Performance ratios                                      
    Return on average assets, annualized   0.93 %     0.24 %     0.76 %     0.59 %     0.79 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized(1)   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %
    Noninterest income to average assets, annualized   0.85 %     0.24 %     0.36 %     0.55 %     0.35 %
    Noninterest expense to average assets, annualized   2.05 %     1.90 %     1.79 %     1.98 %     1.75 %
    Yield on average earning assets   5.79 %     5.76 %     5.89 %     5.78 %     5.91 %
    Yield on average loans   6.03 %     6.01 %     6.04 %     6.02 %     6.06 %
    Cost of average total deposits(2)   3.05 %     3.13 %     3.59 %     3.09 %     3.59 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing deposits   3.66 %     3.77 %     4.36 %     3.71 %     4.34 %
    Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities   3.71 %     3.73 %     4.22 %     3.72 %     4.20 %
    Net interest spread   2.08 %     2.03 %     1.67 %     2.06 %     1.71 %
    Net interest margin   2.92 %     2.88 %     2.67 %     2.90 %     2.68 %
    Efficiency ratio(3)   57.22 %     65.09 %     62.38 %     60.70 %     61.21 %
    Common stock dividend payout ratio   30.19 %     123.08 %     41.03 %     48.48 %     38.55 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non–GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    (2 ) Total deposits include non-interest bearing deposits and interest-bearing deposits.
    (3 ) Ratio calculated by dividing noninterest expense by the sum of net interest income before provision for credit losses and noninterest income.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      At or for the quarter ended  
      June 30,     March 31,     June 30,  
      2025     2025     2024  
    Credit Quality Data:                      
    Special mention loans $ 91,317     $ 64,279     $ 19,520  
    Special mention loans to total loans HFI   2.82 %     2.05 %     0.64 %
    Substandard loans $ 91,019     $ 76,372     $ 63,076  
    Substandard loans to total loans HFI   2.81 %     2.43 %     2.07 %
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans $ 18,003     $ 5,927     $ 11,270  
    Loans 30-89 days past due, excluding nonperforming loans, to total loans   0.56 %     0.19 %     0.37 %
    Nonperforming loans $ 56,817     $ 60,380     $ 54,589  
    OREO $ 4,170     $ 4,170     $  
    Nonperforming assets $ 60,987     $ 64,550     $ 54,589  
    Nonperforming loans to total loans HFI   1.76 %     1.92 %     1.79 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets   1.49 %     1.61 %     1.41 %
                           
    Allowance for loan losses $ 51,014     $ 51,932     $ 41,741  
    Allowance for loan losses to total loans HFI   1.58 %     1.65 %     1.37 %
    Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans HFI   89.79 %     86.01 %     76.46 %
    Net charge-offs $ 3,305     $ 2,643     $ 551  
    Net charge-offs to average loans   0.42 %     0.35 %     0.07 %
                           
    Capitalratios(1)                      
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets(2)   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Tier 1 leverage ratio   12.04 %     12.07 %     12.48 %
    Tier 1 common capital to risk-weighted assets   17.61 %     17.87 %     18.89 %
    Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets   18.17 %     18.45 %     19.50 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets   24.00 %     24.42 %     25.67 %

    ___________

    (1 ) June 30, 2025 capital ratios are preliminary.
    (2 ) Non-GAAP measure. See Non-GAAP reconciliations set forth at the end of this press release.
    RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES
    SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Unaudited)
     
    Loan Portfolio Detail As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $     %     $     %  
    Loans:                                          
    Commercial and industrial $ 138,263       4.3 %   $ 135,538       4.3 %   $ 126,649       4.2 %
    SBA   55,984       1.7 %     50,651       1.6 %     50,323       1.7 %
    Construction and land development   157,970       4.9 %     158,883       5.1 %     202,459       6.6 %
    Commercial real estate(1)   1,273,442       39.4 %     1,245,402       39.6 %     1,190,207       39.1 %
    Single-family residential mortgages   1,603,114       49.6 %     1,545,822       49.2 %     1,467,802       48.2 %
    Other loans   5,922       0.1 %     6,767       0.2 %     10,272       0.2 %
    Total loans $ 3,234,695       100.0 %   $ 3,143,063       100.0 %   $ 3,047,712       100.0 %
    Allowance for loan losses   (51,014 )         (51,932 )             (41,741 )        
    Total loans, net $ 3,183,681         $ 3,091,131             $ 3,005,971          

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes non-farm and non-residential loans, multi-family residential loans and non-owner occupied single family residential loans.
    Deposits As of June 30, 2025   As of March 31, 2025     As of June 30, 2024  
    (dollars in thousands) $   %   $   %     $   %  
    Deposits:                                          
    Noninterest-bearing demand $ 543,885       17.1 %   $ 528,205       16.8 %   $ 542,971       18.0 %
    Savings, NOW and money market accounts   691,679       21.7 %     721,216       22.9 %     647,770       21.4 %
    Time deposits, $250,000 and under   848,379       26.6 %     863,962       27.5 %     921,712       30.5 %
    Time deposits, greater than $250,000   920,481       28.8 %     870,708       27.8 %     790,478       26.1 %
    Wholesale deposits(1)   183,807       5.8 %     158,537       5.0 %     120,674       4.0 %
    Total deposits $ 3,188,231       100.0 %   $ 3,142,628       100.0 %   $ 3,023,605       100.0 %

    ___________

    (1 ) Includes brokered deposits, collateralized deposits from the State of California, and deposits acquired through internet listing services.

    Non-GAAP Reconciliations

    Tangible Book Value Reconciliations

    Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP disclosure. Management measures tangible book value per share to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as additional tools for further understanding our performance. The following is a reconciliation of tangible book value to the Company shareholders’ equity computed in accordance with GAAP, as well as a calculation of tangible book value per share as of as of the dates indicated.

                         
    (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024  
    Tangible common equity:                      
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 517,653     $ 510,306     $ 511,291  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible common equity $ 444,488     $ 436,969     $ 437,399  
    Tangible assets:                      
    Total assets-GAAP $ 4,090,040     $ 4,009,400     $ 3,868,186  
    Adjustments                      
    Goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Core deposit intangible   (1,667 )     (1,839 )     (2,394 )
    Tangible assets $ 4,016,875     $ 3,936,063     $ 3,794,294  
    Common shares outstanding   17,699,091       17,738,628       18,182,154  
    Common equity to assets ratio   12.66 %     12.73 %     13.22 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio   11.07 %     11.10 %     11.53 %
    Book value per share $ 29.25     $ 28.77     $ 28.12  
    Tangible book value per share $ 25.11     $ 24.63     $ 24.06  

    Return on Average Tangible Common Equity

    Management measures return on average tangible common equity (“ROATCE”) to assess the Company’s capital strength and business performance and believes this is helpful to investors as an additional tool for further understanding our performance. Tangible equity excludes goodwill and other intangible assets (excluding mortgage servicing rights) and is reviewed by banking and financial institution regulators when assessing a financial institution’s capital adequacy. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. The following table reconciles ROATCE to its most comparable GAAP measure:

      Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended June 30,  
    (dollars in thousands) June 30, 2025     March 31, 2025     June 30, 2024     2025     2024  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 9,333     $ 2,290     $ 7,245     $ 11,623     $ 15,281  
    Average shareholders’ equity   513,691       512,262       512,185       512,981       512,486  
    Adjustments:                                      
    Average goodwill   (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )     (71,498 )
    Average core deposit intangible   (1,780 )     (1,951 )     (2,525 )     (1,865 )     (2,625 )
    Adjusted average tangible common equity $ 440,413     $ 438,813     $ 438,162     $ 439,618     $ 438,363  
    Return on average common equity, annualized   7.29 %     1.81 %     5.69 %     4.57 %     6.00 %
    Return on average tangible common equity, annualized   8.50 %     2.12 %     6.65 %     5.33 %     7.01 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: How EVs and electric water heaters are turning cities into giant batteries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bin Lu, Senior Research Fellow in Renewable Energy, Australian National University

    Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock

    As the electrification of transport and heating accelerates, many worry the increased demand could overload national power grids. In Australia, electricity consumption is expected to double by 2050.

    If everyone charges their car and heats water using electric systems at the same time, peak demand could rise sharply, forcing costly grid upgrades. But this would only happen if there’s no planning done.

    The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) and electric water heating has a huge silver lining. As more Australians make the switch, they’re quietly expanding a vast network of distributed energy storage. In a fully electrified future, each person could have on average about 46 kilowatt hours worth of energy storage – both in EV batteries and hot water systems.

    Scaled up, that’s a huge resource. If all cars and water heaters run on electricity, their combined flexible energy storage could reach over 1,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) across Australia. That’s far beyond the 350 GWh capacity of the Snowy 2.0 hydroelectric project and all existing grid-scale batteries put together.

    Authorities can use these devices to help operate the grid more efficiently and slash infrastructure costs. In fact, our new research shows that with the right coordination, cities can transform from energy consumers into flexible energy hubs able to store energy and release it as necessary. This would make it possible to avoid billions of dollars worth of grid upgrades.

    Storage built in

    Electrification replaces fossil fuel-burning technology with electric-only systems, powered by a grid getting steadily cleaner.

    For households, electrification means switching a combustion engine car for an EV and replacing gas hot water with electric systems such as heat pumps. Both slash carbon emissions when run on grids with high levels of renewables.

    EVs and electric hot water systems offer more than just mobility or heating. They also have built-in energy storage. EV batteries store huge amounts of electricity – usually several times the size of a house battery. Hot water systems store energy too, in the form of heat.

    Both of these resources are very useful to power grid authorities, because they can help optimise how the grid operates.

    Power grids are a constant balancing act, where supply and demand have to be carefully matched up. At times of intense demand, such as during a heatwave, demand can outstrip normal supply and send prices skyrocketing.

    When EVs are charged and water heated during off-peak periods, the strain on the grid can be significantly lessened.

    Workplace EV chargers are convenient for drivers – and very useful for the grid.
    jixiang liu/Shutterstock

    Canberra is pointing the way

    Since 2020, Canberra has been 100% powered by renewable electricity. The ACT Government is aiming for net zero by 2045.

    In our modelling, we found this goal could get a lot closer if EVs and hot water systems are used cleverly. We found changing the time cars are charged and water heated would shift around 5 kWh of electricity per person per day. That’s about a third of each Canberra resident’s average daily electricity use.

    Unmanaged charging and water heating would cause peak load to jump 34%. But if charging and heating was shifted to off-peak hours overnight, it could restrict the rise in peak load to just 16%.

    Reducing the rise in peak load would make it possible to avoid billions of dollars in grid upgrades such as expanding substations and building more transmission lines.

    Where flexibility matters most

    We found Canberra’s new energy storage resources are concentrated in storage hotspots – densely populated areas with many electric hot water systems and where many EVs are parked during the day.

    Importantly, these hotspots don’t stay put. During working hours, vehicle batteries tend to concentrate in high-density office areas where EVs are parked. Storage capacity rose up to 31% in some Canberra working districts during the working week.

    It would make sense to make the most of these hotspots by installing smart chargers, which optimise the timing of EV charging and creating virtual power plants, which can coordinate the time when household devices and EVs draw power.

    Both of these approaches offer a cost-effective way to aggregate small scale household devices into a large coordinated storage resource.

    Aligning demand with solar peaks means using renewable energy which might otherwise go to waste during peak times.

    This map shows Canberra’s storage hotspots averaged out. EV batteries are in blue and electric hot water storage in orange.
    Bin Lu, CC BY-NC-ND

    Policy needs to catch up

    Capturing the huge benefits from these new storage resources won’t happen automatically. It requires smart systems and supportive policies.

