Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI: Real Matters to Announce Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results on April 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real Matters Inc. (“Real Matters”), a leading network management services provider for the mortgage lending and insurance industries, will announce its second quarter fiscal 2025 financial results via news release on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, before market open.

    Conference Call and Webcast
    A conference call to review the results will take place at 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, hosted by Chief Executive Officer Brian Lang and Chief Financial Officer Rodrigo Pinto. An accompanying slide presentation will be posted to the Investor Relations section of our website shortly before the call.

    Conference call dial-in:

    • Participants can dial-in to the conference call; however, pre-registration is required. To register, visit: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIb410bf1804714fc98c4a22b2351db181.
    • Once registered, you will receive an email including dial-in details and a unique access code required to join the live call.
    • Please ensure you have registered at least 10 minutes prior to the conference call start time.

    To listen to the live webcast of the call:

    The webcast will be archived and a transcript of the call will be available in the Investor Relations section of our website following the call.

    About Real Matters
    Real Matters is a leading network management services provider for the mortgage lending and insurance industries. Real Matters’ platform combines its proprietary technology and network management capabilities with tens of thousands of independent qualified field professionals to create an efficient marketplace for the provision of mortgage lending and insurance industry services. Our clients include top 100 mortgage lenders in the U.S. and some of the largest banks and insurance companies in Canada. We are a leading independent provider of residential real estate appraisals to the mortgage market and a leading independent provider of title and mortgage closing services in the U.S. Headquartered in Markham (ON), Real Matters has principal offices in Buffalo (NY) and Middletown (RI). Real Matters is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol REAL. For more information, visit www.realmatters.com.

    For more information:
    Lyne Beauregard
    Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
    Real Matters
    lbeauregard@realmatters.com
    416.994.5930

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: HydroGraph to Present at the AI & Technology Virtual Investor Conference April 3rd

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HydroGraph Clean Power Inc. (CSE: ‎HG) (OTCQB: HGRAF) (the “Company” or “HydroGraph”), a sustainable commercial manufacturer of pristine graphene, (the “Company”), today announced that President & CEO Kjirstin Breure will present live at the AI & Technology Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on April 3rd, 2025

    DATE: April 3, 2025
    TIME: 11:00a.m Eastern Time
    LINK: REGISTER HERE
    Available for 1×1 meetings: April 3 and April 8

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    HydroGraph provides high purity, functional and specialized graphene products through a proprietary “explosion synthesis” process, which allows for exceptional purity, low energy use and identical batches. In 2024, the Company’s graphene products were selected for testing and use in a number of key projects across the battery materials, supercapacitor, medical device and diagnostics, plastics manufacturing, construction and other industries across a global customer base. In 2025, the Company expects to begin commercializing these programs through its first major supply contracts with these customers and others, expanding its application development capabilities and introducing new product lines. The Company is positioned to open additional production capacity in sync with demand growth, access higher volume supply of key hydrocarbon inputs used in its patented explosion synthesis process and lay the groundwork for improved margin efficiency as it scales throughput volume.

    Investors wishing to schedule a meeting should contact their respective conference representatives, or Matt Kreps, investor relations for HydroGraph, at mkreps@darrowir.com.

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    About HydroGraph

    HydroGraph Clean Power Inc is a leading producer of pristine graphene using an “explosion synthesis” process, which allows for exceptional purity, low energy use and identical batches. The quality, performance and consistency of HydroGraph’s graphene follows the Graphene Council’s Verified Graphene Producer® standards, of which very few graphene producers are able to meet. For more information or to learn about the HydroGraph story, visit: https://hydrograph.com/.

    For company updates, please follow HydroGraph on LinkedIn and X.

    The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking information” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “upon” “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: closing of the Offering; anticipated use of proceeds; expected closing date of the Offering; payment of finder’s fees; ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals; the statements in regard to existing and future products of the Company; the Company’s plans and strategies. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of HydroGraph to control or predict, that may cause HydroGraph’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: HydroGraph’s ability to implement its business strategies; risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; stakeholder engagement; marketing and transportation costs; loss of markets; volatility of commodity prices; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; industry and government regulation; changes in legislation, income tax and regulatory matters; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; and other risks. HydroGraph does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.

    CONTACTS:

    HydroGraph Investor Relations
    Matt Kreps, Darrow Associates IR
    mkreps@darrowir.com

    Kjirstin Breure, President and CEO
    kjirstin.breure@hydrograph.com
    480-267-2556

    HydroGraph Media Contact
    Raven Carpenter, Fox Agency
    hydrograph@fox.agency

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Western Financial Group CEO Grant Ostir Charts Bold Growth Strategy After 90 Days at the Helm

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HIGH RIVER, Alberta, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Western Financial Group (“Western”) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Grant Ostir unveiled a transformative growth strategy following his first 90 days in the role. The plan aims to double the company’s customer base over the next five years by enhancing service excellence, prioritizing customer convenience, and implementing innovative operational changes across the organization.

    Grant brings over two decades of experience with Western to the position, is implementing cross-functional, journey-based teams designed to better align with how customers prefer to interact with the company—whether digitally, in-branch, or through specialized outbound services.

    “The insurance landscape is rapidly evolving, and Western is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation,” said Grant. “By reorganizing around customer journeys rather than traditional department silos, we’re creating a more responsive organization that can adapt quickly to changing customer expectations while maintaining the personal touch that has defined Western for over a century.”

    This strategic shift comes at a pivotal time for the Canadian insurance industry, which faces record-setting climate challenges, the rise in use of AI, and a distinct contrast between commercial and personal line markets. Since assuming the CEO role in December 2024, Grant has been conducting a comprehensive review of operations, meeting with team members across Western’s 200+ locations, and refining the company’s approach to growth, performance and care.

    “I’m confident and excited about the goals we can achieve and the great work we can do to continue being a leader in the insurance brokerage industry,” Grant added. “It’s an honor to work with such passionate, hard-working, and caring people, who understand the importance of putting our customers first, providing them with the best advice and the most care, while making it as easy and convenient as possible. We always think about what the customer wants, bettering the customer experience across on-site and off-site experiences. Our structure is built around how customers want to do business with us, whether it’s through digital, in-branch, or specialized outbound teams. This reflects Western’s innovative strength, allowing us to mobilize and adapt quickly to meet customer needs.”

    A Western veteran who previously served as Chief Growth Officer since 2022, Grant brings unique insights from his experience across Commercial, Personal, Employee Benefits, and Financial Services product lines. His leadership group is focusing on empowered employee engagement and introducing operational efficiencies that will support frontline team members in delivering exceptional service.

    “Overcoming great challenges leads to the most fulfilling rewards, and we have the people here who I’m confident will help us reach these audacious goals,” said Grant. “You only get to live once—why not be a person who drives change and impacts the lives of others for the better?”

    About Western Financial Group Inc.

    Headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western Financial Group is a diversified insurance services company that has provided over one million Canadians with protection for over 100 years. Western is committed to community service, customer service, innovation, growth, and people while providing personal and business insurance through our engaged team of over 2,000 people in over 200 communities, affiliates, and various connected channels.

    Since the very beginning, supporting our local communities has guided everything we do—it’s who we are. In 2001, the Western Financial Group Communities Foundation (our non-profit charity) was created as a way for our team members to give back and positively impact the people and pride in the places where we live, work, and play. To date, we have granted over $9 million back into our communities.

    Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Trimont Financial Ltd., a subsidiary of The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company. Visit https://westernfinancialgroup.ca for more.

    For more information, please contact:
    Nichola Petts, PR Manager: Nichola.petts@westernfg.ca

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f9e2573-fe59-4141-a0e3-01332057b00a

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Video: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on unfair trade practices against the U.S.

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    Press Sec on unfair trade practices against the U.S.:

    50% tariff from the EU on American dairy
    700% tariff from Japan on American rice
    100% tariff from India on American ag products
    300% tariff from Canada on American butter & cheese

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2VOLvMzTqI

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI: CarGurus Report Shows Automotive Affordability Continues to Drive the Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    With tariffs going into effect, report uncovers trends in new car supply, consumer demand, and pricing—plus opportunities where shoppers can still find savings

    BOSTON, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG), the No. 1 visited digital auto platform for shopping, buying, and selling new and used vehicles1, today released its Quarterly Review for Q1 2025. The report provides a view into the key trends influencing pricing, inventory, and demand for new and used vehicles so far this year, along with factors that could impact the road ahead.

    “It’s no secret that the first quarter has been dominated by tariff news,” said Kevin Roberts, Director of Economic and Market Intelligence at CarGurus. “Steady consumer purchase patterns for most of the first quarter suggest a market that was in wait-and-see mode. But a shift in urgency has taken hold as impending tariffs on auto imports—which account for nearly half of new listings—start to take effect, influencing an uptick in activity on dealer lots and new car sales in recent days.”

    New car pricing continues to be one of the most pressing challenges for the market, with vehicles under $30,000 accounting for 13% of inventory, a sharp contrast to 37% in Q1 2020. With tariffs, affordable new vehicles may become harder to find as the average list price could increase by over $3,300 to approximately $52,800. According to a CarGurus analysis of current tariff policies, the share of listings priced under $30,000 could decline by 42%, while those above $50,000 would increase by 15%.

    Other key themes from Q1 2025 include: 

    • Tariffs trigger a late-month surge: Days to Turn during Q1 remained stable with little variation across countries of origin, showing earlier tariff speculation didn’t translate to increased urgency. But, a late-month shift took hold after the tariff news broke on March 26th, pushing estimated new car retail sales up by nearly 30% month-over-month. A focus on value and practicality drove import demand throughout the quarter, with imported models in lowest supply being compacts and fuel-efficient options mostly priced under $40,000. CarGurus analysis shows the most popular imported models with the lowest inventory include nameplates like Toyota’s RAV4 and Tacoma; Honda’s Civic and CR-V; and Subaru’s Crosstrek and Forester.
    • The used market has more options, but not without trade-offs: The used market offers shoppers some relief from tariff-related increases, but value for the money in this segment is also shifting. While used car inventory is up, buyers seeking affordability face a selection with older vehicles and higher mileage. In Q1 2020, a budget of $15,000 to $20,000 would afford an approximately four-year-old model with 47,000 miles, while today that translates to a nearly seven-year-old car with 73,000 miles. Further, CarGurus analysis shows that almost two-thirds of used sales (64%) in Q1 2020 were under $20,000, while that share dropped to 43% in Q1 2025.
    • Used electric vehicles (EVs) present a bright spot in the affordability story: The used EV market is steadily gaining ground as selection rises and prices stabilize to an average of about $36,000. With affordability taking center stage, the category is emerging as a practical, low-mileage alternative. The under-$25,000 market especially shines as used EVs turned faster than comparably priced internal combustion engine models. Used models like the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Bolt have averaged under $17,000 in Q1 2025 (with mileage under 32,000), standing out in a market driven by value and affordability.

    CarGurus also shared tips for shoppers navigating the market today:

    • Stay informed on price trends: Platforms like CarGurus, which provides unbiased deal ratings on the largest selection of new and used vehicles in the U.S.2, are a powerful resource to compare prices and track inventory. Used car shoppers can also turn to CarGurus’ Price Trends tool to research and track model trends.
    • Understand buying power early in the process: Many sites, including CarGurus, enable shoppers to get pre-qualified for financing from the comfort of home, letting them browse listings with real interest rates in hand and filter options by estimated monthly payment.
    • Consider a wider search radius: For those with a specific model in mind, there may be a benefit in searching broadly to get the best price since local market demand can also impact car values. Using online search tools, shoppers can view pricing across regions and consider how delivery costs factor into getting the best deal.

    To learn more about these trends, view the CarGurus Quarterly Review for Q1 2025 here.

    About CarGurus, Inc.

    CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is a multinational, online automotive platform for buying and selling vehicles that is building upon its industry-leading listings marketplace with both digital retail solutions and the CarOffer online wholesale platform. The CarGurus platform gives consumers the confidence to purchase and/or sell a vehicle either online or in-person, and it gives dealerships the power to accurately price, effectively market, instantly acquire, and quickly sell vehicles, all with a nationwide reach. The company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms, and data analytics to bring trust, transparency, and competitive pricing to the automotive shopping experience. CarGurus is the most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S. 1

    CarGurus also operates online marketplaces under the CarGurus brand in Canada and the U.K. In the U.S. and the U.K., CarGurus also operates the Autolist and PistonHeads online marketplaces, respectively, as independent brands.

    To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.com, and for more information about CarOffer, visit www.caroffer.com.

    CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc., and CarOffer® is a registered trademark of CarOffer, LLC. All other product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    1Similarweb: Traffic Report [Cars.com, Autotrader, TrueCar, CARFAX Listings (defined as CARFAX Total visits minus Vehicle History Reports traffic)], Q4 2024, U.S.
    2Compared to Autotrader.com, Cars.com, TrueCar.com (YipitData as of September 30, 2024), and CarFax (Joreca as of September 30, 2024)

    Media Contact:
    Maggie Meluzio
    Director, Public Relations & External Communications
    pr@cargurus.com

    Investor Contact:
    Kirndeep Singh
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    investors@cargurus.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Traliant Expands Workplace Harassment Prevention Training with Industry-Specific and Global Offerings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Traliant, a leader in online compliance training, has introduced industry-specific and global versions of its Preventing Workplace Harassment: 2025 Edition training. Designed to create safer work environments, this expansion reinforces Traliant’s commitment to providing customizable, interactive training that meets the unique needs of today’s high-growth industries.

    Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, affects every sector, but each industry’s unique environment can shape how employees experience and respond to misconduct. A recent Traliant survey of workplace employees found that 48% of respondents had witnessed harassing behavior in the past five years.

    To address these unique challenges, Traliant’s Preventing Workplace Harassment: 2025 Edition training now includes industry-specific training for seven key sectors: construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, office, restaurant and retail. These enhancements provide relatable, real-world scenarios tailored to employees’ daily work environments, deepening engagement and knowledge retention.

    The course meets training requirements in all 50 states and aligns with the January 20 and 21, 2025 executive orders relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the Administration’s policy on sex and gender.

    Additionally, new country-specific versions align with regional laws and regulations in Australia, Canada, India and the UK, alongside a global version covering relevant laws across 40 countries. These international courses feature localized actors and scenarios, creating a more immersive and relatable learning experience tailored to diverse workplace environments.

    “Across industries and geographies, every employee plays a vital role in creating a workplace free from harassment,” said Mike Dahir, CEO of Traliant. “Workplace training that is tailored to the unique scenarios they see daily equips employees with the knowledge, skills and confidence to effectively intervene and support those in need, fostering a safer environment for both them and their colleagues.”

    As part of its commitment to workplace safety, Traliant also introduced an updated Bystander Intervention course designed to help build a speak-up culture and equip employees with practical intervention skills. Featuring real-world, unscripted interviews, the course ensures learning is relatable, engaging and impactful.

    With these enhancements, organizations worldwide can provide legally compliant, relevant training that fosters workplaces where employees feel safe, respected and empowered to take action.

    To learn more about Traliant, visit: https://www.traliant.com/.

    About Traliant
    Traliant, a leader in compliance training, is on a mission to help make workplaces better, for everyone. Committed to a customer promise of “compliance you can trust, training you will love,” Traliant delivers continuously compliant online courses, backed by an unparalleled in-house legal team, with engaging, story-based training designed to create truly enjoyable learning experiences.

    Traliant supports over 14,000 organizations worldwide with a library of curated essential courses to broaden employee perspectives, achieve compliance and elevate workplace culture, including sexual harassment training, inclusion training, code of conduct training, and many more.

