Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI: BigCommerce Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BigCommerce Holdings, Inc. (“BigCommerce” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BIGC), a leading provider of open, composable commerce solutions for B2C and B2B brands and retailers, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

    “Over the last several months, we have focused on executing our go-to-market transformation, aligning our strategy, structure and messaging to reflect the full power of BigCommerce,” said Travis Hess, CEO of BigCommerce. “Transformations like this are not easy, and I am encouraged by the progress, feedback and traction we are seeing, and I am energized by the path ahead. I took on this role because of my belief in what BigCommerce is today and, more importantly, where we can take commerce into the future as a leader in modern commerce with a differentiated approach, a world-class team and an immense market opportunity.”

    Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights:

    • Total revenue was $87.0 million, up 3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Total annual revenue run-rate (“ARR”) as of December 31, 2024 was $349.6 million, up 4% compared to December 31, 2023.
    • Subscription solutions revenue was $62.3 million, up 3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • ARR from accounts with at least one enterprise plan (collectively, “Enterprise Accounts”) was $261.6 million as of December 31, 2024, up 7% from December 31, 2023.
    • ARR from Enterprise Accounts as a percent of total ARR was 75% as of December 31, 2024, compared to 73% as of December 31, 2023.
    • GAAP gross margin was 78%, compared to 77% in the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP gross margin was 78%, compared to 79% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Other Key Business Metrics

    • Number of enterprise accounts was 5,884, down 2% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Average revenue per account (ARPA) of enterprise accounts was $44,458 up 9% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Revenue in the Americas grew by 4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Revenue in EMEA grew by 5% and revenue in APAC declined by 1% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Loss from Operations and Non-GAAP Operating Income (Loss)

    • GAAP loss from operations was ($0.8) million, compared to ($5.7) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Included in GAAP loss from operations was a restructuring charge of $1.2 million, including but not limited to the 2024 Restructuring.
    • Non-GAAP operating income was $10.1 million, compared to $5.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Net Income (Loss) and Earnings Per Share

    • GAAP net loss was ($2.4) million, compared to ($3.2) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP net income was $8.4 million or 10% of revenue, compared to $7.9 million or 9% of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • GAAP basic net loss per share was ($0.03) based on 78.4 million shares of common stock, compared to ($0.04) based on 76.2 million shares of common stock in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP basic net income per share was $0.11 based on 78.4 million of shares, compared to $0.10 based on 76.2 million shares in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP diluted net income per share was $0.11 based on 80.1 million shares of dilutive shares, compared to $0.09 based on 83.7 million dilutive shares in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    • Adjusted EBITDA was $11.0 million, compared to $6.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Cash

    • Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities totaled $179.6 million as of December 31, 2024.
    • For the three months ended December 31, 2024, net cash provided by operating activities was $12.4 million, compared to $13.3 million provided by operating activities for the same period in 2023. The Company reported free cash flow was $11.6 million in the three months ended December 31, 2024.

    Debt

    • As of December 31, 2024 the Company had $63.1 million in outstanding aggregate principal amount of its 2026 Convertible Notes, and $150.0 million in outstanding aggregate principal amount of its 2028 Convertible Notes. Subsequent to year end the Company repurchased approximately $59.0 million in principal amount of the 2026 Convertible notes for $54.0 million in cash. The Company’s total outstanding debt is approximately $154.1 million.

    Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Highlights:

    • Total revenue was $332.9 million, up 8% compared to fiscal year 2023.
    • Subscription solutions revenue was $247.9 million, up 8% compared to fiscal year 2023.
    • GAAP gross margin was 77%, compared to 76% in fiscal year 2023. Non-GAAP gross margin was 78%, for both fiscal year 2024 and 2023.

    Operating Loss and Non-GAAP Operating Income (Loss)

    • GAAP operating loss was ($41.7) million, compared to ($72.4) million in fiscal year 2023.
    • Included in GAAP loss from operations was a restructuring charge of $13.7 million, including but not limited to the 2024 Restructuring.
    • Non-GAAP operating income (loss) was $19.5 million, compared to ($5.7) million in fiscal year 2023.

    Net Income (Loss) and Earnings Per Share

    • GAAP net loss was ($27.0) million, compared to ($64.7) million in fiscal year 2023.
    • Non-GAAP net income was $22.0 million or 7% of revenue, compared to $2.1 million or 1% of revenue in fiscal year 2023.
    • GAAP net loss per share was ($0.35) based on 77.6 million shares of common stock, compared to ($0.86) based on 75.1 million shares of common stock in fiscal year 2023.
    • Non-GAAP diluted net income per share was $0.28 based on 79.4 million shares of dilutive shares, compared to $0.03 based on 82.9 million dilutive shares in fiscal year 2023.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    • Adjusted EBITDA was $23.5 million, compared to ($1.6) million in fiscal year 2023.

    Cash

    • For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, net cash provided by operating activities was $26.3 million, compared to ($24.2) million used in operating activities for the same period in 2023. The Company reported free cash flow of $22.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    Business Highlights:

    Corporate Highlights

    • The Company made several additions to its leadership team. In January, Michelle Suzuki joined as BigCommerce’s Chief Marketing Officer, Rob Walter joined as Chief Revenue Officer, and Marcus Groff started as Senior Vice President of Engineering. In November, Tracy Turner joined as Senior Vice President of Revenue Operations.
    • BigCommerce and its customers achieved another successful Cyber Week, the eleventh in a row with 100% uptime on the platform. Customers on BigCommerce experienced a 26% increase, year over year, in gross merchandise value (GMV) during the five-day period from November 28 through December 2. BigCommerce merchants also saw total orders increase 13% and average order value rise 11%, year over year.

    Customer Highlights

    • 4Patriots, a family-founded company that sells emergency preparedness products, launched a new headless ecommerce store with BigCommerce, utilizing BigCommerce APIs and open source checkout to run a custom tax app, offer their own installment plans to customers, and provide one-click, post-purchase upsell opportunities.
    • Lube-Tech, a longstanding engine fluid brand, partnered with BigCommerce agency partner Codal to launch their first of three enterprise-level stores. They incorporated StagingPro to mirror sandbox and production stores.
    • ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, a retail chain that specializes in wine, spirits, and beer, launched a new online storefront featuring custom pickup and delivery options implemented by BigCommerce partner Irish Titan.
    • Bunzl, a leading distributor in the food processing industry since 1883, launched their ecommerce store using BigCommerce’s B2B Edition, assisted by BigCommerce partner Groove Commerce.
    • Witmer Public Safety Group successfully launched four online stores for firefighters, EMTs, and police officers, and more on BigCommerce’s B2B Edition and using the platform’s Multi-Storefront functionality. Designed by BigCommerce partner Jamersan, the sites are integrated with Witmer’s NetSuite ERP and leverage Algolia’s search technology, resulting in a robust online experience for customers and increased uptimes.

    Partner Highlights

    • We finalized a new global preferred partnership with payments provider Klarna to provide buy now, pay later services to merchants on the BigCommerce platform, helping them optimize checkout and conversion.

    Q1 and 2025 Financial Outlook:

    For the first quarter of 2025, we currently expect:

    • Total revenue between $81.2 million to $83.2 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating income is expected to be between $4 million to $5 million.

    For the full year 2025, we currently expect:

    • Total revenue between $342.1 million and $350.1 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating income between $20 million and $24 million.

    Our first quarter and 2025 financial outlook is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change and many of which are outside our control. If actual results vary from these assumptions, our expectations may change. There can be no assurance that we will achieve these results.

    We do not provide guidance for loss from operations, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to Non-GAAP operating income (loss), and similarly cannot provide a reconciliation between its forecasted Non-GAAP operating income (loss) and Non-GAAP income (loss) per share and these comparable GAAP measures without unreasonable effort due to the unavailability of reliable estimates for certain items. These items are not within our control and may vary greatly between periods and could significantly impact future financial results.

    Conference Call Information

    BigCommerce will host a conference call and webcast at 7:00 a.m. CT (8:00 a.m. ET) on Thursday, February 20, 2025, to discuss its financial results and business highlights. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (833) 634-1254 from the United States and Canada or (412) 317-6012 internationally and requesting to join the “BigCommerce conference call.” The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from BigCommerce’s investor relations website at http://investors.bigcommerce.com.

    Following the completion of the call through 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 27, 2025, a telephone replay will be available by dialing (877) 344-7529 from the United States, (855) 669-9658 from Canada or (412) 317-0088 internationally with conference ID 9139950. A webcast replay will also be available at http://investors.bigcommerce.com for 12 months.

    About BigCommerce

    BigCommerce (Nasdaq: BIGC) is a leading open SaaS and composable ecommerce platform that empowers brands, retailers, manufacturers and distributors of all sizes to build, innovate and grow their businesses online. BigCommerce provides its customers sophisticated professional-grade functionality, customization and performance with simplicity and ease-of-use. Tens of thousands of B2C and B2B companies across 150 countries and numerous industries rely on BigCommerce, including Coldwater Creek, Harvey Nichols, King Arthur Baking Co., MKM Building Supplies, United Aqua Group and Uplift Desk. For more information, please visit www.bigcommerce.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “outlook,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “predict,” “potential,” “strategy, “target,” “explore,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements may relate to our market size and growth strategy, our estimated and projected costs, margins, revenue, expenditures and customer and financial growth rates, our Q1 and fiscal 2025 financial outlook, our plans and objectives for future operations, growth, initiatives or strategies. By their nature, these statements are subject to numerous uncertainties and risks, including factors beyond our control, that could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These assumptions, uncertainties and risks include that, among others, the anticipated benefits and opportunities related to the 2024 Restructure may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected, our ability to pay the interest and principal on our indebtedness depends upon cash flows generated by our operating performance, our business would be harmed by any decline in new customers, renewals or upgrades, our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our prospects and future results of operations, we operate in competitive markets, we may not be able to sustain our revenue growth rate in the future, our business would be harmed by any significant interruptions, delays or outages in services from our platform or certain social media platforms, and a cybersecurity-related attack, significant data breach or disruption of the information technology systems or networks could negatively affect our business. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the future quarterly and current reports that we file with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to BigCommerce at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. BigCommerce assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, except as required by law.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    We have provided in this press release certain financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Our management uses these Non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing our financial results and believes that use of these Non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as an additional tool to evaluate ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our financial results with other companies in our industry, many of which present similar Non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of our historical Non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release, and investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations.

    Annual Revenue Run-Rate

    We calculate annual revenue run-rate (“ARR”) at the end of each month as the sum of: (1) contractual monthly recurring revenue at the end of the period, which includes platform subscription fees, invoiced growth adjustments, feed management subscription fees, recurring professional services revenue, and other recurring revenue, multiplied by twelve to prospectively annualize recurring revenue, and (2) the sum of the trailing twelve-month non-recurring and variable revenue, which includes one-time partner integrations, one-time fees, payments revenue share, and any other revenue that is non-recurring and variable.

    Enterprise Account Metrics

    To measure the effectiveness of our ability to execute against our growth strategy, we calculate ARR attributable to Enterprise Accounts. We define Enterprise Accounts as accounts with at least one unique Enterprise plan subscription or an enterprise level feed management subscription. These accounts may have more than one Enterprise plan or a combination of Enterprise plans and non-enterprise plans.

    Average Revenue Per Account

    We calculate ARPA for accounts in the Enterprise cohort at the end of a period by including customer-billed revenue and an allocation of partner and services revenue, where applicable. We allocate partner revenue, where applicable, primarily based on each customer’s share of GMV processed through that partner’s solution. For partner revenue that is not directly linked to customer usage of a partner’s solution, we allocate such revenue based on each customer’s share of total platform GMV. Each account’s partner revenue allocation is calculated by taking the account’s trailing twelve-month partner revenue, then dividing by twelve to create a monthly average to apply to the applicable period in order to normalize ARPA for seasonality.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    We define Adjusted EBITDA as our net loss, excluding the impact of stock-based compensation expense and related payroll tax costs, amortization of intangible assets, acquisition related costs, restructuring charges, depreciation, gain on convertible note extinguishment, interest income, interest expense, other expense, and our provision or benefit for income taxes. Acquisition related costs include contingent compensation arrangements entered into in connection with acquisitions and achieved earnout related to an acquisition.

    Restructuring charges include severance benefits, right-of-use asset impairments, lease termination gain, software impairments, accelerated depreciation and amortization, and professional services costs.

    Depreciation includes depreciation expenses related to the Company’s fixed assets.

    The most directly comparable GAAP measure is net loss.

    Non-GAAP Operating Income (Loss)

    We define Non-GAAP Operating Income (Loss) as our GAAP Loss from operations, excluding the impact of stock-based compensation expense and related payroll tax costs, amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related costs, and restructuring charges. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is our loss from operations.

    Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss)

    We define Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss) as our GAAP net loss, excluding the impact of stock-based compensation expense and related payroll tax costs, amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related costs, restructuring charges, and gain on convertible notes extinguishment. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is our net loss.

    Non-GAAP Basic and Dilutive Net Income (Loss) per Share

    We define Non-GAAP Basic Net Income (Loss) per Share as our Non-GAAP net income (loss), defined above, divided by our basic and diluted GAAP weighted average shares outstanding. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is our basic net loss per share.

    Free Cash Flow

    We define Free Cash Flow as our GAAP cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities less our GAAP purchases of property and equipment (Capital Expenditures). The most directly comparable GAAP measure is our cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities.

    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (in thousands)

        December 31,   December 31,  
        2024   2023  
               
    Assets          
    Current assets          
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 88,877   $ 71,719  
    Restricted cash     1,479     1,126  
    Marketable securities     89,283     198,415  
    Accounts receivable, net     48,117     37,713  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets, net     14,641     24,733  
    Deferred commissions     8,822     8,280  
    Total current assets     251,219     341,986  
    Property and equipment, net     9,128     10,233  
    Operating lease, right-of-use-assets, net     1,993     4,405  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of current portion     3,146     1,240  
    Deferred commissions, net of current portion     5,559     7,056  
    Intangible assets, net     17,317     27,052  
    Goodwill     51,927     52,086  
    Total assets   $ 340,289   $ 444,058  
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity          
    Current liabilities          
    Accounts payable   $ 7,018   $ 7,982  
    Accrued liabilities     3,194     2,652  
    Deferred revenue     46,590     32,242  
    Operating lease liabilities     2,438     2,542  
    Other liabilities     28,766     25,332  
    Total current liabilities     88,006     70,750  
    Convertible notes     216,466     339,614  
    Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion     1,680     7,610  
    Other liabilities, net of current portion     768     551  
    Total liabilities     306,920     418,525  
    Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)          
    Stockholders’ equity          
    Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 500,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively; 78,573 and 76,410 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.     7     7  
    Additional paid-in capital     654,905     620,021  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income     145     163  
    Accumulated deficit     (621,688 )   (594,658 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     33,369     25,533  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 340,289   $ 444,058  
    Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)
    (unaudited)
     
        Three months ended
    December 31,
      Year ended
    December 31,
     
        2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Revenue   $ 87,028   $ 84,149   $ 332,927   $ 309,394  
    Cost of revenue (1)     19,476     18,946     77,589     74,202  
    Gross profit     67,552     65,203     255,338     235,192  
    Operating expenses: (1)                  
    Sales and marketing     29,605     34,332     129,602     140,230  
    Research and development     19,763     19,509     80,879     83,460  
    General and administrative     14,994     13,574     61,794     58,838  
    Amortization of intangible assets     2,383     2,323     9,736     8,422  
    Acquisition related costs     333     935     1,334     10,252  
    Restructuring charges     1,225     219     13,677     6,434  
    Total operating expenses     68,303     70,892     297,022     307,636  
    Loss from operations     (751 )   (5,689 )   (41,684 )   (72,444 )
    Gain on convertible note extinguishment     0     0     12,110     0  
    Interest income     1,761     3,183     10,568     11,493  
    Interest expense     (2,703 )   (719 )   (6,051 )   (2,884 )
    Other expenses     (373 )   (503 )   (958 )   (836 )
    Loss before provision for income taxes     (2,066 )   (3,728 )   (26,015 )   (64,671 )
    Benefit (provision) for income taxes     (324 )   552     (1,015 )   0  
    Net loss   $ (2,390 ) $ (3,176 ) $ (27,030 ) $ (64,671 )
    Basic net loss per share   $ (0.03 ) $ (0.04 ) $ (0.35 ) $ (0.86 )
    Shares used to compute basic net loss per share     78,438     76,226     77,600     75,143  

    (1) Amounts include stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs, as follows:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
      Year ended
    December 31,
     
        2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Cost of revenue   $ 735   $ 1,147   $ 3,533   $ 4,949  
    Sales and marketing     920     3,415     9,252     13,474  
    Research and development     3,099     1,908     13,614     13,478  
    General and administrative     2,141     1,105     10,000     9,785  
    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (in thousands)
    (unaudited)
     
      Three months ended
    December 31,
      Year ended
    December 31,
     
      2024   2023   2024   2023  
                     
    Cash flows from operating activities                
    Net loss $ (2,390 ) $ (3,176 ) $ (27,030 ) $ (64,671 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:                
    Depreciation and amortization expense   3,329     3,500     13,811     12,480  
    Amortization of discount on convertible note   244     496     1,582     1,976  
    Amortization of premium on convertible note   (396 )   0     (636 )   0  
    Stock-based compensation expense   6,821     7,635     35,377     41,185  
    Provision for expected credit losses   206     (656 )   3,208     805  
    Real estate and internal-use software charges   502     70     3,533     70  
    Gain on lease modification   0     0     (988 )   0  
    Gain on convertible note extinguishment   0     0     (12,110 )   0  
    Other   6     (5 )   (31 )   167  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
    Accounts receivable   (5,273 )   534     (14,206 )   (3,877 )
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   5,477     4,581     6,493     2,063  
    Deferred commissions   757     (354 )   955     (2,128 )
    Accounts payable   (672 )   1,710     (895 )   962  
    Accrued and other liabilities   3,511     (1,083 )   2,843     (25,836 )
    Deferred revenue   238     27     14,348     12,561  
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   12,360     13,279     26,254     (24,243 )
    Cash flows from investing activities:                
    Cash paid for acquisition   0     (7,891 )   (100 )   (7,891 )
    Purchase of property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized internal-use software   (787 )   (1,043 )   (3,721 )   (4,179 )
    Maturity of marketable securities   53,603     36,960     205,238     243,167  
    Purchase of marketable securities   (10,167 )   (39,207 )   (96,124 )   (228,281 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   42,649     (11,181 )   105,293     2,816  
    Cash flows from financing activities:                
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options   225     136     1,708     3,849  
    Taxes paid related to net share settlement of stock options   (38 )   (12 )   (2,449 )   (3,294 )
    Holdback payments related to business combination   (1,000 )   0     (1,000 )   0  
    Proceeds from financing obligation   0     0     0     1,081  
    Payment of convertible note issuance costs   (656 ) 0     (3,176 ) 0  
    Repayment of convertible notes and financing obligation   (139 )   (263 )   (109,119 )   (394 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   (1,608 )   (139 )   (114,036 )   1,242  
    Net change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash   53,401     1,959     17,511     (20,185 )
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period   36,955     70,886     72,845     93,030  
    Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 90,356   $ 72,845   $ 90,356   $ 72,845  
    Supplemental cash flow information:                
    Cash paid for interest $ 3   $ 21   $ 2,466   $ 894  
    Cash paid for taxes $ 106   $ 242   $ 381   $ 583  
    Noncash investing and financing activities:                
    Changes in capital additions, accrued but not paid $ 84   $ 168   $ 84   $ 168  
    Fair value of shares issued as consideration for business combinations $ 0   $ 496   $ 248   $ 1,417  
    Principal amount of 2028 Convertible Notes exchanged $ 0   $ 0   $ 150,000   $ 0  

    Disaggregated Revenue:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
      Year ended
    December 31,
     
    (in thousands)   2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Subscription solutions   $ 62,288   $ 60,613   $ 247,870   $ 229,265  
    Partner and services     24,740     23,536     85,057     80,129  
    Revenue   $ 87,028   $ 84,149   $ 332,927   $ 309,394  

    Revenue by Geography:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
      Year ended
    December 31,
     
    (in thousands)   2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Revenue:                  
    Americas – U.S.   $ 66,078   $ 64,055   $ 253,484   $ 236,502  
    Americas – other (1)     4,217     3,837     15,662     14,103  
    EMEA     9,994     9,475     38,031     34,661  
    APAC     6,739     6,782     25,750     24,128  
    Revenue   $ 87,028   $ 84,149   $ 332,927   $ 309,394  

    (1)Americas-other revenue includes revenue from North and South America, other than the U.S.

    Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Results
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)
    (unaudited)
     
    Reconciliation of loss from operations to Non-GAAP operating income (loss):
     
        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Loss from operations   $ (751 )   $ (5,689 )   $ (41,684 )   $ (72,444 )  
    Plus: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     6,895       7,575       36,399       41,686    
    Amortization of intangible assets     2,383       2,323       9,736       8,422    
    Acquisition related costs     333       935       1,334       10,252    
    Restructuring charges     1,225       219       13,677       6,434    
    Non-GAAP operating income (loss)   $ 10,085     $ 5,363     $ 19,462     $ (5,650 )  
    Non-GAAP operating income (loss) as a percentage of revenue     11.6   %   6.4   %   5.8   %   (1.8 ) %

    Reconciliation of net loss & basic net loss per share to Non-GAAP net income & Non-GAAP net income per share:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Net loss   $ (2,390 )   $ (3,176 )   $ (27,030 )   $ (64,671 )  
    Plus: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     6,895       7,575       36,399       41,686    
    Amortization of intangible assets     2,383       2,323       9,736       8,422    
    Acquisition related costs     333       935       1,334       10,252    
    Restructuring charges     1,225       219       13,677       6,434    
    Gain on convertible note extinguishment     0       0       (12,110 )     0    
    Non-GAAP net income   $ 8,446     $ 7,876     $ 22,006     $ 2,123    
    Basic net loss per share   $ (0.03 )   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.35 )   $ (0.86 )  
    Non-GAAP basic net income per share   $ 0.11     $ 0.10     $ 0.28     $ 0.03    
    Non-GAAP diluted net income per share   $ 0.11     $ 0.09     $ 0.28     $ 0.03    
    Shares used to compute basic Non-GAAP net income per share     78,438       76,226       77,600       75,143    
    Shares used to compute diluted Non-GAAP net income per share     80,081       83,679       79,544       82,938    
    Non-GAAP net income as a percentage of revenue     9.7   %   9.4   %   6.6   %   0.7   %

    Reconciliation of net loss to adjusted EBITDA:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Net loss   $ (2,390 )   $ (3,176 )   $ (27,030 )   $ (64,671 )  
    Plus: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     6,895       7,575       36,399       41,686    
    Amortization of intangible assets     2,383       2,323       9,736       8,422    
    Acquisition related costs     333       935       1,334       10,252    
    Restructuring charges     1,225       219       13,677       6,434    
    Depreciation     946       1,177       4,075       4,058    
    Gain on convertible note extinguishment     0       0       (12,110 )     0    
    Interest income     (1,761 )     (3,183 )     (10,568 )     (11,493 )  
    Interest expense     2,703       719       6,051       2,884    
    Other expenses     373       503       958       836    
    Benefit (provision) for income taxes     324       (552 )     1,015       0    
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 11,031     $ 6,540     $ 23,537     $ (1,592 )  
    Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue     12.7   %   7.8   %   7.1   %   (0.5 ) %

    Reconciliation of cost of revenue to Non-GAAP cost of revenue:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Cost of revenue   $ 19,476     $ 18,946     $ 77,589     $ 74,202    
    Less: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     735       1,147       3,533       4,949    
    Non-GAAP cost of revenue   $ 18,741     $ 17,799     $ 74,056     $ 69,253    
    As a percentage of revenue     21.5   %   21.2   %   22.2   %   22.4   %

    Reconciliation of sales and marketing expense to Non-GAAP sales and marketing expense:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Sales and marketing   $ 29,605     $ 34,332     $ 129,602     $ 140,230    
    Less: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     920       3,415       9,252       13,474    
    Non-GAAP sales and marketing   $ 28,685     $ 30,917     $ 120,350     $ 126,756    
    As a percentage of revenue     33.0   %   36.7   %   36.1   %   41.0   %

    Reconciliation of research and development expense to Non-GAAP research and development expense:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    Research and development   $ 19,763     $ 19,509     $ 80,879     $ 83,460    
    Less: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     3,099       1,908       13,614       13,478    
    Non-GAAP research and development   $ 16,664     $ 17,601     $ 67,265     $ 69,982    
    As a percentage of revenue     19.1   %   20.9   %   20.2   %   22.6   %

    Reconciliation of general and administrative expense to Non-GAAP general and administrative expense:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
       
        2024     2023     2024     2023    
    (in thousands)                          
    Revenue   $ 87,028     $ 84,149     $ 332,927     $ 309,394    
                               
    General & administrative   $ 14,994     $ 13,574     $ 61,794     $ 58,838    
    Less: stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll tax costs     2,141       1,105       10,000       9,785    
    Non-GAAP general & administrative   $ 12,853     $ 12,469     $ 51,794     $ 49,053    
    As a percentage of revenue     14.8   %   14.8   %   15.6   %   15.9   %

    Reconciliation of net cash provided by (used in) operating activities to free cash flow:

        Three months ended
    December 31,
        Year ended
    December 31,
     
        2024     2023     2024     2023  
    (in thousands)                        
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   $ 12,360     $ 13,279     $ 26,254     $ (24,243 )
    Purchase of property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized internal-use software     (787 )     (1,043 )     (3,721 )     (4,179 )
    Free cash flow   $ 11,573     $ 12,236     $ 22,533     $ (28,422 )

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Kaltura Announces Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kaltura, Inc. (“Kaltura” or the “Company”), the video experience cloud, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024, as well as outlook for first quarter and full year 2025.

    “We surpassed our guidance for the fourth quarter, delivering record total and subscription revenue, as well as the highest Adjusted EBITDA since the second quarter of 2020, fueled by record high gross margin. We also posted sequential and year-over-year growth in gross and net dollar retention rates, and in new bookings for the third quarter in a row,” said Ron Yekutiel, Co-founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaltura.

    “For the full year, we are pleased to report we achieved record annual subscription revenue, total revenue, and Adjusted EBITDA profit, surpassing our annual guidance for all. We also achieved record gross margin and cash flow from operations. We ended the year with record ARR and RPO, having delivered on our plans to reaccelerate new bookings and revenue throughout the second half of the year, and posted positive cash flow from operations for the year, for the first time since 2020.” Mr. Yekutiel continued, “As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, we anticipate continued improvement in the market environment for enterprise video offerings, and believe our path to increased growth and profitability will be fueled by customer consolidation around our platform, maturity of our newer products, leveraging our exciting new generative artificial intelligence (“Gen AI”) capabilities, growth potential within our great customer base, and a regrowth of our sales force.”

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights:

    • Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $45.6 million, an increase of 3% compared to $44.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Subscription revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $43.4 million, an increase of 6% compared to $40.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) was $173.9 million, an increase of 6% compared to $164.7 million in 2023.
       
    • GAAP Gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $32.3 million, representing a gross margin of 71% compared to a GAAP gross profit of $28.6 million and gross margin of 64% for the fourth quarter of 2023. 
       
    • Non-GAAP Gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $32.6 million, representing a non-GAAP gross margin of 71%, compared to a non-GAAP gross profit of $29.1 million and non-GAAP gross margin of 65% for the fourth quarter of 2023. 
       
    • GAAP Operating loss was $3.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to an operating loss of $8.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Non-GAAP Operating income was $1.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to a non-GAAP operating loss of $0.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • GAAP Net loss was $6.6 million or $0.04 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to a GAAP net loss of $12.1 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Non-GAAP Net loss was $1.3 million or $0.01 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $3.6 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $2.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $0.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2023.
       
    • Net cash provided by operating activities was $4.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $1.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights:

    • Revenue for the full year of 2024 was $178.7 million, an increase of 2% compared to $175.2 million for the full year of 2023.
       
    • Subscription revenue for the full year of 2024 was $167.7 million, an increase of 3% compared to $162.8 million for the full year of 2023.
       
    • GAAP Gross profit for the full year of 2024 was $119.1 million, representing a gross margin of 67% compared to a GAAP gross profit of $112.2 million and gross margin of 64% for the full year of 2023. 
       
    • Non-GAAP Gross profit for the full year of 2024 was $120.5 million, representing a gross margin of 67% compared to a non-GAAP gross profit of $113.8 million and gross margin of 65% for the full year of 2023. 
       
    • GAAP Operating loss was $24.1 million for the full year of 2024, compared to an operating loss of $38.7 million for the full year of 2023.
       
    • Non-GAAP Operating income was $2.7 million for the full year of 2024, compared a non-GAAP operating loss of $6.7 million for the full year of 2023.
       
    • GAAP Net loss was $31.3 million or $0.21 per diluted share for the full year of 2024, compared to a GAAP net loss of $46.4 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.
       
    • Non-GAAP Net loss was $4.5 million or $0.03 per diluted share for the full year of 2024, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $14.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, for the full year of 2023.
       
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $7.3 million for the full year of 2024, compared to an Adjusted EBITDA of negative $2.5 million for the full year of 2023.
       
    • Net cash provided by operating activities was $12.2 million for the full year of 2024, compared to $8.3 million net cash used in operating activities for the full year of 2023.

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Business Highlights:

    • Closed four new seven-digit deals and twenty-nine six-digit deals – the highest combined number of six and seven-digit deals since the third quarter of 2022.
    • Highest new subscription bookings since the fourth quarter of 2022 – third quarter in a row of sequential and year-over-year growth.
    • Sequential and year-over-year improvement in gross retention, and 103% Net Dollar Retention rate.
    • Launched Gen AI based “Class Genie” and “Work Genie” that power real-time hyper-personalized video-first experiences. Our Beta program for evaluating our Work and Class Genies saw strong interest from dozens of large organizations.
    • Kaltura’s Media and Telecom new Gen AI features for streaming services earned a place in the FEED Magazine 2024 Honors List, in the “Special Recognition in AI” category.

    Financial Outlook:

    For the first quarter of 2025, Kaltura expects:

    • Subscription Revenue to grow by 5%-7% year-over-year to between $43.4 million and $44.2 million.
    • Total Revenue to grow by 2%-4% year-over-year to between $45.7 million and $46.5 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

    For the full year ending December 31, 2025, Kaltura expects:

    • Subscription Revenue to grow by 2%-3% year-over-year to between $170.4 million and $173.4 million.
    • Total Revenue to grow 1%-2% year-over-year to between $179.9 million and $182.9 million.
    • Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $12.7 million to $14.7 million.

    The guidance provided above contains forward-looking statements and actual results may differ materially. Refer to “Forward-Looking Statements” below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Kaltura has not provided a quantitative reconciliation of forecasted Adjusted EBITDA to forecasted GAAP net loss within this press release because the Company is unable, without making unreasonable efforts, to calculate certain reconciling items with confidence. The reconciliation for Adjusted EBITDA includes but is not limited to the following items: stock-based compensation expenses, depreciation, amortization, financial expenses (income), net, provision for income tax, and other non-recurring operating expenses. These items, which could materially affect the computation of forward-looking GAAP net loss, are inherently uncertain and depend on various factors, some of which are outside of the Company’s control. The guidance above is based on the Company’s current expectations relating to the macro-economic climate trends.

    Additional information on Kaltura’s reported results, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to their most comparable GAAP measures, is included in the financial tables below.

    Investor Deck

    Our fourth quarter and full year 2024 Investor Deck has been posted in the investor relations page on our website at: www.investors.kaltura.com.         

    Conference Call

    Kaltura will host a conference call today on February 20, 2025 to review its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results and to discuss its financial outlook.

      Time: 8:00 a.m. ET  
      United States/Canada Toll Free: 1-877-407-0789  
      International Toll: 1-201-689-8562  
           

    A live webcast will also be available in the Investor Relations section of Kaltura’s website at: https://investors.kaltura.com/news-and-events/events

    A replay of the webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company’s web site approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call and remain available for approximately 30 calendar days.

    About Kaltura

    Kaltura’s mission is to power any video experience for any organization. Our Video Experience Cloud offers live, real-time, and on-demand video products for enterprises of all industries, as well as specialized industry solutions, currently for educational institutions and for media and telecom companies. Underlying our products and solutions is a broad set of Media Services that are also used by other cloud platforms and companies to power video experiences and workflows for their own products. Kaltura’s Video Experience Cloud is used by leading brands reaching millions of users, at home, at school and at work, for communication, collaboration, training, marketing, sales, customer care, teaching, learning, virtual events, and entertainment experiences.

    Investor Contacts:
    Kaltura
    John Doherty
    Chief Financial Officer
    IR@Kaltura.com

    Sapphire Investor Relations
    Erica Mannion and Michael Funari
    +1 617 542 6180
    IR@Kaltura.com

    Media Contacts:
    Kaltura
    Nohar Zmora
    pr.team@kaltura.com

    Headline Media
    Raanan Loew
    raanan@headline.media
    +1 347 897 9276

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, statements regarding our future financial and operating performance, including our guidance; our business strategy, plans and objectives for future operations, including new products and capabilities and growth of our salesforce; our expectations regarding growth and profitability goals; and general economic, business and industry conditions, including expectations with respect to trends in customer consolidation and adoption of Gen AI technology.

    In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “due,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “positioned,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on our historical performance and our current plans, estimates and expectations and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent our expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and we disclaim any obligation to update the forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations.

    Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the current volatile economic climate and its direct and indirect impact on our business and operations; political, economic, and military conditions in Israel and other geographies; our ability to retain our customers and meet demand; our ability to achieve and maintain profitability; the evolution of the markets for our offerings; our ability to keep pace with technological and competitive developments; risks associated with our use of certain artificial intelligence and machine learning models; our ability to maintain the interoperability of our offerings across devices, operating systems and third-party applications; risks associated with our Application Programming Interfaces, other components in our offerings and other intellectual property; our ability to compete successfully against current and future competitors; our ability to increase customer revenue; risks related to our approach to revenue recognition; our potential exposure to cybersecurity threats; our compliance with data privacy and data protection laws; our ability to meet our contractual commitments; our reliance on third parties; our ability to retain our key personnel; risks related to revenue mix and customer base; risks related to our international operations; risks related to potential acquisitions; our ability to generate or raise additional capital; and the other risks under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as such factors are updated in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024, filed with the SEC, and as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, to be filed with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations page of our website at investors.kaltura.com.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Kaltura has provided in this press release and the accompanying tables measures of financial information that have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (“GAAP”), including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin (calculated as a percentage of revenue), non-GAAP research and development expenses, non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses, non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP operating loss, non-GAAP operating margin (calculated as a percentage of revenue), non-GAAP net loss, non-GAAP net loss per share and Adjusted EBITDA. Kaltura defines these non-GAAP financial measures as the respective corresponding GAAP measure, adjusted for, as applicable: (1) stock-based compensation expense; (2) the amortization of acquired intangibles; (3) facility exit and transition costs; (4) restructuring charges; and (5) war-related costs. Kaltura defines EBITDA as net profit (loss) before financial expenses (income), net, provision for income taxes, and depreciation and amortization expenses. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA (as defined above), adjusted for the impact of certain non-cash and other items that we believe are not indicative of our core operating performance, such as non-cash stock-based compensation expenses, facility exit and transition costs, restructuring charges and other non-recurring operating expenses. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to Kaltura’s financial condition and results of operations. These non-GAAP metrics are a supplemental measure of our performance, are not defined by or presented in accordance with GAAP, and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net profit (loss) or any other performance measure prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures are presented because we believe that they provide useful supplemental information to investors and analysts regarding our operating performance and are frequently used by these parties in evaluating companies in our industry.

    By presenting these non-GAAP financial measures, we provide a basis for comparison of our business operations between periods by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. We believe that investors’ understanding of our performance is enhanced by including these non-GAAP financial measures as a reasonable basis for comparing our ongoing results of operations. Additionally, our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures as supplemental measures of our performance because they assist us in comparing the operating performance of our business on a consistent basis between periods, as described above. Although we use the non-GAAP financial measures described above, such measures have significant limitations as analytical tools and only supplement but do not replace, our financial statements in accordance with GAAP. See the tables below regarding reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

    Key Financial and Operating Metrics

    Annualized Recurring Revenue. We use Annualized Recurring Revenue (“ARR”) as a measure of our revenue trend and an indicator of our future revenue opportunity from existing recurring customer contracts. We calculate ARR by annualizing our recurring revenue for the most recently completed fiscal quarter. Recurring revenues are generated from SaaS and PaaS subscriptions, as well as term licenses for software installed on the customer’s premises (“On-Prem”). For the SaaS and PaaS components, we calculate ARR by annualizing the actual recurring revenue recognized for the latest fiscal quarter. For the On-Prem components for which revenue recognition is not ratable across the license term, we calculate ARR for each contract by dividing the total contract value (excluding professional services) as of the last day of the specified period by the number of days in the contract term and then multiplying by 365. Recurring revenue excludes revenue from one-time professional services and setup fees. ARR is not adjusted for the impact of any known or projected future customer cancellations, upgrades or downgrades or price increases or decreases. The amount of actual revenue that we recognize over any 12-month period is likely to differ from ARR at the beginning of that period, sometimes significantly. This may occur due to new bookings, cancellations, upgrades or downgrades, pending renewals, professional services revenue, foreign exchange rate fluctuations and acquisitions or divestitures. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue as it is an operating metric and is not intended to be a replacement or forecast of revenue. Our calculation of ARR may differ from similarly titled metrics presented by other companies.