    Technologies such as smart chargers and virtual power plants already exist. South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant shows what’s possible in practice.

    But to date, most Australian households don’t have these kinds of smart systems. In many areas, electricity pricing is relatively inflexible and there’s limited coordination between flexible energy use and the needs of the grid.

    To unlock the full potential of this huge new energy storage resource, governments and energy companies should:

    • encourage uptake of smart chargers and smart water heaters in buildings

    • expand dynamic pricing schemes which better reflect real-time supply and demand to help shift electricity use to off-peak periods

    • focus on rolling out workplace EV chargers in high-density areas to boost charging during solar peak periods

    • develop smart energy systems able to aggregate devices in individual households into a large grid-supporting fleet.

    More demand – but more storage

    As Australia increasingly goes electric, cities are becoming more than just energy consumers.

    Rather, they’re becoming flexible energy hubs able to help balance supply and demand.

    Used wisely, humble electric water heaters and EVs can do more than meet household needs — they can help power Australia’s clean energy future.

    Bin Lu received research funding from the Icon Water & ActewAGL Endowment Fund.

    Marnie Shaw has received funding from federal and state governments.

    ref. How EVs and electric water heaters are turning cities into giant batteries – https://theconversation.com/how-evs-and-electric-water-heaters-are-turning-cities-into-giant-batteries-261369

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Warner Sound the Alarm on Hospital Cybersecurity Risks Following Republican Medicaid Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner D-Va. and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. called for the Trump administration to share its plan to prevent cyberattacks on rural hospitals following the largest health care cuts in American history in the Republican budget bill. 

    “Trumpcare will harm the cybersecurity resiliency of rural and small hospitals just as this Administration has chosen to gut cybersecurity operations at HHS,” Wyden and Warner wrote. “As rural and small hospitals confront even lower operating margins due to Republican health care cuts, they will be less likely to prioritize spending on cybersecurity infrastructure. The lack of federal oversight and resources, coupled with historic cuts to Medicaid and the ACA, only serve to increase rural and small hospitals’ cybersecurity vulnerabilities.” 

    The letter, sent to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, calls on the Administration to share its plans to help small and rural hospitals meet federal cybersecurity standards, as well as its plan to use the so-called “rural health transformation program” to fund cybersecurity improvements – a fund that is dwarfed by more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)  under Trumpcare. 

    Hospitals, particularly smaller facilities and those in rural areas, are a prime target for cyber criminals. Hospitals are also very likely to pay a ransom in order to maintain the continuity of health care given the lack of nearby providers, especially emergency services and procedures, and their top priority is protecting the health and well-being of patients they serve.

    Last year, Wyden and Warner introduced legislation to strengthen federal cybersecurity standards across the health care system. Independent analysis has confirmed that over 330 rural hospitals are at risk of deep financial hardship or even closure due to Trumpcare’s cuts to Medicaid, forcing facilities into impossible choices to stay open and continue serving their community.

    The full letter is here.

    A web version of this release is here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Warner Sound the Alarm on Hospital Cybersecurity Risks Following Republican Medicaid Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner D-Va. and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. called for the Trump administration to share its plan to prevent cyberattacks on rural hospitals following the largest health care cuts in American history in the Republican budget bill. 

    “Trumpcare will harm the cybersecurity resiliency of rural and small hospitals just as this Administration has chosen to gut cybersecurity operations at HHS,” Wyden and Warner wrote. “As rural and small hospitals confront even lower operating margins due to Republican health care cuts, they will be less likely to prioritize spending on cybersecurity infrastructure. The lack of federal oversight and resources, coupled with historic cuts to Medicaid and the ACA, only serve to increase rural and small hospitals’ cybersecurity vulnerabilities.” 

    The letter, sent to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, calls on the Administration to share its plans to help small and rural hospitals meet federal cybersecurity standards, as well as its plan to use the so-called “rural health transformation program” to fund cybersecurity improvements – a fund that is dwarfed by more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)  under Trumpcare. 

    Hospitals, particularly smaller facilities and those in rural areas, are a prime target for cyber criminals. Hospitals are also very likely to pay a ransom in order to maintain the continuity of health care given the lack of nearby providers, especially emergency services and procedures, and their top priority is protecting the health and well-being of patients they serve.

    Last year, Wyden and Warner introduced legislation to strengthen federal cybersecurity standards across the health care system. Independent analysis has confirmed that over 330 rural hospitals are at risk of deep financial hardship or even closure due to Trumpcare’s cuts to Medicaid, forcing facilities into impossible choices to stay open and continue serving their community.

    The full letter is here.

    A web version of this release is here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: SiriusPoint Announces Date for Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SiriusPoint Ltd. (NYSE: SPNT) (“SiriusPoint” or the “Company”) today announced that it is planning to release its second quarter 2025 financial results before markets open on Monday, August 4, 2025. The Company will host a conference call, including a question-and-answer session, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss the financial results.

    The webcast of the live conference call can be accessed by logging onto the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.siriuspt.com. The online replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website immediately following the call.

    The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-451-6152 (domestic) or 1-201-389-0879 (international) and asking for the SiriusPoint Ltd. Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. A replay will be available at the conclusion of the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers 1-412-317-6671, and providing the passcode 13754248. The replay will be available until 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on August 18, 2025.

    About SiriusPoint

    SiriusPoint is a global underwriter of insurance and reinsurance providing solutions to clients and brokers around the world. Bermuda-headquartered with offices in New York, London, Stockholm and other locations, we are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (SPNT). We have licenses to write Property & Casualty and Accident & Health insurance and reinsurance globally. Our offering and distribution capabilities are strengthened by a portfolio of strategic partnerships with Managing General Agents and Program Administrators. With approximately $2.7 billion total capital, SiriusPoint’s operating companies have a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from AM Best, S&P and Fitch, and A3 from Moody’s. For more information, please visit www.siriuspt.com.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations
    Liam Blackledge, SiriusPoint
    liam.blackledge@siriuspt.com
    +44 203 772 3082

    Media
    Sarah Hills, Rein4ce
    sarah.hills@rein4ce.co.uk
    +44 771 888 2011

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: NXP Semiconductors Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) today reported financial results for the second quarter, which ended June 29, 2025. “NXP delivered quarterly revenue of $2.93 billion, above the midpoint of our guidance, with all our focus end-markets performing above expectations. Our guidance for the third quarter reflects the combination of an emerging cyclical improvement in NXP’s core end markets as well as the performance of our company specific growth drivers. We continue to drive solid profitability and earnings, by strengthening our competitive portfolio and by aligning our wafer fabrication footprint consistent with our hybrid manufacturing strategy,” said Kurt Sievers, NXP Chief Executive Officer.

    Key Highlights for the Second Quarter 2025:

    • Revenue was $2.93 billion, down 6 percent year-on-year;
    • GAAP gross margin was 53.4 percent, GAAP operating margin was 23.5 percent and GAAP diluted Net Income per Share was $1.75;
    • Non-GAAP gross margin was 56.5 percent, non-GAAP operating margin was 32.0 percent, and non-GAAP diluted Net Income per Share was $2.72;
    • Cash flow from operations was $779 million, with net capex investments of $83 million, resulting in non-GAAP free cash flow of $696 million;
    • Capital return during the quarter was $461 million, representing 66 percent of second quarter non-GAAP free cash flow. Share buybacks were $204 million and dividends paid during the quarter were $257 million;
    • On May 8, 2025, NXP announced its third generation imaging processors for Level 2+ to Level 4 Autonomous Driving. The new S32R47 imaging radar processors in 16 nm FinFET technology, delivers up to twice the processing power versus the previous generation, building upon NXP’s proven expertise and global market leadership in the automotive radar market;
    • On June 12, 2025, NXP and Rimac Technology announced the co-development of a software defined vehicle (SDV) architecture for advanced automotive domain and zonal control. The jointly developed solution features NXP’s S32E2 processors, which are part of NXP’s comprehensive S32 Automotive Processing Platform. The S32E addresses the vehicle’s need for high-performance deterministic real-time domain and zonal control in a multi-applications environment; and
    • On June 17, 2025, NXP announced the completion of the acquisition of TTTech Auto, a leader in innovating unique safety-critical systems and middleware for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), pursuant to the terms of the previously announced agreement from January 2025.

    Summary of Reported Second Quarter 2025 ($ millions, unaudited) (1)

      Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024 Q – Q Y – Y
    Total Revenue $ 2,926   $ 2,835   $ 3,127     3%     -6%  
    GAAP Gross Profit $ 1,562   $ 1,560   $ 1,792     —%     -13%  
    Gross Profit Adjustments(i) $ (90 ) $ (31 ) $ (41 )    
    Non-GAAP Gross Profit $ 1,652   $ 1,591   $ 1,833     4%     -10%  
    GAAP Gross Margin   53.4 %   55.0 %   57.3 %    
    Non-GAAP Gross Margin   56.5 %   56.1 %   58.6 %    
    GAAP Operating Income (Loss) $ 687   $ 723   $ 896     -5%     -23%  
    Operating Income Adjustments(i) $ (248 ) $ (181 ) $ (175 )    
    Non-GAAP Operating Income $ 935   $ 904   $ 1,071     3%     -13%  
    GAAP Operating Margin   23.5 %   25.5 %   28.7 %    
    Non-GAAP Operating Margin   32.0 %   31.9 %   34.3 %    
    GAAP Net Income (Loss) attributable to Stockholders $ 445   $ 490   $ 658     -9%     -32%  
    Net Income Adjustments(i) $ (245 ) $ (183 ) $ (171 )    
    Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Stockholders $ 690   $ 673   $ 829     3%     -17%  
    GAAP diluted Net Income (Loss) per Share(ii) $ 1.75   $ 1.92   $ 2.54     -9%     -31%  
    Non-GAAP diluted Net Income (Loss) per Share(ii) $ 2.72   $ 2.64   $ 3.20     3%     -15%  
    Additional information          
      Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024 Q – Q Y – Y
    Automotive $ 1,729   $ 1,674   $ 1,728     3%     —%  
    Industrial & IoT $ 546   $ 508   $ 616     7%     -11%  
    Mobile $ 331   $ 338   $ 345     -2%     -4%  
    Comm. Infra. & Other $ 320   $ 315   $ 438     2%     -27%  
    DIO   158     169     148      
    DPO   60     62     64      
    DSO   33     34     27      
    Cash Conversion Cycle   131     141     111      
    Channel Inventory (weeks)   9     9     7      
    Gross Financial Leverage(iii)   2.4x     2.4x     1.9x      
    Net Financial Leverage(iv)   1.8x     1.6x     1.3x      
                           
    1. Additional Information for the Second Quarter 2025:
      1. For an explanation of GAAP to non-GAAP adjustments, please see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”.
      2. Refer to Table 1 below for the weighted average number of diluted shares for the presented periods.
      3. Gross financial leverage is defined as gross debt divided by trailing twelve months adjusted EBITDA.
      4. Net financial leverage is defined as net debt divided by trailing twelve months adjusted EBITDA.
      5. Guidance for the Third Quarter 2025: ($ millions, except Per Share data) (1)