    Backed by PSG, a leading growth equity firm, Traliant holds a coveted position on Inc.’s 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America for four consecutive years, along with numerous awards for its products and workplace culture. For more information, visit http://www.traliant.com and follow us on LinkedIn

    Contact
    Reagan Bennet
    traliant@v2comms.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and the End of the Second World War in Europe: Media Accreditation for Events in the Netherlands

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, ON – An official Government of Canada delegation will participate in a series of events to commemorate the Liberation of the Netherlands and the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. The delegation will include Second World War Veterans, including some who participated in the Liberation of the Netherlands, representatives from Veterans organizations, and Veterans Affairs Canada officials. A contingent of the Canadian Armed Forces, including units involved in the Liberation of the Netherlands, will also participate in ceremonies and events.

    Events:
    All times are Central European Time Zone

    2 May 2025 – 10:00
    Opening of Canada House Pavilion at Oranjepark
    Apeldoorn, Netherlands
    Visitors of all ages are invited to stop by the Canada House Pavilion to learn about Canada’s military service around the world, including the Netherlands.
    Media are asked to register for the opening event at media@veterans.gc.ca

    2 May 2025 – 15:00
    Commemorative Ceremony at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
    Groesbeek, Netherlands
    Co-hosted by: Faces to Graves and the Government of Canada
    Media Registration: media@veterans.gc.ca

    3 May 2025 – 14:00
    Apeldoorn Liberation Parade
    Apeldoorn, Netherlands
    Media Registration: media@veterans.gc.ca

    4 May 2025 – 11:00
    Commemorative Ceremony at Holten Canadian War Cemetery
    Holten, Netherlands
    Media Registration: Media can register here.
    Deadline for registration April 17

    5 May 2025 – 11:30
    Wageningen National Commemoration Capitulations 1945 and Liberation Parade
    Wageningen, Netherlands
    Media Registration: media@veterans.gc.ca

    Notes for media:

    Media who wish to be in attendance to cover events must register where indicated above.

    Media in Canada who wish to broadcast events in the Netherlands can contact Veterans Affairs Canada at the address below for information on how to obtain broadcast rights.

    For more information on the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and the End of the Second World War in Europe, please visit this page.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: POET Expands Global Reach as It Teams with South Korea’s Lessengers To Develop 800G DR8 Transceivers for AI and Hyperscale Markets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Company“) (TSX Venture: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for artificial intelligence networks, today announced it has partnered with Lessengers, an innovative optical solution provider based in South Korea, to offer a differentiated 800G DR8 transceiver. The transceiver will include POET’s transmit and receive optical engines and Lessenger’s “Direct Optical Wiring” (DOW) technology for a cost-effective solution for AI and hyperscale data center applications.

    POET will supply the highly integrated POET Infinity™ transmit and receive optical engines configured in an 800G DR8 architecture, which includes electronic and photonic components.

    Lessengers expects to have transceiver samples ready for its customers to review in the second half of 2025.

    “Like POET, Lessengers is bringing cutting-edge innovation to the market. It is a perfect partnership of companies that are finding new solutions by unlocking the vast abilities of optical technology. We’re thrilled to continue our growth in the industry through a co-development arrangement with a likeminded and truly inventive company,” commented Raju Kankipati, POET’s Chief Revenue Officer.

    Lessengers Chief Marketing Officer Taeyong Kim added: “POET’s production-ready optical engines provide Lessengers with a high-quality component that allows us to bring more value to our transceiver customers. POET offers a complementary technology to Lessengers’ direct optical coupling that saves on costs and improves efficiency.”

    The two companies’ booths are situated next to each other at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. POET is at Booth 5315 through the show, which ends on Thursday, April 3.

    About POET Technologies Inc.
    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical modules, optical engines and light source products to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges in 5G networks, machine-to-machine communication, self-contained “Edge” computing applications and sensing applications, such as LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles. POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Allentown, PA, Shenzhen, China, and Singapore.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com.

    About Lessengers

    Lessengers is an innovative optical solution provider, powered by its patent DOW technology, which enables cost effective direct optical coupling without the use of lens optics. This provides the most suitable solution for data center applications such as 800G/1.6T optical transceivers, active optical cables (AOCs), on-board, near packaged, or co-packaged optics.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include the Company’s expectations with respect to the success of the Company’s product development efforts, the performance of its products, operations, meeting revenue targets, and the expectation of continued success in the financing efforts, the capability, functionality, performance and cost of the Company’s technology as well as the market acceptance, inclusion and timing of the Company’s technology in current and future products and expectations regarding its successful development of high speed transceiver solutions and its penetration of the Artificial Intelligence hardware markets.

    Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the completion of its development efforts with its customers, the ability to build working prototypes to the customer’s specifications, and the size, future growth and needs of Artificial Intelligence network suppliers. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the failure to produce optical engines on time and within budget, the failure of Artificial Intelligence networks to continue to grow as expected, the failure of the Company’s products to meet performance requirements for AI and datacom networks, operational risks in the completion of the Company’s projects, the ability of the Company to generate sales for its products, and the ability of its customers to deploy systems that incorporate the Company’s products. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Company’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b54b7e2-2d7c-4795-bae5-90e693fc854c

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do union endorsements make a difference in election campaigns?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Larry Savage, Professor, Labour Studies, Brock University

    Nearly one in three workers in Canada is covered by a union contract, making union members a potentially powerful voting bloc at election time. It should therefore come as little surprise that federal parties have been making overt efforts to secure endorsements from labour unions and the votes of their members as election day nears.

    The Canadian Union of Public Employees, United Steelworkers and Amalgamated Transit Union have already declared support for the New Democratic Party (NDP), while the Boilermakers union has endorsed the Conservatives. All parties are expected to pick up more union endorsements before election day.

    But do union endorsements actually make a difference at the ballot box?

    Our forthcoming survey-based research suggests that while most union members in Canada indicate their voting preferences are not swayed by union endorsements, satisfaction with one’s union significantly enhances the likelihood they’ll support union-endorsed candidates in federal, provincial and local elections.

    Shifts in party-union relations

    The NDP was viewed as the political arm of the labour movement and secured the lion’s share of union resources and endorsements for much of its history. However, as ties between the NDP and unions have loosened, so too have unions’ political allegiances.




    Read more:
    The NDP turns 60: It’s never truly been the political arm of organized labour


    In recent years, unions in Canada have made political endorsements that don’t align with traditional patterns. For example, after a decade of backing the provincial Liberals, many construction unions endorsed Conservative Premier Doug Ford’s re-election in the 2022 Ontario provincial election.

    Although most other unions endorsed the opposition NDP, Ford’s union support garnered significant attention and was presented as an impressive game-changer by the media and political pundits.

    In the 2025 Ontario election campaign, Ford used his commanding lead in the polls and a transactional brand of politics to lock down endorsements from an even broader cross-section of the union movement, winning additional support from firefighters, a Toronto-based hotel worker union, police unions and three large Unifor locals.

    The union endorsements were symbolically significant for the Conservative campaign because they fractured labour movement opposition to Ford and provided pro-worker cover for a government with a decidedly mixed record on labour rights.

    The Unifor endorsements, in particular, raised eyebrows because Canada’s largest private sector union had long championed anti-Conservative strategic voting, backing a mix of Liberal, NDP and Bloc candidates in election campaigns over the past decade.

    These shifts have encouraged Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to appeal more to blue-collar union members, especially in male-dominated industries, to broaden his party’s working-class support.




    Read more:
    Pierre Poilievre is popular among union members. What’s it really all about?


    The Conservatives have also no doubt been inspired by the success of United States President Donald Trump this regard.

    In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the vast majority of unions endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris over Trump. But exit polls indicated Trump still managed to win an impressive 45 per cent of the votes from union households, highlighting a potential disconnect between union leaders and their members on the question of endorsements.

    The influence of union endorsements

    Not all union endorsements carry the same weight, but they can play a strategically critical role in election campaigns depending on the dynamic.

    Our survey-based research, to be published in an upcoming volume of Labour/Le Travail, reveals that while a small majority of union members in Canada feel union endorsements won’t impact their vote, such endorsements do modestly influence a good number of union members.

    Outside of Québec, 37 per cent of surveyed union members report being “somewhat” or “much more likely” to vote for union-endorsed candidates. In Québec, the figure is slightly lower at 27 per cent. Conversely, only a small portion of members (11 per cent in the rest of Canada and 13 per cent in Québec) indicate a union endorsement will make them less likely to vote for their union’s preferred candidate.

    Importantly, workers who indicated satisfaction with their union in the workplace are significantly more likely support union-endorsed candidates in election campaigns.

    Satisfaction with one’s union matters much more to whether union members respond to an endorsement favourably than demographic factors such as age, gender, income or education level.

    The survey results also suggest that union type does not make a significant difference in assessing the influence of endorsements on union members’ voting intentions. Members of public-sector unions are no more likely to respond favourably to union endorsements than members of private-sector unions, nor are members of construction unions or members of NDP-affiliated unions.

    Lessons for parties and unions

    Even with modest impacts on voting preferences, union endorsements may prove decisive in closely contested elections, especially in communities with large numbers of union voters.

    For unions to maximize their political influence, however, they must first earn their members’ trust through effective workplace representation. Building this trust enhances the impact of endorsements by increasing member support for union-endorsed candidates.

    In short, having strongly supported unions in the workplace helps to build strong unions in the political arena with improved capacity to deliver union members’ votes.

    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. Do union endorsements make a difference in election campaigns? – https://theconversation.com/do-union-endorsements-make-a-difference-in-election-campaigns-253296

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: AGF Investments Announces Additional Ad Hoc Distributions for AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF, AGF Systematic International Equity ETF and AGF Systematic US Equity ETF

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGF Investments Inc. (AGF Investments) today announced additional ad hoc distributions for AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF (ticker: QGB), AGF Systematic International Equity ETF (ticker: QIE) and AGF Systematic US Equity ETF (ticker: QUS), which usually pay quarterly/annual distributions.

    These ad hoc distributions are the result of previously announced proposed terminations of these three ETFs effective close of business on or about April 29, 2025 (the “ETF Termination Date”). Unitholders of record on April 9, 2025 will receive cash distributions payable on April 15, 2025.

    Please note: Final distributions will be announced on or about April 17, 2025.

    Details regarding the ad hoc “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

    ETF Ticker Exchange Cash Distribution Per
    Unit ($)
    AGF Systematic Global Multi-Sector Bond ETF  QGB Cboe Canada Inc. $ 0.036985
    AGF Systematic International Equity ETF  QIE Toronto Stock Exchange $ 0.309045
    AGF Systematic US Equity ETF  QUS Toronto Stock Exchange $ 0.098268

    Further information about the AGF ETFs can be found at AGF.com.

    About AGF Management Limited

    Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. Our companies deliver excellence in investing in the public and private markets through three business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Capital Partners and AGF Private Wealth.

    AGF brings a disciplined approach, focused on incorporating sound, responsible and sustainable corporate practices. The firm’s collective investment expertise, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations.

    Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With nearly $54 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 815,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B.

    About AGF Investments

    AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). The term AGF Investments may refer to one or more of these subsidiaries or to all of them jointly. This term is used for convenience and does not precisely describe any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs.

    AGF Investments entities only provide investment advisory services or offers investment funds in the jurisdiction where such firm and/or product is registered or authorized to provide such services.

    AGF Investments Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AGF Management Limited and conducts the management and advisory of mutual funds in Canada.

    Disclaimer

    ETFs are listed and traded on organized Canadian exchanges and may only be bought and sold through licensed dealers. Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in ETFs. Exchange-traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. There is no guarantee that ETFs will achieve their stated objectives and there is risk involved in investing in the ETFs. Before investing you should read the prospectus or relevant ETF Facts and carefully consider, among other things, each ETF’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. A copy of the prospectus and ETF Facts is available on AGF.com.

    This information is not intended to provide legal, accounting, tax, investment, financial, or other advice, and should not be relied upon for providing such advice. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

    Media Contact

    Amanda Marchment
    Director, Corporate Communications
    416-865-4160
    amanda.marchment@agf.com  

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on FIAT (127.21%), CVNY (100.49%), ULTY (77.62%), CONY (73.33%), YMAX (68.44%) and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ Weekly Payers and Group C ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF
    Ticker
    1
    ETF Name Distribution
    Frequency
    Distribution
    per Share
    Distribution
    Rate
    2,4
    30-Day
    SEC Yield3
    ROC5 Ex-Date &
    Record Date
    Payment
    Date
    GPTY YieldMax™ AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2668 34.84% 0.00% 100.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    LFGY YieldMax™ Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4189 60.57% 0.00% 100.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    QDTY YieldMax™ Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2638 31.00% 0.00% 37.26% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    RDTY YieldMax™ R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3351 36.44% 0.00% 78.96% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    SDTY YieldMax™ S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.2723 31.10% 0.00% 65.95% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    ULTY YieldMax™ Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.0916 77.62% 2.21% 97.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.0971 33.26% 69.89% 28.54% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    YMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1781 68.44% 96.57% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    ABNY YieldMax™ ABNB Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3665 37.87% 3.62% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    AMDY YieldMax™ AMD Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.2765 45.13% 2.97% 93.13% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    CONY YieldMax™ COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.4381 73.33% 4.42% 94.62% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    CVNY YieldMax™ CVNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $2.9684 100.49% 2.44% 99.08% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    FIAT YieldMax™ Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.9240 127.21% 1.73% 98.90% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    MSFO YieldMax™ MSFT Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3337 27.09% 3.75% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    NFLY YieldMax™ NFLX Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.6020 46.77% 3.58% 59.10% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    PYPY YieldMax™ PYPL Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4 Weeks $0.3521 34.34% 4.19% 0.00% 4/3/25 4/4/25
    Weekly Payers & Group D ETFs scheduled for next week: GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX AIYY AMZY APLY DISO MSTY SMCY XYZY YQQQ


    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling 
    (833) 378-0717.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1 All YieldMax™ ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, YMAG and FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.
    2 The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on April 1, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.
    3 The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended March 31, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.
    4 Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
    5 ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage is the portion of the distribution that represents an investor’s original investment.
       

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Standardized Performance

    For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For XYZY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here. For BIGY, click here. For SOXY, click here. For MARO, click here. For FEAT, click here. For FIVY, click here. For LFGY, click here. For GPTY, click here. For CVNY, click here. For SDTY, click here. For QDTY, click here. For WNTR, click here.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax™ ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax™ ETFs

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Plantro Ltd. Announces Premium All-Cash Tender Offer to Acquire up to 15% of Class A Limited Voting Shares of Information Services Corporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Premium tender offer of $27.25 per Class A Share in cash for up to 2,777,342 Class A Shares, representing an attractive premium of approximately 9% to the trailing 10-day VWAP, for a total value of approximately $75.7 million.
    • Plantro’s Tender Offer provides shareholders with an opportunity to receive cash consideration in a stock that has been highly illiquid for many years.
    • Plantro is optimistic that the Board will recommend in favour of this opportunity for shareholders to receive liquidity for their stock at a premium to the market price and avoid entrenching behaviours that deprive shareholders of value.

    ST. MICHAEL, Barbados, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plantro Ltd. (“Plantro”), today announced an offer to acquire up to 2,777,342 Class A Limited Voting Shares (the “Class A Shares”) in the capital of Information Services Corporation (TSX: ISC) (“ISC” or the “Company”), (the “Tender Offer”) at a price of $27.25 per Class A Share, payable in cash (the “Tender Price”). The Tender Price represents an attractive premium of approximately 10% to the closing price of the Class A Shares on March 31, 2025, and an approximately 9% premium to the volume-weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Class A Shares for the ten trading days preceding the announcement of the Tender Offer. The total value of the Tender Offer, if fully taken up, is approximately $75.7 million. The Tender Offer is not a “take-over bid” under Canadian securities laws.

    Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer should contact Carson Proxy, information agent for the Tender Offer, at 1-800-530-5189 (North America Toll Free), 416-751-2066 (Local and Text), or by email at info@carsonproxy.com. Tender Offer materials will be available on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    The Plantro Tender Offer

    The Tender Offer is open for acceptance by shareholders of the Company until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on April 11, 2025 (the “Expiry Time”), unless the Tender Offer is extended, varied or withdrawn. Plantro is making the Tender Offer to all shareholders of the Company (other than Class A Shares held by the Crown Investment Corporation of Saskatchewan or any other entity wholly-owned by the Province of Saskatchewan). If the Tender Offer is withdrawn, Plantro shall cause all Class A Shares delivered pursuant to the Tender Offer to be returned to shareholders. The Tender Offer is not subject to any financing condition and Plantro confirms that it has sufficient cash resources to pay for all Class A Shares subject to the Tender Offer.

    If more than the maximum number of Class A Shares for which the Tender Offer is made are delivered in accordance with the Tender Offer and not withdrawn at the time of take up of the Class A Shares, the Class A Shares to be purchased from each depositing shareholder will be determined on a pro rata basis according to the number of Class A Shares delivered by each shareholder, disregarding fractions, by rounding down to the nearest whole number of Class A Shares.

    The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer will be set out in an offer letter to shareholders, which will be publicly disclosed by way of a separate press release, as well as a form of letter of transmittal (the “Letter of Transmittal” and together with the offer letter to shareholders, the “Offer Documents”) to be used to accept the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer is subject to certain conditions as set out in the Offer Documents which, unless waived, must be satisfied. In particular, the Offer Documents provide that each depositing shareholder whose Class A Shares are taken up and paid for will appoint representatives of Plantro as its nominees and proxy for the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 13, 2025.

    Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to the circular requirements of applicable Canadian proxy solicitation laws. For further details, please see below under the heading “Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law”. The Tender Offer is not a formal or exempt take-over bid under Canadian securities laws and regulations. In no event will Plantro (or its affiliates or associates) make any such purchases of Class A Shares that would result in Plantro, together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owning or exercising control or direction over more than 15% of the outstanding Class A Shares upon completion of the Tender Offer.

    Full details of the Tender Offer are included in the Offer Documents and will be available online on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Reasons to Accept Plantro’s Tender Offer:

    (a)   All-Cash Premium. Shareholders will receive liquidity at an attractive premium to the current trading price of the Class A Shares (a premium of approximately 10% to the closing price of the Class A Shares on March 31, 2025, and approximately a 9% premium to the VWAP of the Class A Shares on the TSX for the ten (10) trading days preceding the announcement of the Tender Offer).
         
    (b)   Limited Liquidity. Plantro believes that another liquidity event for shareholders is unlikely. There is persistent and extreme lack of trading volume and liquidity in the Class A Shares and the Tender Offer represents a unique opportunity for shareholders to receive liquidity at an attractive premium to the current trading price of the Class A Shares, in cash.


    Background to the Tender Offer:

    Plantro is making the Tender Offer to all shareholders of the Company (other than Class A Shares held by the Crown Investment Corporation of Saskatchewan or any other entity wholly-owned by the Province of Saskatchewan) following a recent unsuccessful attempt to open discussions with the board of directors (the “Board”) and management of the Company, on issues that included Board refreshment and a potential strategic investment.

    Plantro also considered acquiring Class A Shares in the market, but the extreme and persistent lack of liquidity in the stock, made this impossible. For example, on Friday, March 28, 2025, only 251 Class A shares traded on the TSX. This represents a meager $6,144 of value traded versus a market capitalization of almost $0.5 billion.

    Plantro is drawn to ISC because it believes that ISC enjoys a durable competitive moat around its core offerings, which drive healthy cash flow and a strong balance sheet. Plantro remains hopeful that the Board will engage constructively with Plantro, and recommend in favour of the Tender Offer.

    Plantro’s Advisors

    Plantro has engaged Goodmans LLP as its legal advisor, Carson Proxy as its information agent, Odyssey Trust Company as depositary, and Gagnier Communications as its strategic communications advisor.

    About Plantro

    Plantro is a privately-held company, with an established track record of making successful investments in undervalued and high quality legal, financial, and information services businesses.

    Shareholder Questions

    Shareholders who have questions with respect to the Tender Offer, or who need assistance in depositing their Class A Shares, please contact the depositary and information agent for the Tender Offer:

    Depositary: Odyssey Trust Company

    Toll Free (US & Canada): 1-888-290-1175
    Calls (All Regions): 587-885-0960
    Email: corp.actions@odysseytrust.com

    Information Agent: Carson Proxy

    North America Toll Free: 1-800-530-5189
    Local and Text: 416-751-2066
    Email: info@carsonproxy.com

    Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption Under Canadian Law

    Plantro is relying on the exemption under section 9.2(4) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations to make this public broadcast solicitation. The following information is provided in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations.

    This solicitation is being made by Plantro, and not by or on behalf of management of ISC. The information agent will receive a fee of up to $250,000 for its services as information agent under the Tender Offer, plus ancillary payments and disbursements. Based upon publicly available information, ISC’s registered and head office is located at 300 – 10 Research Drive, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 7J7, Canada. Plantro is soliciting proxies in reliance upon the public broadcast exemption to the solicitation requirements under applicable Canadian corporate and securities laws, conveyed by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication, and by any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian securities laws. In addition, this solicitation may be made by mail, telephone, facsimile, email or other electronic means as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by representatives of Plantro. All costs incurred for such solicitation will be borne by Plantro.

    A registered shareholder who has given a proxy under the terms of the Letter of Transmittal may, prior to its Class A Shares being taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer, revoke the proxy by instrument in writing, including a proxy bearing a later date. The instrument revoking the proxy must be deposited at the registered office of ISC at least 48 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, preceding the date of the meeting or an adjournment or postponement thereof, or with the Chair of the meeting on the day of the meeting, or in any other manner permitted by law, provided that, in each circumstance, a copy of such revocation has been delivered to the depositary, at its principal office in Toronto, Ontario, Canada prior to the Class A Shares relating to such proxy having been taken up and paid for under the Tender Offer.

    A non-registered shareholder may revoke a form of proxy or voting instruction form given to an intermediary at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered shareholder by its intermediary. Non-registered shareholders should contact their broker for assistance in ensuring that forms of proxies or voting instructions previously given to an intermediary are properly revoked.

    None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of ISC’s most recently completed financial year, or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or will materially affect ISC or any of its subsidiaries. None of Plantro nor, to its knowledge, any of its associates or affiliates, has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at any upcoming shareholders’ meeting, other than as set out herein.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This press release may contain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Specifically, certain statements contained in this press release, including without limitation statements regarding the Tender Offer, taking up and paying for Class A Shares deposited under the Tender Offer, Plantro’s assessment of the consequences of what it believes to be governance failings at ISC, as well as Plantro’s assessment of ISC’s future prospects, contain “forward-looking information” and are prospective in nature. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements.

    Statements containing forward-looking information are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the future outcomes expressed or implied by the statements containing forward-looking information.

    Although Plantro believes that the expectations reflected in statements containing forward-looking information herein made by it (and not, for greater certainty, any forward-looking statements attributable to the Company) are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting the Company’s operations will continue substantially in the current state, including, without limitation, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, continuity and availability of personnel, local and international laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, that there will be no unplanned material changes to the Company’s operations, and that the Company’s public disclosure record is accurate in all material respects and is not misleading (including by omission).

    Plantro cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. While these factors and assumptions are considered by Plantro to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances as of the date of this press release, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Plantro and there is no assurance that they will prove correct.

    Important facts that could cause outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information include, among other things, actions taken by the Company in respect of the Tender Offer, the content of subsequent public disclosures by the Company, the failure to satisfy the conditions to the Tender Offer, general economic conditions, legislative or regulatory changes and changes in capital or securities markets. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if the opinions, estimates or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results or future events might vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Although Plantro has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to Plantro or that Plantro presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information.

    Statements containing forward-looking information in this press release are based on Plantro’s beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made, and there should be no expectation that such forward-looking information will be updated or supplemented as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, and Plantro disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements.

    1380-9916-3157

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Enters into Initial Agreement for Private Debt Facility with a division of Macquarie Group for up to $300 Million to Fund Initial HPC Project Development at Panther Creek

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Initial draw at close of $50 million, with up to a total of $300 million available upon entry into definitive project loan documentation
    • Early-stage investment from a division of Macquarie Group, one of the world’s largest infrastructure investors, further validates the attractiveness of Bitfarms’ potential HPC data center development pipeline, especially its near-term project at Panther Creek
    • A $300 million facility is expected to provide the necessary capital for Bitfarms to fund the initial portion of the Panther Creek data center development and buildout in a non-dilutive manner

    This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of the Company’s amended and restated prospectus supplement dated December 17, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

    TORONTO, Ontario and BROSSARD, Québec, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (Nasdaq/TSX: BITF), a global energy and compute infrastructure company (“Bitfarms” or the “Company”), announced today that the Company has entered into an initial agreement for a private debt facility for up to $300 million from Macquarie Equipment Capital, Inc., a division of Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets’ business (“Macquarie”). The initial tranche of the facility is $50 million at the parent level and proceeds will be used for project development soft costs and other general corporate purposes. The second tranche of the facility may be up to $250 million and is drawable as the Company achieves specific development milestones at its Panther Creek location, at which time the entirety of the loan becomes secured at the project level only, resulting in a total project debt facility of $300 million and termination of the initial loan. The maturity of each facility is two years from the date of closing and each facility bears an interest at a rate of 8% per annum, with interest on the initial draw of $50 million paid in kind for the first three months. Draws under the second tranche of the facility are subject to the entry into definitive documentation, mutually agreed between the Company and Macquarie, on terms appended to the initial agreement, in addition to certain other conditions.

    CEO Ben Gagnon stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Macquarie, a global leader in infrastructure investment with deep expertise and relationships across the HPC-related infrastructure value chain. This partnership marks the beginning of our investment in the near-term development of our Panther Creek data center, strategically located in Pennsylvania’s PJM region within close proximity to Philadelphia and NYC metropolitan areas. Panther Creek alone has a potential capacity of nearly 500 MW, supported by multiple power sources. Having multiple energy sources enhances reliability and redundancy while reducing anticipated CapEx and OpEx for HPC, making these sites particularly attractive to potential HPC customers. We are confident that this partnership will not only accelerate our buildout at Panther Creek, but also open doors to future opportunities with Macquarie as we look to scale our project and potentially expand to other sites within our portfolio.

    “Amidst the surging AI revolution and the growing demand for power and infrastructure, this financing arrives at a pivotal time following the close of our transformational acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining and the recent appointments of both James Bond, SVP of HPC, and Craig Hibbard, SVP of Infrastructure. We believe the analyses provided by our strategic partners, ASG and WWT, along with Macquarie’s due diligence and industry expertise, validate our HPC opportunity thesis at Panther Creek, strengthen our HPC pipeline and strategy, and position Bitfarms as a market leader in sourcing and developing large-scale, high-quality HPC data center projects.”

    Joshua Stevens, Associate Director, Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets business, said, “We are proud to partner with Bitfarms and look forward to supporting the continued development of its innovative Panther Creek project, as well as future infrastructure that will be essential to the advancement of AI. Panther Creek is well located, within 100 miles of New York City and Philadelphia, and we expect it will be sought after by HPC tenants once construction of the project is underway.”

    CFO Jeff Lucas stated, “Our highly valued North American assets, strong cash flow from mining operations, and the potential for higher-margin, stable, and predictable earnings characteristic of an HPC business model have enabled us to secure this attractive debt financing from a respected infrastructure partner. With an interest rate of 8%, we believe we can fund our energy and HPC infrastructure development at a significantly lower cost of capital and with much less dilution than equity funding, creating long-term shareholder value. The net proceeds from the initial $50 million will accelerate the launch of our HPC project at Panther Creek and finance the soft costs as we move forward with the HPC development. Importantly, this valuable partnership with Macquarie provides the necessary capital and expertise in datacenter development to accelerate our next chapter of growth.”

    Key Financing Terms

    • The $300 million project loan is intended to fund the development of the data center project at Panther Creek.
    • The $50 million initial tranche of the facility, which is earmarked for project development soft costs and other general corporate purposes, is at the parent level and is secured by a first priority lien on all assets of the U.S. and Canadian guarantors and the borrower, with customary exclusions. The second tranche of the facility will be for up to $250 million and will be drawable as the Company achieves specific development milestones at its Panther Creek location and upon entering definitive documentation, at which time the entirety of the loan will become secured at the project level only and would result in a total project debt facility of $300 million and termination of the initial loan.
    • The maturity of each facility is two years from the date of closing. Each facility will bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum, with interest on the initial draw of $50 million paid in kind for the first three months. 
    • In connection with the initial tranche of the facility, Macquarie will receive warrants for the purchase of $5 million in shares of Bitfarms at a strike price equal to a 25% premium to the average of the past 5 days’ closing price (subject to a minimum strike price floor equal to the last closing price of Bitfarms’ shares on the TSX) and with a tenor of five years. The warrants and underlying shares are subject to customary registration rights for the resale of the underlying shares. Up until $125 million has been drawn under the second tranche of the facility, Macquarie will receive warrants equal to 10% of the amount drawn under the facility at a strike price equal to a 25% premium to the average of the past 5 days’ closing price (subject to a minimum strike price floor equal to the last closing price of Bitfarms’ shares on the TSX prior to grant) with a tenor of five years.
    • The loan agreement for the initial tranche of the facility includes various affirmative and negative covenants for Bitfarms and its subsidiaries, including restrictions on dispositions, dividends, the incurrence of debt and liens, material changes in the nature of its business, related party transactions, and investments, in each case subject to certain customary exclusions and carveouts. In addition, Bitfarms must maintain a minimum of $25 million balance in cash at all times while the initial tranche is outstanding and must deposit additional amounts of cash if the average bitcoin price drops below certain thresholds as provided in the loan agreement (which funds will be returned if the bitcoin price returns to the previous thresholds).

    Northland Capital Markets acted as sole placement agent to the Company. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP acted as legal counsel to the Company. Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal counsel to Macquarie.

    About Bitfarms Ltd.
    Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a global energy and compute infrastructure company that develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated HPC and Bitcoin mining data centers. Bitfarms currently has 15 operating Bitcoin data centers situated in four countries: the United States, Canada, Argentina and Paraguay.

    Powered primarily by environmentally friendly hydro-electric and long-term power contracts, Bitfarms is committed to using sustainable and often underutilized energy infrastructure.

    To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

    www.bitfarms.com.

    https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
    http://x.com/Bitfarms_io
    https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

    About Macquarie Group

    Macquarie Group Limited (Macquarie) is a global financial services group providing clients with asset management, retail and business banking, wealth management, leasing and asset financing, market access, commodity trading, renewables development, specialist advice and access to capital and principal investment. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs over 20,000 people in 34 markets. Commodities and Global Markets (CGM), an operating group of Macquarie, has more than 40 years of partnering with clients to provide capital and financing, risk management, market access, and physical execution and logistics solutions across commodities, financial markets, and asset finance sectors. For further information, visit www.macquarie.com.

    Glossary of Terms

    • MW = Megawatts or megawatt hour
    • HPC/AI = High Performance Computing / Artificial Intelligence
    • CapEx = Capital Expenditure
    • OpEx = Operating Expenses
    • PJM = Pennsylvania- New Jersey-Massachusetts regional transmission market
    • NYC = New York City
    • WWT = World Wide Technology
    • ASG= Applebee Strategy Group, LLC

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding the completion of definitive documentation relating to the second tranche of the facility and the draw of an additional $250 million in funds, the development of the Company’s Panther Creek data center, its potential capacity, and its attractiveness to potential HPC customers, and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information.

    Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.