    Net Dollar Retention Rate. Our Net Dollar Retention Rate, which we use to measure our success in retaining and growing recurring revenue from our existing customers, compares our recognized recurring revenue from a set of customers across comparable periods. We calculate our Net Dollar Retention Rate for a given period as the recognized recurring revenue from the latest reported fiscal quarter from the set of customers whose revenue existed in the reported fiscal quarter from the prior year (the numerator), divided by recognized recurring revenue from such customers for the same fiscal quarter in the prior year (denominator). For annual periods, we report Net Dollar Retention Rate as the arithmetic average of the Net Dollar Retention Rate for all fiscal quarters included in the period. We consider subdivisions of the same legal entity (for example, divisions of a parent company or separate campuses that are part of the same state university system) ,as well as Value-add Resellers (“VARs”) (meaning resellers that directly manage the relationship with the customer) and the customers they manage, to be a single customer for purposes of calculating our Net Dollar Retention Rate. Our calculation of Net Dollar Retention Rate for any fiscal period includes the positive recognized recurring revenue impacts of selling new services to existing customers and the negative recognized recurring revenue impacts of contraction and attrition among this set of customers. Our Net Dollar Retention Rate may fluctuate as a result of a number of factors, including the growing level of our revenue base, the level of penetration within our customer base, expansion of products and features, and our ability to retain our customers. Our calculation of Net Dollar Retention Rate may differ from similarly titled metrics presented by other companies.

    Remaining Performance Obligations. Remaining Performance Obligations represents the amount of contracted future revenue that has not yet been delivered, including both subscription and professional services revenues. Remaining Performance Obligations consists of both deferred revenue and contracted non-cancelable amounts that will be invoiced and recognized in future periods. We expect to recognize 58% of our Remaining Performance Obligations as revenue over the next 12 months, and the remainder over the next four years. However, we cannot guarantee that any portion of our Remaining Performance Obligations will be recognized as revenue within the timeframe we expect or at all.

     
    Consolidated Balance Sheets (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited)
     
        December 31,
          2024       2023  
    ASSETS        
    CURRENT ASSETS:        
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 33,059     $ 36,684  
    Marketable securities     48,275       32,692  
    Trade receivables     19,978       23,312  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     9,481       8,410  
    Deferred contract acquisition and fulfillment costs, current     10,765       10,636  
             
    Total current assets     121,558       111,734  
    LONG-TERM ASSETS:        
    Marketable securities     3,379       5,844  
    Property and equipment, net     16,190       20,113  
    Other assets, noncurrent     2,983       3,100  
    Deferred contract acquisition and fulfillment costs, noncurrent     13,605       17,314  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets     12,308       13,872  
    Intangible assets, net     212       689  
    Goodwill     11,070       11,070  
             
    Total noncurrent assets     59,747       72,002  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 181,305     $ 183,736  
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        
    CURRENT LIABILITIES:        
    Current portion of long-term loans     3,110       1,612  
    Trade payables     3,265       3,629  
    Employees and payroll accruals     15,399       12,651  
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities     14,262       17,279  
    Operating lease liabilities     2,504       2,374  
    Deferred revenue, current     63,123       62,364  
    Total current liabilities     101,663       99,909  
    NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:        
    Deferred revenue, noncurrent     67       369  
    Long-term loans, net of current portion     29,153       33,047  
    Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent     15,263       17,796  
    Other liabilities, noncurrent     10,772       2,295  
             
    Total noncurrent liabilities     55,255       53,507  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES   $ 156,918     $ 153,416  
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:        
    Common stock     15       14  
    Treasury stock     (7,801 )     (4,881 )
    Additional paid-in capital     500,024       471,635  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)     959       1,047  
    Accumulated deficit     (468,810 )     (437,495 )
             
    Total stockholders’ equity     24,387       30,320  
             
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 181,305     $ 183,736  
     
    Consolidated Statements of Operations (U.S. dollars in thousands, except for share data; Unaudited)
     
        Three Months ended
    December 31
      Twelve Months ended
    December 31,
         2024    2023     2024       2023  
                     
    Revenue:                
                     
    Subscription   $ 43,414   $ 40,787   $ 167,681     $ 162,750  
    Professional services     2,195     3,689     11,036       12,422  
                     
    Total revenue     45,609     44,476     178,717       175,172  
                     
    Cost of revenue:                
                     
    Subscription     9,852     11,118     42,552       44,224  
    Professional services     3,476     4,712     17,059       18,714  
                     
    Total cost of revenue     13,328     15,830     59,611       62,938  
                     
    Gross profit     32,281     28,646     119,106       112,234  
                     
    Operating expenses:                
                     
    Research and development     12,970     12,737     49,430       52,400  
    Sales and marketing     12,345     12,309     47,766       48,798  
    General and administrative     10,759     12,420     46,009       48,718  
    Restructuring                   973  
                     
    Total operating expenses     36,074     37,466     143,205       150,889  
                     
    Operating loss     3,793     8,820     24,099       38,655  
                     
    Financial expenses (income), net     1,238     1,847     (434 )     (1,200 )
                     
    Loss before provision for income taxes     5,031     10,667     23,665       37,455  
    Provision for income taxes     1,574     1,400     7,650       8,911  
                     
    Net loss     6,605     12,067     31,315       46,366  
                     
    Net loss per share   $ 0.04   $ 0.09   $ 0.21     $ 0.34  
                     
    Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share     150,452,462     141,791,191     147,925,797       138,237,017  
     
    Consolidated Statements of Operations (U.S. dollars in thousands, except for share data; Unaudited)
     
    Stock-based compensation included in above line items:
     
        Three Months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve Months ended
    December 31,
         2024    2023    2024    2023
                     
    Cost of revenue   $ 195   $ 301   $ 1,002   $ 1,128
    Research and development     1,178     1,295     4,775     4,734
    Sales and marketing     518     840     2,701     3,187
    General and administrative     3,308     5,588     17,786     20,931
                     
    Total   $ 5,199   $ 8,024   $ 26,264   $ 29,980
     
    Revenue by Segment (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited):
     
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
         2024    2023    2024    2023
                     
    Enterprise, Education and Technology   $ 32,958   $ 31,569   $ 128,704   $ 125,154
    Media and Telecom     12,651     12,907     50,013     50,018
                     
    Total   $ 45,609   $ 44,476   $ 178,717   $ 175,172
     
    Gross Profit by Segment (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited):
     
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
         2024    2023    2024    2023
                     
    Enterprise, Education and Technology   $ 25,901   $ 22,998   $ 96,928   $ 91,624
    Media and Telecom     6,380     5,648     22,178     20,610
                     
    Total   $ 32,281   $ 28,646   $ 119,106   $ 112,234
     
    Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited)
     
        Twelve Months Ended December 31,
          2024       2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:        
    Net loss   $ (31,315 )   $ (46,366 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:        
    Depreciation and amortization     5,064       4,717  
    Stock-based compensation expenses     26,264       29,980  
    Amortization of deferred contract acquisition and fulfillment costs     11,447       11,669  
    Non-cash interest income, net     (1,219 )     (1,023 )
    Gain on foreign exchange     (90 )     (728 )
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
    Decrease in trade receivables     3,334       5,475  
    Decrease (Increase) in prepaid expenses and other current assets and other assets, noncurrent     (949 )     648  
    Increase in deferred contract acquisition and fulfillment costs     (7,497 )     (6,561 )
    Decrease in trade payables     (534 )     (5,884 )
    Increase in accrued expenses and other current liabilities     5,376       797  
    Increase (Decrease) in employees and payroll accruals     2,748       (2,233 )
    Increase (Decrease) in other liabilities, noncurrent     (14 )     443  
    Increase in deferred revenue     458       1,626  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, net     (840 )     (863 )
             
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities     12,233       (8,303 )
             
    Cash flows from investing activities:        
             
    Investment in available-for-sale marketable securities     (50,874 )     (47,708 )
    Proceeds from maturities of available-for-sale marketable securities     38,981       51,976  
    Purchases of property and equipment     (521 )     (2,607 )
    Capitalized internal-use software development costs           (1,493 )
    Investment in restricted bank deposit           (1,751 )
             
    Net cash used in investing activities     (12,414 )     (1,583 )
             
    Cash flows from financing activities:        
             
    Proceeds from long-term loans           3,500  
    Repayment of long-term loans     (2,187 )     (4,500 )
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options     1,620       1,383  
    Payment of debt issuance costs     (17 )     (274 )
    Repurchase of common stock     (2,920 )      
    Payments on account of repurchase of common stock     (30 )      
             
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     (3,534 )     109  
             
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   $ 90     $ 728  
             
    Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   $ (3,625 )   $ (9,049 )
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year     36,784       45,833  
             
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year   $ 33,159     $ 36,784  
     
    Reconciliation from GAAP to Non-GAAP Results (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited)
     
        Three Months   Twelve Months
        Ended December 31,   Ended December 31,
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Reconciliation of gross profit and gross margin                
    GAAP gross profit   $ 32,281     $ 28,646     $ 119,106     $ 112,234  
    Stock-based compensation expense     195       301       1,002       1,128  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles     107       107       427       426  
    Non-GAAP gross profit   $ 32,583     $ 29,054     $ 120,535     $ 113,788  
    GAAP gross margin     71 %     64 %     67 %     64 %
    Non-GAAP gross margin     71 %     65 %     67 %     65 %
    Reconciliation of operating expenses                
    GAAP research and development expenses   $ 12,970     $ 12,737     $ 49,430     $ 52,400  
    Stock-based compensation expense     1,178       1,295       4,775       4,734  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles                        
    Non-GAAP research and development expenses   $ 11,792     $ 11,442     $ 44,655     $ 47,666  
    GAAP sales and marketing   $ 12,345     $ 12,309     $ 47,766     $ 48,798  
    Stock-based compensation expense     518       840       2,701       3,187  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles     11       13       50       128  
    Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses   $ 11,816     $ 11,456     $ 45,015     $ 45,483  
    GAAP general and administrative expenses   $ 10,759     $ 12,420     $ 46,009     $ 48,718  
    Stock-based compensation expense     3,308       5,588       17,786       20,931  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles                        
    Facility exit and transition costs (a)                       154  
    War related costs (b)     22       331       44       331  
    Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses   $ 7,429     $ 6,501     $ 28,179     $ 27,302  
    Reconciliation of operating loss and operating margin                
    GAAP operating loss   $ (3,793 )   $ (8,820 )   $ (24,099 )   $ (38,655 )
    Stock-based compensation expense     5,199       8,024       26,264       29,980  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles     118       120       477       554  
    Restructuring (c)                       973  
    Facility exit and transition costs (a)                       154  
    War related costs (b)     22       331       44       331  
    Non-GAAP operating income ( loss)   $ 1,546     $ (345 )   $ 2,686     $ (6,663 )
    GAAP operating margin     (8 )%     (20 )%     (13 )%     (22 )%
    Non-GAAP operating margin     3 %     (1 )%     2 %     (4 )%
    Reconciliation of net loss                
    GAAP net loss attributable to common stockholders   $ (6,605 )   $ (12,067 )   $ (31,315 )   $ (46,366 )
    Stock-based compensation expense     5,199       8,024       26,264       29,980  
    Amortization of acquired intangibles     118       120       477       554  
    Restructuring (c)                       973  
    Facility exit and transition costs (a)                       154  
    War related costs (b)     22       331       44       331  
    Non-GAAP loss attributable to common stockholders   $ (1,266 )   $ (3,592 )   $ (4,530 )   $ (14,374 )
                     
    Non-GAAP net loss per share – basic and diluted   $ 0.01     $ 0.03     $ 0.03     $ 0.10  

            

     
    Adjusted EBITDA (U.S. dollars in thousands; Unaudited)
     
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Twelve Months Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
       
    Net loss $ (6,605 )   $ (12,067 )   $ (31,315 )   $ (46,366 )
    Financial expenses (income), net (d)   1,238       1,847       (434 )     (1,200 )
    Provision for income taxes   1,574       1,400       7,650       8,911  
    Depreciation and amortization   1,230       1,308       5,065       4,717  
    EBITDA   (2,563 )     (7,512 )     (19,035 )     (33,938 )
    Non-cash stock-based compensation expense   5,199       8,024       26,264       29,980  
    Facility exit and transition costs (a)                     154  
    Restructuring (c)                     973  
    War related costs (b)   22       331       44       331  
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 2,658     $ 843     $ 7,273     $ (2,500 )
    (a)   Facility exit and transition costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, include losses from sale of fixed assets and other costs associated with moving to our temporary office in Israel.
    (b)   The years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023 include costs related to conflicts in Israel. These costs are attributable to the temporary relocation of key employees from Israel for business continuity purposes, the purchase of emergency equipment for key employees, charitable donations to communities directly impacted by the war, and office fixes and modifications.
    (c)   The year ended December 31, 2023 includes employee termination benefits incurred in connection with our 2023 reorganization plan.
    (d)   The three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 include $551, $692, $2,682 and $3,178, respectively, of interest expenses and $902, $538, $3,355, and $2,735, respectively, of interest income.
    Reported KPIs
     
        December 31,
         2024    2023
        (U.S. dollars amounts in thousands)
    Annualized Recurring Revenue             $ 173,900   $ 164,723
    Remaining Performance Obligations             $ 203,379   $ 185,305
     
        Three Months Ended December 31,
        2024     2023  
    Net Dollar Retention Rate             103 %   98 %

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: TransAlta Reports Strong 2024 Results, Announces Dividend Increase and 2025 Annual Guidance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TransAlta Corporation (TransAlta or the Company) (TSX: TA) (NYSE: TAC) today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2024.

    “Our business delivered solid results within the upper range of our guidance, driven by high availability across our generation portfolio, along with the enduring performance of our optimization and hedging strategies. During the year, we added 2.2 GW of generation to our fleet, with three contracted wind facilities achieving commercial operation in addition to the acquisition of Heartland Generation. We also returned $214 million, or $0.71 per share, of value to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases at an average price of $10.59 per share,” said John Kousinioris, President and Chief Executive Officer of TransAlta.

    “Given our confidence in the future, we are pleased to announce that our Board of Directors has approved an eight per cent increase to our common share dividend, now equivalent to $0.26 per share on an annualized basis. This represents our sixth consecutive annual dividend increase, affirming our Company’s commitment to returning value to shareholders,” added Mr. Kousinioris.

    “Our portfolio of generating facilities continues to perform well. In 2025, we expect to generate between $450 and $550 million of free cash flow. We maintain a balanced, prudent and disciplined approach to capital allocation and balance sheet strength. We remain focused on advancing development opportunities at our legacy thermal energy campuses, along with pursuing longer term growth options with a commitment to maximizing shareholder value. Looking to 2025 and beyond, I am optimistic about our Company’s momentum and opportunities.”

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

    • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $285 million, compared to $289 million for the same period in 2023
    • Free Cash Flow (FCF)(1) of $48 million, or $0.16 per share, compared to $121 million, or $0.39 per share, for the same period in 2023
    • Cash flow from operating activities of $215 million, compared to $310 million from the same period in 2023
    • Net loss attributable to common shareholders of $65 million, or $0.22 per share, compared to $84 million, or $0.27 per share, for the same period in 2023

    Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

    • Achieved the upper range of both 2024 adjusted EBITDA and FCF guidance
    • Returned $143 million of capital to common shareholders through the buyback of 13.5 million common shares at an average price of $10.59 per share
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $1,253 million, compared to $1,632 million from the same period in 2023
    • FCF of $569 million, or $1.88 per share, compared to $890 million, or $3.22 per share, from the same period in 2023
    • Net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $177 million, or $0.59 per share, compared to $644 million, or $2.33 per share, from the same period in 2023
    • Exited 2024 with a strong financial position, with adjusted net debt to adjusted EBITDA of 3.6 times and available liquidity of $1.6 billion

    Other Business Highlights and Updates

    • Announced an annual dividend increase of eight per cent, now equivalent to $0.26 per share on an annualized basis, which represents the sixth year of consecutive dividend growth
    • Provided 2025 guidance including adjusted EBITDA of $1.15 to $1.25 billion and FCF of $450 to $550 million, or $1.51 to $1.85 per share
    • Completed the acquisition of Heartland Generation at a purchase price of $542 million in December 2024, which added 1.7 GW to gross installed capacity
    • Achieved strong operational availability of 91.2 per cent in 2024, compared to 88.8 per cent in 2023
    • 2024 Total Recordable Injury Frequency of 0.56 compared to 0.30 in 2023
    • Reduced scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity in 2024 to 0.35 tCO2e/MWh from 2023 levels of 0.41 tCO2e/MWh
    • Achieved commercial operation at the White Rock West and East wind facilities in January and April 2024, respectively
    • Achieved commercial operation at the Horizon Hill facility in May 2024
    • Completed the Mount Keith 132kV expansion project during the first quarter of 2024

    Key Business Developments

    Declared Increase in Common Share Dividend
    The Company’s Board of Directors has approved a $0.02 annualized increase to the common share dividend, or 8 per cent increase, and declared a dividend of $0.065 per common share to be payable on July 1, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 1, 2025. The quarterly dividend of $0.065 per common share represents an annualized dividend of $0.26 per common share.

    TransAlta Acquired Heartland Generation from Energy Capital Partners

    On Dec. 4, 2024, the Company closed the acquisition of Heartland Generation Ltd. and certain affiliates (collectively, Heartland) for a purchase price of $542 million from an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners (ECP), the parent of Heartland (the Transaction). To meet the requirements of the federal Competition Bureau, the Company entered into a consent agreement with the Commissioner of Competition pursuant to which TransAlta agreed to divest Heartland’s Poplar Hill and Rainbow Lake assets (the Planned Divestitures) following closing of the Transaction. In consideration of the Planned Divestitures, TransAlta and ECP agreed to a reduction of $80 million from the original purchase price for the Transaction. ECP will be entitled to receive the proceeds from the sale of Poplar Hill and Rainbow Lake, net of certain adjustments following completion of the Planned Divestitures. TransAlta also received a further $95 million at closing of the Transaction to reflect the economic benefit of the Heartland business arising from Oct. 31, 2023 to the closing date of the Transaction, pursuant to the terms of the share purchase agreement. The net cash payment for the Transaction, before working capital adjustments, totalled $215 million, and was funded through a combination of cash on hand and draws on TransAlta’s credit facilities.

    Excluding the Planned Divestitures, the Transaction adds 1.7 GW (net interest) of complementary capacity from nine facilities, including contracted cogeneration and peaking generation, legacy gas-fired thermal generation, and transmission capacity, all of which will be critical to support reliability in the Alberta electricity market.

    Mothballing of Sundance Unit 6

    On Nov. 4, 2024, the Company provided notice to the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) that Sundance Unit 6 will be mothballed on April 1, 2025, for a period of up to two years depending on market conditions. TransAlta maintains the flexibility to return the mothballed unit to service when market fundamentals improve or opportunities to contract are secured. The unit remains available and fully operational for the first quarter of 2025.

    Production Tax Credit (PTC) Sale Agreements

    On Feb. 22, 2024, the Company entered into 10-year transfer agreements with an AA- rated customer for the sale of approximately 80 per cent of the expected PTCs to be generated from the White Rock and the Horizon Hill wind facilities.

    On June 21, 2024, the Company entered into an additional 10-year transfer agreement with an A+ rated customer for the sale of the remaining 20 per cent of the expected PTCs.