           
          GAAP   Reconciliation   non-GAAP
          Low   Mid   High       Low   Mid   High
        Total Revenue   $3,050       $3,150       $3,250           $3,050       $3,150       $3,250  
        Q-Q   4%       8%       11%           4%       8%       11%  
        Y-Y   -6%       -3%       —%           -6%       -3%       —%  
        Gross Profit   $1,691       $1,764       $1,837       $(32)       $1,723       $1,796       $1,869  
        Gross Margin   55.4%       56.0%       56.5%           56.5%       57.0%       57.5%  
        Operating Income (loss)   $818       $881       $944       $(180)       $998       $1,061       $1,124  
        Operating Margin   26.8%       28.0%       29.0%           32.7%       33.7%       34.6%  
        Financial Income (expense)   $(101)       $(101)       $(101)       $(10)       $(91)       $(91)       $(91)  
        Tax rate 18.3%-19.3%       17.0%-18.0%
        Equity-accounted investees   $(5)       $(5)       $(5)       $(4)       $(1)       $(1)       $(1)  
        Non-controlling interests   $(14)       $(14)       $(14)           $(14)       $(14)       $(14)  
        Shares – diluted   253.8       253.8       253.8               253.8       253.8       253.8  
        Earnings Per Share – diluted   $2.22       $2.42       $2.62               $2.89       $3.10       $3.30  
                                                               

        Note (1) Additional Information:

        1. GAAP Gross Profit is expected to include Purchase Price Accounting (“PPA”) effects, $(7) million; Share-based Compensation, $(15) million; Other Incidentals, $(10) million;
        2. GAAP Operating Income (loss) is expected to include PPA effects, $(40) million; Share-based Compensation, $(116) million; Restructuring and Other Incidentals, $(24) million;
        3. GAAP Financial Income (expense) is expected to include Other financial expense $(10) million;
        4. GAAP Results relating to equity-accounted investees is expected to include results relating to non-foundry equity-accounted investees $(4) million;
        5. GAAP diluted EPS is expected to include the adjustments noted above for PPA effects, Share-based Compensation, Restructuring and Other Incidentals in GAAP Operating Income (loss), the adjustment for Other financial expense, the adjustment for results relating to non-foundry equity-accounted investees and the adjustment on Tax due to the earlier mentioned adjustments.

        NXP has based the guidance included in this release on judgments and estimates that management believes are reasonable given its assessment of historical trends and other information reasonably available as of the date of this release. Please note, the guidance included in this release consists of predictions only, and is subject to a wide range of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NXP’s control. The guidance included in this release should not be regarded as representations by NXP that the estimated results will be achieved. Actual results may vary materially from the guidance we provide today. In relation to the use of non-GAAP financial information see the note regarding “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below. For the factors, risks, and uncertainties to which judgments, estimates and forward-looking statements generally are subject see the note regarding “Forward-looking Statements.” We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, including the guidance set forth herein, to reflect future events or circumstances.

        Non-GAAP Financial Measures

        In managing NXP’s business on a consolidated basis, management develops an annual operating plan, which is approved by our Board of Directors, using non-GAAP financial measures, that are not in accordance with, nor an alternative to, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In measuring performance against this plan, management considers the actual or potential impacts on these non-GAAP financial measures from actions taken to reduce costs with the goal of increasing our gross margin and operating margin and when assessing appropriate levels of research and development efforts. In addition, management relies upon these non-GAAP financial measures when making decisions about product spending, administrative budgets, and other operating expenses. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures, when coupled with the GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures, provide a more complete understanding of the Company’s results of operations and the factors and trends affecting NXP’s business. We believe that they enable investors to perform additional comparisons of our operating results, to assess our liquidity and capital position and to analyze financial performance excluding the effect of expenses unrelated to core operating performance, certain non-cash expenses and share-based compensation expense, which may obscure trends in NXP’s underlying performance. This information also enables investors to compare financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management.

        These non-GAAP financial measures are provided in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The presentation of these and other similar items in NXP’s non-GAAP financial results should not be interpreted as implying that these items are non-recurring, infrequent, or unusual. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP are provided in the financial statements portion of this release in a schedule entitled “Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Results (unaudited).” Please refer to the NXP Historic Financial Model file found on the Financial Information page of the Investor Relations section of our website at https://investors.nxp.com for additional information related to our rationale for using these non-GAAP financial measures, as well as the impact of these measures on the presentation of NXP’s operations.

        In addition to providing financial information on a basis consistent with GAAP, NXP also provides the following selected financial measures on a non-GAAP basis: (i) Gross profit, (ii) Gross margin, (iii) Research and development, (iv) Selling, general and administrative, (v) Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, (vi) Other income, (vii) Operating income (loss), (viii) Operating margin, (ix) Financial Income (expense), (x) Income tax benefit (provision), (xi) Results relating to non-foundry equity-accounted investees, (xii) Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders, (xiii) Earnings per Share – Diluted, (xiv) EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and trailing 12 month adjusted EBITDA, and (xv) free cash flow, trailing 12 month free cash flow and trailing 12 month free cash flow as a percent of Revenue. The non-GAAP information excludes, where applicable, the amortization of acquisition related intangible assets, the purchase accounting effect on inventory and property, plant and equipment, merger related costs (including integration costs), certain items related to divestitures, share-based compensation expense, restructuring and asset impairment charges, extinguishment of debt, foreign exchange gains and losses, income tax effect on adjustments described above and results from non-foundry equity-accounted investments.

        The difference in the benefit (provision) for income taxes between our GAAP and non-GAAP results relates to the income tax effects of the GAAP to non-GAAP adjustments that we make and the income tax effect of any discrete items that occur in the interim period. Discrete items primarily relate to unexpected tax events that may occur as these amounts cannot be forecasted (e.g., the impact of changes in tax law and/or rates, changes in estimates or resolved tax audits relating to prior year tax provisions, the excess or deficit tax effects on share-based compensation, etc.).

        Conference Call and Webcast Information

        The company will host a conference call with the financial community on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to review the second quarter 2025 results in detail.

        Interested parties may preregister to obtain a user-specific access code for the call here.

        The call will be webcast and can be accessed from the NXP Investor Relations website at www.nxp.com. A replay of the call will be available on the NXP Investor Relations website within 24 hours of the actual call.

        About NXP Semiconductors

        NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) is the trusted partner for innovative solutions in the automotive, industrial & IoT, mobile, and communications infrastructure markets. NXP’s “Brighter Together” approach combines leading-edge technology with pioneering people to develop system solutions that make the connected world better, safer, and more secure. The company has operations in more than 30 countries and posted revenue of $12.61 billion in 2024. Find out more at www.nxp.com.

        Forward-looking Statements

        This document includes forward-looking statements which include statements regarding NXP’s business strategy, financial condition, results of operations, market data, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. These factors, risks and uncertainties include the following: market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; our ability to successfully introduce new technologies and products; the demand for the goods into which NXP’s products are incorporated; global trade disputes, potential increase of barriers to international trade, including the imposition of new or increased tariffs, and resulting disruptions to our established supply chains; the impact of government actions and regulations, including as a result of executive orders, including restrictions on the export of products and technology; increasing and evolving cybersecurity threats and privacy risks; our ability to accurately estimate demand and match our production capacity accordingly or obtain supplies from third-party producers; our access to production capacity from third-party outsourcing partners, and any events that might affect their business or our relationship with them; our ability to secure adequate and timely supply of equipment and materials from suppliers; our ability to avoid operational problems and product defects and, if such issues were to arise, to correct them quickly; our ability to form strategic partnerships and joint ventures and to successfully cooperate with our strategic alliance partners; our ability to win competitive bid selection processes; our ability to develop products for use in customers’ equipment and products; our ability to successfully hire and retain key management and senior product engineers; global hostilities, including the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and resulting regional instability, sanctions and any other retaliatory measures taken against Russia and the continued hostilities and the armed conflict in the Middle East, which could adversely impact the global supply chain, disrupt our operations or negatively impact the demand for our products in our primary end markets; our ability to maintain good relationships with our suppliers; our ability to integrate acquired businesses in an efficient and effective manner; our ability to generate sufficient cash, raise sufficient capital or refinance corporate debt at or before maturity to meet both NXP’s debt service and research and development and capital investment requirements; and a change in tax laws could have an effect on our estimated effective tax rates. In addition, this document contains information concerning the semiconductor industry, our end markets and business generally, which is forward-looking in nature and is based on a variety of assumptions regarding the ways in which the semiconductor industry, our end markets and business will develop. NXP has based these assumptions on information currently available, if any one or more of these assumptions turn out to be incorrect, actual results may differ from those predicted. While NXP does not know what impact any such differences may have on its business, if there are such differences, its future results of operations and its financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak to results only as of the date the statements were made. Except for any ongoing obligation to disclose material information as required by the United States federal securities laws, NXP does not have any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after we distribute this document, whether to reflect any future events or circumstances or otherwise. For a discussion of potential risks and uncertainties, please refer to the risk factors listed in our SEC filings. Copies of our SEC filings are available on our Investor Relations website, www.nxp.com/investor or from the SEC website, www.sec.gov.

        For further information, please contact:

        Investors: Media:
        Jeff Palmer Paige Iven
        jeff.palmer@nxp.com  paige.iven@nxp.com
        +1 408 205 0687  +1 817 975 0602
           

        NXP-CORP

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 1: Condensed consolidated statement of operations (unaudited)

        ($ in millions except share data) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
                   
        Revenue $ 2,926     $ 2,835     $ 3,127  
        Cost of revenue   (1,364 )     (1,275 )     (1,335 )
        Gross profit   1,562       1,560       1,792  
        Research and development   (573 )     (547 )     (594 )
        Selling, general and administrative   (278 )     (281 )     (270 )
        Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets   (25 )     (27 )     (28 )
        Total operating expenses   (876 )     (855 )     (892 )
        Other income (expense)   1       18       (4 )
        Operating income (loss)   687       723       896  
        Financial income (expense):          
        Other financial income (expense)   (86 )     (92 )     (75 )
        Income (loss) before income taxes   601       631       821  
        Benefit (provision) for income taxes   (116 )     (130 )     (154 )
        Results relating to equity-accounted investees   (28 )     (4 )     (3 )
        Net income (loss)   457       497       664  
        Less: Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests   12       7       6  
        Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders   445       490       658  
                   
        Earnings per share data:          
        Net income (loss) per common share attributable to stockholders in $
        Basic $ 1.76     $ 1.93     $ 2.58  
        Diluted $ 1.75     $ 1.92     $ 2.54  
                   
        Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period (in thousands):
        Basic   252,418       253,709       255,478  
        Diluted   253,844       255,018       258,732  
                   

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 2: Condensed consolidated balance sheet (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) As of
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        ASSETS          
        Current assets:          
        Cash and cash equivalents $ 3,170     $ 3,988     $ 2,859  
        Short-term deposits               400  
        Accounts receivable, net   1,071       1,060       927  
        Assets held for sale   294              
        Inventories, net   2,361       2,350       2,148  
        Other current assets   790       627       546  
        Total current assets   7,686       8,025       6,880  
                   
        Non-current assets:          
        Deferred tax assets   1,306       1,284       1,067  
        Other non-current assets   1,909       1,942       1,223  
        Property, plant and equipment, net   3,130       3,210       3,289  
        Identified intangible assets, net   1,121       777       796  
        Goodwill   10,098       9,942       9,941  
        Total non-current assets   17,564       17,155       16,316  
                   
        Total assets   25,250       25,180       23,196  
                   
        LIABILITIES AND EQUITY          
        Current liabilities:          
        Accounts payable   892       863       929  
        Restructuring liabilities-current   65       75       62  
        Other current liabilities   1,471       1,412       1,622  
        Short-term debt   1,999       1,499       499  
        Total current liabilities   4,427       3,849       3,112  
                   
        Non-current liabilities:          
        Long-term debt   9,479       10,226       9,681  
        Restructuring liabilities   60       4       7  
        Other non-current liabilities   1,348       1,424       1,051  
        Total non-current liabilities   10,887       11,654       10,739  
                   