    This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of Bitfarms at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Bitfarms to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors, risks and uncertainties include, among others: the ability to successfully negotiate and deliver definitive documentation relating to the second tranche of the facility, that the second tranche may not close within the timeframe anticipated or at all or may not close on the terms and conditions currently anticipated by the parties; the development and operation of Panther Creek may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion of existing facilities may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; new miners may not perform up to expectations; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; the ongoing ability to successfully mine digital currency is not assured; failure of the equipment upgrades to be installed and operated as planned; the availability of additional power may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the power purchase agreements and economics thereof may not be as advantageous as expected; potential environmental cost and regulatory penalties due to the operation of plants which entail environmental risk and certain additional risk factors including, land reclamation requirements may be burdensome and expensive, changes in tax credits related to coal refuse power generation could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future development efforts, competition in power markets may have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, cash flows and the market value of the assets, the business is subject to substantial energy regulation and may be adversely affected by legislative or regulatory changes, as well as liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements, the operations are subject to a number of risks arising out of the threat of climate change, and environmental laws, energy transitions policies and initiatives and regulations relating to emissions and coal residue management, which could result in increased operating and capital costs and reduce the extent of business activities, operation of power generation facilities involves significant risks and hazards customary to the power industry that could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations, and there may not have adequate insurance to cover these risks and hazards, employees, contractors, customers and the general public may be exposed to a risk of injury due to the nature of the operations, limited experience with carbon capture programs and initiatives and dependence on third-parties, including consultants, contractors and suppliers to develop and advance carbon capture programs and initiatives, and failure to properly manage these relationships, or the failure of these consultants, contractors and suppliers to perform as expected, could have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects or operations; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of cryptocurrency mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power to operate cryptocurrency mining assets; the risks of an increase in electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which Bitfarms operates and the potential adverse impact on profitability; future capital needs and the ability to complete current and future financings, including Bitfarms’ ability to utilize an at-the-market offering program ( “ATM Program”) and the prices at which securities may be sold in such ATM Program, as well as capital market conditions in general; share dilution resulting from an ATM Program and from other equity issuances; volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability to mine digital currencies that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to Bitfarms’ filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC“) at www.sec.gov), including the Management’s Discussion & Analysis for the year-ended December 31, 2024. Although Bitfarms has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by Bitfarms. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Bitfarms does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Tracy Krumme
    SVP, Head of IR & Corp. Comms.
    +1 786-671-5638
    tkrumme@bitfarms.com

    Media Contact:
    Caroline Brady Baker
    Director, Communications
    cbaker@bitfarms.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bab8a34f-c6c6-4802-bf43-e7edcb378236

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Annexus Welcomes Mike Morrone as New Chief Operating Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Annexus, the leading independent designer and distributor of retirement products in the nation, is pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Morrone as its new Chief Operating Officer.

    Mike brings 25 years of leadership experience from Nationwide, where he made a significant impact across multiple roles, including Annuity and Life Operations and, most recently, leading the Annuity Business Development team for Individual Products and Solutions. Mike played a pivotal role in the formation of the Annexus-Nationwide partnership in March 2014 with the launch of the Nationwide New Heights® Select fixed indexed annuity, resulting in more than $36 billion in premium to date. His ability to drive strategic collaboration and deliver innovative solutions has made him a respected leader within the industry.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the executive team here at Annexus,” says Ron Shurts, CEO and co-founder of Annexus. “Mike’s proven leadership, deep industry experience, focus on innovation, and commitment to results make him a natural fit as we move Annexus forward as part of the Integrity family.”

    “I’m honored to join Annexus, a company that has consistently set the standard for innovation in retirement solutions,” says Mike. “I look forward to working alongside this talented team as we drive the company into its next chapter of growth and innovation.”

    Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Mike grew up playing hockey and played professionally in the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization. He’s been married to Kate for 27 years, and they are the proud parents of Jake, 23, and Beck, 14.

    About Annexus

    For nearly two decades, Annexus has developed market-leading fixed indexed annuities, registered indexed-linked annuities, and indexed universal life insurance products that help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings. The company has built strategic relationships with the industry’s top insurance carriers and some of the world’s largest investment banks. For more information, visit Annexus.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor wants to give the minimum wage a real boost. The benefits would likely outweigh any downsides

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris F. Wright, Professor of Work and Labour Market Policy, University of Sydney

    Labor has called for an “economically sustainable real wage increase” for almost 3 million workers who depend on the award system for their wages.

    In a submission to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review on Wednesday, Labor said a real wage increase above inflation would provide cost-of-living relief for lower-income workers – especially in the early childhood, cleaning and retail sectors.

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has said he’s not opposed to an increase in minimum wages. Several major business groups have also tentatively endorsed an increase.

    But the size of the wage boost is in contention. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants an increase to be no higher than headline inflation, saying:

    [an] increase in minimum and modern award wages of no more than 2.5% is fair and reasonably responsible in the current economic environment.




    Read more:
    Labor will urge Fair Work Commission to give real wage rise to three million workers


    Can the government actually raise wages?

    The federal government doesn’t set minimum and award wages directly. That job falls to the Fair Work Commission, Australia’s independent national workplace relations tribunal.

    Each year, the commission receives submissions for the Annual Wage Review from “interested parties” such as business groups, trade unions and governments.

    Governments almost always make submissions, typically informed by economic logic, to the annual review.

    Labor’s submission is consistent with that approach. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said businesses would benefit overall, because when low-wage workers receive a wage increase, they typically spend rather than save it.

    Could a real wage boost fuel inflation?

    Labor’s proposal has already attracted concern.

    Some economists have argued it could increase inflation. That could make it harder for the Reserve Bank of Australia to deliver further interest rate cuts.

    However, this concern was addressed in the OECD’s 2023 Economic Outlook paper, which argued:

    in several sectors and countries, there is room for profits to absorb some further increases in wages to mitigate the loss of purchasing power at least for the low paid without generating significant additional price pressures.

    In other words, with inflation falling in Australia and other parts of the world, there is scope for wages to increase without a significant risk this will generate inflationary pressure.

    The OECD has also stated that much of the recent high global inflation was generated by the impact of the Ukraine war on rising food and energy prices, rather than wages.

    Wage growth without productivity growth

    A second concern relates to boosting wages in the context of Australia’s languishing levels of labour productivity – output per worker or per hour worked.

    On Tuesday, Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock said without an increase in productivity:

    the rate of nominal wages growth that can be sustained and be in line with the inflation target is lower.

    However, as Mark Bray and Alison Preston found in their interim report from the review of the Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws, labour productivity growth has been consistently higher than capital productivity.

    According to Bray and Preston:

    It is, therefore, difficult to argue that industrial relations systems have a significant, dominant effect on national productivity outcomes.

    If anything, a wages boost might be good for productivity. There is evidence to suggest measures to improve the quality of employment – including by increasing wages – can boost productivity.

    If workers feel they are paid fairly, they are more likely to be satisfied and work harder, and less likely to leave their employer.

    Staff turnover, on the other hand, requires employers to recruit and train new employees, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive, and can sap productivity.

    What about inequality?

    It’s important we don’t overlook another important factor in the minimum wage debate. Since its 2022 election victory, addressing inequality has been central to the Albanese government’s labour market reforms.

    Before 2022, wages growth was persistently weak for several years, despite the lowest unemployment rate in almost five decades.

    Low unemployment is generally assumed to stimulate wages growth, but this didn’t eventuate. This worsened workforce shortages, making it hard for employers to attract and retain workers.

    Findings from a large body of academic research published before the passage and implementation of the December 2022 Secure Jobs, Better Pay amendments highlighted the need for fairer redistribution in pay settings.

    The gender pay gap

    This includes addressing gender-based pay inequalities.

    Improving job quality – particularly by raising wages – in low-paid sectors is essential to advancing gender equality. The minimum wage and award-reliant segments of the Australian labour market are highly feminised. These include vital frontline roles in the care, cleaning and hospitality sectors.

    The latest Workplace Gender Equality Agency scorecard, drawing on ABS Labour Force Survey data, shows wage growth in these sectors over the past two years has contributed significantly to reducing the national gender pay gap to its lowest point on record.

    Lifting wages and job quality is not only crucial for attracting and retaining workers in these essential frontline roles. It also supports broader labour force participation, particularly for working parents.

    An “economically sustainable” boost to the minimum wage is therefore unlikely to drive up inflation, or adversely impact productivity. However, it will provide cost-of-living relief to Australia’s lowest-paid workers.

    Chris F. Wright has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the UK Economic and Social Research Council, the International Labour Organization, the Australian and NSW governments, and various business and trade union organisations.

    ref. Labor wants to give the minimum wage a real boost. The benefits would likely outweigh any downsides – https://theconversation.com/labor-wants-to-give-the-minimum-wage-a-real-boost-the-benefits-would-likely-outweigh-any-downsides-253624

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Star Alliance: ITA Airways Set to Start Integration into Star Alliance

    Source: Lufthansa Group

    ITA Airways has officially received approval to start the integration process into Star Alliance following a verdict by the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board (CEB). Building on its induction into the Lufthansa Group earlier this year, this decision paves the way for its much anticipated entry into the world’s largest airline alliance. The onboarding process will now move at full throttle.

    Celebrating the milestone, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Theo Panagiotoulias stated: “In early 2026, ITA Airways is expected to officially join the Star Alliance network as a full member. The decision by our Chief Executive Board underscores the strong confidence our members have in ITA Airways. As a gateway for Italy, its addition strengthens our global network, offering seamless and connected journeys to more travellers worldwide.”

    Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, said: “We are excited to join the Star Alliance network and to bring the excellence of Made in Italy into the alliance, further enhancing its global reach. This is a significant milestone in ITA Airways’ growth, and we look forward to offering our customers the future privileges of the world’s largest airline network.”

    ITA Airways will add 360 daily flights to the Alliance network, further strengthening the Alliance’s footprint in the European region. The biggest growth will come from its home cities, especially Rome and Milan, which are currently served by 16 Star Alliance members collectively.

    Leveraging their legacy within the Alliance, Lufthansa Group is mentoring ITA Airways through its integration journey into Star Alliance.

    “I am proud that ITA Airways will become the fifth hub airline of the Lufthansa Group to join Star Alliance. As the mentor of the membership process, we will do our utmost to ensure a smooth and swift integration. ITA Airways’ future membership will provide Star Alliance customers with many new opportunities for personalised travel planning. I am confident that ITA Airways will be an excellent addition to the Star Alliance portfolio,” said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group.

    Upon completing induction, the Star Alliance network will grow to 26 member airlines, offering over 18,000 daily flights connecting 192 countries.

    About Star Alliance

    Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, the Star Alliance network was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Since its inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience throughout the entire Alliance journey.

    The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.

    Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers 17,500 daily flights to over 1,150 airports in 189 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partner Juneyao Airlines.

    Star Alliance Press Office:

    +65 8729 6691; mediarelations@staralliance.com

    About ITA Airways

    ITA Airways is the Italian reference carrier. The Company is 59% owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and 41% by Deutsche Lufthansa AG. ITA Airways operates both passenger and cargo air transport services, providing Italy with high-quality connectivity to international destinations, supporting tourism and foreign trade, as well as domestic connectivity within the Country, also leveraging integrated mobility.

    Through strong digitization of processes to ensure the best possible experience and personalized services, ITA Airways places customer service at the core of its strategy. This is combined with a commitment to sustainability, which encompasses environmental aspects (such as a young, technologically advanced fleet to reduce environmental impact), social aspects (a strong focus on its employees and the communities in which it operates), and governance aspects (integrating sustainability into internal strategies and processes).

    For press information:

    Pietro Caldaroni, Chief Communication Officer

    Mail: media@ita-airways.com

    About Lufthansa Group

    Lufthansa Group is a global aviation group with worldwide operations and a total of more than 300 subsidiaries and equity investments. The company’s mission is to connect people, cultures, and economies in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, safety, quality, reliability, and innovation are main priorities. The Lufthansa Group comprises the Passenger Airlines and Aviation Services segments.

    The Italian airline ITA Airways is the newest member of the Lufthansa Group, with the Group having a 41 percent stake in the airline. Now, the network carriers consist of Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways. These airlines offer their customers a premium experience, with high-quality products and services. The multi-hub strategy offers passengers a comprehensive route network along with the greatest possible flexibility for their journey. Eurowings is positioned as a carrier with an exclusive focus on point-to-point traffic on European short- and medium-haul routes. The Passenger Airlines segment also includes the regional airlines Lufthansa CityLine, Lufthansa City Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss Air, Discover Airlines and the equity investment in SunExpress, the joint venture with Turkish Airlines. Since the summer of 2021, Discover Airlines has complemented the Lufthansa Group’s offering in the growing segment of leisure travel.

    Aviation Services comprises the segments Logistics and MRO, as well as additional businesses, which in particular include Lufthansa Aviation Training and Lufthansa Systems.

    The Lufthansa Group is currently investing in its onboard product, with both Lufthansa’s Allegris and SWISS Senses showcasing an entirely new travel experience. Lufthansa’s Allegris can already be experienced on certain long-haul routes. The full revamp will also include lounges, ground processes, individuality, and exclusivity.

    Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines are already members of the Star Alliance.

    For press information:

    Thomas Jachnow, Senior Manager Media Relations

    Deutsche Lufthansa AG

    lufthansa-group@dlh.de

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AGA new UC guidance will reshape market access and therapeutic competition, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    AGA new UC guidance will reshape market access and therapeutic competition, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has recently released a major update to its clinical guideline for the pharmacological management of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). The new “living” guideline strongly recommends the early use of biologics and small-molecule therapies following 5-ASA failure, a significant departure from the traditional step-up approach. It marks a turning point in UC treatment strategy, with major implications for market access, prescribing behavior, and therapeutic competition, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    As the first “living” guideline for UC, the AGA will update recommendations semiannually, allowing rapid integration of new evidence and emerging therapies. For pharmaceutical companies, this creates both opportunity and urgency: drugs that demonstrate clear clinical benefit could gain swift recognition, while those without competitive differentiation may be deprioritized in treatment algorithms.

    Sravani Meka, Senior Pharmaceutical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “This guideline places clinical efficacy front and center. It gives clinicians the confidence to initiate treatment with the most effective advanced therapies early in the disease course, rather than cycling through older, less effective options.”

    Ten agents were granted strong recommendations, including AbbVie’s upadacitinib and risankizumab, Pfizer’s etrasimod, J&J’s guselkumab, as well as legacy biologics like infliximab, vedolizumab, and ustekinumab. The guideline also supports biosimilars and the use of subcutaneous infliximab and vedolizumab for maintenance. Meanwhile, adalimumab was downgraded to a conditional recommendation due to lower comparative efficacy marking a significant shift for one of the most widely used therapies in the past decade.

    GlobalData’s Ulcerative Colitis: Eight-Market Drug Forecast and Market Analysis (March 2023) report projected the UC market across the US, EU5, Japan, and Canada to grow from $7.3 billion in 2021 to $10 billion in 2031, driven by pipeline launches and expanded use of advanced therapies.

    Meka explains: “These forecasts may need to be revised. The AGA’s new recommendations will likely accelerate uptake for newer therapies such as Rinvoq (upadacitinib), Skyrizi (risankizumab), Velsipity (etrasimod), and Tremfya (guselkumab), potentially reshaping commercial trajectories laid out in earlier forecasts.”

    The guideline may also influence payer strategy, particularly in the US, where step therapy policies have long mandated TNF-failure before newer options are covered.

    Meka concludes: “This is the clearest signal, yet that step therapy must evolve. With the AGA now endorsing multiple newer agents as high-efficacy first-line options, payers will face mounting pressure to align coverage decisions with evidence-based care.”