    The expected average annual EBITDA(1) from the two agreements is approximately $78 million (US$57 million).

    Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB)

    TransAlta remains committed to enhancing shareholder returns through appropriate capital allocation such as share buybacks and its quarterly dividend. In the first quarter of 2024, the Company announced an enhanced common share repurchase program for 2024, allocating up to $150 million, and targeting up to 42 per cent of 2024 FCF guidance, to be returned to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends.

    On May 27, 2024, the Company announced that it had received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange to purchase up to 14 million common shares pursuant to an NCIB during the 12-month period that commenced May 31, 2024, and terminates May 31, 2025. Any common shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled.

    For the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, the Company purchased and cancelled a total of 13,467,400 common shares at an average price of $10.59 per common share, for a total cost of $143 million, including taxes.

    Horizon Hill Wind Facility Achieves Commercial Operation

    On May 21, 2024, the 202 MW Horizon Hill wind facility achieved commercial operation. The facility is located in Logan County, Oklahoma and is fully contracted to Meta Platforms Inc. for the offtake of 100 per cent of the generation.

    White Rock Wind Facilities Achieve Commercial Operation

    On Jan. 1, 2024, the 100 MW White Rock West wind facility achieved commercial operation. On April 22, 2024, the 202 MW White Rock East wind facility also completed commissioning. The facilities are located in Caddo County, Oklahoma and are contracted under two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Amazon Energy LLC for the offtake of 100 per cent of the generation.

    Mount Keith 132kV Expansion Complete

    The Mount Keith 132kV expansion project, located in Western Australia, was completed during the first quarter of 2024. The expansion was developed under the existing PPA with BHP Nickel West (BHP), which extends until Dec. 31, 2038. The expansion will facilitate the connection of additional generating capacity to the transmission network which supports BHP’s operations.

    Year Ended and Fourth Quarter 2024 Highlights

    $ millions, unless otherwise stated Year Ended Three Months Ended
    Dec. 31, 2024 Dec. 31, 2023 Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023  
    Operational information        
    Availability (%) 91.2 88.8 87.8   86.9  
    Production (GWh) 22,811 22,029 6,199   5,783  
    Select financial information        
    Revenues 2,845 3,355 678   624  
    Adjusted EBITDA(1) 1,253 1,632 285   289  
    Earnings (loss) before income taxes 319 880 (51 ) (35 )
    Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders 177 644 (65 ) (84 )
    Cash flows        
    Cash flow from operating activities 796 1,464 215   310  
    Funds from operations(1) 810 1,351 137   229  
    Free cash flow(1) 569 890 48   121  
    Per share        
    Net earnings (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted 0.59 2.33 (0.22 ) (0.27 )
    Funds from operations per share(1),(2) 2.68 4.89 0.46   0.74  
    FCF per share(1),(2) 1.88 3.22 0.16   0.39  
    Dividends declared per common share 0.24 0.22 0.12   0.12  
    Weighted average number of common shares outstanding 302 276 298   308  


    Segmented Financial Performance

    $ millions

    Year Ended Three Months Ended
    Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023   Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023  
    Hydro 316   459   57   56  
    Wind and Solar 316   257   95   82  
    Gas 535   801   116   141  
    Energy Transition 91   122   28   26  
    Energy Marketing 131   109   27   14  
    Corporate (136 ) (116 ) (38 ) (30 )
    Adjusted EBITDA 1,253   1,632   285   289  
    Earnings (loss) before
    income taxes
    319   880   (51 ) (35 )


    Full Year 2024 Financial Results Summary

    For the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, the Company demonstrated strong financial and operational performance. The results were within the upper range of management’s expectations due to active management of the Company’s merchant portfolio and hedging strategies. During 2024, the Company settled a higher volume of hedges at prices that were significantly above the spot market in Alberta and achieved commercial operation at the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities. On Dec. 4, 2024, the Company completed the acquisition of Heartland Generation, which added 1.7 GW to gross installed capacity. Refer to the Significant and Subsequent Events section of our MD&A dated Dec. 31, 2024, for details on the Heartland acquisition and the Planned Divestitures.

    Availability for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, was 91.2 per cent, compared to 88.8 per cent in 2023, an increase of 2.4 percentage points, primarily due to:

    • The addition of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities; and
    • The return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities.

    Total production for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, was 22,811 GWh, compared to 22,029 GWh for the same period in 2023, an increase of 782 GWh, or four per cent, primarily due to:

    • Production from new facilities, including the White Rock West and East wind facilities commissioned in January and April 2024, respectively, the Horizon Hill wind facility commissioned in May 2024, and the Northern Goldfields solar facilities commissioned in November 2023;
    • Production from the facilities acquired with Heartland;
    • Favourable market conditions in the Ontario wholesale power market that enabled higher dispatch at the Sarnia facility in the Gas segment that resulted in higher merchant production to the Ontario grid;
    • The return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities in the first quarter of 2024; and
    • Full-year production from the Garden Plain wind facility; partially offset by
    • Increased economic dispatch at the Centralia facility due to lower market prices compared to the prior year in the Energy Transition segment; and
    • Higher dispatch optimization in Alberta.

    Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, was $1,253 million, compared to $1,632 million in 2023, a decrease of $379 million, or 23.2 per cent. The major factors impacting adjusted EBITDA include:

    • Gas adjusted EBITDA decreased by $266 million, or 33 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to lower power prices in the Alberta market and resulting increase in economic dispatch, an increase in the price of carbon, higher carbon costs and fuel usage related to production and lower capacity payments, partially offset by a higher volume of favourable hedging positions settled, the utilization of emission credits to settle a portion of our 2023 GHG obligation and lower natural gas prices;
    • Hydro adjusted EBITDA decreased by $143 million, or 31 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to lower spot power prices and ancillary services prices in the Alberta market, partially offset by realized premiums above the spot power prices, higher environmental and tax attributes revenues due to higher sales of emission credits to third parties and intercompany sales to the Gas segment and higher ancillary service volumes due to increased demand by the AESO;
    • Energy Transition adjusted EBITDA decreased by $31 million, or 25 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to increased economic dispatch driven by lower market prices which negatively impacted merchant production, partially offset by lower fuel and purchased power costs; and
    • Corporate adjusted EBITDA decreased by $20 million, or 17 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to higher spending to support strategic and growth initiatives; partially offset by
    • Wind and Solar adjusted EBITDA increasing by $59 million, or 23 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to new sales of production tax credits, the return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities, the commercial operation of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities, partially offset by lower realized power pricing in the Alberta market and higher OM&A due to the addition of new wind facilities; and
    • Energy Marketing adjusted EBITDA increasing by $22 million, or 20 per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to favourable market volatility and timing of realized settled trades during the current year in comparison to the prior year and lower OM&A.

    Cash flow from operating activities totalled $796 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to $1,464 million in the same period in 2023, a decrease of $668 million, or 46 per cent, primarily due to:

    • Lower gross margin due to lower revenues, excluding the effect of unrealized losses from risk management activities, partially offset by lower fuel and purchased power;
    • Higher OM&A due to increased spending on planning and design of an ERP system upgrade, higher spending on strategic and growth initiatives, penalties assessed by the Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator for self-reported contraventions and Heartland acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs;
    • Higher current income tax expense due to the full utilization of Canadian non-capital loss carryforwards in 2023, which was partially offset by lower earnings before income tax in 2024;
    • Unfavourable change in non-cash operating working capital balances due to lower accounts payables and accrued liabilities, partially offset by lower collateral provided as a result of market price volatility;
    • Higher interest expense on debt primarily due to lower capitalized interest resulting from lower construction activity in 2024 compared to 2023; and
    • Lower interest income due to lower cash balances and lower interest rates.

    FCF totalled $569 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to $890 million for the same period in 2023, a decrease of $321 million, or 36 per cent, primarily driven by:

    • The adjusted EBITDA items noted above;
    • Higher current income tax expense due to the full utilization of Canadian non-capital loss carryforwards in 2023, partially offset by lower earnings before income taxes in 2024; and
    • Higher net interest expense due to lower capitalized interest resulting from lower construction activity in 2024 compared to 2023, and lower interest income due to lower cash balances and interest rates in 2024 compared to prior year; partially offset by
    • Lower distributions paid to subsidiaries’ non-controlling interests relating to lower TA Cogen net earnings resulting from lower merchant pricing in the Alberta market and the cessation of distributions to TransAlta Renewables non-controlling interest;
    • Lower sustaining capital expenditures due to the receipt of a lease incentive related to the Company’s head office and lower planned major maintenance at our Alberta and Western Australian gas facilities, partially offset by higher major maintenance at our Alberta Hydro assets; and
    • Higher provisions accrued in the current year compared to the prior year resulting in higher FCF.

    Earnings before income taxes totalled $319 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to $880 million in the same period in 2023, a decrease of $561 million, or 64 per cent.

    Net earnings attributable to common shareholders totalled $177 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to $644 million in the same period in 2023, a decrease of $467 million, or 73 per cent, primarily due to:

    • The adjusted EBITDA items discussed above;
    • Higher asset impairment charges due to an increase in decommissioning and restoration provisions on retired assets, driven by a decrease in discount rates and revisions in estimated decommissioning costs and higher impairment charges related to development projects that are no longer proceeding;
    • Lower unrealized mark-to-market gains and lower realized gains on closed exchange positions in the Energy Marketing segment mainly driven by market volatility across North American power and natural gas markets;
    • Higher unrealized mark-to-market losses recorded in the Wind and Solar segment primarily related to the long-term wind energy sales at the Oklahoma facilities;
    • Higher interest expense due to lower capitalized interest during 2024 resulting from lower construction activity in 2024 compared to 2023;
    • Lower capacity payments in 2024 for Southern Cross Energy in Western Australia due to the scheduled conclusion on Dec. 31, 2023 of the demand capacity charge under the customer contract, partially offset by the commencement in March 2024 of capacity payments for the Mount Keith 132kV expansion;
    • Heartland acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs;
    • Lower interest income due to lower cash balances and lower interest rates during 2024;
    • Higher spending in connection with planning and design work on a planned upgrade to the ERP system;
    • Lower income tax expense due to lower earnings; and
    • Penalties assessed by the Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator for self-reported contraventions pertaining to Hydro ancillary services provided during 2021 and 2022; partially offset by
    • Lower depreciation and amortization compared to 2023 related to revisions of useful lives of certain facilities in prior and current periods, partially offset by the commercial operation of new facilities during the year and the return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities;
    • Higher unrealized mark-to-market gains recorded in the Energy Transition segment primarily related to favourable changes in forward prices;
    • A recovery related to the reversal of previously derecognized Canadian deferred tax assets; and
    • Higher net other operating income mainly due to Sundance A decommissioning cost reimbursement.

    Fourth Quarter Financial Results Summary

    Fourth quarter 2024 results were in-line with management’s expectations due to active management of the Company’s merchant portfolio and hedging strategies, despite lower power prices in the Alberta and mid-Columbia markets. The Company settled a higher volume of hedges that were significantly above average spot prices during the period. The acquisition of Heartland on Dec. 4, 2024 positively contributed to production in the Gas segment and further diversifies TransAlta’s competitive portfolio in the highly dynamic and shifting electricity landscape in Alberta by adding 1.7 GW to gross installed capacity.

    Availability for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, was 87.8 per cent, compared to 86.9 per cent for the same period in 2023, an increase of 0.9 percentage points, primarily due to:

    • The addition of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities which operated with high availability;
    • The return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities;
    • Higher availability in the Hydro segment due to lower planned outages;
    • Higher availability in the Energy Transition segment due to lower unplanned outages; and
    • Positive contribution from the addition of the gas facilities acquired with Heartland; partially offset by
    • Lower availability for the Gas segment due to planned outages at Sarnia, Sheerness and Keephills.

    Production for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, was 6,199 GWh, compared to 5,783 GWh for the same period in 2023. The increase of 416 GWh, or seven per cent, was primarily due to:

    • Higher production in the Wind and Solar segment due to the addition of the Horizon Hill and White Rock West and East wind facilities during 2024;
    • Higher production in the Hydro segment compared to the same period in 2023 due to water conservation in the fourth quarter of 2023 that resulted in lower production volumes compared to the current period; partially offset by
    • Lower production in the Energy Transition segment due to higher dispatch optimization, which negatively affected merchant production; and
    • Lower production in the Gas segment driven by lower availability at the Sarnia facility due to planned outages, higher economic dispatch in Alberta and lower production from Western Australia due to lower demand, partially offset by positive contribution from the Heartland gas facilities.

    Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, was $285 million, compared to $289 million in the same period of 2023, a decrease of $4 million, or one per cent. The major factors impacting adjusted EBITDA are summarized below:

    • Gas adjusted EBITDA decreased by $25 million, or 18 per cent, due to lower realized power prices in Alberta, an increase in the carbon price in Canada and higher OM&A driven by higher maintenance costs at the South Hedland facility, partially offset by a higher volume of favourable hedging positions settled, positive contribution from the Heartland gas facilities and lower capacity payments;
    • Corporate adjusted EBITDA decreased by $8 million, or 27 per cent, due to higher spending to support strategic and growth initiatives; partially offset by
    • Wind and Solar adjusted EBITDA increasing by $13 million, or 16 per cent, due to environmental and tax attributes revenues from the sale of PTCs from the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities to taxable US counterparties, higher revenues driven by increased production from the addition of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities and the return to service of the Kent Hills wind facilities, partially offset by unfavourable merchant power prices in Alberta;
    • Energy Marketing adjusted EBITDA increasing by $13 million, or 93 per cent, due to favourable market volatility and the timing of realized settled trades during 2024 in comparison to the same period in 2023;
    • Energy Transition adjusted EBITDA increasing by $2 million, or eight per cent, compared to 2023, primarily due to lower fuel and purchased power costs, partially offset by increased economic dispatch due to lower market prices; and
    • Hydro adjusted EBITDA increasing by $1 million, or two per cent, due to higher merchant revenues driven by higher volumes, partially offset by lower spot power prices and lower environmental and tax attributes revenues.

    FCF totalled $48 million for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, compared to $121 million in the same period in 2023, a decrease of $73 million, or 60 per cent, primarily due to:

    • The adjusted EBITDA items noted above;
    • Higher realized foreign exchange losses compared to realized foreign exchange gains in the comparative period;
    • Higher current income tax expense due to the full utilization of Canadian non-capital loss carryforwards in 2023, partially offset by a higher loss before income taxes in the current period compared to the same period in 2023;
    • Higher net interest expense due to lower capitalized interest as a result of capital projects being completed in the first half of 2024 and lower interest income due to lower cash balances in 2024; and
    • Higher dividends paid on preferred shares; partially offset by
    • Lower distributions paid to subsidiaries’ non-controlling interests due to lower TA Cogen net earnings;
    • Lower sustaining capital due to lower planned maintenance at the Alberta gas facilities, partially offset by higher planned maintenance at the Sarnia cogeneration facility and Alberta hydro facilities; and
    • Higher provisions accrued in the current year compared to the prior year resulting in higher FCF.

    Net loss attributable to common shareholders for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024, was $65 million, compared to a net loss of $84 million in the same period of 2023, an improvement of $19 million, or 23 per cent, primarily due to:

    • The adjusted EBITDA items discussed above;
    • Higher interest expense due to lower capitalized interest in the fourth quarter of 2024 resulting from lower capital activity compared to the same period in 2023;
    • Heartland acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs in the fourth quarter of 2024;
    • Higher ERP upgrade costs related to planning and design work;
    • Penalties assessed by the Alberta Market Surveillance Administrator for self-reported contraventions pertaining to Hydro ancillary services provided during 2021 and 2022;
    • Higher depreciation and amortization due to the commercial operation of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities during 2024; and
    • Higher taxes other than income taxes, mainly consisting of property taxes due to the addition of new wind facilities during 2024; partially offset by
    • Higher realized and unrealized foreign exchange gains;
    • Lower realized gains on closed exchange positions in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023;
    • An income tax recovery relative to the prior period expense as a result of a higher loss before income taxes due to the above noted items; in addition to lower non-deductible expenses;
    • Lower net earnings attributable to non-controlling interest compared to the same period in 2023 due to lower merchant pricing in the Alberta market;
    • Higher net other operating income mainly due to Sundance A decommissioning cost reimbursement; and
    • Lower asset impairment charges related to the decommissioning and restoration provisions on retired assets driven by lower discount rates in the current period compared to the same period in 2023, partially offset by impairment charges related to development projects that are no longer proceeding.

    Alberta Electricity Portfolio

    For the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2024, the Alberta electricity portfolio generated 3,150 GWh and 11,809 GWh, respectively, compared to 2,989 GWh and 11,759 GWh, respectively, in the same periods in 2023. The annual production increase of 50 GWh, or 0.4 per cent, was primarily due to:

    • Higher production in the Gas segment due to the addition of gas facilities from the acquisition of Heartland; and
    • A full-year of production from the addition of the Garden Plain wind facility, which was commissioned in August 2023; partially offset by
    • Higher dispatch optimization in the Gas segment; and
    • Lower production from the Alberta hydro facilities due to lower water resources compared to the prior year.

    The fourth quarter production increase of 161 GWh, or five per cent, benefited from:

    • Higher production from the Gas segment due to the Heartland acquisition; and
    • Higher production from the Alberta hydro facilities due to significant water conservation during the fourth quarter of 2023; partially offset by
    • Higher economic dispatch for the Alberta gas facilities; and
    • Lower production in the Wind and Solar segment due to lower wind resource.

    Gross margin for the Alberta portfolio for the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2024, was $191 million and $856 million, respectively, a decrease of $24 million and $392 million, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2023. The annual decrease was primarily due to:

    • The impact of lower Alberta spot power prices and lower hydro ancillary services prices;
    • Increased dispatch optimization in the Gas segment driven by lower power prices; and
    • An increase in the carbon price per tonne from $65 in 2023 to $80 in 2024; partially offset by
    • Higher gains realized on financial hedges settled in the period;
    • Higher environmental and tax attributes revenues due to the increased sales of emission credits to third parties and intercompany sales from the Hydro segment to the Gas segment;
    • The utilization of emission credits in the Gas segment in 2024 to settle a portion of our 2023 GHG obligation;
    • Higher hydro ancillary services volumes due to increased demand by the AESO; and
    • Lower natural gas prices.

    Gross margin for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024 was impacted by:

    • Lower Alberta spot power prices;
    • Higher carbon compliance costs due to increase in the carbon price from $65 per tonne in 2023 to $80 per tonne in 2024; and
    • Higher purchased power due to the contractual requirement to fulfill physical power trades; partially offset by
    • Higher gains realized on financial hedges settled in the period.

    Alberta power prices for 2024 were lower compared to 2023. The average spot power price per MWh for the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2024, was $52 and $63, respectively, compared to $82 and $134, respectively, in the same periods in 2023. This was primarily due to:

    • Higher generation from the addition of increased supply of new renewables and combined-cycle gas facilities into the market compared to the prior period; and
    • Lower natural gas prices.