        Non-controlling interests   367       355       327  
        Stockholders’ equity   9,569       9,322       9,018  
        Total equity   9,936       9,677       9,345  
                   
        Total liabilities and equity   25,250       25,180       23,196  
                   

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 3: Condensed consolidated statement of cash flows (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        Cash flows from operating activities:          
        Net income (loss) $ 457     $ 497     $ 664  
        Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities:          
        Depreciation and amortization   207       209       213  
        Share-based compensation   117       127       114  
        Amortization of discount (premium) on debt, net         1       1  
        Amortization of debt issuance costs   2       1       1  
        Net (gain) loss on sale of assets   (6 )     (22 )      
        Results relating to equity-accounted investees   28       4       3  
        (Gain) loss on equity securities, net   (3 )     6       3  
        Deferred tax expense (benefit)   3       (27 )     (23 )
        Changes in operating assets and liabilities:          
        (Increase) decrease in receivables and other current assets   (106 )     (29 )     10  
        (Increase) decrease in inventories   (90 )     6       (46 )
        Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other liabilities   33       (110 )     (220 )
        (Increase) decrease in other non-current assets   131       (106 )     40  
        Exchange differences   9       4       5  
        Other items   (3 )     4       (4 )
        Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities   779       565       761  
                   
        Cash flows from investing activities:          
        Purchase of identified intangible assets   (37 )     (25 )     (55 )
        Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment   (83 )     (139 )     (185 )
        Proceeds from the disposals of property, plant and equipment         1       1  
        Purchase of interests in businesses, net of cash acquired   (679 )            
        Purchase of investments   (93 )     (53 )      
        Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities   (892 )     (216 )     (239 )
                   
        Cash flows from financing activities:          
        Repurchase of long-term debt   (500 )            
        Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt         370        
        Proceeds from the issuance of commercial paper notes   1,565       646        
        Repayment of commercial paper notes   (1,315 )     (146 )      
        Dividends paid to common stockholders   (257 )     (258 )     (260 )
        Proceeds from issuance of common stock through stock plans   2       37       3  
        Purchase of treasury shares and restricted stock unit withholdings   (204 )     (303 )     (310 )
        Other, net         (1 )      
        Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities   (709 )     345       (567 )
                   
        Effect of changes in exchange rates on cash positions   4       2       (4 )
        Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   (818 )     696       (49 )
        Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   3,988       3,292       2,908  
        Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   3,170       3,988       2,859  
                   
        Net cash paid during the period for:          
        Interest   109       41       86  
        Income taxes, net of refunds   167       96       193  
        Net gain (loss) on sale of assets:          
        Cash proceeds from the sale of assets   6       31       1  
        Book value of these assets         (9 )     (1 )
        Non-cash investing activities:          
        Non-cash capital expenditures   103       108       166  
                   

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 4: Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Results (unaudited)

        ($ in millions except share data) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        GAAP Gross Profit $ 1,562     $ 1,560     $ 1,792  
        PPA Effects   (7 )     (8 )     (12 )
        Restructuring   (61 )     (4 )     (4 )
        Share-based compensation   (14 )     (16 )     (15 )
        Other incidentals   (8 )     (3 )     (10 )
        Non-GAAP Gross Profit $ 1,652     $ 1,591     $ 1,833  
        GAAP Gross margin   53.4 %     55.0 %     57.3 %
        Non-GAAP Gross margin   56.5 %     56.1 %     58.6 %
        GAAP Research and development $ (573 )   $ (547 )   $ (594 )
        Restructuring   (3 )     (7 )     (4 )
        Share-based compensation   (58 )     (64 )     (58 )
        Other incidentals   (7 )     (1 )      
        Non-GAAP Research and development $ (505 )   $ (475 )   $ (532 )
        GAAP Selling, general and administrative $ (278 )   $ (281 )   $ (270 )
        PPA effects               (1 )
        Restructuring   (3 )     (3 )     2  
        Share-based compensation   (45 )     (47 )     (41 )
        Other incidentals   (15 )     (20 )     (2 )
        Non-GAAP Selling, general and administrative $ (215 )   $ (211 )   $ (228 )
        GAAP Operating income (loss) $ 687     $ 723     $ 896  
        PPA effects   (32 )     (40 )     (41 )
        Restructuring   (67 )     (14 )     (6 )
        Share-based compensation   (117 )     (127 )     (114 )
        Other incidentals   (32 )           (14 )
        Non-GAAP Operating income (loss) $ 935     $ 904     $ 1,071  
        GAAP Operating margin   23.5 %     25.5 %     28.7 %
        Non-GAAP Operating margin   32.0 %     31.9 %     34.3 %
        GAAP Income tax benefit (provision) $ (116 )   $ (130 )   $ (154 )
        Income tax effect   32       13       15  
        Non-GAAP Income tax benefit (provision) $ (148 )   $ (143 )   $ (169 )
        GAAP Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders $ 445     $ 490     $ 658  
        PPA Effects   (32 )     (40 )     (41 )
        Restructuring   (67 )     (14 )     (6 )
        Share-based compensation   (117 )     (127 )     (114 )
        Other incidentals   (32 )           (14 )
        Other adjustments:          
        Adjustments to financial income (expense)   (1 )     (12 )     (8 )
        Income tax effect   32       13       15  
        Results relating to equity-accounted investees, excluding Foundry investees1   (28 )     (3 )     (3 )
        Non-GAAP Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders $ 690     $ 673     $ 829  
                   
                   
        Additional Information:          
        1. Refer to Table 7 below for further information regarding the results relating to equity-accounted investees.
                   
        GAAP net income (loss) per common share attributable to stockholders – diluted $ 1.75     $ 1.92     $ 2.54  
        PPA Effects   (0.12 )     (0.16 )     (0.16 )
        Restructuring   (0.27 )     (0.05 )     (0.02 )
        Share-based compensation   (0.46 )     (0.50 )     (0.44 )
        Other incidentals   (0.13 )           (0.06 )
        Other adjustments:          
        Adjustments to financial income (expense)         (0.05 )     (0.03 )
        Income tax effect   0.12       0.05       0.06  
        Results relating to equity-accounted investees, excluding Foundry investees1   (0.11 )     (0.01 )     (0.01 )
        Non-GAAP net income (loss) per common share attributable to stockholders – diluted $ 2.72     $ 2.64     $ 3.20  
                   
                   
        Additional Information:          
        1. Refer to Table 7 below for further information regarding the results relating to equity-accounted investees.

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 5: Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Financial income (expense) (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        GAAP Financial income (expense) $ (86 )   $ (92 )   $ (75 )
        Foreign exchange loss   (7 )     (3 )     (2 )
        Other financial expense   6       (9 )     (6 )
        Non-GAAP Financial income (expense) $ (85 )   $ (80 )   $ (67 )
                   
         

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 6: Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Other income (expense) (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        GAAP Other income (expense) $ 1     $ 18     $ (4 )
        PPA effects         (5 )      
        Other incidentals   (2 )     24       (2 )
        Non-GAAP Other income (expense) $ 3     $ (1 )   $ (2 )
                   

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 7: Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Results relating to equity-accounted investees (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        GAAP Results relating to equity-accounted investees $ (28 )   $ (4 )   $ (3 )
        Results of equity-accounted investees, excluding Foundry investees1   (28 )     (3 )     (3 )
        Non-GAAP Results relating to equity-accounted investees $     $ (1 )   $  
                   
        Additional Information:
        1. We adjust our results relating to equity-accounted investees for those results from investments over which NXP has significant influence, but not control, and whose business activities are not related to the core operating performance of NXP. Our equity-investments in foundry partners are part of our long-term core operating performance and accordingly those results comprise the Non-GAAP Results relating to equity-accounted investees.

        NXP Semiconductors
        Table 8: Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow (unaudited)

        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        GAAP Net income (loss) $ 457     $ 497     $ 664  
        Reconciling items to EBITDA (Non-GAAP)          
        Financial (income) expense   86       92       75  
        (Benefit) provision for income taxes   116       130       154  
        Depreciation and impairment   143       143       146  
        Amortization   64       66       67  
        EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 866     $ 928     $ 1,106  
        Reconciling items to adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)          
        Results of equity-accounted investees, excluding Foundry investees1   28       3       3  
        Purchase accounting effect on asset sale         5        
        Restructuring   67       14       6  
        Share-based compensation   117       127       114  
        Other incidental items2   25       (4 )     14  
        Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 1,103     $ 1,073     $ 1,243  
        Trailing twelve month adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 4,745     $ 4,885     $ 5,297  
                   
        Additional Information:          
        1. Refer to Table 7 above for further information regarding the results relating to equity-accounted investees.
        2. Excluding from total other incidental items, charges included in depreciation, amortization or impairment reconciling items:
        • other incidental items
          7       4        
                   
                   
                   
        ($ in millions) Three months ended
          June 29, 2025   March 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities $ 779     $ 565     $ 761  
        Net capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment   (83 )     (138 )     (184 )
        Non-GAAP free cash flow $ 696     $ 427     $ 577  
        Trailing twelve month non-GAAP free cash flow $ 2,008     $ 1,889     $ 2,954  
        Trailing twelve month non-GAAP free cash flow as percent of Revenue   17 %     15 %     23 %
                   

      The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: 2UniFi and Nav Team Up to Power Growth for Small Business

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Bank Holdings Corporation (NYSE: NBHC) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership to support 2UniFi, an innovative financial ecosystem for business launched this month. As part of the initial collaboration, 2UniFi will be integrated within the Nav marketplace for small business deposit and lending solutions. With over 1 million users, Nav is the leading credit and financial health platform for small business owners, offering a suite of tools to help entrepreneurs access, monitor, and build their business credit. Additionally, Nav provides small business owners with a wealth of short and long term financing options to fuel their growth.

    Tim Laney, Chairman and CEO of NBHC and Founder of 2UniFi stated, “2UniFi is building a comprehensive ecosystem of financial solutions paired with data driven insights with the goal of transforming the way small and medium-sized businesses access the U.S. banking system. This partnership with Nav will help propel 2UniFi’s growth by expanding our reach to small businesses through Nav’s deposit and lending marketplace.”

    With a shared vision to support the success of small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., Nav and 2UniFi will leverage their unique capabilities to bring robust solutions to market. 2UniFi will integrate Nav’s financial health and credit insights inside the 2UniFi experience.

    NBHC has also made a $5 million strategic investment in Nav. Laney, who will serve as an observer on Nav’s board, added, “Small businesses are essential for a healthy and thriving economy. By integrating Nav’s business credit insights into the 2UniFi experience, we are empowering everyday entrepreneurs with the financial health tools they need to further grow their business.”

    “At Nav, we’re committed to providing small business owners with the best service and products they need to ensure their businesses are not only able to survive, but thrive for years,” said Levi King, Nav CEO, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board. “This partnership with 2UniFi not only affords us the opportunity to provide a truly differentiated offering to our customers, but it opens the door for even more small business owners to access resources that many of them so desperately need.”

    Tim Laney added, “In the course of partnership discussions, our team developed a deep appreciation for the proven experience Levi and his team have in the financial technology arena. We look forward to the positive impact we can make together for business owners and operators.”

    About National Bank Holdings Corporation

    National Bank Holdings Corporation is a bank holding company created to build a leading community bank franchise delivering high quality client service and committed to stakeholder results. Through its bank subsidiaries, NBH Bank and Bank of Jackson Hole Trust, National Bank Holdings Corporation operates a network of over 85 banking centers, serving individual consumers, small, medium and large businesses, and government and non-profit entities. Its banking centers are located in its core footprint of Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho. Its comprehensive residential mortgage banking group primarily serves the bank’s core footprint. Its trust business is operated in its core footprint under the Bank of Jackson Hole Trust charter. NBH Bank operates under a single state charter through the following brand names as divisions of NBH Bank: in Colorado, Community Banks of Colorado and Community Banks Mortgage; in Kansas and Missouri, Bank Midwest and Bank Midwest Mortgage; in Utah, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho, Hillcrest Bank and Hillcrest Bank Mortgage; and in Wyoming, Bank of Jackson Hole and Bank of Jackson Hole Mortgage. Additional information about National Bank Holdings Corporation can be found at www.nationalbankholdings.com.