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI: Nykredit extends the offer period concerning the recommended, voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S until 24 April 2025 – Nykredit Realkredit A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS PUBLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 9(3)-(5) AND SECTION 21(3) OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 636 OF 15 MAY 2020

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE DOING SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

    Publication of supplement concerning extension of offer period for Nykredit’s recommended, voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S until 24 April 2025

    2 April 2025

    Nykredit extends the offer period concerning the recommended, voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S until 24 April 2025

    In accordance with section 4(1) of the Danish Takeover Order1, Nykredit Realkredit A/S (“Nykredit”) announced on 10 December 2024 that Nykredit intended to submit a voluntary public tender offer (the “Offer”) to acquire all shares in Spar Nord Bank A/S (“Spar Nord Bank”), with the exception of Spar Nord Bank’s treasury shares, for a cash price of DKK 210 per share, valuing the aggregated issued share capital of Spar Nord Bank at DKK 24.7 billion.

    On 8 January 2025, Nykredit published the offer document regarding the Offer (the “Offer Document”), as approved by the Danish FSA in accordance with section 11 of the Danish Takeover Order. In the Offer Document, the offer period was set to expire on 19 February 2025 at 23:59 (CET) (the “Initial Offer Period”). The Initial Offer Period was subsequently extended to 20 March 2025, and on 19 March 2025, Nykredit published a supplement to the Offer Document, which extended the offer period to 3 April 2025 at 23:59 (CEST).

    Today, Nykredit published a supplement (the “Supplement”) to the Offer Document, which further extends the offer period for the Offer. The Supplement has been approved by the Danish FSA on 2 April 2025 in accordance with section 9(3)-(5) of the Danish Takeover Order. The Supplement should be read in conjunction with the Offer Document and the previous supplements as published on 18 February and 19 March 2025.

    With this Supplement, Nykredit further extends the offer period, such that the Offer will expire on 24 April 2025 at 23:59 (CEST). Subsequently, any reference to the “Offer Period” in the Offer Document or other documents relating to the Offer will refer to the period commencing on the day of publication of the Offer Document on 8 January 2025 and ending on 24 April 2025 at 23:59 (CEST) (the “Extended Offer Period”).

    The purpose of the extension is to provide Nykredit with time to obtain the approval from the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority required to complete the Offer. If the approval from the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority has not been granted by the expiry of the Extended Offer Period, Nykredit expects to extend the offer period further.

    The extension of the offer period entails that the expected completion of the Offer and settlement of the offer price to the Spar Nord Bank shareholders who have accepted the Offer will be extended correspondingly. Completion is subsequently expected to take place on 2 May 2025 (provided that the offer period is not extended further).

    This will result in an adjustment of the offer price in accordance with section 6.2 of the Offer Document, such that the offer price is increased by DKK 0.50 per share to DKK 210.50.

    The increase of the offer price affects all Spar Nord Bank shareholders who have already given their accept of the Offer and all Spar Nord Bank shareholders who accept the Offer following publication of the Supplement. Spar Nord Bank shareholders who have already accepted the Offer thus do not have to take further action.

    At the time of this announcement, Nykredit holds 32.79 per cent of the shares in Spar Nord Bank.

    In the supplement dated 19 March 2025 to the Offer Document, Nykredit announced that a preliminary compilation of the acceptances that Nykredit had information about showed that, including the irrevocable undertakings, acceptances corresponding to more than 46 per cent of the share capital of Spar Nord Bank had been submitted, and that Nykredit’s ownership interest in Spar Nord Bank, together with the irrevocable undertakings and the binding acceptances submitted that Nykredit had information about, totalled more than 80 per cent of the total share capital (excluding treasury shares) of Spar Nord Bank, indicating that the 67 per cent acceptance limit stated in the Offer has been reached.

    The final result of the Offer will be determined on expiry of the offer period and published in accordance with section 21(3) of the Danish Takeover Order.

    Nykredit intends to delist Spar Nord Bank from trading on Nasdaq Copenhagen and complete a compulsory acquisition of the remaining Spar Nord Bank shareholders, provided that Nykredit has obtained the necessary ownership interest, and the Offer has been completed. Spar Nord Bank shareholders who have opted not to accept the Offer, should expect that Nykredit, provided that the Offer is completed, will take steps to combine Nykredit Bank A/S and Spar Nord Bank, which will result in a further increase in Nykredit’s ownership interest in Spar Nord Bank. Not later than in continuation of the combination, Nykredit thus expects to hold a sufficient ownership interest to be able to delist Spar Nord Bank from trading on Nasdaq Copenhagen and complete a compulsory acquisition of the remaining Spar Nord Bank shareholders.

    The full terms and conditions of the Offer are contained in the Offer Document as amended by the Supplement. The Offer Document and the Supplement are published in the Danish FSA’s OAM database: https://oam.finanstilsynet.dk/ and can also, with certain restrictions, be accessed at https://www.nykredit.com/kobstilbud-spar-nord/ and https://www.sparnord.dk/investor-relations/overtagelsestilbud.

    About Spar Nord Bank

    Spar Nord Bank was founded in 1824 and is now a nationwide bank with 58 branches. Spar Nord Bank offers all types of financial services, consultancy and products, focusing its business on retail customers and primarily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the local areas in which the bank is represented. The bank is also focused on leasing operations and large corporate customers, which are both business areas handled by the head offices.

    Spar Nord Bank has historically been rooted in northern Jutland and continues to be a market leader in this region. However, in the period from 2002 to 2024, Spar Nord Bank has established and acquired branches outside northern Jutland. Over the course of the years, the bank has adjusted its branch network in an ongoing process and now has a nationwide distribution network comprising 58 branches. These 58 branches are distributed on 32 banking areas, each of which is headed by a manager reporting directly to the bank’s executive board.

    The Spar Nord Bank Group consists of two earnings entities: Spar Nord Bank’s branches and the Trading Division. As an entity, the Trading Division serves customers from Spar Nord Bank’s branches as well as large retail customers and institutional clients in the field of equities, bonds, fixed income and forex products, asset management and international transactions. Finally, under the concept Sparxpres, the bank offers consumer loans to personal customers through Sparxpres’ platform as well as debt consolidation loans and consumer financing via retail stores and gift voucher solutions via shopping centres and city associations.

    About Nykredit

    Nykredit Realkredit A/S (“Nykredit”) is a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Denmark, company reg. (CVR) no. 12 71 92 80, having its registered office at Sundkrogsgade 25, 2150 Nordhavn, Denmark. Nykredit is a mortgage credit institution and, together with its wholly-owned subsidiary Totalkredit A/S, is a market leader of the Danish mortgage credit market with a market share of some 45.2 per cent. Nykredit offers mortgage financing for private individuals and businesses.

    Nykredit is part of the Nykredit Group, which historically dates back to 1851. In addition to carrying on mortgage credit business, the Group carries on banking business through Nykredit Bank – including banking and wealth management operations – and has a total of around 4,000 employees in Denmark.

    Nykredit is owned by an association of the Nykredit Group’s customers, Forenet Kredit. Forenet Kredit owns close to 80 per cent of Nykredit’s shares. Other major shareholders are five Danish pension funds: Akademikernes Pension AP Pension, PensionDanmark, PFA and PKA.

    Nykredit is known for the advantages offered through the association. Forenet Kredit makes capital contributions to the Nykredit Group when times are good, and Nykredit has decided to pass these on to its customers.

    Since, 2017, Forenet Kredit has paid over DKK 8 billion in capital contributions to the Nykredit Group, and in the period to 2027, Forenet Kredit has provided a further DKK 7 billion.

    Questions and further information

    Any questions concerning the Offer may be directed to:

    Nykredit Bank A/S

    Company reg. (CVR) no.: 10 51 96 08

    Sundkrogsgade 25

    2150 Nordhavn
    Denmark

    Telephone: +45 7010 9000

    and

    Carnegie Investment Bank

    Filial af Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ), Sverige

    Company reg. (CVR) no. 35 52 12 67

    Overgaden Neden Vandet 9B

    1414 Copenhagen K
    Denmark

    E-mail: annette.hansen@carnegie.dk

    For further information about the Offer, please see: https://www.nykredit.com/kobstilbud-spar-nord/.

    This announcement and the Offer Document (with supplements) are not directed at shareholders of Spar Nord Bank A/S whose participation in the Offer would require the issuance of an offer document, registration or activities other than what is required under Danish law (and, in the case of shareholders in the United States of America, Section 14(e) of, and applicable provisions of Regulation 14E promulgated under, the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). The Offer is not made and will not be made, directly or indirectly, to shareholders resident in any jurisdiction in which the submission of the Offer or acceptance thereof would be in contravention of the laws of such jurisdiction. Any person coming into possession of this announcement, the Offer Document or any other document containing a reference to the Offer is expected and assumed to independently obtain all necessary information about any applicable restrictions and to observe these.

    This announcement does not constitute an offer or an invitation to purchase securities or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in accordance with the Offer or otherwise. The Offer will be submitted only in the form of the Offer Document (with supplements) approved by the FSA, which sets out the full terms and conditions of the Offer, including information on how to accept the Offer. The shareholders of Spar Nord Bank are advised to read the Offer Document and any related documents as they contain important information.

    Restricted jurisdictions

    The Offer is not made, and acceptance of the Offer to tender Spar Nord Bank shares is not accepted, neither directly nor indirectly, in or from any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of the Offer would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or any other measures with any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the Offer Document (the “Restricted Jurisdictions”). Neither the United States nor the United Kingdom is a Restricted Jurisdiction.

    Restricted Jurisdictions include, but are not limited to: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

    Persons obtaining documents or information relating to the Offer (including custodians, account holding institutions, nominees, trustees, representatives, fiduciaries or other intermediaries) should not distribute, communicate, transfer or send these in or into a Restricted Jurisdiction or use mail or any other means of communication in or into a Restricted Jurisdiction in connection with the Offer. Persons (including, but not limited to, custodians, custodian banks, nominees, trustees, representatives, fiduciaries or other intermediaries) intending to communicate this announcement, the Supplement, the Offer Document or any related document to any jurisdiction outside Denmark or the United States should inform themselves about these restrictions before taking any action. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction, including securities laws. It is the responsibility of all Persons obtaining this announcement, the Supplement, the Offer Document, earlier supplements, an acceptance form and/or other documents relating to the Offer, or into whose possession such documents otherwise come, to inform themselves about and observe all such restrictions.

    Nykredit is not responsible for ensuring that the distribution, dissemination or communication of this announcement, the Supplement or the Offer Document to shareholders outside Denmark, the United States and the United Kingdom is consistent with applicable law in any jurisdiction other than Denmark, the United States and the United Kingdom.

    Important Information for Shareholders in the United States

    The Offer concerns the shares in Spar Nord Bank, a public limited liability company incorporated and admitted to trading on a regulated market in Denmark, and is subject to the disclosure and procedural requirements of Danish law, including the Danish capital markets act and the Danish takeover order.

    The Offer is being made to shareholders in Spar Nord Bank in the United States in compliance with the applicable US tender offer rules under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “U.S. Exchange Act”), including Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder, subject to the relief available for a “Tier II” tender offer, and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Danish law and practice

    Accordingly, US Spar Nord Bank shareholders should be aware that this announcement and any other documents regarding the Offer have been prepared in accordance with, and will be subject to, the disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the Offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments of Danish law and practice, which may differ materially from those applicable under US domestic tender offer law and practice. In addition, the financial information contained in this announcement or the Offer Document has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or derived therefrom, and may therefore differ from, or not be comparable with, financial information of US companies.

    In accordance with the laws of, and practice in, Denmark and to the extent permitted by applicable law, including Rule 14e-5 under the U.S. Exchange Act, Nykredit, Nykredit’s affiliates or any nominees or brokers of the foregoing (acting as agents, or in a similar capacity, for Nykredit or any of its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time, and other than pursuant to the Offer, directly or indirectly, purchase, or arrange to purchase, outside of the United States, shares in Spar Nord Bank or any securities that are convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares in Spar Nord Bank before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be announced via Nasdaq Copenhagen and relevant electronic media if, and to the extent, such announcement is required under applicable law. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Denmark, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform US shareholders of Spar Nord Bank of such information.

    In addition, subject to the applicable laws of Denmark and US securities laws, including Rule 14e-5 under the U.S. Exchange Act, the financial advisers to Nykredit or their respective affiliates may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Spar Nord Bank, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities.

    It may not be possible for US shareholders to effect service of process within the United States upon Spar Nord Bank, Nykredit or any of their respective affiliates, or their respective officers or directors, some or all of which may reside outside the United States, or to enforce against any of them judgments of the United States courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or other US law. It may not be possible to bring an action against Nykredit, Spar Nord Bank and/or their respective officers or directors (as applicable) in a non-US court for violations of US laws. Further, it may not be possible to compel Nykredit and Spar Nord Bank or their respective affiliates, as applicable, to subject themselves to the judgment of a US court. In addition, it may be difficult to enforce in Denmark original actions, or actions for the enforcement of judgments of US courts, based on the civil liability provisions of the US federal securities laws.

    The Offer, if completed, may have consequences under US federal income tax and under applicable US state and local, as well as non-US, tax laws. Each shareholder of Spar Nord Bank is urged to consult its independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Offer.

    NEITHER THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY SECURITIES COMMISSION OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY IN ANY STATE OF THE U.S. HAS APPROVED OR DECLINED TO APPROVE THE OFFER OR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, PASSED UPON THE FAIRNESS OR MERITS OF THE OFFER OR PROVIDED AN OPINION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OFFER DOCUMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.


    1 Executive Order no. 636 of 15 May 2020

    Attachments

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix: A painful wake-up call about unregulated internet use for teens

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martina Calçada Kohatsu, PhD Candidate in Educational Psychology, McGill University

    In ‘Adolescence,’ a communication abyss that separates Gen X from Gen Z gives way to calamity. (Netflix)

    This story contains spoilers about the Netflix series ‘Adolescence.’

    In the Netflix series Adolescence, we have no idea why Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested at the beginning of the first episode. The tension from seeing a helpless 13-year-old boy escorted to a police station and interrogated holds us to the screen. Every minute of the one-hour episode, shot in a single continuous take, makes us feel like we are in the police station with the Miller family, viewing things through his parents’ disorientation.

    As the plot unfolds, we are given clues to explain the inexplicable, but we can’t fully appreciate the show’s magnitude until the very last scene, a dramatic moment where we see the boy’s father (Stephen Graham) cry over his son’s teddy bear while asking it for forgiveness.

    From an educational psychology angle, the show is ripe for analysis. One could comment on the premature sexualization of young girls and boys or the obsolete sense, for parents, that they can assume kids are safe when they’re at home in their rooms.

    However, as a doctoral student in educational psychology, I am mostly concerned with human learning — both the cognitive development that must accompany successful learners, and how children and youth understand the world through relationships.

    The state of Jamie’s cognitive development and of teenagers in general may help us understand his frame of mind — or the “why” that detective Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) pursues.

    For parents, this show raises serious questions about the crisis in parent-child communication and how the internet is shaping children’s behaviour and minds. I suggest turning to the practice of dialogue as a way for parents to strengthen their communication with their children and learn about each other and the world.

    Trailer for ‘Adolescence.’

    Children’s minds

    According to the government of Canada, “any human being below the age of 18” is defined as a child. Children can’t be recruited to join the Armed Forces, sign legal contracts, drive, vote, marry, drink alcohol and so on. As adults, we understand that these prohibitions not only protect them but also us.

    Setting aside ethical reasons why children shouldn’t do any of these things, the major reason is due to the developmental state of their minds.

    To better understand this, we must consider executive function, also called cognitive control. Executive function refers to the unconscious cognitive processes of abstract thinking, inhibition, impulse control and planning that allow us to consciously control and direct our thoughts to goals, actions and emotions.