    Hedged volumes for the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2024, were 2,637 GWh and 9,080 GWh at an average price of $80 per MWh and $84 per MWh, respectively, compared to 1,824 GWh and 7,550 GWh at an average price of $90 per MWh and $110 per MWh, respectively, in 2023.

    Liquidity and Financial Position

    We maintain adequate available liquidity under our committed credit facilities. As at Dec. 31, 2024, we had access to $1.6 billion in liquidity, including $336 million in cash, which exceeds the funds required for committed growth, sustaining capital and productivity projects.

    2025 Outlook and Financial Guidance

    For 2025, management expects adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $1.15 to $1.25 billion and FCF to be in the range of $450 to $550 million, based on the following, relative to 2024:

    • Higher contribution from the wind and solar portfolio due to a full-year impact of new asset additions of the White Rock and Horizon Hill wind facilities;
    • Contribution from assets acquired with Heartland;
    • Lower contributions from the legacy merchant hydro, wind and gas assets in Alberta which are expected to step down due to lower expected average power prices in Alberta given baseload gas and renewables supply additions in late 2024 and 2025;
    • Lower current income tax expense in 2025 compared to 2024 actual; and
    • Increased net interest expense in 2025 as a result of the Heartland acquisition and lower interest income earned on lower cash deposits and lower capitalized interest on growth projects.

    The following table outlines our expectations regarding key financial targets and related assumptions for 2025 and should be read in conjunction with the narrative discussion that follows and the Governance and Risk Management section of the MD&A for additional information:

    Measure 2025 Target 2024 Target 2024 Actual
    Adjusted EBITDA $1,150 to $1,250 million $1,150 to $1,300 million $1,253 million
    FCF $450 to $550 million $450 to $600 million $569 million
    FCF per share $1.51 to $1.85 $1.47 to $1.96 $1.88
    Annual dividend per share $0.26 annualized $0.24 annualized $0.24 annualized

    The Company’s outlook for 2025 may be impacted by a number of factors as detailed further below.

    Market 2025 Assumptions 2024 Assumptions 2024 Actual
    Alberta spot ($/MWh) $40 to $60 $75 to $95 $63
    Mid-Columbia spot (US$/MWh) US$50 to US$70 US$85 to US$95 US$76
    AECO gas price ($/GJ) $1.60 to $2.10 $2.50 to $3.00 $1.29

    Alberta spot price sensitivity: a +/- $1 per MWh change in spot price is expected to have a +/-$3 million impact on adjusted EBITDA for 2025.

    Other assumptions relevant to the 2025 outlook

      2025 Assumptions 2024 Assumptions 2024 Actual
    Energy Marketing gross margin $110 to $130 million $110 to $130 million $167 million
    Sustaining capital $145 to $165 million $130 to $150 million $142 million
    Current income tax expense $95 to $130 million $95 to $130 million $143 million
    Net interest expense $255 to $275 million $240 to $260 million $231 million
    Hedging assumptions Q1 2025 Q2 2025 Q3 2025 Q4 2025  2026
    Hedged production (GWh)  2,117  1,758  1,942  1,845  4,713
    Hedge price ($/MWh) $72 $70 $70 $70 $75
    Hedged gas volumes (GJ) 14 million 6 million 6 million 6 million 18 million
    Hedge gas prices ($/GJ) $2.98 $3.63 $3.77 $3.65 $3.67


    Conference call

    TransAlta will host a conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. MST (11:00 a.m. EST) today, Feb. 20, 2025, to discuss our fourth quarter and year end 2024 results. The call will begin with comments from John Kousinioris, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Joel Hunter, EVP Finance and Chief Financial Officer, followed by a question-and-answer period.

    Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Conference Call

    Webcast link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/zd49obg6 

    To access the conference call via telephone, please register ahead of time using the call link here: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI5c12d9a2da0e4e06892f413e217f0350. Once registered, participants will have the option of 1) dialing into the call from their phone (via a personalized PIN); or 2) clicking the “Call Me” option to receive an automated call directly to their phone.

    Related materials will be available on the Investor Centre section of TransAlta’s website at https://transalta.com/investors/presentations-and-events/. If you are unable to participate in the call, the replay will be accessible at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/zd49obg6. A transcript of the broadcast will be posted on TransAlta’s website once it becomes available.

    Notes

    (1)These items (adjusted EBITDA, FCF and annual average EBITDA) are not defined and have no standardized meaning under IFRS. Presenting these items from period to period provides management and investors with the ability to evaluate earnings (loss) trends more readily in comparison with prior periods’ results. Please refer to the Non-IFRS Measures section of this earnings release for further discussion of these items, including, where applicable, reconciliations to measures calculated in accordance with IFRS.
    (2)Funds from operations (FFO) per share and free cash flow (FCF) per share are calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Refer to the Additional IFRS Measures and Non-IFRS Measures section of the MD&A for the purpose of these non-‍IFRS ratios.

    Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures

    We use a number of financial measures to evaluate our performance and the performance of our business segments, including measures and ratios that are presented on a non-IFRS basis, as described below. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are in Canadian dollars and have been derived from our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. We believe that these non-IFRS amounts, measures and ratios, read together with our IFRS amounts, provide readers with a better understanding of how management assesses results.

    Non-IFRS amounts, measures and ratios do not have standardized meanings under IFRS. They are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies and should not be viewed in isolation from, as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, our IFRS results.

    Adjusted EBITDA

    Each business segment assumes responsibility for its operating results measured by adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is an important metric for management that represents our core operational results. Interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are not included, as differences in accounting treatments may distort our core business results. In addition, certain reclassifications and adjustments are made to better assess results, excluding those items that may not be reflective of ongoing business performance. This presentation may facilitate the readers’ analysis of trends.

    Average Annual EBITDA

    Average annual EBITDA is a forward-looking non-IFRS financial measure that is used to show the average annual EBITDA that the project is expected to generate.

    Funds From Operations (FFO)

    FFO is an important metric as it provides a proxy for cash generated from operating activities before changes in working capital and provides the ability to evaluate cash flow trends in comparison with results from prior periods. FFO is a non-IFRS measure. The most directly comparable IFRS measure is Cash Flow from Operations.

    Free Cash Flow (FCF)

    FCF is an important metric as it represents the amount of cash that is available to invest in growth initiatives, make scheduled principal repayments on debt, repay maturing debt, pay common share dividends or repurchase common shares. Changes in working capital are excluded so FFO and FCF are not distorted by changes that we consider temporary in nature, reflecting, among other things, the impact of seasonal factors and timing of receipts and payments. FCF is a non-IFRS measure. The most directly comparable IFRS measure is Cash Flow from Operations.

    Non-IFRS Ratios

    FFO per share, FCF per share and adjusted net debt to adjusted EBITDA are non-IFRS ratios that are presented in the MD&A. Refer to the Reconciliation of Cash Flow from Operations to FFO and FCF and Key Non-IFRS Financial Ratios sections of the MD&A for additional information.

    FFO per share and FCF per share

    FFO per share and FCF per share are calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. FFO per share and FCF per share are non-IFRS ratios.

    Reconciliation of these non-IFRS financial measures to the most comparable IFRS measure are provided below.

    Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures on a Consolidated Basis

    The following table reflects adjusted EBITDA by segment and provides reconciliation to earnings before income taxes for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2024:

    Three months ended Dec. 31, 2024
    $ millions
    Hydro   Wind & Solar(1)   Gas   Energy Transition   Energy
    Marketing
    Corporate   Total   Equity accounted investments(1)   Reclass adjustments   IFRS financials  
    Revenues 93   104   319   155   14   685   (7 )   678  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Unrealized mark-to-market (gain) loss 4   23   26   (8 ) 19   64     (64 )  
    Realized gains (losses) on closed exchange positions     (1 ) 2   1   2     (2 )  
    Decrease in finance lease receivable   1   5       6     (6 )  
    Finance lease income   2   3       5     (5 )  
    Revenues from Planned Divestitures     (1 )     (1 )   1    
    Brazeau penalties (20 )         (20 )   20    
    Unrealized foreign exchange gain on commodity     (1 )     (1 )   1    
    Adjusted revenues 77   130   350   149   34   740   (7 ) (55 ) 678  
    Fuel and purchased power 3   8   136   102     249       249  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Fuel and purchased power related to Planned Divestitures     (1 )     (1 )   1    
    Australian interest income     (1 )     (1 )   1    
    Adjusted fuel and purchased power 3   8   134   102     247     2   249  
    Carbon compliance     39       39       39  
    Gross margin 74   122   177   47   34   454   (7 ) (57 ) 390  
    OM&A 47   27   67   19   7 68   235   (1 )   234  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                    
    Brazeau penalties (31 )         (31 )   31    
    ERP integration costs         (14 ) (14 )   14    
    Acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs         (16 ) (16 )   16    
    Adjusted OM&A 16   27   67   19   7 38   174   (1 ) 61   234  
    Taxes, other than income taxes 1   3   4       8   1     9  
    Net other operating income   (3 ) (10 ) (9 )   (22 )     (22 )
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                    
    Sundance A decommissioning cost reimbursement       9     9     (9 )  
    Adjusted net other operating income   (3 ) (10 )     (13 )   (9 ) (22 )
    Adjusted EBITDA(2) 57   95   116   28   27 (38 ) 285        
    Equity income                   2  
    Finance lease income                   5  
    Depreciation and amortization                   (143 )
    Asset impairment charges                   (20 )
    Interest income                   11  
    Interest expense                   (92 )
    Foreign exchange gain                   17  
    Loss before income taxes                   (51 )

    (1)  The Skookumchuck wind facility has been included on a proportionate basis in the Wind and Solar segment.
    (2)  Adjusted EBITDA is not defined and has no standardized meaning under IFRS. Refer to the Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures section in this earnings release and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

    The following table reflects adjusted EBITDA by segment and provides reconciliation to loss before income taxes for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2023:

    Three months ended Dec. 31, 2023
    $ millions
    Hydro   Wind &
    Solar
    (1)
      Gas   Energy
    Transition
    Energy
    Marketing
      Corporate   Total   Equity
    accounted
    investments
    (1)
      Reclass
    adjustments
      IFRS
    financials
     
    Revenues 77   94   246   175 39     631   (7 )   624  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Unrealized mark-to-market (gain) loss (2 ) 20   53   7 (19 )   59     (59 )  
    Realized gain on closed exchange positions     23   4     27     (27 )  
    Decrease in finance lease receivable     15       15     (15 )  
    Finance lease income     2       2     (2 )  
    Unrealized foreign exchange gain on commodity     1       1     (1 )  
    Adjusted revenues 75   114   340   182 24     735   (7 ) (104 ) 624  
    Fuel and purchased power 5   8   127   138     278       278  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Australian interest income     (1 )     (1 )   1    
    Adjusted fuel and purchased power 5   8   126   138     277     1   278  
    Carbon compliance     27       27       27  
    Gross margin 70   106   187   44 24     431   (7 ) (105 ) 319  
    OM&A 13   25   56   18 10   29   151   (1 )   150  
    Taxes, other than income taxes 1   1       1   3       3  
    Net other operating income   (3 ) (10 )     (13 )     (13 )
    Adjusted net other operating income   (2 ) (10 )     (12 )   (1 ) (13 )
    Adjusted EBITDA(2) 56   82   141   26 14   (30 ) 289        
    Equity income                   3  
    Finance lease income                   2  
    Depreciation and amortization                   (132 )
    Asset impairment charges                   (26 )
    Interest income                   12  
    Interest expense                   (66 )
    Foreign exchange loss                   (7 )
    Loss before income taxes                   (35 )

    (1)  The Skookumchuck wind facility has been included on a proportionate basis in the Wind and Solar segment.
    (2)  Adjusted EBITDA is not defined and has no standardized meaning under IFRS. Refer to the Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures section in this earnings release and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

    The following table reflects adjusted EBITDA by segment and provides reconciliation to earnings before income taxes for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024:

    Year ended Dec. 31, 2024
    $ millions
    Hydro Wind &
    Solar
    (1)
      Gas   Energy
    Transition
      Energy
    Marketing
      Corporate   Total   Equity
    accounted
    investments
    (1)
      Reclass
    adjustments
      IFRS
    financials
     
    Revenues 409   357   1,350   616   168   (34 ) 2,866   (21 )   2,845  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Unrealized mark-to-market (gain) loss 1   84   (60 ) (36 ) 14     3     (3 )  
    Realized gain (loss) on closed exchange positions     7   2   (15 )   (6 )   6    
    Decrease in finance lease receivable   2   19         21     (21 )  
    Finance lease income   6   8         14     (14 )  
    Revenues from Planned Divestitures     (1 )       (1 )   1    
    Brazeau penalty (20 )           (20 )   20    
    Unrealized foreign exchange loss on commodity     (2 )       (2 )   2    
    Adjusted revenues 390   449   1,321   582   167   (34 ) 2,875   (21 ) (9 ) 2,845  
    Fuel and purchased power 16   30   475   418       939       939  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Fuel and purchased power related to Planned Divestitures     (1 )       (1 )   1    
    Australian interest income     (4 )       (4 )   4    
    Adjusted fuel and purchased power 16   30   470   418       934     5   939  
    Carbon compliance     145   1     (34 ) 112       112  
    Gross margin 374   419   706   163   167     1,829   (21 ) (14 ) 1,794  
    OM&A 86   97   198   69   36   173   659   (4 )   655  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                    
    Brazeau penalty (31 )           (31 )   31    
    ERP implementation costs           (14 ) (14 )   14    
    Acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs           (24 ) (24 )   24    
    Adjusted OM&A 55   97   198   69   36   135   590   (4 ) 69   655  
    Taxes, other than income taxes 3   16   13   3     1   36       36  
    Net other operating income   (10 ) (40 ) (9 )     (59 )     (59 )
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                    
    Sundance A decommissioning cost reimbursement       9       9     (9 )  
    Adjusted net other operating income   (10 ) (40 )       (50 )   (9 ) (59 )
    Adjusted EBITDA(2) 316   316   535   91   131   (136 ) 1,253        
    Equity income                   5  
    Finance lease income                   14  
    Depreciation and amortization                   (531 )
    Asset impairment charges                   (46 )
    Interest income                   30  
    Interest expense                   (324 )
    Foreign exchange gain                   5  
    Gain on sale of assets and other                   4  
    Earnings before income taxes                   319  

    (1)  The Skookumchuck wind facility has been included on a proportionate basis in the Wind and Solar segment.
    (2)  Adjusted EBITDA is not defined and has no standardized meaning under IFRS. Refer to the Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures section in this earnings release and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

    The following table reflects adjusted EBITDA by segment and provides reconciliation to earnings before income taxes for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023:

    Year ended Dec. 31, 2023
    $ millions
    Hydro   Wind &
    Solar
    (1)
      Gas   Energy
    Transition
      Energy
    Marketing
      Corporate   Total   Equity
    accounted
    investments
    (1)
      Reclass
    adjustments
      IFRS
    financials
     
    Revenues 533   357   1,514   751   220   1   3,376   (21 )   3,355  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Unrealized mark-to-market loss (4 ) 16   (67 ) (5 ) 23     (37 )   37    
    Realized gain (loss) on closed exchange positions     10     (91 )   (81 )   81    
    Decrease in finance lease receivable     55         55     (55 )  
    Finance lease income     12         12     (12 )  
    Unrealized foreign exchange gain on commodity     1         1     (1 )  
    Adjusted revenues 529   373   1,525   746   152   1   3,326   (21 ) 50   3,355  
    Fuel and purchased power 19   30   453   557     1   1,060       1,060  
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Australian interest income     (4 )       (4 )   4    
    Adjusted fuel and purchased power 19   30   449   557     1   1,056     4   1,060  
    Carbon compliance     112         112       112  
    Gross margin 510   343   964   189   152     2,158   (21 ) 46   2,183  
    OM&A 48   80   192   64   43   115   542   (3 )   539  
    Taxes, other than income taxes 3   12   11   3     1   30   (1 )   29  
    Net other operating income   (7 ) (40 )       (47 )     (47 )
    Reclassifications and adjustments:                  
    Insurance recovery   1           1     (1 )  
    Adjusted net other operating income   (6 ) (40 )       (46 )   (1 ) (47 )
    Adjusted EBITDA(2) 459   257   801   122   109   (116 ) 1,632        
    Equity income                   4  
    Finance lease income                   12  
    Depreciation and amortization                   (621 )
    Asset impairment reversals                   48  
    Interest income                   59  
    Interest expense                   (281 )
    Foreign exchange gain                   (7 )
    Gain on sale of assets and other                   4  
    Earnings before income taxes                   880  

    (1)  The Skookumchuck wind facility has been included on a proportionate basis in the Wind and Solar segment.
    (2)  Adjusted EBITDA is not defined and has no standardized meaning under IFRS. Refer to the Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures section in this earnings release and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.


    Reconciliation of cash flow from operations to FFO and FCF

    The table below reconciles our cash flow from operating activities to our FFO and FCF:

      Three Months Ended Year Ended
    $ millions, unless otherwise stated Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023   Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023  
    Cash flow from operating activities(1) 215   310   796   1,464  
    Change in non-cash operating working capital balances (97 ) (135 ) (38 ) (124 )
    Cash flow from operations before changes in working capital 118   175   758   1,340  
    Adjustments        
    Share of adjusted FFO from joint venture(1) 4   3   8   8  
    Decrease in finance lease receivable 6   15   21   55  
    Clean energy transition provisions and adjustments(2)   4     11  
    Sundance A decommissioning cost reimbursement (9 )   (9 )  
    Realized gain (loss) on closed exchanged positions 2   27   (6 ) (81 )
    Acquisition-related transaction and restructuring costs 11     19    
    Other(3) 5   5   19   18  
    FFO(4) 137   229   810   1,351  
    Deduct:        
    Sustaining capital(1) (67 ) (74 ) (142 ) (174 )
    Productivity capital (1 ) (1 ) (1 ) (3 )
    Dividends paid on preferred shares (13 ) (12 ) (52 ) (51 )
    Distributions paid to subsidiaries’ non-controlling interests (6 ) (19 ) (40 ) (223 )
    Principal payments on lease liabilities (3 ) (2 ) (6 ) (10 )
    Other 1        
    FCF(4) 48   121   569   890  
    Weighted average number of common shares outstanding in the period 298   308   302   276  
    FFO per share(4) 0.46   0.74   2.68   4.89  
    FCF per share(4) 0.16   0.39   1.88   3.22  

    (1)  Includes our share of amounts for the Skookumchuck wind facility, an equity-accounted joint venture.
    (2)  2023 includes amounts related to onerous contracts recognized in 2021 and a voluntary contribution to the US Defined Benefit Pension Plan for the Centralia thermal facility.
    (3)  Other consists of production tax credits, which is a reduction to tax equity debt, less distributions from an equity-accounted joint venture.
    (4)  These items are not defined and have no standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Refer to the Non-IFRS Measures section in this earnings release .