    For more information visit: cobnks.com, bankmw.com, hillcrestbank.com, bankofjacksonhole.com, or nbhbank.com. Or connect with any of our brands on LinkedIn.

    About Nav Technologies, Inc.
    Nav is the leading credit and financial health platform for small businesses. Nav’s unique financial health platform shows cash flow and credit insights alongside suggested financing options, and is the only place small business owners can build and manage business credit and see what financing they can qualify for before they apply. Nav has raised more than $100 million in capital from investors including Goldman Sachs Principal Strategic Investments, Kleiner Perkins, Experian Ventures, and Point72 Ventures.

    Contact:                  
    Analysts/Institutional Investors:
    Emily Gooden, 720-554-6640
    Chief Accounting Officer and Investor Relations Director
    ir@nationalbankholdings.com
      Media:
    Jody Soper, 303-784-5925
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Jody.Soper@nbhbank.com
         
    Nicole Van Denabeele, 720-529-3370
    Chief Financial Officer
    ir@nationalbankholdings.com
       
         

    Source: National Bank Holdings Corporation

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea449cea-5438-4ef9-b2c5-1f3b752a8166

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc. Announces Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter and Nine Months Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GOUVERNEUR, N.Y., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQB: GOVB) (the “Company”), the holding company for Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association (the “Bank”), today announced the Company’s results for the third quarter and nine months of fiscal year 2025, ended June 30, 2025.

    The Company reported net income of $217,000, or $0.22 per basic and diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $183,000, or $0.17 per basic and diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company also reported net income of $495,000, or $0.48 per basic and diluted share, for the nine months ended June 30, 2025, compared to net income of $403,000, or $0.38 per basic and diluted share, for the nine months ended June 30, 2024.

    Summary of Financial Results

    Our results of operations depend primarily on our net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between the interest income we earn on our interest-earning assets, consisting primarily of loans and securities, and the interest we pay on our interest-bearing liabilities, consisting of savings and club accounts, NOW and money market accounts and time certificates. Our results of operations also are affected by our provisions for credit losses, non-interest income and non-interest expense. Non-interest income currently consists primarily of service charges, earnings on bank owned life insurance and loan servicing fees. Non-interest expense currently consists primarily of salaries and employee benefits, directors’ fees, occupancy and data processing expense and professional fees. Our results of operations also may be affected significantly by other factors including, but not limited to, general and local economic and competitive conditions, changes in market interest rates, governmental policies and actions of regulatory authorities.

    Total assets decreased by $0.6 million or 0.27%, from $197.3 million at September 30, 2024 to $196.7 million at June 30, 2025. Securities available for sale decreased $3.6 million, or 8.05%, from $45.3 million as of September 30, 2024 to $41.7 million as of June 30, 2025 as the Bank received principal paydowns and maturities along with a decrease in the market value as market rates fluctuate. Net loans increased by $1.6 million or 1.35%, from September 30, 2024 to June 30, 2025. The Bank recorded a $9,000 provision for credit loss on loans and a $3,000 provision for credit loss on unfunded commitments for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to no provision for credit loss recorded during the same period in the prior year. The Bank made a $27,000 provision for credit loss during the first nine months of fiscal 2025, a decrease from the $70,000 provision made in the same period of fiscal 2024. The higher provision in fiscal 2024 was primarily due to a few charge-offs recorded in the first quarter of that year.

    Deposits decreased $0.5 million or 0.31%, to $159.4 million at June 30, 2025 from $159.9 million at September 30, 2024 due to seasonal fluctuations. The Bank currently holds no Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) advances or brokered deposits.

    Shareholders’ equity was $31.4 million at June 30, 2025, representing a decrease of 4.18% from the September 30, 2024 balance of $32.8 million. The decrease in shareholders’ equity was primarily a result of a $1.1 million decrease to the market value of the securities portfolio included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, and the repurchase of common stock by the Company. The Company declared dividends of $0.16 per share totaling $173,000 during the nine months ended June 30, 2025. The Company’s book value was $29.74 per common share based on 1,107,134 shares issued and 1,055,671 shares outstanding at June 30, 2025. The Company’s book value was $29.59 per common share based on 1,107,134 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024.

    Total interest income increased $26,000, or 1.21%, from $2.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 to $2.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 due to an increase in loan income, partially offset by a decrease in interest income from investments in taxable and non-taxable securities. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, total interest income increased $56,000, or 0.87%, from $6.4 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 to $6.5 million. Interest income on loans increased $60,000, or 3.61%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, interest income on loans increased $203,000, or 4.15%, from the same period in fiscal 2024 due to an increase in market rates resulting in higher interest rates on loan originations and repricing, along with a slight increase in loan volume.

    Total interest expense decreased $27,000, or 6.98%, from $387,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 to $360,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, total interest expense increased $103,000, or 9.83%, from $1.0 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 to $1.2 million. Interest expense on deposits increased $39,000, from $321,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 to $360,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, interest expense on deposits increased $295,000, from $856,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2024 to $1.2 million. Interest expense on FHLB borrowings decreased $98,000 and $304,000 for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to the same periods in fiscal 2024 as the Bank currently holds no FHLB advances as of June 30, 2025. The decrease in total interest expense for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was due to the decrease in interest expense on FHLB borrowings, partially offset by an increase in interest expense on deposits. The increase in total interest expense for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 was due to the increase in interest on deposits, resulting from higher deposit rates from the respective prior year periods, and a decrease in income earned on swap agreements hedged against certain borrowings partially offset by a decrease in borrowing interest expense.

    Net interest margin, which represents net interest income as a percentage of average interest-earning assets, was 4.15% and 4.03% for the quarters ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, and 4.07% and 4.03% for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Net interest margin increased due to an increase in interest income and a slight decrease in interest-earning assets.

    Non-interest income increased $65,000, from $191,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 to $256,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, non-interest income increased $180,000 to $708,000, from $528,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2024. This includes the unrealized market value loss on swap agreements held with FHLBNY of $9,000 and $208,000 for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Other non-interest income increased $73,000 during the nine months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the same period last year, primarily due to the recognition of additional income from a tax-related refund, including a Mortgage Recording Tax (MRT) credit.

    Non-interest expense increased $16,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2025, remaining at $1.8 million compared to the three months ended June 30, 2024. The total increase included a $39,000 increase in foreclosed asset expenses primarily due to legal fees incurred on various property foreclosures this fiscal year, whereas the prior period included a gain on the sale of a foreclosed property. For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, non-interest expense increased $10,000 compared to the same period in fiscal 2024. Other non-interest expense increased $188,000 during the nine months ended June 30, 2025, primarily due to operational expenses related to the Company’s operations as a public company. Total non-interest expense included a decrease in salaries and employee benefits of $66,000 and a $18,000 decrease in earnings on the Bank’s deferred fees plan due to fluctuations in market rates. Data processing and occupancy expenses also decreased during the nine months ended June 30, 2025.

    Financial and Operational Metrics (GAAP) – The following information is preliminary and based on the Company’s data available at the time of presentation.

      06/30/2025   09/30/2024
      (In Thousands)
      (unaudited)    
    Statement of Condition      
    Assets      
    Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 7,205     $ 6,370  
    Securities Available-for-Sale   41,697       45,348  
    Loans Receivable, Net of Allowance for Credit Losses and Deferred Loan Fees   125,933       124,257  
    Premises and Equipment, Net   2,878       2,924  
    Goodwill and Intangible Assets   5,623       5,901  
    Accrued Interest Receivable and Other Assets   13,383       12,460  
    Total Assets $ 196,719     $ 197,260  
           
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity      
    Deposits $ 159,414     $ 159,902  
    Accrued Interest Payable and Other Liabilities   5,908       4,593  
    Total Liabilities   165,322       164,495  
           
    Common Stock   11       11  
    Additional Paid in Capital   6,505       6,487  
    Unearned Common Stock held by ESOP   (501 )     (540 )
    Retained Earnings   28,735       28,413  
    Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss   (2,721 )     (1,606 )
    Authorized but Unissued Stock   (632 )      
    Total Shareholders’ Equity   31,397       32,765  
    Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity $ 196,719     $ 197,260  
           
      For the Quarter Ended   For the Nine Months Ended
      06/30/2025   06/30/2024   06/30/2025   06/30/2024
      (In Thousands except per share data)
      (unaudited)
    Statement of Earnings              
    Interest Income $ 2,170     $ 2,144     $ 6,473     $ 6,417  
    Interest Expense   360       387       1,151       1,048  
    Net Interest Income   1,810       1,757       5,322       5,369  
                   
    Provision for Credit Loss   12             27       70  
    Net Interest Income After Provision for Credit Loss   1,798       1,757       5,295       5,299  
                   
    Non-interest Income   256       191       708       528  
    Non-interest Expenses   1,786       1,770       5,474       5,464  
                   
    Income Before Income Tax Expense (Benefit)   268       178       529       363  
    Income Tax Expense (Benefit)   51       (5 )     34       (40 )
    Net Income $ 217     $ 183     $ 495     $ 403  
                   
    Performance Ratios              
    Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share $ 0.22     $ 0.17     $ 0.48     $ 0.38  
    Annualized Return on Average Assets   0.44 %     0.37 %     0.34 %     0.27 %
    Annualized Return on Average Equity   2.79 %     2.33 %     2.08 %     1.79 %
    Net Interest Spread   3.98 %     3.83 %     3.87 %     3.86 %
    Net Interest Margin   4.15 %     4.03 %     4.07 %     4.03 %
                                   

    About Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc.

    Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association, which is a New York chartered savings and loan association founded in 1892 that offers deposit and loan services for businesses, families and individuals. At June 30, 2025, Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc. had total assets of $196.7 million, total deposits of $159.4 million and total stockholders’ equity of $31.4 million.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements and all other statements that are not historic facts are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors. These factors include, among others, the following: changes in interest rates; national and regional economic conditions; legislative and regulatory changes; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the impacts of tariffs, sanctions and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading counterparts; the size, quality and composition of the loan or investment portfolios; demand for loan products; deposit flows and our ability to effectively manage liquidity; competition; demand for financial services in our market area; changes in real estate market values in our market area; changes in relevant accounting principles and guidelines; our ability to attract and retain key employees; our ability to maintain the security of our data processing and information technology systems; and that the Company may not be successful in the implementation of its business strategy. Additionally, other risks and uncertainties are described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2024 and other reports the Company files with the SEC, which are available through the SEC’s EDGAR website located at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Should one or more of these risks materialize, actual results may vary from those anticipated, estimated or projected.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, the Company and the Bank assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

    For more information, contact Charles C. Van Vleet, Jr., Interim President and Chief Executive Officer at (315) 287-2600.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: American Coastal Insurance Corporation Announces Upgrade of Issuer and Debt Ratings From Kroll Bond Rating Agency

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Coastal Insurance Corporation (Nasdaq Ticker: ACIC) (“American Coastal” or the “Company”) the insurance holding company of American Coastal Insurance Company (“AmCoastal”), announced today that Kroll Bond Rating Agency (“KBRA”) has upgraded its Issuer Rating from BB+ to BBB- and upgraded its Debt Rating from BB+ to BBB-. KBRA also affirmed the Insurance Financial Strength Rating of A- for AmCoastal. The Outlook for all ratings has been changed to Positive from Stable.