    Think of executive control as interconnected paths in the brain. In an adolescent’s brain, these paths resemble more of a labyrinth, with difficult and sometimes non-working passages.

    Children and adolescents’ cognitive development are in “sensitive periods” in which their brains are more plastic and susceptible to environmental influences. Besides not having full control of their thought processes, research has also shown that abstract and more “neutral” cognitive skills develop earlier than those that involve motivated or emotionally charged actions.

    Ability to weigh options still developing

    Adolescents might be mature enough to solve complex math problems, but still feel helpless when needing to be polite to someone they believe offended them (not an easy task for adults either). In such a case, one would need to “step back” from the situation, and weigh options to respond.

    An adult might think “maybe I misinterpreted what this person said” or “if I offend them back, I risk losing my job/friendship/reputation.” By dwelling on different course of actions, they don’t act impulsively.

    This is precisely the ability that adolescents are still developing.

    Adolescent brains have not fully matured in ways that enable them to calculate risk.
    (Netflix)

    Virtual selves and threats

    When adolescents engage with social media, they can be exposed to a threatening environment where they must assert their virtual selves and deal with bullying and inappropriate content, while lacking full control of their thought processes.

    Yet, as American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has chronicled, our society has allowed adolescents to take part in this at grave risk. With maturing cognitive capabilities, teens are at risk in an online environment that thrives on extreme views and hijacks emotions.

    As a victim of cyberbullying, Jamie was probably not equipped with the cognitive abilities to step back from the situation and seek help. Instead, he responds to cruelty he experienced with cruelty he knew.

    With unregulated internet use, in terms of both content and unrestricted time spent online, communication with parents atrophies. At its core, Adolescence is a painful wake-up call to the effects of unregulated internet usage in teens, and how the communication abyss that separates Gen X from Gen Z gives way to calamity.

    Clueless adults, aware teens

    Nowhere in the show is this distance more evident than when police detectives move cluelessly through Jamie’s school trying to understand his motives, while the students seem cynically aware of what really happened.

    The detective’s son clues him into interpreting signs of incel subculture.
    (Netflix)

    In a typical moment reflecting contemporary intergenerational dynamics in which the Gen Zs explain stuff to their analog parents, Bascombe’s son is the one to enlighten him about incel subculture and what certain emojis represent.

    It becomes clear that pop-cultural references mean different things to a younger generation. For example, “red pill” was appropriated from The Matrix and is now used for those who “see the truth” and reject feminism.

    Generations are comfortable communicating in different ways. Teens, for example, are clever texters. They use images, edit reels and create memes to convey subtle and often complex feelings.

    In contrast, teens’ discomfort with face-to-face conversations is explicit in the last episode of Adolescence, when the Miller family drives to a hardware store. The parents play a song from their prom and reminisce. The oldest daughter is with them, but not present, focused on her phone and only sporadically joining the conversation.

    Why dialogue matters

    Parents and their children may find direction through dialogue. This ancient practice is based on the view of the world as becoming, with infinite internal and external contradictions that must be overcome so that new understandings of reality may emerge.

    Dialogue was famously advanced as an educational practice by philosopher of education, Paulo Freire.

    Freire believed people must come together to share their meanings of the world, and through this push and pull of ideas, reasons and opinions, conceptualize new forms of understanding. For parents, this means that without trying to understand what teens are saying and, importantly, how they are saying it, we can’t possibly create a better future for all of us.

    Open channel needed

    Engaging in dialogue involves two things: asking and answering questions. It is not a matter of merely extracting information (although knowing what children are doing is important), but rather of mutually sharing interests and letting it guide discovery.

    When parents and children find a channel, communication opens and for as long as the mutual interest is there, they can steadily build meaningful connections that transform how they see the world and their relationships.

    With renewed urgency, dialogue that validates the interests and knowledge of both parents and children can offer a way out of the polarization created between them by long hours spent online.

    Martina Calçada Kohatsu 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. ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix: A painful wake-up call about unregulated internet use for teens – https://theconversation.com/adolescence-on-netflix-a-painful-wake-up-call-about-unregulated-internet-use-for-teens-253068

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bram Abramson to The Canadian Independent Telecommunications Association

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Gatineau, Quebec
    April 1, 2025

    Bram Abramson, Commissioner for Ontario
    Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    Check against delivery

    Thanks for the introduction and the warm welcome. It’s been great to spend these last couple of days with you here in Gatineau on unceded, unsurrendered Algonquin Anishnaabeg territory.

    So let me start by thanking the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation for having me as a guest, and for stewarding these lands and waters since time immemorial. And, also, by thinking the Canadian Independent Telecommunications Association for asking me to address all of you in closing this year’s event, and adding myself to a long-running historical chain.

    Until I began preparing for this speech I don’t think I realized how long that chain extends back. CITA was founded at Toronto City Hall in the year 1905. That’s 120 years ago. Canadian Confederation was 38 years old. Five years later, when Ontario would begin regulating independent telephone systems under what was then the Ontario Railway and Municipal Board in 1910, they turned to CITA to help them compile a list of those systems.

    A hundred and fifteen years later, there’s still a regulator in the room, and we’re still asking you for information.

    In all seriousness, though, CITA and its members have an incredible history. It is told in books like the History of the Independent Telephone Industry that the Ontario government put out back in 1975, and some of the company-specific histories I’ve had the good fortune to have come across my desk—like Ann Judd’s history of what is now Bruce Telecom, from 1994, or in the 2011 book put out to celebrate the centenary of Hay Communications.

    Those books tell the stories of municipalities, agricultural communities, local commissioners, and entrepreneurs who stepped up to create communications systems where none existed. They undertook difficult negotiations and made difficult decisions, showing nimbleness and resolve while remaining accountable to their communities and neighbours.

    Those histories are still being written and, I have no doubt, will continue to be written for many years to come. You fill a critical niche in Canada’s telecommunications system by bringing services to those who need it in locations that would otherwise lack it.

    And you have been making moves. You have built beyond your initial operating territories into competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) areas, to the point that some of you are bumping against one another. You have pushed out fibre to complement and, in very many cases, replace the twisted-pair copper that was your basic operating technology for so many years. You have looked beyond wireline service to get into broadband and mobile. You have cooperated in new ways. Mergers and acquisitions have proceeded apace. New investors and new owners are in the room.

    In short, the game has changed. And you continue to change with it, operating efficiently to fill gaps while navigating regulatory environments – often without the financial backing or capex of our country’s largest companies. When services go down or need repair, your customers call you and your coworkers. Unless they run into you at the grocery store or the local coffee shop first.

    That makes groups like CITA and ITPA all the more important. Together, you provide a voice before bodies like the CRTC, and ensure Canada’s independent telecommunications providers continue to take your seat at the policy and regulatory tables.

    We at the CRTC recognize this critical role industry associations play on behalf of their members, as well as the role that members play in our collective effort to ensure all Canadians have access to high-quality and reliable telecom choices.

    CRTC’s telecommunications work broadly

    To that end, I’d like to update you on what we’ve been up to and where we’re headed at the CRTC. It hasn’t exactly been 115 years on my side: in fact, I am two years and a couple of months into my five-year term at the CRTC. But you won’t be surprised to hear we continue to be busy, too.

    Early in 2023, the government directed us to renew our approach to telecommunications policy. The policy direction asked us to consider how our decisions can promote competition, affordability, reliability, and consumer interests. The message to us was loud and clear: CRTC decisions need to deliver affordable telecommunications services to Canadians through enhanced competition while also promoting continued investment.

    I would like to tell you about some of the workstreams we have active towards achieving those objectives.

    MVNO framework

    To start, I know that a number of you in this room have been hard at work upgrading and expanding and, in some cases, building out from scratch your wireless services. And I know that there is great interest in what we call our Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or MVNO, regime.

    In May 2023, we set the final rules that allow regional facilities-based mobile providers to compete as what we call MVNOs across Canada. Incumbent mobile carriers must share their networks with competitors, where those competitors have spectrum. With this access, competitors that have spectrum can offer services — including retail and wholesale services — more quickly in the regions of the country where they have that spectrum. And, indeed, we are seeing more and more agreements in place to enable regional competitors to act as “MVNOs.”

    One aspect of our decision clarified how the requirement to hold spectrum in a region, in order to make use of a mandatory MVNO tariff in that region, interacts with geographic spectrum footprints. This includes the footprint for the Local Telephone, or TEL, spectrum licences that small incumbent local exchange carriers (SILECs) have held for many years. We clarified that what we call our MVNO regime is all about accelerating the ability to offer service where the operator has spectrum coverage but hasn’t yet built infrastructure. So the eligibility that arises from a TEL licence only applies within the TEL licence footprint – whether that footprint is wholly contained within a single Tier 4 service area, or bridges two of them.

    Now, both our May 2023 decision and the 2022 decision that preceded it were careful to ensure that MVNOs have the right to provide both retail, as well as wholesale, services. In other words, although the CRTC did not directly mandate MVNO access outside of a spectrum footprint, the marketplace will now feature a larger number of players with the ability to provide that access.

    At the same time, telcos that make use of mandatory MVNO agreements within their spectrum footprints have seven years to do so. That provides a window within which to build out networks within these regions, promoting investment.

    Support structures and access

    Another important consideration in building out wireless networks is where to put the antennas, and how to get backhaul to them.

    That brings me to another of our workstreams, which relates to pole access. As many of you know, we issued decisions in recent years streamlining the approach to accessing large incumbent local exchange carriers’ (ILEC) communication poles, and then nailing down the tariffs by which to do so.

    At the same time, we have been exploring whether these tariffs ought to give attachers the right to include wireless attachments to help deploy next generation 5G networks — in other words, whether the rules requiring communication pole owners to let third parties attach equipment to poles should be modified and, potentially, broadened. What types of facilities could be deployed on telco poles to support wireless networks? What would that mean for spare capacity, construction standards, and interference? What can we do at the Commission to streamline processes?

    These are just a few of the questions we are considering. Because this is a matter before us, I cannot even hint at any possible outcome. What I can say is we plan to release a decision on this key issue soon. Any decision we make will continue to promote both greater competition and more investment in networks.

    At the same time, we have long been active working with all stakeholders, including municipalities, telcos, and citizens, to help facilitate access to other civil works and supports needed to build out modern networks. To assist in this process, we convened parties between 2011 and 2013 to develop a model Municipal Access Agreement. Since then we have continued to adjudicate disputes around those agreements and related issues, and continue to have open files in this workstream.

    We likewise set down fair access rules for communications service provider competition in multi-dwelling units, or MDUs, more than 20 years ago in 2003, further refining them in 2021. End-users have the right to access the network of their choice. Competitors have the right to install it. Adjudication between buildings and networks that cannot agree on terms continues to be yet another active workstream for us.

    HSA

    Now, what I have been talking about so far are ways to lower the expense of continued build-out of your wireless and wireline networks by addressing and targeting some of the hurdles to aid the rollout of deployment projects.

    And while those are important initiatives to speed up that process, we have also been hard at work putting into action the frameworks for access to large incumbents’ access fibre, outside of SILEC footprints.

    Let me explain.

    In 2023 we launched a proceeding to review our wholesale high-speed access regime. In November of that year, we rolled out a practical way to buy and sell wholesale high-speed access over the fibre-to-the-home networks of large ILECs in Ontario and Quebec, where competitive choice had been declining most significantly. In August 2024 we then expanded that access across all of the large ILEC territories except Northwestel’s, which rolled out this past February.

    At the same time, we are encouraging continued investments by large ILECs in their networks. For example, in that same decision, we exempted any new builds from having to sell wholesale access to competitors until 2029.

    Broadband Fund

    Of course, no matter how hard we work to foster competitive choice the last few households often remain the hardest ones to reach – as you know from working in your own communities.

    The open data we publish tell us that 21.5 percent of households in rural areas do not have access to reliable connectivity that hits our 50/10 target.

    In 2016, we decided to overhaul our program for ensuring basic telephone service to all Canadians, and move towards a competitively neutral Broadband Fund. We established the criteria for that fund in 2018, and launched three calls for applications – the first two in 2019, and then the third in late 2022.

    Over the past year we have continued to commit funding from the third call—to Inuit communities in northern Quebec, to nearly 100 kilometres of major roads in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Ontario, and to roads and rural communities in the Yukon, B.C., and Manitoba. We have directed funding to more than 270 communities, including significant investments in the Far North and other traditionally underserved areas, across more than 60 projects.

    Thirty-two of these projects are in the $1 to $10 million range. Seventeen of these projects come in at $1 million or below. Although we are encouraged to see that smaller providers have been able to successfully apply for funding, we know that we can do more to make it easier.

    That’s why, we have continued to improve how we administer the Broadband Fund itself. Late last year we announced a number of changes in three broad areas — making it faster for you to submit an application and for us to evaluate it; helping Indigenous applicants; and making our mapping make more sense.

    In terms of faster application and evaluation, we simplified some eligibility and assessment criteria, like the requirement to propose specific packages and rates, and collapsed the separate access and transport categories in order to simplify things. We have reduced the amount of information required at all stages of the funding process. We’ve consolidated separate reporting requirements.

    In terms of reducing barriers for Indigenous applicants, we have made a number of changes, including on consultation, consent, outreach, and engagement, all en route to a stand-alone process we’re running to create a distinct Indigenous stream to the Broadband Fund process, and with the help of the Indigenous Relations Team we’ve stood up within the CRTC.

    Finally, in terms of making our mapping make more sense, we’ve dropped the hexagons for a call-by-call approach, expanded how we define major transportation roads, and provided a way to identify the roads that provide key linkages between communities.

    These improvements are part of our ongoing review of the Broadband Fund. I know that many in this room are deeply concerned about subsidized overbuilds that harm the business case for fibre you have already built or are engaged in building.  I encourage you to continue to engage with the CRTC and its staff to ensure we continue to have a good understanding of your operations and your concerns. Any further changes we make will be focused on our overarching goal: to help close the remaining connectivity gaps across the country effectively and efficiently.

    Fair marketplace

    Next, I want to take a few moments to detail our work on consumer protections as part of a competitive marketplace.

    Last fall, we published our Consumer Protections Action Plan, which summarizes our measures to ensure clear contracts, minimize bill shock, and promote transparency both in terms of how consumers are able to choose their provider, and in knowing what to expect from them.

    For those of you that feel that sometimes consumers switch providers without having the full picture as to what they are signing up for, these measures matter. They include elements like the Internet Code that sets out the consumer rules of the road for broadband. And continued support for the CCTS, the complaints arbitrator that enforces the Internet Code and contract performance more broadly. And rules around cancellations taking effect in a timely manner, and that ensure that when consumers want to change providers they can ask their new provider to cancel the old service on their behalf—and that everything that needs to happen behind the scenes to make this happen proceeds properly. And then there’s the speed testing we conduct to check the quality of this customer service across the marketplace.

    Rules like these protect more than just telecommunications customers. They also improve competition, ensuring consumers can make informed choices with a clear view of the prices they will pay over the life of the contract, even after sign-up specials expire; and what they will get for those prices.

    Like the other workstreams I mentioned, there is always more to do here, too. We are currently engaged in a series of four consultations around making it easier to choose, change, and cancel a plan.

    The first one is about clear rules for notifying customers when their plans or discounts are about to end. The second looks at fees that some service providers may charge when a subscriber cancels or changes a plan. The third consultation is around tools that providers give their subscribers to manage their plans, like online portals.

    And the fourth is about whether service providers should have to provide information in a standardized way to make it easier for Canadians to compare plans. To take a well-known example — we are all used to seeing nutrition labels when we visit the grocery store. We are considering a set common look and feel for information on broadband services, so that it can be conveyed in a consistent manner from one provider to the next, just like the labels on your cereal boxes and granola bars.