    The table below provides a reconciliation of our adjusted EBITDA to our FFO and FCF:

      Three Months Ended Year Ended
    $ millions, unless otherwise stated Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023   Dec. 31, 2024   Dec. 31, 2023  
    Adjusted EBITDA(1)(4) 285   289   1,253   1,632  
    Provisions 2   (1 ) 10   (1 )
    Net interest expense(2) (64 ) (41 ) (231 ) (164 )
    Current income tax recovery (expense) (20 ) 5   (143 ) (50 )
    Realized foreign exchange gain (loss) (20 ) 9   (27 ) (4 )
    Decommissioning and restoration costs settled (12 ) (15 ) (41 ) (37 )
    Other non-cash items (34 ) (17 ) (11 ) (25 )
    FFO(3)(4) 137   229   810   1,351  
    Deduct:        
    Sustaining capital(4) (67 ) (74 ) (142 ) (174 )
    Productivity capital (1 ) (1 ) (1 ) (3 )
    Dividends paid on preferred shares (13 ) (12 ) (52 ) (51 )
    Distributions paid to subsidiaries’ non-controlling interests (6 ) (19 ) (40 ) (223 )
    Principal payments on lease liabilities (3 ) (2 ) (6 ) (10 )
    Other 1        
    FCF(4) 48   121   569   890  

    (1)  Adjusted EBITDA is defined in the Additional IFRS Measures and Non-IFRS Measures of this earnings release and reconciled to earnings (loss) before income taxes above.
    (2) Net interest expense includes interest expense less interest income and excludes non-cash items like financing amortization and accretion.
    (3)  These items are not defined and have no standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. FFO and FCF are defined in the Non-IFRS financial measures and other specified financial measures section of in this earnings release and reconciled to cash flow from operating activities above.
    (4)  Includes our share of amounts for Skookumchuck wind facility, an equity-accounted joint venture.

    TransAlta is in the process of filing its Annual Information Form, Audited Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes, as well as the associated Management’s Discussion & Analysis (MD&A). These documents will be available today on the Investors section of TransAlta’s website at www.transalta.com or through SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.

    TransAlta will also be filing its Form 40-F with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The form will be available through their website at www.sec.gov. Paper copies of all documents are available to shareholders free of charge upon request.

    About TransAlta Corporation:

    TransAlta owns, operates and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States and Western Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. TransAlta provides municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses and utility customers with clean, affordable, energy efficient and reliable power. Today, TransAlta is one of Canada’s largest producers of wind power and Alberta’s largest producer of hydro-electric power. For over 112 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud member of the communities where we operate and where our employees work and live. TransAlta aligns its corporate goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, which also defines sustainable goals for businesses. Our reporting on climate change management has been guided by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S2 Climate-related Disclosures Standard and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. TransAlta has achieved a 70 per cent reduction in GHG emissions or 22.7 million tonnes CO2e since 2015 and received an upgraded MSCI ESG rating of AA.

    For more information about TransAlta, visit our web site at transalta.com.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release includes “forward-looking information,” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, and “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of applicable United States securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are not facts, but only predictions and generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as “may”, “will”, “can”, “could”, “would”, “shall”, “believe”, “expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “forecast”, “foresee”, “potential”, “enable”, “continue” or other comparable terminology. These statements are not guarantees of our future performance, events or results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual performance, events or results to be materially different from those set out in or implied by the forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements about the following, among other things: the strategic objectives of the Company and that the execution of the Company’s strategy will realize value for shareholders; our capital allocation and financing strategy; our sustainability goals and targets, including those in our 2024 Sustainability Report; our 2025 Outlook; our financial and operational performance, including our hedge position; optimizing and diversifying our existing assets; the increasingly contracted nature of our fleet; expectations about strategies for growth and expansion, including opportunities for Centralia redevelopment, and data centre opportunities; expected costs and schedules for planned projects; expected regulatory processes and outcomes, including in relation to the Alberta restructured energy market; the power generation industry and the supply and demand of electricity; the cyclicality of our business; expected outcomes with respect to legal proceedings; the expected impact of future tax and accounting changes; and expected industry, market and economic conditions.

    The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on many assumptions including, but not limited to, the following: no significant changes to applicable laws and regulations; no unexpected delays in obtaining required regulatory approvals; no material adverse impacts to investment and credit markets; no significant changes to power price and hedging assumptions; no significant changes to gas commodity price assumptions and transport costs; no significant changes to interest rates; no significant changes to the demand and growth of renewables generation; no significant changes to the integrity and reliability of our facilities; no significant changes to the Company’s debt and credit ratings; no unforeseen changes to economic and market conditions; and no significant event occurring outside the ordinary course of business.

    These assumptions are based on information currently available to TransAlta, including information obtained from third-party sources. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted. Factors that may adversely impact what is expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in power prices; changes in supply and demand for electricity; our ability to contract our electricity generation for prices that will provide expected returns; our ability to replace contracts as they expire; risks associated with development projects and acquisitions; any difficulty raising needed capital in the future on reasonable terms or at all; our ability to achieve our targets relating to ESG; long-term commitments on gas transportation capacity that may not be fully utilized over time; changes to the legislative, regulatory and political environments; environmental requirements and changes in, or liabilities under, these requirements; operational risks involving our facilities, including unplanned outages and equipment failure; disruptions in the transmission and distribution of electricity; reductions in production; impairments and/or writedowns of assets; adverse impacts on our information technology systems and our internal control systems, including increased cybersecurity threats; commodity risk management and energy trading risks; reduced labour availability and ability to continue to staff our operations and facilities; disruptions to our supply chains; climate-change related risks; reductions to our generating units’ relative efficiency or capacity factors; general economic risks, including deterioration of equity and debt markets, increasing interest rates or rising inflation; general domestic and international economic and political developments, including potential trade tariffs; industry risk and competition; counterparty credit risk; inadequacy or unavailability of insurance coverage; increases in the Company’s income taxes and any risk of reassessments; legal, regulatory and contractual disputes and proceedings involving the Company; reliance on key personnel; and labour relations matters.

    The foregoing risk factors, among others, are described in further detail under the heading “Governance and Risk Management” in the MD&A, which section is incorporated by reference herein.

    Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully when evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made only as of the date hereof and we do not undertake to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. The purpose of the financial outlooks contained herein is to give the reader information about management’s current expectations and plans and readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

    Note: All financial figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

    For more information:

    Investor Inquiries: Media Inquiries:
    Phone: 1-800-387-3598 in Canada and US Phone: 1-855-255-9184
    Email: investor_relations@transalta.com Email: ta_media_relations@transalta.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Cenovus Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX: CVE) (NYSE: CVE) today announced its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial and operating results. In the quarter, the company generated over $2.0 billion in cash from operating activities, $1.6 billion of adjusted funds flow and $123 million of free funds flow. The Upstream business continued to deliver strong performance, with production of 816,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/d)1 in the quarter, including a new quarterly Oil Sands production record of 628,500 BOE/d. In the Downstream, total crude throughput increased by almost 24,000 barrels per day (bbls/d) from the previous quarter to 666,700 bbls/d, representing an aggregate utilization rate of 93%.

    Highlights

    • Delivered quarterly Upstream production of 816,000 BOE/d, an increase of 6% relative to the previous quarter and 1% relative to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Highest-ever quarterly and annual Oil Sands production rates at 628,500 BOE/d and 610,700 BOE/d respectively, including record annual rates at both Foster Creek and the Lloydminster thermal assets.
    • Improving quarterly Downstream operating performance, with utilization of 97% in Canadian Refining and 92% in U.S. Refining. U.S. Refining operating expenses, excluding turnaround costs, of $10.89 per barrel were down 18% relative to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Achieved significant milestones on Cenovus’s major Upstream growth projects, including mechanical completion of the Narrows Lake pipeline, executing the SeaRose floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel life extension dry dock and reaching mechanical completion of both the concrete gravity structure (CGS) and topsides for the West White Rose project.
    • Returned $706 million to shareholders in the fourth quarter, including $108 million through share purchases, $348 million through common and preferred share dividends and $250 million through the redemption of Cenovus Series 3 preferred shares on December 31, 2024.

    “We delivered strong operating performance this quarter. Our industry leading Oil Sands assets set production records and our Downstream business continued to demonstrate improvements in reliability and unit costs,” said Jon McKenzie, Cenovus President & Chief Executive Officer. “In 2025, we will build on this momentum, focusing on operational execution while advancing our key growth projects to deliver long-term value for shareholders.”

    Financial summary

    ($ millions, except per share amounts) 2024 Q4 2024 Q3 2023 Q4 2024 FY 2023 FY
    Cash from (used in) operating activities 2,029 2,474 2,946 9,235 7,388
    Adjusted funds flow2 1,601 1,960 2,062 8,164 8,803
    Per share (diluted)2 0.87 1.05 1.08 4.38 4.54
    Capital investment 1,478 1,346 1,170 5,015 4,298
    Free funds flow2 123 614 892 3,149 4,505
    Excess free funds flow2 (416) 146 471 1,297 2,466
    Net earnings (loss) 146 820 743 3,142 4,109
    Per share (diluted) 0.07 0.42 0.32 1.67 2.09
    Long-term debt, including current portion 7,534 7,199 7,108 7,534 7,108
    Net debt 4,614 4,196 5,060 4,614 5,060
     

    Production and throughput

    (before royalties, net to Cenovus) 2024 Q4 2024 Q3 2023 Q4 2024 FY 2023 FY
    Oil and NGLs (bbls/d)1 670,600 630,500 662,600 653,800 640,000
    Conventional natural gas (MMcf/d) 873.3 844.6 876.3 860.2 832.6
    Total upstream production (BOE/d)1 816,000 771,300 808,600 797,200 778,700
    Total downstream throughput (bbls/d) 666,700 642,900 579,100 646,900 560,400
               

    1 See Advisory for production by product type.
    2 Non-GAAP financial measure or contains a non-GAAP financial measure. See Advisory.

    Fourth-quarter results

    Operating1

    Cenovus’s total revenues were $12.8 billion in the fourth quarter, down from $13.8 billion in the previous quarter, primarily due to lower commodity prices. Upstream revenues were $7.3 billion, flat from the third quarter, while Downstream revenues were $7.8 billion, down from $8.8 billion in the prior quarter.

    Total operating margin3 was $2.3 billion, compared with $2.4 billion in the previous quarter. Upstream operating margin4 was $2.7 billion, consistent with the third quarter and benefiting from higher production volumes relative to the prior quarter, offset by lower benchmark oil prices and timing differences between production and sales. The company had a Downstream operating margin4 shortfall of $396 million in the fourth quarter due to weak refining crack spreads and a narrow heavy oil price differential, compared with a shortfall of $323 million in the previous quarter. Operating margin in the U.S. Refining segment included $45 million of first in, first out (FIFO) losses and $128 million of turnaround expenses incurred during the Lima Refinery turnaround.

    Total Upstream production was 816,000 BOE/d in the fourth quarter, an increase of 44,700 BOE/d from the prior quarter, reflecting record quarterly production from the company’s Oil Sands segment of 628,500 BOE/d. Christina Lake production was 251,400 bbls/d, compared with 211,800 bbls/d in the third quarter, as a result of completing planned turnaround activity in September. Foster Creek production was 195,200 bbls/d compared with 198,000 bbls/d in the third quarter, while Sunrise production increased to 53,100 bbls/d from 50,400 bbls/d in the third quarter as production from new well pads continued to ramp up. Production from the Lloydminster thermal assets declined slightly to 108,900 bbls/d, while Lloydminster conventional heavy oil output increased to 18,000 bbls/d from 16,300 bbls/d in the prior quarter. Production in the Conventional segment was 117,800 BOE/d, a slight decrease from 118,100 BOE/d in the third quarter.

    In the Offshore segment, production was 69,700 BOE/d compared with 65,500 BOE/d in the third quarter. In Asia Pacific, production volumes were 62,200 BOE/d, higher than the previous quarter partially due to increased production at the MAC field in Indonesia and planned maintenance at Liwan in the third quarter. In the Atlantic, production was 7,500 bbls/d, a decrease from 9,000 bbls/d in the prior quarter due to unplanned downtime at the non-operated Terra Nova field. The SeaRose FPSO is on station and reconnected to the White Rose field, with production expected to resume by the end of February.

    Total refining throughput in the fourth quarter was 666,700 bbls/d, up from 642,900 bbls/d in the third quarter. Throughput in Canadian Refining was 104,400 bbls/d, representing a utilization rate of 97%, compared with 99,400 bbls/d in the previous quarter. The increase was primarily due to returning to full rates following completion of turnaround activity at the Lloydminster Upgrader early in the third quarter.

    In U.S. Refining, crude throughput was 562,300 bbls/d, representing a utilization rate of 92%, compared with 543,500 bbls/d in the third quarter. Throughput increased primarily due to improved reliability, partially offset by economic run cuts as market crack spreads weakened through the quarter. U.S. Refining revenues were $6.6 billion relative to $7.2 billion in the prior quarter due to lower refined product pricing. Market capture5 in the U.S. improved to 45% relative to 35% in the previous quarter primarily due to reduced inventory timing impacts (FIFO). Market capture in the fourth quarter was negatively impacted by the Lima Refinery turnaround, narrower heavy crude oil differentials, and a quarterly FIFO loss of $45 million.

    3 Non-GAAP financial measure. Total operating margin is the total of Upstream operating margin plus Downstream operating margin. See Advisory.
    4 Specified financial measure. See Advisory.
    5 Contains a non-GAAP financial measure. See Advisory.

    Financial

    Cash from operating activities in the fourth quarter, which includes changes in non-cash working capital, was $2.0 billion, compared with $2.5 billion in the third quarter. Adjusted funds flow was $1.6 billion, compared with $2.0 billion in the prior quarter and there was a shortfall of excess free funds flow (EFFF) of $416 million, compared with $146 million in the prior quarter. Net earnings in the fourth quarter were $146 million, compared with $820 million in the previous quarter. Fourth-quarter financial results were impacted by lower benchmark prices relative to the third quarter including seasonally weak refining market crack spreads in the Chicago market.

    Long-term debt, including the current portion, was $7.5 billion at December 31, 2024. Net debt increased from the prior quarter to $4.6 billion at December 31, 2024, primarily due to the shortfall in EFFF of $416 million and the redemption of $250 million of Cenovus Series 3 preferred shares on December 31, 2024, partially offset by a release of non-cash working capital. The company continues to steward toward net debt of $4.0 billion and returning 100% of EFFF to shareholders over time in accordance with its financial framework.

    Growth projects and capital investments

    In the Oil Sands segment, the Narrows Lake pipeline, which will connect the field to the Christina Lake processing facility, was mechanically completed in the fourth quarter. We plan to commence steam injection in the spring and the project remains on track for first oil mid-2025. At Sunrise, production continued to ramp up in the fourth quarter after the company brought two new well pads online in the third quarter. One additional well pad will be added in early 2025. The optimization project at Foster Creek is now 64% complete and remains on schedule for startup in 2026, with most modules and major pieces of equipment in place and pipe installation underway.

    In the fourth quarter, the West White Rose project achieved mechanical completion of both the CGS and topsides, and work to prepare the seabed for installation of the CGS at the field location was also completed. The focus of the project in 2025 will be on the installation and commissioning of the platform. The West White Rose project is now approximately 88% complete and progressing on-schedule towards first oil in 2026.

    Full-year results

    In 2024, Cenovus’s total Upstream production averaged 797,200 BOE/d, compared with 778,700 BOE/d in 2023, including record annual volumes from the Oil Sands assets and a 5% increase in Offshore volumes. Oil Sands production was 610,700 BOE/d, including approximately 196,000 bbls/d at Foster Creek, a new annual high for the asset, and 234,200 bbls/d at Christina Lake, which successfully completed a turnaround in the third quarter. Full-year production from the Lloydminster thermal assets was also an annual record at 111,500 bbls/d, compared with 104,100 bbls/d in 2023, reflecting a successful redevelopment program and well optimization. Sunrise production was 49,600 bbls/d compared with 48,900 bbls/d in 2023 and Lloydminster conventional heavy oil production increased to 17,600 bbls/d from 16,700 bbls/d in the previous year. Conventional production was 119,900 BOE/d, in line with 2023. Offshore total production was approximately 66,600 BOE/d, compared with 63,400 BOE/d in the prior year, with 2023 impacted by a temporary disconnection of a subsea umbilical in Liwan by a third-party vessel.

    Total Downstream throughput averaged 646,900 bbls/d in 2024, a 15% increase from 560,400 bbls/d in 2023. Canadian Refining crude oil throughput was 90,500 bbls/d, compared to 100,700 bbls/d in 2023, as the Lloydminster Upgrader completed the largest turnaround in the asset’s history early in the third quarter of 2024. U.S. Refining crude oil throughput increased to 556,400 bbls/d in 2024 compared with 459,700 bbls/d in 2023, reflecting the first full year of production from Superior and Toledo within the Cenovus portfolio.

    Total revenues were $54.3 billion in 2024 and total operating margin was $10.8 billion compared with revenues of $52.2 billion and total operating margin of $11.0 billion in 2023. The year-over-year increase in total revenues was largely due to higher production and narrowing heavy Canadian crude differentials following the startup of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. Operating margin was slightly reduced due to narrower downstream crack spreads, higher turnaround costs and increased transportation and blending costs.

    Cash from operating activities was $9.2 billion for 2024 compared with $7.4 billion in 2023. Adjusted funds flow was $8.2 billion and free funds flow was $3.1 billion. Total capital investment for 2024 was $5.0 billion, primarily directed to sustaining production at the company’s Upstream assets, the construction of the major Upstream growth projects including West White Rose and refining reliability initiatives. Full-year net earnings for 2024 were $3.1 billion compared with $4.1 billion in 2023, primarily due to lower commodity prices, foreign exchange losses and higher depreciation, depletion, amortization and exploration expense.

    Organizational updates

    As part of Cenovus’s ongoing management succession plans, the company is announcing the following leadership changes effective March 1.

    Andrew Dahlin, currently Executive Vice-President (EVP), Natural Gas & Technical Services, will assume the role of EVP & Chief Operating Officer. Andrew has more than 30 years of industry experience, including 13 years with Cenovus and its predecessor companies.

    Eric Zimpfer, currently Senior Vice-President (SVP), U.S. Refining, will become Cenovus’s Head of Downstream, based in Dublin, Ohio and reporting directly to Jon McKenzie. Eric has more than 20 years of U.S. refining experience. He will play an integral role in continuing to improve the reliability and competitiveness of the Downstream business.

    John Soini, currently SVP, Major & Capital Projects, will become EVP, Upstream – Thermal & Atlantic Offshore. John has more than 25 years of experience in the energy and power industries.

    Susan Anderson, currently SVP, People Services, will become SVP, Legal, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary. Susan has more than 30 years of oil and gas industry experience, with 20 years at Husky Energy in various roles that included Vice-President, Legal.

    Reserves

    Cenovus’s proved and probable reserves are evaluated each year by independent qualified reserves evaluators. At the end of 2024, Cenovus’s total proved and total proved plus probable reserves were approximately 5.7 billion BOE and 8.5 billion BOE respectively, and total proved and total proved plus probable bitumen reserves were approximately 5.2 billion barrels and 7.7 billion barrels respectively. At year-end 2024, Cenovus had a proved reserves life index of approximately 19 years and a proved plus probable reserves life index of approximately 29 years.