    The upgrade of American Coastal’s Issuer and Debt ratings reflects the continued improvements in its financial leverage metrics and maintenance of strong double-digit EBIT interest coverage. The change in outlook to Positive from Stable reflects KBRA’s expectation that American Coastal will continue to report favorable operating results and maintain its strong risk-adjusted capitalization, robust reinsurance programs with strong counterparties, and high credit quality investment portfolio.

    “We are proud to have regained investment grade status and positive outlooks. This will immediately reduce the Company’s annual interest expense by $1.5 million and supports our strategy to grow the business responsibly,” said President & CEO, Brad Martz.

    About American Coastal Insurance Corporation:
    American Coastal Insurance Corporation (amcoastal.com) is the holding company of the insurance carrier, American Coastal Insurance Company, which was founded in 2007 for the purpose of insuring Condominium and Homeowner Association properties, and apartments in the state of Florida. American Coastal Insurance Company has an exclusive partnership for distribution of Condominium Association properties in the state of Florida with AmRisc Group (amriscgroup.com), one of the largest Managing General Agents in the country specializing in hurricane-exposed properties. American Coastal Insurance Company has earned a Financial Stability Rating of “A”, Exceptional’ from Demotech, and maintains an “A-” insurance financial strength rating with a Positive outlook by Kroll. ACIC maintains a ‘BBB-’ issuer rating with a Positive outlook by Kroll.

    Contact Information:
    Alexander Baty
    Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations, American Coastal Insurance Corporation
    investorrelations@amcoastal.com
    (727) 425-8076

    Karin Daly
    Investor Relations, Vice President, The Equity Group
    kdaly@theequitygroup.com
    (212) 836-9623

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: CTRL Group Limited Announces Name Change

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Kowloon, Hong Kong, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CTRL Group Limited (the “Company”) (Nasdaq CM: MCTR), an integrated marketing and advertising services provider in Hong Kong specializing in mobile games promotion for the local market, today announced, subject to and conditional upon the approval of the Registrar of Companies in the British Virgin Islands (the “Registrar”), it will change its name from CTRL Group Ltd. to TJGC Group.

    The name change will become effective upon the issuance of a Certificate of Change of Name by the Registrar and the corresponding update in the Register of Companies.

    The Company’s ordinary shares will continue to be listed and traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the current ticker symbol “MCTR”. The CUSIP number for the Company’s ordinary shares will remain unchanged.

    About CTRL Group Limited

    The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary and operating company, CTRL Group Limited, is an integrated marketing and advertising services provider in Hong Kong specializing in mobile games promotion for the local market. The Company provides services to mobile game developers, principally developers of mobile gaming applications or “apps” that gamers download from the developers’ websites and applicable mobile operating systems, such as Apple Store or Android Google Play Store. The market for specialized mobile game advertising in Hong Kong is occupied by a few market players who compete with one another. The Company’s prominent market share and proven track record are indicative of its audience reach and engagement, as well as its relevance to advertisers in Hong Kong markets. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.ctrl-media.com/

    Forward-Looking Statements

    All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs, including the expectation that the Offering will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.

    For more information, please contact:

    Investor Relations
    CTRL Group Limited
    Phone: +852-3107-4887
    Email: project@ctrl-media.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Mercury Systems to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results on August 11, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercury Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing to the edge, will release its fourth quarter and full year fiscal year 2025 financial results after the market close on Monday, August 11, 2025.

    Management will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET on the same day to discuss Mercury’s quarterly financial results, business highlights, and outlook. In addition, Company representatives may answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends, the Company’s view on earnings forecasts, and other business and financial matters affecting the Company, the responses to which may contain information that has not been previously disclosed.

    To attend the conference call or webcast, participants should register online at ir.mrcy.com/events-presentations. Participants are requested to register a day in advance or at a minimum 15 minutes before the start of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the call and archived on the same web page for six months.

    Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters®
    Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has more than 20 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY)

    CONTACT
    Tyler Hojo
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    Tyler.Hojo@mrcy.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Par Pacific, Mitsubishi, and ENEOS to Establish Joint Venture for Renewable Fuels in Hawaii

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON and TOKYO, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (including its subsidiaries and affiliates, “Par Pacific”), Mitsubishi Corporation (“Mitsubishi”), and ENEOS Corporation (“ENEOS”) today announced the signing of definitive agreements to establish Hawaii Renewables, LLC (“Hawaii Renewables”), a joint venture to produce renewable fuels at Par Pacific’s refinery in Kapolei Hawaii. Mitsubishi and ENEOS will form Alohi Renewable Energy, LLC, which will acquire a 36.5% equity stake in Hawaii Renewables in exchange for cash consideration of $100 million. Par Pacific will retain the remaining interest and lead the project’s execution and operations through its affiliate, Par Hawaii Refining, LLC. The project’s attractive capital cost, along with its operating and distribution cost advantages, are key differentiators.

    Hawaii Renewables will leverage Par Pacific’s existing refining and logistics infrastructure and Lutros, LLC’s new and advantaged pretreatment technology. Construction is currently underway, and the facility is expected to be completed and operational by the end of the year. Once fully operational, Hawaii Renewables will be the state’s largest renewable fuels manufacturing facility and is expected to produce approximately 61 million gallons per year of renewable diesel (“RD”), sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”), renewable naphtha and low carbon liquified petroleum gases.

    The facility is designed to produce up to 60% SAF as a first step toward decarbonizing Hawaii’s significant air travel market, with flexibility to process diverse feedstocks and shift yields to RD based on market conditions. These renewable fuels will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing reliable transportation and utility fuels to Hawaii consumers.

    This strategic partnership will combine Par Pacific’s advantaged West Coast and Pacific asset base and operational capabilities with Mitsubishi’s global integrated business, including access to Mitsubishi’s Petro-Diamond Inc. Terminal in Long Beach, California and global feedstock procurement expertise. As Japan’s leading energy company, ENEOS will strengthen the partnership by leveraging its historical success in fuel refining and trading across Asia-Pacific and North America.

    “We are thrilled to partner with Mitsubishi and ENEOS through the formation of this strategic joint venture,” said Will Monteleone, Par Pacific’s President & Chief Executive Officer. “Creating the Hawaii Renewables joint venture brings together the best of our three organizations and yields additional scale and expertise across feedstock origination, commercial optimization, and market access throughout the Pacific Basin.”

    “We are so honored to partner with Par Pacific in the renewable fuels business,” said Masaru Saito, Group CEO, Environmental Energy Group, Mitsubishi Corporation. “We view this partnership as an important step for our SAF initiative, supporting aviation sector decarbonization across Hawaii and beyond through our feedstock procurement and renewable fuels sales expertise.”

    “We anticipate this project will deliver a stable supply of energy and contribute to a carbon-neutral society,” said Marcus Echigoya, Senior Vice President, Managing Executive Officer, ENEOS Corporation. “ENEOS aims to contribute to this initiative by utilizing our deep experience in fuel refining and marketing, with an emphasis on enhancing Hawaii Renewable’s feedstock procurement capabilities.”

    The closing of the joint venture transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Lazard served as financial advisor to Par Pacific on this transaction.

    About Par Pacific
    Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PARR), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a growing energy company providing both renewable and conventional fuels to the western United States. Par Pacific owns and operates 219,000 bpd of combined refining capacity across four locations in Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies, and an extensive energy infrastructure network, including 13 million barrels of storage, and marine, rail, rack, and pipeline assets. In addition, Par Pacific operates the Hele retail brand in Hawaii and the “nomnom” convenience store chain in the Pacific Northwest. Par Pacific also owns 46% of Laramie Energy, LLC, a natural gas production company with operations and assets concentrated in Western Colorado. More information is available at www.parpacific.com

    About Mitsubishi Corporation
    Mitsubishi Corporation is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates business together with its offices and subsidiaries worldwide. MC has eight Business Groups that operate across virtually every industry: Environmental Energy, Material Solution, Mineral Resources, Urban Development and Infrastructure, Mobility, Food Industry, Smart-Life Creation, and Power Solution.

    About ENEOS Corporation
    ENEOS Group is Japan’s leading energy company with manufacturing and sales facilities throughout the world. ENEOS has developed businesses in the refining and marketing of petroleum products, petrochemical products, and lubricants. While fulfilling our responsibility of providing a stable supply of energy and materials both now and in the future, we will realize a carbon neutral society through energy transition. This is also a great challenge for mankind, and we, the ENEOS Group, will maximize our corporate value by steadily taking on the challenge.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to qualify for the “safe harbor” from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about Par Pacific’s plans to invest in renewable fuels production. There can be no assurances that Par Pacific will be successful in its renewable fuels production efforts, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. We cannot provide assurances that the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based will prove to have been correct. Should one of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. We do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We further expressly disclaim any written or oral statements made by a third party regarding the subject matter of this news release.

    Par Pacific Contacts
    Investors:
    Ashimi Patel
    VP, Investor Relations & Sustainability
    +1 (832) 916-3355
    apatel@parpacific.com

    Media Inquiries:
    Marc Inouye
    Director, Government & Public Affairs
    +1 (808) 203-2344
    minouye@parpacific.com

    Mitsubishi Corporation Contacts
    Media Inquiries:
    Telephone: +81-3-3210-2171

    ENEOS Contacts
    Media Inquiries:
    pr@eneos.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Draganfly Announces Closing of US$25.0 Million Registered Direct Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Saskatoon, SK., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8A) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award-winning developer of drone solutions, software, and robotics, today announced the closing of its previously announced registered direct offering of 4,672,895 units of the Company (the “Units”), at a price of US$5.35 per Unit, for gross proceeds of approximately US$25.0 million, before deducting placement agent discounts and offering expenses (the “Offering”).

    Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a “Common Share”) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a “Warrant”). The Warrants entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of CA$7.3579 (the Canadian dollar equivalent of US$5.35) per Common Share, are exercisable immediately and will expire five years following the date of issuance.

    Maxim Group LLC acted as sole placement agent for the Offering.

    Draganfly currently intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes, including to fund its capabilities to meet demand for its new products including growth initiatives and/or for working capital requirements including the continuing development and marketing of the Company’s core products, potential acquisitions and research and development.

    The Offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-10, as amended, (File No. 333-271498) previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on July 5, 2023 and the Company’s Canadian short form base shelf prospectus dated June 30, 2023 (the “Base Shelf Prospectus”). Draganfly offered and sold the securities in the United States only. No securities were offered or sold to Canadian purchasers.

    A prospectus supplement and accompanying Base Shelf Prospectus relating to the Offering and describing the terms thereof was filed with the applicable securities commissions in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, and with the SEC in the United States and is available for free by visiting the Company’s profiles on the SEDAR+ website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedarplus.ca or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, as applicable. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying Base Shelf Prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained by contacting Maxim Group LLC, at 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Syndicate Department, or by telephone at (212) 895-3745 or by email at syndicate@maximgrp.com.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Draganfly

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8A) is a pioneer in drone solutions, AI-driven software, and robotics. With over 25 years of innovation, Draganfly has been at the forefront of drone technology, providing solutions for public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying. The Company is committed to delivering efficient, reliable, and industry-leading technology that helps organizations save time, money, and lives.