    We will also continue to build on the work of other government departments to help improve reliability and in particular, the impact on Canadians when there is an outage or disruption. As some of you are aware, we have an interim outage reporting framework in place. But we have also consulted on moving towards a more sustainable outage reporting framework are planning an upcoming consultation on clear communication with subscribers.

    Please visit our website, and work with your trade associations and advisors, to stay up to date on these proceedings and on our progress with our consumer protection workstreams. As always, your input matters a great deal to what we do. When you intervene on the record of our proceedings, we’re able to take it into account and consider it in our final decision.

    Security, reliability, and resiliency

    One last thing. At the CRTC, we are part of a larger government effort to protect Canadians from spam and other electronic threats. We have all read the headlines over the last few years about botnets, which are networks of infected devices.

    In 2022, we found that Canadians need better protections from botnets, which often are designed to steal personal and financial information, along with other malicious malware, and we decided to develop a framework for allowing Internet providers to responsibly block malicious traffic. We eventually tasked an industry steering committee to help develop standards consistent with our guiding principles for when such blocking is permitted: necessity, customer privacy, accountability, transparency and accuracy.

    The working group filed its report with the CRTC. Our staff have been conducting a thorough analysis of the report and the comments filed in response to it. We will be publishing our decision this spring, so more to come on this front.

    Late last year, everyone in our sector sat up straight and paid attention when public news stories about what Microsoft dubbed “Salt Typhoon” hacking into, and intercepting traffic on, the networks of several major U.S. telcos.

    Virtually every regulated sector, from energy to rail to securities, has baseline cybersecurity requirements for sector companies. We know that this issue is top-of-mind for both government and the private sector. And I know that, in general, Canadian telcos are extensively involved in cybersecurity and in key working groups to cooperate on it.

    We at the CRTC stand ready to do whatever part we’re called on to play to help ensure that the important goal of sector-wide baselines is achieved. At the same time, so many of the standards and certifications out there are so similar to one another. What standards are you able to meet, or certifications are you able to obtain, to help demonstrate and formalize your network hygiene? There are basic, practical steps telcos of all sizes can take to ensure they are fully secured.

    Conclusion

    I think that is a good place for me to wrap up today, as we have now come full circle. Everything I have discussed today comes back to the CRTC’s overarching goals for the telecommunications sector.

    We want a telecommunications sector that works for telcos of all sizes, and provides all Canadians with high-speed, reliable and affordable services. One where real choice and robust competition leads to those lower prices, while at the same time encouraging investment in high-quality networks. Just as you steward your subscribers’ connections to the digital world, we at the CRTC are the stewards for the playing field on which you do it. And we are working hard to optimize the way that that playing field is structured.

    So I’ll close with my usual message. Take a minute to get involved. To talk to us. To reach out to your regional CRTC Commissioner, wherever you may be in the country, to have your voice heard, and perhaps to have us out to see how your network works so that we can really understand what’s going on.

    And, ultimately, to intervene in our proceedings, whether directly or through organizations like CITA or ITPA — or both — in order to continue to make sure that the rules and frameworks we develop and revise take your voices, experiences, situations, and concerns into account.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — Yukon RCMP Traffic Services investigate collision at intersection

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On April 1, 2025 at approximately 11:00 am, a collision occurred at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Main Street in Whitehorse.

    The collision involved a Whitehorse RCMP SUV and cyclist. Emergency Medical Services attended and the cyclist was transported to the hospital for treatment.

    Yukon RCMP Traffic Services responded to the collision, and are conducting the investigation. While investigators currently have video footage of the collision, they do encourage anyone who witnessed the collision to contact them at 867-667-5555.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The consumer carbon tax is gone: Minister Nally

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: A novel method for estimating pathogen presence, prevalence, load, and dynamics at multiple scales

    Source: US Geological Survey

    FORT staff with the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) co-authored a publication in Scientific Reports on a new modeling framework for pathogen monitoring that can help practitioners identify and manage wildlife populations during the early infectious stages of disease spread.

    The fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome in bats often spreads when bats are hibernating in large groups inside caves and other hibernacula like this one. The ability to detect fungal load and prevalence early within hibernacula may allow for earlier conservation interventions.

    When pathogens invade a new wildlife population, measures of pathogen abundance may be so low that monitoring methods inconsistently detect pathogen presence. Scientists often exclude such detections from predictions of disease prevalence and spread. However, monitoring frameworks that can include and account for inconsistent detections could be more accurate in predicting pathogen arrival, early pathogen load, and early pathogen prevalence, allowing conservation practitioners to better manage pathogen spread.

    In this study, researchers developed a probabilistic modeling framework for analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys of Pd (Pseudogymnoascus destructans; the fungal vector of white nose-syndrome) and used it to understand the spread of this pathogen among bat hibernacula — caves, mines, tunnels or other places where bats overwinter — from 2012–2017. 

    The modeling framework accommodates early and imperfect detections to provide invasion histories for each monitored hibernacula with uncertainty. It is applicable to other monitoring programs focused on the spread of disease or invasive species. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Reports Record 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Hosting Investor Webinar on April 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM EST

    • Q4 2024 revenue was $10.9 million, up 94% Y/Y excluding recent divestitures
    • On a reported basis, Q4 2024 revenue increased 8% Y/Y
    • Q4 2024 Net Income was $0.6 million, up 115% Y/Y excluding recent divestitures
    • On a reported basis, Q4 2024 Net Income increased by 116% Y/Y
    • Q4 2024 Adjusted EBITDA was $2.6 million, up 225% Y/Y
    • 2024 FY Cash flows from operations were $2.8 million

    TORONTO, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSX-V: NOW) (“NOW” or the “Company”), a leader in AI-driven data solutions, announces audited financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024. Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars. Management will host an investor webinar at 10:00 AM EST (7:00 AM PST) on Wednesday April 2, 2025, to discuss the Company’s financial and business results.

    Selected Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2024:

    • Revenue was $10.9 million in the three months ended December 31, 2024 (“Q4 2024”), an 8% increase from $10.1 million for the three months ending December 31, 2023 (“Q4 2023”). Excluding the disposition of Allegient Defense, Inc. (“Allegient”) on May 24, 2024, and Seafront Analytics, LLC (“Seafront”) on December 31, 2023, Q4 2023 revenue was $5.6 million, translating to a year-over-year growth of 94%.
    • Gross Profit was $5.7 million in Q4 2024, consistent with $5.7 million in Q4 2023. Excluding the Allegient and Seafront businesses, Q4 2023 gross profit was $4.1 million, translating to a year-over year increase of 37%.
    • Administrative Expenses were $3.0 million in Q4 2024, a 52% decrease from $6.1 million in Q4 2023. Excluding the Allegient and Seafront businesses, Q4 2023 administrative expenses were $5.0 million, translating to a year-over-year decrease of 40%.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $2.6 million in Q4 2024, a 225% increase from $0.8 million in Q4 2023. Excluding the Allegient and Seafront businesses, Adjusted EBITDA was $0.5 million in Q4 2023, translating to a year-over-year increase of 420%.
    • Net Income was $0.6 million in Q4 2024, an 116% increase from a $3.6 million net loss in Q4 2023. Excluding the Allegient and Seafront businesses, Q4 2023 had a Net Loss of $3.9 million, translating to a year-over-year net income growth of $4.5 million. Net income per basic and diluted share of $0.01 in Q4 2024, compared to a net loss per share of $0.05 in Q4 2023.

    Select results for the year ended December 31, 2024:

    • Revenue was $46.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2024, (“FY 2024”), a 9% decrease from $51.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2023 (“FY 2023”). Excluding the dispositions of Allegient, Seafront and the Affinio Social (“Affinio Social”) business which was divested on May 10, 2023, revenue was $39.4 million in FY 2024 and $32.5 million in FY 2023, translating to a year-over-year growth of 21%.
    • Gross Profit was $23.1 million in FY 2024, a 10% decrease from $25.7 million in FY 2023. Excluding the Allegient, Seafront and Affinio Social businesses, gross profit was $20.5 million in FY 2024 and $18.9 million in FY 2023, translating to a year-over year increase of 9%.
    • Administrative Expenses were $18.1 million in FY 2024, a 30% decrease from $25.8 million in FY 2023. Excluding the Allegient, Seafront and Affinio Social businesses, administrative expenses were $16.2 million in FY 2024 and $20.2 million in FY 2023, translating to a year-over-year decrease of 20%.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $7.8 million in FY 2024, a 46% increase from $5.4 million in FY 2023. Excluding the Allegient, Seafront and Affinio Social businesses, Adjusted EBITDA was $7.2 million in FY 2024 and $4.0 million in FY 2023, translating to a year-over-year increase of 77%.
    • Net Income was $1.6 million in FY 2024, an 116% increase from a $5.9 million Net Loss in FY 2023. Excluding the Allegient, Seafront and Affinio Social businesses, Net Income was $1.0 million in FY 20024 and a $4.9 million Net Loss in FY 2023, translating to a year-over-year increase of 115%. Net income per basic and diluted share of $0.02 in FY 2024, compared to a net loss per share of $0.08 in FY 2023.
    • Cash flows from operations were $2.8 million in FY 2024, an $8.2 million increase from cash flows used in operations of $5.4 million in FY 2023.

    “NOW has delivered its strongest quarter to date, demonstrating the power of our focused strategy and disciplined execution. Q4 2024 Adjusted EBITDA of $2.6 million, up from $2.0 million in Q3 2024, indicates our integration strategy and efficiency-focused measures are yielding results. Outstanding credit goes to our operator-first leadership team, who have executed this at a faster pace than anticipated,” said Sandeep Mendiratta, CEO of NOW. “We have renegotiated acquisition liabilities, leading to meaningful cash savings and a more favorable payment schedule, reducing total acquisition-related liabilities by an estimated $5.4 million. Most importantly, this business has been completely turned around—we are now profitable, generating credible EBITDA, and have demonstrated robust organic growth despite a year of transformation. With a strong, ambitious, and deeply invested management team in place, we are confident in steering NOW toward meaningful and sustained growth in the coming quarters and years. Our fourth quarter has demonstrably put us on the path to achieving our objective of $10 million in annual EBITDA on $50 million in revenue, with a best-in-class 20% EBITDA margin. We believe we now have a platform for sustained organic revenue growth, with strong margins across our core markets. We look forward to discussing these points and more on our third-quarter investor call.”

    Q4 2024 and Subsequent Business Highlights:

    • March 03, 2025: The Company announced its participation in the exclusive, invite-only ROTH Conference, which convenes leading institutional investors and high-growth companies across a range of sectors
    • February 20, 2025: Converted CAD$3.025 million in historical obligations from debt to equity through the issuance of 9,168,418 Class A subordinate voting shares.
    • February 3, 2025: The sellers of Affinio Inc. agreed to defer the payment of $998,000 in outstanding liabilities previously due in the first half of 2025. The amount will now be payable in late Q4 2025.
    • January 16, 2025: Achieves prestigious Google Premier Partner Status in LATAM, solidifying Its leadership in Data and AI Solutions.
    • January 14, 2025: Executive management team have acquired approximately 1.06 million Class A subordinate voting shares in the open market. Following these purchases, management’s pro forma ownership is expected to increase to approximately 27%.
    • January 13, 2025: The Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company opted to receive his annual bonus in the form of restricted share units in the Company.
    • January 02, 2025: The Company announced that it has entered into a debt settlement agreement with the former owners of Acrotrend Solutions Ltd., including NOW’s CEO, Sandeep Mendiratta, who agreed to settle $815,000 of the $1,055,000 owed to them as of December 31, 2024, through the issuance of Class A subordinate voting shares of the Company.
    • December 23, 2024: The Company announced that is has entered into a debt settlement with the former owners of CoreBI S.A. and CoreBI S.A.S., who agreed to settle an aggregate entitlement of $1,250,000 owed to them through the issuance of 5,432,954 Class A subordinate voting shares of the Company.
    • December 17, 2024: Announced the launch of its AI Financial Agent as part of the latest update to NowHub-Finance, an end-to-end analytics platform for finance teams. This AI-driven upgrade enhances NOW’s commitment to rapidly transforming data into business value.
    • November 26, 2024:   Announced the formation of a Strategic Partnership with Microsoft and the launch of a Global Center of Excellence, aimed at fostering innovation and accelerating growth.
    • October 29, 2024: Introduced a Data Risk Mitigation solution and unique risk guarantee, empowering enterprises to uncover, mitigate, and control hidden data risks across complex data environments.
    • October 8, 2024: Unveiled an evolved Partner Marketing Solution tailored to help clients navigate the growing complexities of managing partner ecosystems.

    Q4 2024 Financial Results Investor Webinar:

    The Company invites shareholders, analysts, investors, media representatives, and other stakeholders to attend our upcoming webinar. Management will discuss Q4 2024 results, followed by a question-and-answer session.

    Investor Webinar Registration:

    Time: Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

    RegistrationLink: 
    https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cEmYLTHBTLqtoK_qDtxqsw 

    A recording of the webinar and supporting materials will be made available in the investor’s section of the Company’s website at https://www.nowvertical.com/news-and-media.

    Additional Information:

    The Company’s audited annual 2024 consolidated financial statements, notes to financial statements, and management’s discussion and analysis for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, are available on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.com. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “$” in this press release refer to US dollars, and all references to “CAD$” in this press release refer to Canadian dollars.

    About NowVertical Group Inc.

    The Company is a data analytics and AI solutions company offering comprehensive solutions, software and services. As a global provider, we deliver cutting-edge data, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to private and public enterprises. Our solutions form the bedrock of modern enterprises, converting data investments into business solutions. NOW is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions. For further details about NOW, please visit www.nowvertical.com.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber, CDO 
    IR@nowvertical.com 
    +1(647)947-0223 

    Cautionary Note Regarding Non-IFRS Measures:

    This news release refers to certain non-IFRS measures. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company’s results of operations from management’s perspective. The Company’s definitions of non-IFRS measures used in this news release may not be the same as the definitions for such measures used by other companies in their reporting. Non-IFRS measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s financial information reported under IFRS. The Company uses non IFRS financial measures including “EBITDA”, and “Adjusted EBITDA”. These non-IFRS measures are used to provide investors with supplemental measures of our operating performance and to eliminate items that have less bearing on our operational performance or operating conditions and thus highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures. The Company believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS financial measures in the evaluation of issuers. The Company’s management also uses non-IFRS financial measures to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period and prepare annual budgets and forecasts.

    Non-IFRS Measures:

    The non-IFRS financial measures referred to in this news release are defined below. The management discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024, available at nowvertical.com and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com contains supporting calculations for Adjusted Revenue, EBITDA % and Adjusted EBITDA

    Adjusted EBITDA” adjusts net income (loss) before depreciation and amortization expenses, net interest costs, and provision for income taxes for revenue adjustments in “Adjusted Revenue” and items such as acquisition accounting adjustments, transaction expenses related to acquisitions, transactional gains or losses on assets, asset impairment charges, non-recurring expense items, non-cash stock compensation costs, and the full year impact of cost synergies related to restructuring activities, such as a reduction of employees.

    EBITDA %” is defined as Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of Adjusted Revenue.

    Adjusted Revenue” adjusts revenue to eliminate the effects of acquisition accounting on the Company’s revenues, which predominantly pertain to fair market value adjustments to the opening deferred revenue balances of acquired companies.