    More details about Cenovus’s reserves and other oil and gas information are available in the Advisory and the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), Annual Information Form (AIF) and Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca, EDGAR at sec.gov and Cenovus’s website at cenovus.com under Investors.

    Cenovus year-end disclosure documents

    Today, Cenovus is filing its interim and audited Consolidated Financial Statements, MD&A and AIF with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The company is also filing its Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these documents will be available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca, EDGAR at sec.gov and the company’s website at cenovus.com under Investors. They can also be requested free of charge by emailing investor.relations@cenovus.com

    Dividend declarations and share purchases

    The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly base dividend of $0.180 per common share, payable on March 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as of March 14, 2025.

    In addition, the Board has declared a quarterly dividend on each of the Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares – Series 1, Series 2, Series 5 and Series 7 – payable on March 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as of March 14, 2025 as follows:

    Preferred shares dividend summary

    Share series Rate (%) Amount ($/share)
    Series 1 2.577 0.16106
    Series 2 5.211 0.32123
    Series 5 4.591 0.28694
    Series 7 3.935 0.24594
         

    All dividends paid on Cenovus’s common and preferred shares will be designated as “eligible dividends” for Canadian federal income tax purposes. Declaration of dividends is at the sole discretion of the Board and will continue to be evaluated on a quarterly basis.

    In the fourth quarter, the company returned $706 million to shareholders, composed of $108 million from its purchase of 4.6 million shares through its normal course issuer bid (NCIB), $348 million through common and preferred share dividends and $250 million through the redemption of Cenovus Series 3 preferred shares. In 2024, Cenovus returned $3.2 billion to shareholders, including $1.4 billion of share purchases through its NCIB, $1.6 billion in common and preferred share dividends, and $250 million through the redemption of the Series 3 preferred shares.

    2025 planned maintenance

    The following table provides details on planned maintenance activities at Cenovus assets in 2025 and anticipated production or throughput impacts.

    Potential quarterly production/throughput impact (Mbbls/d or MBOE/d)

    (MBOE/d or Mbbls/d) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annualized impact
    Upstream
    Oil Sands 30 – 40 5 – 7 10 – 12
    Offshore 4 – 6 1 – 2
    Conventional
    Downstream
    Canadian Refining
    U.S. Refining 7 – 10 35 – 45 2 – 4 6 – 10 13 – 17
               

    Potential turnaround expenses

    ($ millions) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annualized impact
    Downstream
    Canadian Refining
    U.S. Refining 110 – 135 210 – 240 80 – 95 40 – 50 440 – 520
               

    Conference call today

    9 a.m. Mountain Time (11 a.m. Eastern Time)

    Cenovus will host a conference call today, February 20, 2025, starting at 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. ET).

    To join the conference call, please dial 1-800-206-4400 (toll-free in North America) or 1-289-514-5005 to reach a live operator who will join you into the call. A live audio webcast will also be available and archived for approximately 30 days.

    Advisory

    Basis of Presentation

    Cenovus reports financial results in Canadian dollars and presents production volumes on a net to Cenovus before royalties basis, unless otherwise stated. Cenovus prepares its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Accounting Standards.

    Barrels of Oil Equivalent

    Natural gas volumes have been converted to barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) on the basis of six thousand cubic feet (Mcf) to one barrel (bbl). BOE may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A conversion ratio of one bbl to six Mcf is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil compared with natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency conversion ratio of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis is not an accurate reflection of value.

    Reserves Life Index

    Reserves life index is calculated based on reserves for the applicable reserves category divided by annual production.

    Product types

    Product type by operating segment Three months ended
    December 31, 2024
    Full year ended
    December 31, 2024
    Oil Sands
    Bitumen (Mbbls/d) 608.6 591.3
    Heavy crude oil (Mbbls/d) 18.0 17.6
    Conventional natural gas (MMcf/d) 11.8 11.1
    Total Oil Sands segment production (MBOE/d) 628.5 610.7
    Conventional
    Light crude oil (Mbbls/d) 4.8 4.9
    Natural gas liquids (Mbbls/d) 19.7 21.0
    Conventional natural gas (MMcf/d) 560.5 563.8
    Total Conventional segment production (MBOE/d) 117.8 119.9
    Offshore
    Light crude oil (Mbbls/d) 7.5 8.0
    Natural gas liquids (Mbbls/d) 12.0 11.0
    Conventional natural gas (MMcf/d) 301.0 285.3
    Total Offshore segment production (MBOE/d) 69.7 66.6
    Total Upstream production (MBOE/d) 816.0 797.2
         

    Forward‐looking Information

    This news release contains certain forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information (collectively referred to as “forward‐looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation about Cenovus’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the future of the company, based on certain assumptions made in light of the company’s experiences and perceptions of historical trends. Although Cenovus believes that the expectations represented by such forward‐looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward‐looking information in this document is identified by words such as “anticipate”, “continue”, “deliver”, “focus”, “plan”, “progress”, “steward”, “target” and “will” or similar expressions and includes suggestions of future outcomes, including, but not limited to, statements about: Net Debt; returning Excess Free Funds Flow to shareholders; growth plans and projects; delivering long-term shareholder value; production guidance; the optimization project at Foster Creek; steam injection and timing of production at Narrows Lake; production and timing of well pads at Sunrise; installation and commissioning of the Sea Rose FPSO and return of production at White Rose; the installation and commissioning of, and timing of first oil from, the West White Rose project; 2025 planned maintenance; and dividend payments.

    Developing forward‐looking information involves reliance on a number of assumptions and consideration of certain risks and uncertainties, some of which are specific to Cenovus and others that apply to the industry generally. The factors or assumptions on which the forward‐looking information in this news release are based include, but are not limited to: the allocation of free funds flow; commodity prices, inflation and supply chain constraints; Cenovus’s ability to produce on an unconstrained basis; Cenovus’s ability to access sufficient insurance coverage to pursue development plans; Cenovus’s ability to deliver safe and reliable operations and demonstrate strong governance; and the assumptions inherent in Cenovus’s 2025 corporate guidance available on cenovus.com.

    The risk factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward‐looking information in this news release include, but are not limited to: the accuracy of estimates regarding commodity production and operating expenses, inflation, taxes, royalties, capital costs and currency and interest rates; risks inherent in the operation of Cenovus’s business; and risks associated with climate change and Cenovus’s assumptions relating thereto and other risks identified under “Risk Management and Risk Factors” and “Advisory” in Cenovus’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    Except as required by applicable securities laws, Cenovus disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists are not exhaustive and are made as at the date hereof. Events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward‐looking information. For additional information regarding Cenovus’s material risk factors, the assumptions made, and risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to “Risk Management and Risk Factors” and “Advisory” in Cenovus’s MD&A for the periods ended December 31, 2024, and to the risk factors, assumptions and uncertainties described in other documents Cenovus files from time to time with securities regulatory authorities in Canada (available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at sec.gov and Cenovus’s website at cenovus.com).

    Specified Financial Measures

    This news release contains references to certain specified financial measures that do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS Accounting Standards. Readers should not consider these measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the company’s results as reported under IFRS Accounting Standards. These measures are defined differently by different companies and, therefore, might not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. For information on the composition of these measures, as well as an explanation of how the company uses these measures, refer to the Specified Financial Measures Advisory located in Cenovus’s MD&A for the period ended December 31, 2024 (available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at sec.gov and on Cenovus’s website at cenovus.com) which is incorporated by reference into this news release.

    Upstream Operating Margin and Downstream Operating Margin

    Upstream Operating Margin and Downstream Operating Margin, and the individual components thereof, are included in Note 1 to the interim Consolidated Financial Statements.

    Total Operating Margin

    Total Operating Margin is the total of Upstream Operating Margin plus Downstream Operating Margin.

      Upstream (6) Downstream (6) Total
    ($ millions) Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023 Q4 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2023
    Revenues
    Gross Sales 8,240 8,259 7,797 7,837 8,798 8,404 16,077 17,057 16,201
    Less: Royalties (914) (929) (902) (914) (929) (902)
      7,326 7,330 6,895 7,837 8,798 8,404 15,163 16,128 15,299
    Expenses
    Purchased Product 1,000 1,088 663 7,364 8,207 7,888 8,364 9,295 8,551
    Transportation and Blending 2,816 2,661 2,894 2,816 2,661 2,894
    Operating 842 860 864 866 918 826 1,708 1,778 1,690
    Realized (Gain) Loss on Risk Management (2) (10) 19 3 (4) (6) 1 (14) 13
    Operating Margin 2,670 2,731 2,455 (396) (323) (304) 2,274 2,408 2,151
                       

    6Found in the December 31, 2024, or the September 30, 2024, interim Consolidated Financial Statements. Revenues and purchased product for Q3 2024 Downstream operations were revised. See note 25 of our December 31, 2024, interim consolidated financial statements.

    ($ millions) Upstream (6) Downstream (6) Total
    Year ended December 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Revenues
    Gross Sales      33,078        31,082        33,618        32,626      66,696        63,708  
    Less: Royalties      (3,449 )       (3,270 )              —                —      (3,449 )       (3,270 )
           29,629        27,812        33,618        32,626      63,247        60,438  
    Expenses
    Purchased Product        3,674          3,152        30,252        28,273      33,926        31,425  
    Transportation and Blending      11,331        11,088                —                —      11,331        11,088  
    Operating        3,489          3,690          3,670          3,201        7,159          6,891  
    Realized (Gain) Loss on Risk Management             14               12                 8                —             22               12  
    Operating Margin      11,121          9,870            (312 )        1,152      10,809        11,022  
                           

    Adjusted Funds Flow, Free Funds Flow and Excess Free Funds Flow

    The following table provides a reconciliation of cash from (used in) operating activities found in Cenovus’s Consolidated Financial Statements to Adjusted Funds Flow, Free Funds Flow and Excess Free Funds Flow. Adjusted Funds Flow per Share – Basic and Adjusted Funds Flow per Share – Diluted are calculated by dividing Adjusted Funds Flow by the respective basic or diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period and may be useful to evaluate a company’s ability to generate cash.

      Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
    ($ millions) December 31, 2024 September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 December 31, 2024 December 31, 2023
    Cash From (Used in) Operating Activities (7) 2,029 2,474 2,946 9,235 7,388
    (Add) Deduct:          
    Settlement of Decommissioning Liabilities (64) (74) (65) (234) (222)
    Net Change in Non-Cash Working Capital 492 588 949 1,305 (1,193)
    Adjusted Funds Flow 1,601 1,960 2,062 8,164 8,803
    Capital Investment 1,478 1,346 1,170 5,015 4,298
    Free Funds Flow 123 614 892 3,149 4,505
    Add (Deduct):          
    Base Dividends Paid on Common Shares (330) (329) (261) (1,255) (990)
    Purchase of Common Shares under Employee Benefit Plan (43) (43)
    Dividends Paid on Preferred Shares (18) (9) (9) (45) (36)
    Settlement of Decommissioning Liabilities (64) (74) (65) (234) (222)
    Principal Repayment of Leases (80) (74) (72) (299) (288)
    Acquisitions, Net of Cash Acquired (3) (4) (14) (22) (515)
    Proceeds From Divestitures (1) 22 46 12
    Excess Free Funds Flow (416) 146 471 1,297 2,466
               

    7 Found in the December 31, 2024, or the September 30, 2024, interim Consolidated Financial Statements.

    Market Capture

    Market Capture contains a non-GAAP financial measure and is used in the company’s U.S. Refining segment to provide an indication of margin captured relative to what was available in the market based on widely-used benchmarks. We define Market Capture as Refining Margin divided by the weighted average 3-2-1 market benchmark crack, net of RINs, expressed as a percentage. The weighted average crack spread, net of RINs, is calculated on Cenovus’s operable capacity-weighted average of the Chicago and Group 3 3-2-1 benchmark market crack spreads, net of RINs.

    ($ millions) Three months ended
    December 31, 2024
    Three months ended
    September 30, 2024
    Revenues(8) 6,574 7,218
    Purchased Product(8) 6,296 6,854
    Gross Margin 278 364
    Total Processed Inputs (Mbbls/d) 588.4 568.0
    Refining Margin ($/bbl) 5.14 6.97
    Operable Capacity (Mbbls/d) 612.3 612.3
    Operable Capacity by Regional Benchmark (percent)
    Chicago 3-2-1 Crack Spread Weighting 81 81
    Group 3 3-2-1 Crack Spread Weighting 19 19
    Benchmark Prices and Exchange Rate
    Chicago 3-2-1 Crack Spread (US$/bbl) 12.12 18.62
    Group 3 3-2-1 Crack Spread (US$/bbl) 12.66 18.95
    RINs (US$/bbl) 4.02 3.89
    US$ per C$1 – Average 0.715 0.733
    Weighted Average Crack Spread, Net of RINs ($/bbl) 11.47 20.18
    Market Capture (percent) 45 35
         

    8 Found in Note 1 of the December 31, 2024, or the September 30, 2024, interim Consolidated Financial Statements. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, amounts reflect certain revisions. See Note 25 of our December 31, 2024, interim consolidated financial statements.

    Cenovus Energy Inc.

    Cenovus Energy Inc. is an integrated energy company with oil and natural gas production operations in Canada and the Asia Pacific region, and upgrading, refining and marketing operations in Canada and the United States. The company is focused on managing its assets in a safe, innovative and cost-efficient manner, integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into its business plans. Cenovus common shares and warrants are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, and the company’s preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit cenovus.com.

    Find Cenovus on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

    Cenovus contacts

    Investors
    Investor Relations general line
    403-766-7711

    Media
    Media Relations general line
    403-766-7751

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Carey, Neguse, Duckworth, Curtis, Moreno Reintroduce Youth Poisoning Protection Act to Ban Commercial Sale of Lethal Chemicals

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    LOWELL, MA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) partnered with Congressmen Mike Carey (R-OH-15) and Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) as well as Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to reintroduce the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the consumer sale of products containing high concentrations of sodium nitrite, a meat-curing chemical that can be lethal when ingested.

    “As a mom of two young girls, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to stop the devastating rise of youth suicide, one of the leading causes of death among teenagers in our country,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Youth Poisoning Protection Act takes direct, decisive action to stop the online sale of sodium nitrite, a lethal chemical that is being marketed to vulnerable individuals as a means to end their own lives. This is a commonsense, lifesaving measure, and Congress must act now to protect our young people and prevent further tragedies.”

    “Protecting our nation’s youth is crucial. The easy access of this harmful substance has resulted in senseless tragedies and has worsened the mental health crisis among America’s youth,” said Congressman Carey. “I am proud to work alongside Reps. Trahan and Neguse, and Sens. Duckworth, Curtis, and Moreno on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to keep these deadly poisons out of the hands of our children.”

    A 2021 New York Times investigation into an online suicide forum found that sodium nitrite was being popularized and encouraged as an easily accessible method to die by suicide. The forum, which is disguised as a safe place to discuss suicidal ideation, hosts threads where anonymous users provide detailed instructions and real-time guidance on how to die by suicide using sodium nitrite. A 2021 toxicology publication based on data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), one of the data sources used by the CDC, points to a rise in self-poisonings using sodium nitrite in the United States since 2017.

    There is no known recreational use for highly concentrated amounts of sodium nitrite, but at the time of the Times’ investigation, highly concentrated amounts of the poison were widely available on multiple e-commerce platforms, including with free two-day shipping on Amazon. Following outcry from lawmakers and victims’ families, Amazon and a number of other online marketplaces began removing sodium nitrite listings. In May 2023, a Canadian citizen was arrested and charged for shipping packages containing lethal amounts of sodium nitrite to over 40 countries, including 272 sales to individuals in the United Kingdom, of whom at least 88 people died.

    The Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans the sale of consumer products with a concentration of sodium nitrite greater than 10 percent.

    During her time in Congress, Trahan has consistently championed initiatives to address the mental health and youth suicide crisis. In 2022, she secured passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act into law to support and strengthen youth suicide prevention efforts in schools across the country. This January, she reintroduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act, bicameral legislation that aims to provide a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to ensure that children can successfully transition to high school, college, and the workforce. The same month, she was recognized as a congressional leader in the fight against the youth mental health crisis through her appointment as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, a bipartisan group of members of Congress focused on ending the addiction crisis.