    Media Contact
    media@draganfly.com

    Company Contact
    Cameron Chell, Chief Executive Officer
    Tel: (306) 955-9907
    Email: info@draganfly.com

    Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous important risks, uncertainties and assumptions, known and unknown. In this news release, such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds of the Offering. These forward looking statements are subject to numerous factors, many of which are beyond Draganfly’s control, including but not limited to, those important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in Draganfly’s filings with the securities regulatory authorities in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan and with the SEC. Actual future events may differ from the anticipated events expressed in such forward-looking statements. Draganfly believes that expectations represented by forward-looking statements are reasonable, yet there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The reader should not place undue reliance, if any, on any forward-looking statements included in this news release. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and Draganfly is under no obligation and disavows any intention to update publicly or revise such statements as a result of any new information, future event, circumstances or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.‎ Investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these forward-looking statements and are encouraged to read the Offering documents, as well as Draganfly’s continuous disclosure documents, including its current annual information form, as well as its audited annual consolidated financial statements which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: A popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences, says recent study

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Havovi Chichger, Professor, Biomedical Science, Anglia Ruskin University

    Found in everything from protein bars to energy drinks, erythritol has long been considered a safe alternative to sugar. But new research suggests this widely used sweetener may be quietly undermining one of the body’s most crucial protective barriers – with potentially serious consequences for heart health and stroke risk.

    A recent study from the University of Colorado suggests erythritol may damage cells in the blood-brain barrier, the brain’s security system that keeps out harmful substances while letting in nutrients. The findings add troubling new detail to previous observational studies that have linked erythritol consumption to increased rates of heart attack and stroke.

    In the new study, researchers exposed blood-brain barrier cells to levels of erythritol typically found after drinking a soft drink sweetened with the compound. They saw a chain reaction of cell damage that could make the brain more vulnerable to blood clots – a leading cause of stroke.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.


    Erythritol triggered what scientists call oxidative stress, flooding cells with harmful, highly reactive molecules known as free radicals, while simultaneously reducing the body’s natural antioxidant defences. This double assault damaged the cells’ ability to function properly, and in some cases killed them outright.

    But perhaps more concerning was erythritol’s effect on the blood vessels’ ability to regulate blood flow. Healthy blood vessels act like traffic controllers, widening when organs need more blood – during exercise, for instance – and tightening when less is required. They achieve this delicate balance through two key molecules: nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, and endothelin-1, which constricts them.

    The study found that erythritol disrupted this critical system, reducing nitric oxide production while ramping up endothelin-1. The result would be blood vessels that remain dangerously constricted, potentially starving the brain of oxygen and nutrients. This imbalance is a known warning sign of ischaemic stroke – the type caused by blood clots blocking vessels in the brain.

    Even more alarming, erythritol appeared to sabotage the body’s natural defence against blood clots. Normally, when clots form in blood vessels, cells release a “clot buster” called tissue plasminogen activator that dissolves the blockage before it can cause a stroke. But the sweetener blocked this protective mechanism, potentially leaving clots free to wreak havoc.

    The laboratory findings align with troubling evidence from human studies. Several large-scale observational studies have found that people who regularly consume erythritol face significantly higher risks of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. One major study tracking thousands of participants found that those with the highest blood levels of erythritol were roughly twice as likely to experience a major cardiac event.

    However, the research does have limitations. The experiments were conducted on isolated cells in laboratory dishes rather than complete blood vessels, which means the cells may not behave exactly as they would in the human body. Scientists acknowledge that more sophisticated testing – using advanced “blood vessel on a chip” systems that better mimic real physiology – will be needed to confirm these effects.

    The findings are particularly significant because erythritol occupies a unique position in the sweetener landscape. Unlike artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose, erythritol is technically a sugar alcohol – a naturally occurring compound that the body produces in small amounts. This classification helped it avoid inclusion in recent World Health Organization guidelines that discouraged the use of artificial sweeteners for weight control.

    Erythritol has also gained popularity among food manufacturers because it behaves more like sugar than other alternatives. While sucralose is 320 times sweeter than sugar, erythritol provides only about 80% of sugar’s sweetness, making it easier to use in recipes without creating an overpowering taste. It’s now found in thousands of products, especially in many “sugar-free” and “keto-friendly” foods.

    Erythritol can be found in many keto-friendly products, such a protein bars.
    Stockah/Shutterstock.com

    Trade-off

    Regulatory agencies, including the European Food Standards Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration, have approved erythritol as safe for consumption. But the new research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that even “natural” sugar alternatives may carry unexpected health risks.

    For consumers, the findings raise difficult questions about the trade-offs involved in sugar substitution. Sweeteners like erythritol can be valuable tools for weight management and diabetes prevention, helping people reduce calories and control blood sugar spikes. But if regular consumption potentially weakens the brain’s protective barriers and increases cardiovascular risk, the benefits may come at a significant cost.

    The research underscores a broader challenge in nutritional science: understanding the long-term effects of relatively new food additives that have become ubiquitous in the modern diet. While erythritol may help people avoid the immediate harms of excess sugar consumption, its effect on the blood-brain barrier suggests that frequent use could be quietly compromising brain protection over time.

    As scientists continue to investigate these concerning links, consumers may want to reconsider their relationship with this seemingly innocent sweetener – and perhaps question whether any sugar substitute additive is truly without risk.

    Havovi Chichger 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. A popular sweetener could be damaging your brain’s defences, says recent study – https://theconversation.com/a-popular-sweetener-could-be-damaging-your-brains-defences-says-recent-study-261500

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Africa’s minerals are being bartered for security: why it’s a bad idea

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hanri Mostert, SARChI Chair for Mineral Law in Africa, University of Cape Town

    A US-brokered peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda binds the two African nations to a worrying arrangement: one where a country signs away its mineral resources to a superpower in return for opaque assurances of security.

    The peace deal, signed in June 2025, aims to end three decades of conflict between the DRC and Rwanda.

    A key part of the agreement binds both nations to developing a regional economic integration framework. This arrangement would expand cooperation between the two states, the US government and American investors on “transparent, formalized end-to-end mineral chains”.

    Despite its immense mineral wealth, the DRC is among the five poorest countries in the world. It has been seeking US investment in its mineral sector.

    The US has in turn touted a potential multi-billion-dollar investment programme to anchor its mineral supply chains in the traumatised and poor territory.

    The peace that the June 2025 deal promises, therefore, hinges on chaining mineral supply to the US in exchange for Washington’s powerful – but vaguely formulated – military oversight.

    The peace agreement further establishes a joint oversight committee – with representatives from the African Union, Qatar and the US – to receive complaints and resolve disputes between the DRC and Rwanda.

    But beyond the joint oversight committee, the peace deal creates no specific security obligations for the US.

    The relationship between the DRC and Rwanda has been marred by war and tension since the bloody First (1996-1997) and Second (1998-2003) Congo wars. At the heart of much of this conflict is the DRC’s mineral wealth. It has fuelled competition, exploitation and armed violence.

    This latest peace deal introduces a resources-for-security arrangement. Such deals aren’t new in Africa. They first emerged in the early 2000s as resources-for-infrastructure transactions. Here, a foreign state would agree to build economic and social infrastructure (roads, ports, airports, hospitals) in an African state. In exchange, it would get a major stake in a government-owned mining company. Or gain preferential access to the host country’s minerals.

    We have studied mineral law and governance in Africa for more than 20 years. The question that emerges now is whether a US-brokered resources-for-security agreement will help the DRC benefit from its resources.

    Based on our research on mining, development and sustainability, we believe this is unlikely.

    This is because resources-for-security is the latest version of a resource-bartering approach that China and Russia pioneered in countries such as Angola, the Central African Republic and the DRC.

    Resource bartering in Africa has eroded the sovereignty and bargaining power of mineral-rich nations such as the DRC and Angola.

    Further, resources-for-security deals are less transparent and more complicated than prior resource bartering agreements.

    DRC’s security gaps

    The DRC is endowed with major deposits of critical minerals like cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese and tantalum. These are the building blocks for 21st century technologies: artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, wind energy and military security hardware. Rwanda has less mineral wealth than its neighbour, but is the world’s third-largest producer of tantalum, used in electronics, aerospace and medical devices.

    For almost 30 years, minerals have fuelled conflict and severe violence, especially in eastern DRC. Tungsten, tantalum and gold (referred to as 3TG) finance and drive conflict as government forces and an estimated 130 armed groups vie for control over lucrative mining sites. Several reports and studies have implicated the DRC’s neighbours – Rwanda and Uganda – in supporting the illegal extraction of 3TG in this region.

    The DRC government has failed to extend security over its vast (2.3 million square kilometres) and diverse territory (109 million people, representing 250 ethnic groups). Limited resources, logistical challenges and corruption have weakened its armed forces.

    This context makes the United States’ military backing enormously attractive. But our research shows there are traps.

    What states risk losing

    Resources-for-infrastructure and resources-for-security deals generally offer African nations short-term stability, financing or global goodwill. However, the costs are often long-term because of an erosion of sovereign control.

    Here’s how this happens:

    Examples of loss or near-loss of sovereignty from these sorts of deals abound in Africa.

    For instance, Angola’s US$2 billion oil-backed loan from China Eximbank in 2004. This was repayable in monthly deliveries of oil, with revenues directed to Chinese-controlled accounts. The loan’s design deprived Angolan authorities of decision-making power over that income stream even before the oil was extracted.

    These deals also fragment accountability. They often span multiple ministries (such as defence, mining and trade), avoiding robust oversight or accountability. Fragmentation makes resource sectors vulnerable to elite capture. Powerful insiders can manipulate agreements for private gain.

    In the DRC, this has created a violent kleptocracy, where resource wealth is systematically diverted away from popular benefit.

    Finally, there is the risk of re-entrenching extractive trauma. Communities displaced for mining and environmental degradation in many countries across Africa illustrate the long-standing harm to livelihoods, health and social cohesion.

    These are not new problems. But where extraction is tied to security or infrastructure, such damage risks becoming permanent features, not temporary costs.

    What needs to change

    Critical minerals are “critical” because they’re hard to mine or substitute. Additionally, their supply chains are strategically vulnerable and politically exposed. Whoever controls these minerals controls the future. Africa must make sure it doesn’t trade that future away.

    In a world being reshaped by global interests in critical minerals, African states must not underestimate the strategic value of their mineral resources. They hold considerable leverage.

    But leverage only works if it is wielded strategically. This means:

    • investing in institutional strength and legal capacity to negotiate better deals

    • demanding local value creation and addition

    • requiring transparency and parliamentary oversight for minerals-related agreements

    • refusing deals that bypass human rights, environmental or sovereignty standards.

    Africa has the resources. It must hold on to the power they wield.

    Hanri Mostert receives funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. She is a member of the Expropriation Expert Group and a steering committee member of the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Academic Advisory Group (AAG) in the Sector for Energy, Environmental, Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL).

    Tracy-Lynn Field receives funding from the Claude Leon Foundation. She is a non-executive director of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.

    ref. Africa’s minerals are being bartered for security: why it’s a bad idea – https://theconversation.com/africas-minerals-are-being-bartered-for-security-why-its-a-bad-idea-260594

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light
    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

    Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

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  • MIL-Evening Report: Could Rupert Murdoch bring down Donald Trump? A court case threatens more than just their relationship

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dodd, Professor of Journalism, Director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

    If Rupert Murdoch becomes a white knight standing up to a rampantly bullying US president, the world has moved into the upside-down.

    This is, after all, the media mogul whose US television network, Fox News, actively supported Donald Trump’s Big Lie about the 2020 presidential election result and paid out a US$787 million (about A$1.2 billion) lawsuit for doing so.

    It is also the network that supplied several members of Trump’s inner circle, including former Fox host, now controversial Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.

    But that is where we are after Trump filed a writ on July 18 after Murdoch’s financial newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, published an article about a hand-drawn card Trump is alleged to have sent to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The newspaper reported:

    A pair of small arcs denotes the woman’s breasts, and the future president’s signature is a squiggly “Donald” below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.