    Cautionary note regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) which reflect the Company’s current expectations regarding future events. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical statements of fact are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, future, strategy, objectives, goals and targets. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed thereon, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

    All of the forward-looking statement contained in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward -looking statements contained herein are provided as of the date hereof, and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER REVEALS: WITH TRUMP’S DESTRUCTIVE TARIFFS SET TO START TOMORROW, THE COST TO UPSTATE NY IS A $7 BILLION GUT PUNCH, WITH $6,000+ IN HIGHER PRICES FOR FAMILIES PER YEAR; SENATOR SAYS WE MUST…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Tuesday, April 1, 2025
    Contact: Ryan Martin, 202-680-0427
    SCHUMER REVEALS: WITH TRUMP’S DESTRUCTIVE TARIFFS SET TO START TOMORROW, REVEALS THE COST TO UPSTATE NY IS A $7 BILLION GUT PUNCH , WITH $6,000+ IN HIGHER PRICES FOR FAMILIES PER YEAR; SENATOR SAYS WE MUST STOP DAMAGING TRADE WAR WITH ALLIES LIKE CANADA AND PROTECT NY FAMILIES, BUSINESSES & JOBS
    Trump’s Tariffs – Set To Start Tomorrow – Could Raise Prices On New Yorkers As Much As $6,500 For Gas, Groceries, Cars And Everyday Goods – All While Decimating Small Businesses, Killing Good-Paying Jobs, Shrinking 401K’s And Damaging Upstate NY’s Vital Tourism Industry
    Schumer Says Stock Market Is Already Hitting Lowest Point In Years Due To Trump Tariff Chaos, Hurting Upstate Seniors’ Retirements – And Leading To Fears Of A Recession
    Schumer: Trump’s Tariffs Mean Higher Prices, Lower Life Savings And Lost Jobs For Upstate Families
    With President Trump’s “Liberation Day” for his destructive tariffs set to start tomorrow, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today revealed data on the devastating impacts of this unstrategic and damaging tariff war on Upstate New York’s families, small businesses, and jobs – increasing costs for families by up to $6,500 for gas, groceries, cars, and common goods and potentially impacting 150,000+ jobs in directly targeted industries across Upstate New York. The senator said he has gotten calls from farmers, worried workers, and factory owners scrambling in the face of coming tariffs, and said it will be NY businesses, seniors and working- and middle-class class families who will be footing the bill for this tariff war  – in the form of higher prices, a slower economy and shrinking life savings.
    “Tomorrow Trump says he will begin imposing his destructive sweeping tariffs, and if that happens it will be a gut punch to Upstate NY’s economy. Plain and simple, Trump’s tariffs are a tax increase on Upstate New York, a massive new destructive national sales tax for all of America,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump’s tariff war has already created chaos, and the economic uncertainty is causing the stock market to fall, hurting seniors’ retirements, cratering consumer confidence, and jeopardizing the jobs of thousands of New Yorkers. If this tariff war continues, it could devastate Upstate NY’s economy in ways we haven’t seen since the height of the pandemic. President Trump has said straight up that he doesn’t care if prices go up – Well, I do. I am all for addressing trade imbalances. In fact, Trump should be spending far more time going after China’s long-standing trade cheating that has robbed upstate NY of jobs for far too long, rather than picking a trade war with Canada that will only cost more NY jobs and drive up prices for everyone.”
    Schumer explained that consumers bear the cost of tariffs, and Trump’s tariff war is expected to increase costs for American families by up to $6,500 according to the latest analysis of his sweeping plans. According to the Yale Budget Lab, this would increase costs for the average American family by up to:
    Schumer added, “Trump’s tariffs are already slowing sales, and tourism from Canada is down, hurting Upstate’s restaurants and Main Streets. No matter which way you slice it, costs are going to sky rocket for consumers. If you’re in Upstate New York, you’ll feel it first, and worse than just about anywhere in the country. We need everyone, especially NY Republicans, to stand up against Trump’s senseless, job-killing, cost-increasing tax on Upstate New Yorkers.”
    Rising costs will force families to reconsider how they spend their money, which is already causing consumer confidence to plummet said Schumer, and NY families and businesses are expected to pay approximately $7.17 billion total due to Trump’s tariffs, including and $568 million on steel and aluminum.
    According to the New York Times, nearly 8 million Americans work in industries targeted by Trump’s tariffs, including approximately 159,400 in Upstate New York. A regional breakdown of jobs in industries directly impacted by tariffs based on the New York Times analysis can be found below, which does not even account for all the related jobs such as the tourism industry that are also being impacted by the damage of this trade war:

    NY Region

    Jobs In Industries Directly Targeted by Tariffs Most At Risk

    Capital Region

    14,400

    Western New York

    30,100

    Rochester-Finger Lakes

    33,200

    Central New York

    16,100

    Hudson Valley

    27,800

    Southern Tier

    17,300

    Mohawk Valley

    10,000

    North Country

    6,100

    UPSTATE NY TOTAL

    155,000

    Canada is New York State’s top importer and exporter, last year importing $20.5 billion of goods from Canada and exporting $17.4 billion. 70% of Canadian imports are used to manufacture American-made products. Every day, $2.5 billion worth of goods cross the United States-Canada border. People across Upstate New York will especially feel the impact of Trump’s tariffs on Canada given the interconnection of Upstate NY’s economy and trade with Canada.

    What Upstate NY Will See

    Impacts

    Increasing costs for businesses in every industry

    $6 billion in lumber and wood products for the U.S. homebuilding industry came from Canada in 2024, exacerbating costs for affordable housing.

    Canadian tourism slowing down, hurting local businesses

    The Canadian government is encouraging Canadians to boycott travel to the United States, according to the New York Times. Maine has been seeing significant cancellations and Upstate New York could be next on the chopping block, which would have devastating impacts especially with the summer tourist season rapidly approaching.
    45% of Quebecois who had planned vacations in the U.S. this year were now canceling those plans, leading to $3 billion in lost revenue for U.S. businesses, according to the Quebec Tourism Industry Alliance.
    Car crossings from Canada through Plattsburgh in the North Country were down 16% from February 2024, according to the Albany Times Union. There is a projected overall 21% reduction in American travel from Canada.

    Higher costs at the grocery store for families and local restaurants

    Canada leads in exports of grain, livestock and meats, poultry, and more, according to CNN. In 2023, the United States imported about $40 billion in agricultural food products from Canada, ranging from baked goods to canola oil, according to Eater.
    70% of maple syrup globally comes from Canada, and more than 60% of maple exports went to the United States which would get more expensive, according to the New York Times.
    The price of beef could rise because Canadian ranchers are afraid of Trump’s tariffs and shrinking cattle herds, according to Reuters. Beef and pork account for nearly $4 billion in Canadian imports, according to Eater.
    The price of groceries could increase by $185 – or approximately 3% – every year, according to Eater.

    Nearly 160,000 Upstate New York jobs in industries targeted by tariffs at risk, plus many more in related industries like tourism

    Over 680,000 New York jobs depend on trade with Canada. Nearly 160,000 jobs in Upstate New York are in industries directly targeted by Trump’s tariffs and at risk, according to the New York Times.
    The U.S. Travel Association warned that even a 10% reduction in Canadian travelers would translate to $2.1 billion in lost spending and jeopardize 140,000 hospitality jobs nationwide, according to Forbes, many of which would be in Upstate NY as one of the most popular close by destinations.

    Higher electricity, heating, and gas bills for our families, small businesses, and manufacturers

    Electricity is a $7 billion commodity market in New York, and the state imports hundreds of millions of dollars of Canadian electricity annually.
    While the amount varies by month and year, the reliable clean power imported from Canadian dams is critical, and a tariff on Canadian electricity imports would likely raise rates for New Yorkers.
    In response to the Schumer-Hochul letter to New York energy regulators on the tariffs, agency staff assert that electricity costs could increase by $42 to $105 million per year, and that:
    Gasoline prices could increase by $26 million per year
    Heating oil costs could increase by $57 million per year
    Diesel costs could increase by $48 million per year
    Propane costs could increase by $16 million per year; and
    Natural gas costs could increase by $4.4 million per year

    Trump has already delayed the start of his tariffs twice, creating uncertainty for families and small businesses and triggering volatility for the American economy. Trump’s tariff uncertainty is causing the stock market to fall, hurting Upstate New York seniors’ retirements. According to Bloomberg, the stock market rout has intensified in anticipation of Trump’s next tariff rollout, with concerns about recessions leaving the S&P 500 Index on track for its worst quarter compared to the rest of the world since the 1980s.
    Trump in February declared an emergency on fentanyl, which is how he is justifying tariffs on goods from Canada. Schumer explained that less than 0.2% of fentanyl entering the United States comes from Canada, and instead of helping combat the fentanyl crisis, these tariffs will only harm American families, small businesses, and jobs. Schumer said the Senate will vote on a resolution later today terminating Trump’s national emergency that is justifying his destructive tariffs that would require Republican support.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Petrus Resources Declares Monthly Dividend for April 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Petrus Resources Ltd. (“Petrus” or the “Company”) (TSX: PRQ) is pleased to confirm that its Board of Directors has declared a monthly dividend in the amount of $0.01 per share payable April 30, 2025, to shareholders of record on April 15, 2025. The dividend is designated as an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.

    Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRIP”)
    Petrus’ DRIP enables eligible shareholders to reinvest all or part of their cash dividends into additional common shares of the Company. Participation in the DRIP is optional. Eligible shareholders who elect to reinvest their cash dividends under the DRIP will receive common shares issued from treasury at a discount of 3% from the market price of the common shares.

    To participate in the DRIP, registered shareholders must deliver a properly completed enrollment form to Odyssey Trust Company (“Odyssey”) before 4:00 p.m. (Calgary time) on the 5th business day immediately preceding a dividend record date. Beneficial shareholders who wish to participate in the DRIP should contact their broker or other nominee through which their Common Shares are held to determine their eligibility and provide appropriate enrollment instructions. Participation by shareholders that are not resident in Canada may be restricted.

    A complete copy of the DRIP is available on the Company’s website at www.petrusresources.com and on Odyssey’s website at https://odysseytrust.com/faq/. A copy of the enrollment form for use by registered shareholders is available on Odyssey’s website at https://odysseytrust.com/faq/. For further information regarding the DRIP, please contact Odyssey at 1-888-290-1175 (Toll free in North America) or 1-587-885-0960.

    ABOUT PETRUS
    Petrus is a public Canadian oil and gas company focused on property exploitation, strategic acquisitions and risk-managed exploration in Alberta.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
    Ken Gray
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    T: 403-930-0889
    E: kgray@petrusresources.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Element to Announce Q1 2025 Results and Host Conference Call on May 1, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Element Fleet Management Corp. (TSX: EFN) (“Element” or the “Company”), the largest publicly traded, pure-play automotive fleet manager in the world, will hold its Q1 2025 results conference call and webcast for investors and analysts on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Element’s financial results for the period will be issued after market close on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 and will be available on the Company’s website at elementfleet.com/investor-relations/public-disclosures.

    The conference call and webcast can be accessed as follows:

    Call Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
    Call Time: 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time)

    A taped recording of the conference call may be accessed through June 1, 2025 by dialing 1-855-669-9658 (Canada/U.S. Toll Free) or 1-412-317-0088 (International Toll) and entering the access code 2285919.

    About Element Fleet Management Corp.

    Element Fleet Management (TSX: EFN) is the largest publicly traded pure-play automotive fleet manager in the world. As a Purpose-driven company, we provide a full range of sustainable and intelligent mobility solutions to optimize and enhance fleet performance for our clients across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Our services address every aspect of our clients’ fleet requirements, from vehicle acquisition, maintenance, route optimization, risk management, and remarketing, to advising on decarbonization efforts, integration of electric vehicles and managing the complexity of gradual fleet electrification. Clients benefit from Element’s expertise as one of the largest fleet solutions providers in its markets, offering economies of scale and insight used to reduce operating costs and enhance efficiency and performance. At Element, we maximize our clients’ fleet so they can focus on growing their business. For more information, please visit: https://www.elementfleet.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Proclaims April Sikh Heritage Month

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 1, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed April as Sikh Heritage Month. This month is dedicated to recognizing and honouring the rich culture, history and contributions of the Sikh community.

    “Our government values the cultural richness, hard work and community spirit that the Sikh community contributes to Saskatchewan,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “That is why I am pleased to announce that today the Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month.”

    Sikh Heritage Month provides opportunities to learn about Sikh culture and traditions while educating future generations. It is also a time to recognize the contributions the Sikh communities have made to our province in various fields such as business, arts, education and public service.

    “Sikh Heritage Month is a time to reflect on the rich history, culture and contributions of the Sikh community,” Guru Nanak Free Kitchen Regina and Calgary Founder Sandeep Sandhu said. “It reminds us of the values of equality, service and compassion, and celebrates the resilience and strength of a diverse community that continues to shape our shared future.”

    Throughout the month, various events and activities will take place in communities across the province.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: Horizon Bancorp, Inc. Announces Conference Call to Review First Quarter Results on April 24

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MICHIGAN CITY, Ind., April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (NASDAQ GS: HBNC) – Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (“Horizon” or the “Company”) will host a conference call at 7:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, April 24, 2025 to review its first quarter 2025 financial results.

    The Company’s first quarter 2025 news release will be published after markets close on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. It will be available at investor.horizonbank.com.

    Participants may access the live conference call on April 24, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. CT (8:30 a.m. ET) by dialing 833-974-2379 from the United States, 866-450-4696 from Canada, or 412-317-5772 from international locations and requesting the “Horizon Bancorp Call.” Please dial in approximately 10 minutes prior to the call.

    A telephone replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the end of the conference call through May 2, 2025. The telephone replay may be accessed by dialing 877-344-7529 from the United States, 855-669-9658 from Canada, or 412-317-0088 from other international locations and entering the access code 6313653.

    About Horizon Bancorp, Inc.

    Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: HBNC) is the $7.8 billion-asset commercial bank holding company for Horizon Bank, which serves customers across diverse and economically attractive Midwestern markets through convenient digital and virtual tools, as well as its Indiana and Michigan branches. Horizon’s retail offerings include prime residential and other secured consumer lending to in-market customers, as well as a range of personal banking and wealth management solutions. Horizon also provides a comprehensive array of in-market business banking and treasury management services, as well as equipment financing solutions for customers regionally and nationally, with commercial lending representing over half of total loans. More information on Horizon, headquartered in Northwest Indiana’s Michigan City, is available at horizonbank.com and investor.horizonbank.com.

    Contact: Mark E. Secor
      Chief Administration Officer
    Phone: 219-873-2611

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Pieridae to Hold Conference Call and Webcast for Its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders and to Discuss First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pieridae Energy Limited (“Pieridae” or the “Company”) (TSX: PEA) will release its financial and operating results for the first quarter 2025, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, after markets close.

    President & Chief Executive Officer Darcy Reding and Chief Financial Officer Adam Gray will discuss first quarter financial results and recent company developments on an investor conference call and webcast following the formal portion of the Company’s annual and special meeting of shareholders on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. MDT / 3:30 p.m. EDT.

    To register to participate via webcast please follow this link:    

    https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/xk53vcfn

    Alternatively, to register to participate by telephone please follow this link:

    https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIf4a11631ac334142b7d1671fbf810fbb

    A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the conclusion of the event and may be accessed using the webcast link above.

    ABOUT PIERIDAE

    Pieridae is a Canadian energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. The Company is a significant upstream producer and midstream custom processor of natural gas, natural gas liquids, condensate, and sulphur from the Canadian Foothills and adjacent areas in Alberta and in northeast British Columbia. Pieridae’s vision is to provide responsible, affordable natural gas and derived products to meet society’s energy security needs. Pieridae’s Common Shares trade on the TSX under the symbol “PEA”.

    For further information, visit www.pieridaeenergy.com, or please contact:

    Darcy Reding, President and Chief Executive Officer Adam Gray, Chief Financial Officer
    Telephone: (403) 261-5900 Telephone: (403) 261-5900
       
    Investor Relations  
    investors@pieridaeenergy.com  

                  
                                           

    The MIL Network