    The Journal said it has seen the letter but did not republish it. The letter allegedly concluded:

    Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.

    The card was apparently Trump’s contribution to a birthday album compiled for Epstein by the latter’s partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence after being found guilty of sex trafficking in 2021.

    Trump was furious. He told his Truth Social audience he had warned Murdoch the letter was fake. He wrote, “Mr Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but obviously did not have the power to do so,” referring to Murdoch handing leadership of News Corporation to his eldest son Lachlan in 2023.




    Read more:
    How Rupert Murdoch helped create a monster – the era of Trumpism – and then lost control of it


    Trump is being pincered. On one side, The Wall Street Journal is a respected newspaper that speaks to literate, wealthy Americans who remain deeply sceptical about Trump’s radical initiative on tariffs, which it described in an editorial as “the dumbest trade war in history”.

    On the other side is the conspiracy theory-thirsty MAGA base who have been told for years that there was a massive conspiracy around Epstein’s apparent suicide in 2019 that included the so-called deep state, Democrat elites and, no doubt, the Clintons.

    Trump, who loves pro wrestling as well as adopting its garish theatrics, might characterise his lawsuit against Murdoch as a smackdown to rival Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant in the 1980s.

    To adopt wrestling argot, though, it is a rare battle between two heels.

    A friendship of powerful convenience

    Murdoch and Trump’s relationship is longstanding but convoluted. The key to understanding it is that both men are ruthlessly transactional.

    Exposure in Murdoch’s New York Post in the 1980s and ‘90s was crucial to building Trump’s reputation.

    Not that Murdoch particularly likes Trump. Yes, Murdoch attended his second inauguration, albeit in a back row behind the newly favoured big tech media moguls. He was also seen sitting in the Oval Office a few days later looking quite at home.

    But this was pure power-display politics, not the behaviour of a friend.

    Murdoch joined Trump in the Oval Office in February 2025.
    Anna Moneymaker/Getty

    Remember Murdoch’s derision on hearing Trump was considering standing for office before the 2016 election, and his promotion of Ron De Santis in the primaries before Trump’s second term. Murdoch’s political hero has always been Ronald Reagan. Trump has laid waste to the Republican Party of Reagan.

    Murdoch knows what the rest of sane America knows: Trump is downright weird, if not dangerous. This, of course, only makes Murdoch’s complicity in Trump’s rise to power, and Fox News’ continued boosterism of Trump, all the more appalling.

    But, in keeping with Murdoch’s relationship to power throughout his career, what he helps make, he also helps destroy. Perhaps now it’s Trump’s turn to be unmade. As a former Murdoch lieutenant told The Financial Times over the weekend:

    he’s testing out: Is Trump losing his base? And where do I need to be to stay in the heart of the base?

    And here is Murdoch’s great advantage, and his looming threat.

    A double-edged sword

    The advantage comes with the scope of Murdoch’s media empire, which operates like a federation of different mastheads, each with their own market and aspirations. While Fox News panders to the MAGA base, and The New York Post juices its New York audience, The Wall Street Journal speaks, and listens, to business. Each audience has different needs, meaning they’re often presented with the same news in very different ways, or sometimes different news entirely.

    Like a federation, though, News Corp uses its various operations to drive the type of change that affects all its markets.

    It might work like this. The Wall Street Journal breaks a story that’s so shocking it begins to chip away at MAGA’s unquestioning loyalty of Trump. This process is, of course, willingly aided by the rest of the media. The resulting groundswell eventually allows Fox News and the Post to tentatively follow their audiences into questioning, and then perhaps criticising, Trump.

    Fox News audiences could slowly begin to question Trump, or abandon the network entirely.
    NurPhoto/Getty

    The threat is that before that groundswell builds, Murdoch is seriously vulnerable to criticism from a still dominant Trump, who can turn conspiracy-prone audiences away from Fox News with just a social media post. Trump has already been busy doing just that, saying he is looking forward to getting Murdoch onto the witness stand for his lawsuit.

    If the Fox audience decides it’s the proprietor who’s behind this denigration of Trump, they may decide to boycott their own favoured media channel, even though Fox’s programming hasn’t yet started questioning Trump.

    The Murdochs’ fear of audience backlash was a major factor in Fox’s promulgation of the Big Lie after Trump’s defeat in 2020. The fear their audience might defect to Newsmax or some other right-wing media outfit is just as real today.

    History littered with fakery

    We also need to consider that Trump might be right. What if the letter is a fake?

    Murdoch has form when it comes to high-profile exposés that turn out to be fiction. Who can forget the Hitler Diaries in 1983, which we now know Murdoch knew were fake before he published.

    Think also of the Pauline Hanson photos, allegedly of her posing in lingerie, all of which were quickly proved to be fake after they were published by Murdoch’s Australian tabloids in 2009.

    There was also The Sun’s despicable and wilfully wrong campaign against Elton John in 1987 and the same paper’s continued denigration of the people of Liverpool following the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989.

    But while Murdoch’s News Corp has a history of confection and fakery, the Wall Street Journal has a reputation for straight reportage, albeit through a conservative lens. Since Murdoch bought it in 2007, it has been engaged in its own internal battle for editorial standards.

    Media rolling over

    What Trump won’t get from Murdoch is the same acquiescence he’s enjoyed from America’s ABC and CBS networks, which have both handed over tens of millions of dollars in defamation settlements following dubious claims by Trump about the nature of their coverage.




    Read more:
    ABC’s and CBS’s settlements with Trump are a dangerous step toward the commander in chief becoming the editor-in-chief


    In December 2024, ABC’s owner Disney settled and agreed to pay US$15 million (A$23 million) to Trump’s presidential library. The president sued after a presenter said Trump was found guilty of raping E. Jean Carroll.

    Trump had actually been found guilty by a jury in a civil trial of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll and was ordered to pay her US$5 million (A$7.6 million).

    CBS’ parent company, Paramount, did similarly after being sued by the president, agreeing in early July to settle and pay US$16 million (A$24.5 million) to Trump’s library. This was despite earlier saying the case was “completely without merit”.

    Beware the legal microscope

    From Trump’s viewpoint, two prominent media companies have been cowed. But his campaign against critical media doesn’t stop there.

    Last week, congress passed a bill cancelling federal funding for the country’s two public-service media outlets, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR).

    Also last week, CBS announced the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s stridently critical comedy show, although CBS claims this is just a cost-cutting exercise and not about appeasing a bully in the White House.

    Presuming the reported birthday letter is real, Murdoch will not bend so easily. And that’s when it will be important to pay attention, because at some point Trump’s lawyers will advise him about the dangers of depositions and discovery: the legal processes that force parties to a dispute to reveal what they have and what they know.

    If the Epstein files do implicate Trump, the legal fight won’t last long and the media campaign against him will only intensify.

    Right now we have the spectre of Murdoch joining that other disaffected mogul, Elon Musk, in a moral crusade against Trump, the man they both helped make. The implications are head-spinning.

    As global bullies, the three of them probably deserve each other. But we, the public, surely deserve better than any of them.

    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. Could Rupert Murdoch bring down Donald Trump? A court case threatens more than just their relationship – https://theconversation.com/could-rupert-murdoch-bring-down-donald-trump-a-court-case-threatens-more-than-just-their-relationship-261532

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: The end of open-plan classrooms: how school design reflects changing ideas in education

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leon Benade, Professor in the School of Education of Edith Cowan University (ECU), Perth, WA, Edith Cowan University

    skynesher/Getty Imaged

    The end of open-plan classrooms in New Zealand, recently announced by Education Minister Erica Stanford, marks yet another swing of the pendulum in school design.

    Depending on who you ask, these classrooms were an opportunity to foster collaboration and flexibility or an exercise in organised chaos.

    So-called “modern learning environments” – characterised by flexible layouts, fewer walls and sometimes multiple classes and teachers in one space – were vigorously pushed by the National government in 2011.

    The stated goal was to promote flexibility in the way students were taught, encourage collaboration and to accommodate new technology in classrooms.

    But a 2024 ministerial inquiry into school property found complex procurement, design and authorisation processes associated with bespoke designs caused delays, budget overruns and unrealised expectations in many school communities.

    Among the solutions offered by the inquiry was the development of simple but functional schools based on cookie-cutter designs constructed off-site. This recommendation was welcomed by the current National-led government.

    Design influenced by ideology

    The modern, bespoke designs of the past two decades represented a response to technological developments, such as the introduction of digital devices, that changed how students learned.

    This resulted in the steady replacement of traditional school designs from the industrial age with spaces designed for flexibility.

    Those industrial age schools were themselves products of changes in the second half of the 20th century. Since the first school opened in 1843, school architecture in New Zealand had evolved significantly. Early schools featured cramped six-metre by four-metre classrooms which could accommodate more than 30 students.

    By the 1920s, the “Taranaki” and “Canterbury” models included a more generous minimum classroom size of eight metres by seven metres. There was a greater emphasis on light and ventilation. Their larger spaces also recognised changes in teaching styles that encouraged more active and participatory learning.

    By the 1950s, classroom size had grown to ten metres by seven metres. The “Nelson” and “S68” blocks of the 1950s and 1960s provided small self-contained blocks of classrooms that reduced student movement and corridor noise.

    Changes to New Zealand school buildings also reflected global trends. Open-plan schools emerged in North America after 1960. At the same time, there were signs English schools would replace their traditional Victorian-style buildings with classrooms considered more child-centred.

    The goal was to achieve flexible, connected designs to support evolving education philosophies. England’s 1966 Plowden Report on primary education significantly aided this evolution towards progressive styles of teaching and learning, leading to the creation of schools that featured flexibility, connectivity and external-internal flow.

    These schools were the forerunners of “innovative learning environments” and were considered cutting-edge at the time.

    In 2004, the ambitious Building Schools for the Future programme was launched in the United Kingdom. It was designed to replace outdated school facilities considered unfit for preparing students for the 21st century.

    But in 2011, the James Review of Education Capital highlighted a number of issues with the way schools were being built, putting an end to the infrastructure programme.

    That report, like the 2024 New Zealand report, suggested replacing government investment in bespoke school infrastructure with a focus on standardised designs.

    A swing back

    In New Zealand, “modern learning environments” became part of education policy with the Ministry of Education’s School Property Strategy 2011-2021, published in 2011. But the pendulum started to swing back after Labour came to power in 2017.

    Departing from the 2011 strategy, the language of “modern learning environments”, “innovative learning environments” and “flexible learning spaces” largely disappeared. It was replaced in policy documents with “quality learning environments”.

    This shift emphasised physical characteristics such as heating, lighting and acoustics, rather than innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

    Since coming to power, the current National-led coalition has focused on embedding a standardised approach to foundational skills in reading, writing, maths and science.

    While not directly scapegoating open-plan designs for educational underachievement, Erica Stanford said the reforms would ensure learning spaces were “designed to improve student outcomes”.

    But as New Zealand moves back to standardised designs, it is worth considering why modern learning environments were introduced in the first place – the flexibility for new technology and space for collaboration – and what students may lose by a swing back towards the separate classrooms of the past.

    Leon Benade is affiliated with Learning Environments Australasia, Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia (PESA) and The Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE).

    Chris Bradbeer is affiliated with Learning Environments New Zealand/Aotearoa (LENZ), and Learning Environments Australasia (LEA).

    Alastair Wells 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. The end of open-plan classrooms: how school design reflects changing ideas in education – https://theconversation.com/the-end-of-open-plan-classrooms-how-school-design-reflects-changing-ideas-in-education-261359

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