    If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, feeling at risk of suicide, or experiencing a state of distress, it is crucial to find help immediately. There are many resources available, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline which provides free, confidential support 24/7, and the Crisis Text Line which offers free crisis counseling 24/7. Dial 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with these services.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai attends opening of 2025 Halifax Taipei forum

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    On the afternoon of February 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening of the 2025 Halifax Taipei forum. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Halifax International Security Forum for their strong support for Taiwan, and for having chosen Taiwan as the first location outside North America to hold a forum. Noting that we face a complex global landscape, the president called on the international community to take action. He said that as authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must also come closer in solidarity, and called on the international community to create non-red global supply chains, as well as unite to usher in peace. President Lai emphasized that Taiwan will work toward maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and collaborate with democratic partners to form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and together greet a bright, new era.
    A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows:
    To begin, I want to give a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests here at the very first Halifax Taipei forum. The Halifax International Security Forum, held every year in Canada, has been an important gathering for freedom-loving nations worldwide.
    I would like to thank Halifax and President [Peter] Van Praagh for their strong support for Taiwan. Every year since 2018, Taiwan has been invited to participate in the forum. Last year, former President Tsai Ing-wen was invited to speak, and this year, Halifax has chosen Taiwan as the first location outside North America to hold a forum.
    As President Van Praagh has said, “While the security challenges ahead are too big for any single country to solve alone, there is no challenge that can’t be met when the world’s democracies work together.” Today, we have world leaders and experts who traveled from afar to be here, showing that they value and support Taiwan. It demonstrates solidarity among democracies and the determination to take on challenges as one.
    I would like to express my gratitude and admiration to all of you for serving as defenders of freedom. At this very moment, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is still ongoing. Authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran continue to consolidate. China is hurting economies around the world through its dumping practices. We face grave challenges to global economic order, democracy, freedom, peace, and stability.
    Taiwan holds a key position on the first island chain, directly facing an authoritarian threat. But we will not be intimidated. We will stand firm and safeguard our national sovereignty, maintain our free and democratic way of life, and uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan cherishes peace, but we also have no delusions about peace. We will uphold the spirit of peace through strength, using concrete actions to build a stronger Taiwan and bolster the free and democratic community.
    I sincerely thank the international community for continuing to attach importance to the situation in the Taiwan Strait. Recently, US President Donald Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru issued a joint leaders’ statement expressing their firm support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and for Taiwan’s participation in international affairs.
    As we face a complex global landscape, I call on the international community to take the following actions:
    First, as authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must also come closer in solidarity.
    Just a few days ago, the top diplomats of the US, Japan, and South Korea held talks, underlining the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They also conveyed their stance against “any effort to destabilize democratic institutions, economic independence, and global security.” On these issues, Taiwan will also continue to contribute its utmost.
    I recently announced that we will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. 
    Soon after I assumed office last year, I formed the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office. This committee aims to combine the strengths of government and civil society to enhance our resilience in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. We will also deepen our strategic partnerships in the democratic community to mutually increase defense resilience, demonstrate deterrence, and achieve our goal of peace throughout the world.
    Second, let’s create non-red global supply chains. 
    For the democratic community to deter the expansion of authoritarianism, it must have strong technological capabilities. These can serve as the backbone of national defense, promote industrial development, and enhance economic resilience. So, in addressing China’s red supply chain and the impact of its dumping, Taiwan is willing and able to work with global democracies to maintain the technological strengths among our partners and build resilient non-red supply chains.
    As a major semiconductor manufacturing nation, Taiwan will introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. We will collaborate with our democratic partners to form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and establish democratic supply chains for industries connected to high-end chips. The achievements of today’s semiconductor industry in Taiwan can be attributed to our collective efforts. Government, industry, academia, and research institutions had to overcome various challenges over the last 50 years for us to secure this position. 
    We hope Taiwan can serve as a base for linking the capabilities of our democratic partners so that each can play a suitable role in the semiconductor industry chain and develop its own strengths, deepening our mutually beneficial cooperation in technology. This benefits all of us. Moreover, it allows us to further enhance deterrence and maintain global security.
    Third, let’s unite to usher in peace.
    China has not stopped intimidating Taiwan politically and militarily. Last year, China launched several large-scale military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Its escalation of gray-zone aggression now poses a grave threat to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will maintain the status quo. We will not seek conflict. Rather, we are willing to engage in dialogue with China, under the principles of parity and dignity, and work toward maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
    As the agenda of this forum suggests, democracy and freedom create more than just opportunities; they also bring resilience, justice, partnerships, and security.
    Taiwan will continue working alongside its democratic partners to greet a bright, new era. Once again, a warm welcome to all of you. I wish this forum every success. Thank you.
    Also in attendance at the event were Mrs. Abe Akie, wife of the late former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo of Japan, and Halifax International Security Forum President Van Praagh.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI: SBM Offshore Full Year 2024 Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amsterdam, February 20, 2025

    Record-level results, increasing total shareholder returns

    Highlights

    • Record Directional1 Revenue of US$6.1 billion (+35%), in line with guidance
    • Record Directional EBITDA of US$1.9 billion (+44%), in line with guidance
    • Record US$35.1 billion Directional backlog; US$9.5 billion or EUR51.6/share2 Directional net cash backlog3
    • 30% increase in cash return to US$1.59 per share4: US$155 million dividend5; US$150 million share repurchase6
    • US$1.7 billion cash return to shareholders over the coming 6 years
    • 2025 Directional Revenue guidance of above US$4.9 billion
    • 2025 Directional EBITDA guidance of around US$1.55 billion
    • Completion of FPSO Prosperity and Liza Destiny sales in Q4 2024
    • FPSO Almirante Tamandaré achieved first oil on February 15, 2025

    SBM Offshore’s 2024 Annual Report can be found on its website under: Annual Reports – SBM Offshore

    Øivind Tangen, CEO of SBM Offshore, commented:
            
    “SBM Offshore has delivered excellent results in 2024 with a record-level directional revenue of US$6.1 billion and record-level directional EBITDA of US$1.9 billion, reflecting three new awards and the purchases of FPSOs Prosperity and Liza Destiny by ExxonMobil Guyana. Thanks to the addition of three new awards, we ended the year with a record US$35.1 billion backlog. From this we expect to generate US$9.5 billion net cash, equivalent to almost 52 euro per share2. Based on this strong performance, we are increasing our fixed cash return by 30% to US$1.59 per share4 through a proposed US$155 million dividend5 and US$150 million share repurchase6 program. At this level we will deliver a minimum US$1.7 billion cash return to shareholders over the next 6 years.

    Our Fast4Ward® program is setting the pace for deepwater developments. FPSO Almirante Tamandaré achieved first oil on February 15, 2025. This vessel, which benefits from emission reduction technologies, is the largest operating unit in Brazil. Two additional units are on track to achieve first oil in 2025. First, FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão which sailed-away at the end of 2024, followed by FPSO ONE GUYANA. These three units have a combined capacity of 655,000 barrels of oil per day. With these achievements, we are further de-risking our construction portfolio.

    We strive for excellence both in terms of project execution and asset management. Our lifecycle approach in the FPSO market is unique and the focus on continuous improvement is setting a strong foundation for success. The outlook for new deepwater projects is strong given their low break-even prices and low emission intensity. In the next three years, we see 16 projects in the
    Company’s core market of large and complex FPSOs, driven by the promising prospects in Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Namibia. We have ordered our 10th MPF hull giving us two hulls to support tendering activities. We will remain disciplined in selecting the highest quality projects.

    As the world’s ocean-infrastructure expert we are using our experience to further diversify and decarbonize the solutions we offer. In 2024, we created a joint venture, Ekwil, with Technip Energies to enhance our floating offshore wind product offering, and in early 2025 we completed a minority equity investment in Ocean-Power to offer lower-emission power solutions. We are now able to offer a market ready near-zero emission FPSO and were recently awarded a contract by Petrobras to qualify SBM’s Carbon Capture Module technology for FPSOs.”

    Financial Overview7

        Directional   IFRS
                     
    in US$ million   FY 2024 FY 2023 % Change   FY 2024 FY 2023 % Change
    Revenue   6,111 4,532 35%   4,784 4,963 -4%
    Lease and Operate   2,369 1,954 21%   2,074 1,563 33%
    Turnkey   3,743 2,578 45%   2,710 3,400 -20%
    EBITDA   1,896 1,319 44%   1,041 1,239 -16%
    Lease and Operate   1,261 1,124 12%   842 695 21%
    Turnkey   724 296 145%   287 646 -56%
    Other   (89) (101) -12%   (88) (101) -13%
    Profit attributable to Shareholders   907 524 73%   150 491 -69%
    Earnings per share (US$ per share)   5.08 2.92 74%   0.84 2.74 -69%
                     
    in US$ billion   FY 2024 FY 2023 % Change   FY 2024 FY 2023 % Change
    Pro-forma Backlog   35.1 30.3 16%  
    Net Debt   5.7 6.7 -15%   8.1 8.7 -7%

    Directional revenue increased by 35% to US$6,111 million compared with US$4,532 million in 2023. This increase is driven by the Directional Turnkey revenue which rose to US$3,743 million in 2024 compared with US$2,578 million in 2023. This 45% increase stems from (i) the sale of FPSOs Prosperity and Liza Destiny completed respectively in November and December 2024, (ii) the progress on awarded contracts for the FPSOs Jaguar and GranMorgu, (iii) the 13.5% divestment to CMFL completed in October 2024, and (iv) the increased support to the fleet through brownfield projects. This increase was partly offset by a reduction in charter revenues following (i) the sale of FPSO Liza Unity in November 2023, (ii) the completion of FPSO Prosperity during the last quarter of 2023 as well as a delay in the start-up of FPSO Sepetiba early 2024, and (iii) a comparatively lower level of progress on both FPSOs Almirante Tamandaré and Alexandre de Gusmão as those projects approached completion in 2024.

    Directional Lease and Operate revenue stood at US$2,369 million compared with US$1,954 million in the year-ago period. This 21% increase mainly reflects (i) FPSO Prosperity joining the fleet during the last quarter of 2023 and Sepetiba joining the fleet in January 2024, (ii) a higher contribution of FPSOs N’Goma, Saxi Batuque and Mondo following the acquisition of interests held by Sonangol mid-2024, and (iii) an increase in reimbursable scope. This was partly offset by FPSO Liza Unity only contributing in 2024 as an operating contract following the purchase of the unit by ExxonMobil Guyana at the end of 2023.

    Directional EBITDA amounted to US$1,896 million, which is a 44% year-on-year increase compared with US$1,319 million in 2023. This was mostly attributable to the Turnkey segment which increased by over US$400 million to US$724 million in 2024. Directional Turnkey EBITDA was mainly impacted by (i) the same drivers as for Directional Turnkey revenue (except that being at relative early stages of completion, FPSO Jaguar only contributed marginally to Turnkey EBITDA and FPSO GranMorgu not at all), and (ii) a reduced investment on Floating Offshore Wind projects following the implementation of Ekwil Joint Venture in partnership with Technip Energies.

    Directional Lease and Operate EBITDA stood at US$1,261 million for the year-ended 2024 compared with US$1,124 million in the previous year. The 12% increase reflects (i) the same key factors as for Directional Lease and Operate revenue, (ii) the net gain on the acquisition of interests held by Sonangol in 3 FPSOs and the divestment in the parent company of the Paenal shipyard in Angola, and (iii) the dividends related to FPSO N’Goma partially offset by (iv) additional non-recurring maintenance costs for the fleet under operation.

    The other non-allocated costs charged to EBITDA amounted to US$(89) million in 2024, a US$(12) million improvement compared with the previous period mainly due to the one-off impact of US$11 million of restructuring costs in 2023.

    During the last quarter of 2024, the Company performed a review of revised estimates of cash flow, maintenance and repair costs. Based on this analysis, actual values and future cash flows related to FPSO Cidade de Anchieta were re-estimated leading to an impairment charge of US$(39) million, accounted for in the 2024 results.

    Directional net profit increased by over 70% standing at US$907 million in 2024, or US$5.08 per share, mainly reflecting the increase in Directional EBITDA.

    Liquidity, Funding and Directional Net Debt

    The Company’s financial position has remained strong as a result of the cash flow generated by the fleet, as well as the positive contribution of the Turnkey activities.

    Directional Net debt decreased by US$(936) million to US$5,719 million at year-end 2024. This was driven by the repayment of the FPSOs Prosperity and Liza Destiny financings, the proceeds from the sale of the vessels and the Lease and Operate segment’s strong operating cash flow. This was partially offset by drawings on project financing facilities to fund the construction portfolio. The Company drew on the project finance facilities for FPSO ONE GUYANA, FPSO Almirante Tamandaré and FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão; additionally, the US$1.5 billion construction financing for FPSO Jaguar was signed and partly drawn in November 2024.

    More than a third of the Company’s Directional debt for the year-ended 2024 consisted of non-recourse project financing (US$2.2 billion) in special purpose investees. The remainder (US$4 billion) consisted mainly of borrowings to support the ongoing construction of 3 FPSOs which will become non-recourse following achievement of first oil. The project loan for FPSO Jaguar will be repaid following completion of construction. The Company’s RCF was drawn for US$500 million as at December 31, 2024 and the Revolving Credit Facility for MPF hull financing was drawn for US$89 million.

    Directional cash and cash equivalents amounted to US$606 million and lease liabilities totaled US$93 million at December 31, 2024.

    Cash and undrawn committed credit facilities amount to US$2,639 million at December 31, 2024.

    Directional Pro-Forma Backlog

    Change in ownership scenarios and lease contract duration have the potential to significantly impact the Company’s future cash flows, net debt balance as well as the profit and loss statement. The Company therefore provides a pro-forma Directional backlog based on the best available information regarding ownership scenarios and lease contract duration for the various projects.

    The pro-forma Directional backlog at the end of December 2024 increased by US$4.8 billion to a total of US$35.1 billion. This was mainly the result of (i) the FPSO Jaguar contract awarded in April 2024, (ii) the FSO Trion contract awarded in August 2024, and (iii) the FPSO GranMorgu contract awarded in November 2024, partially offset by (iv) turnover for the period which consumed approximately US$6.1 billion of backlog (including the sale of FPSO Prosperity completed in November 2024 and the sale of FPSO Liza Destiny completed in December 2024, in advance of the initial lease terms which were respectively in November 2025 and in December 2029), and (v) the 13.5% divestment to CMFL completed in October 2024, which was not reflected in the pro-forma Directional backlog end of 2023. The Company’s backlog provides cash flow visibility up to 2050.

    in US$ billion   Turnkey Lease & Operate Total
    2025   2.6 2.3 4.9
    2026   1.6 2.6 4.2
    2027   3.3 2.1 5.4
    Beyond 2028   0.2 20.3 20.5
    Total pro-forma Directional backlog   7.7 27.3 35.1

    The pro-forma Directional backlog at the end of 2024 reflects the following key assumptions:

    • The FPSO ONE GUYANA contract covers a maximum lease period of 2 years, within which the ownership of the FPSO will transfer to the client. The impact of the subsequent sale is reflected in the Turnkey backlog.
    • The FPSO Jaguar contract awarded to the Company in April 2024 covers the construction period within which the FPSO ownership will transfer to the client and is reported in the Turnkey backlog.
    • 10 years of operations and maintenance are considered for FPSOs Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, Prosperity and ONE GUYANA following signature of the Operations & Maintenance Enabling Agreement in 2023. Regarding FPSO Jaguar, the pro-forma Directional backlog includes the operating and maintenance scope for 10 years as it has been agreed in principle, pending a final work order. This is consistent with prior years.
    • The FPSO GranMorgu contract awarded to the Company in November 2024 covers the construction period within which the FPSO ownership will transfer to the client and is reported in the Turnkey backlog.
    • The FSO Trion contract awarded to the Company in August 2024 is considered for 20 years in lease and operate contracts at the Company ownership share at year-end (100%).
    • The transaction with MISC Berhad related to the FPSO Espírito Santo and FPSO Kikeh announced on September 6, 2024, and completed on January 31, 2025, has been reflected in the pro-forma Directional backlog.

    Project Review and Fleet Operational Update

    Project Client/Country Contract SBM Share Capacity, Size Percentage of Completion Project delivery
    FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão Petrobras
    Brazil
    22.5-year L&O 55% 180,000 bpd >75% 2025
    FPSO ONE GUYANA ExxonMobil
    Guyana
    2-year BOT 100% 250,000 bpd >75% 2025
    FPSO Jaguar ExxonMobil
    Guyana
    Sale & Operate 100% 250,000 bpd >25% <50% 2027
    FSO Trion Woodside 20-year Lease 100% n/a <25% n/a8
    FPSO GranMorgu TotalEnergies Sale & Operate 52% 220,000 bpd <25% 2028

    Projects are on track with one major delivery achieved in early 2025. After successful completion of the offshore commissioning activities, FPSO Almirante Tamandaré achieved first oil on February 15, 2025. An update on the individual ongoing projects is provided below considering the latest known circumstances.

    FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão – In December 2024, the vessel safely departed from the yard in China after successful completion of the onshore topsides’ integration and commissioning phase. The FPSO is on its way to Brazil. First oil is expected mid-2025.

    FPSO ONE GUYANA – Integration activities are completed and project teams are finalizing commissioning activities. First oil is expected in the second half of 2025.

    FPSO Jaguar – The Fast4Ward® MPF hull has been safely delivered and arrived in Singapore in preparation for the remaining vessel activities. The topside modules fabrication in Singapore continues as planned. First oil is expected in 2027.

    FSO Trion Engineering and procurement are progressing in line with project schedule.

    FPSO GranMorgu The Fast4Ward® MPF hull has been safely delivered. Engineering and procurement are progressing in line with project schedule.

    Fast4Ward®MPF hulls – Under the Company’s successful Fast4Ward® program, the 10th MPF hull has been ordered. 4 Fast4Ward® MPF hulls are in operation, another 4 allocated to projects and 2 reserved as part of tendering activities driven by the strong FPSO market outlook.

    Contract extension – The Company has agreed a contract extension related to the lease and operation of FPSO Saxi Batuque up to June 2026.

    Fleet Uptime – The fleet’s uptime was 95.9% in 2024.

    Safety and Sustainability

    Safety – The Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (“TRIFR”) year-to-date was 0.10, 17% below the yearly target of below 0.129, notwithstanding the high level of activity.

    Fleet emissions – For 2024, the Company set a target to further optimize operational excellence on the FPSOs for which it provides operations and maintenance services amounting to a maximum absolute volume of gas flared below 1.57 mmscft/d as an overall FPSO fleet average during the year. As of December 31, 2024, SBM Offshore outperformed this target with the actual being 1.33 mmscft/d, a 15% improvement compared with 2024 target and mainly driven by a continued focus on reducing the number of unplanned events in its operated fleet.

    Sustain-2 Notation – FPSO Liza Unity is the 1st FPSO which has received a Sustain-2 Notation by American Bureau of Shipping. This sustainability certificate recognizes the Company’s efforts in minimizing environmental impacts over the lifecycle of the FPSO including the use of low carbon technologies as well as the focus on workers’ wellbeing.

    ESG ratings – In recognition of the Company’s continued focus on sustainability, MSCI has improved SBM Offshore’s rating from AA in 2023 to AAA in 2024 and Sustainalytics included the Company in its 2024 ESG Industry Top Rated, with the Company ranking 2nd out of 106 industry peers.

    Sustainable recycling – The Deep Panuke Production Field Center recycling project reached completion in Nova Scotia, Canada, in early 2024 with 97% of the waste materials were sold, recycled or reused and the remainder 3% was safely disposed of. As for the FPSO Capixaba project, following the handover to M.A.R.S., the Company continues to monitor the safe execution of the decommissioning which is expected to reach completion in 2026.

    Blue Economy

    SBM Offshore is a blue economy company aiming to manage ocean resources for economic growth while preserving ecosystems. Using its deepwater expertise, the Company is advancing technologies focusing on decarbonizing and diversifying its ocean infrastructure solutions. Ranging from floating offshore wind to offshore hydrogen and ammonia, SBM Offshore remains selective and disciplined in developing innovative solutions and investing in new ocean infrastructure solutions.

    Provence Grand Large – The three floating offshore wind turbines that were installed by SBM Offshore at the end of 2023 for the Provence Grand Large project, jointly owned by EDF Renewables and Maple Power, were fully commissioned and started production in 2024.

    Floventis Energy Ltd – In December 2024, SBM Offshore reached an agreement with Cierco Energy to sell its shares in the joint venture company Floventis Energy Ltd, thus transferring the ownership of both Cademo and Llŷr Floating Wind projects to Cierco Energy. As planned, following the advancement of these pioneering projects and acquiring valuable knowledge in the offshore wind market, the Company will continue to concentrate its efforts on the remaining two larger scale projects in its portfolio.

    emissionZERO®program – SBM Offshore continues to address FPSO emissions reduction through its emissionZERO® program and is offering a market-ready near zero emission FPSO for 2025, featuring advanced technologies such as carbon capture, combined cycle gas turbines and deepwater intake risers.

    Carbon Capture Module – SBM Offshore has been awarded a contract by Petrobras to qualify SBM’s Carbon Capture Module technology for FPSOs. The Carbon Capture Module for post combustion removal of CO2 from gas turbine exhaust gasses on FPSO’s has been developed in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

    Blue Power Hub – With the aim to decarbonize the offshore power generation sector, SBM Offshore signed in December 2024 an investment agreement with the Norwegian company Ocean-Power AS to develop and commercialize offshore power generation units with CO2 capture and storage. This investment has been completed in early 2025.

    Capital allocation and Shareholder Returns

    The Company’s shareholder returns policy is to maintain a stable annual cash return to shareholders which grows over time, with flexibility for the Company to make such cash return in the form of a cash dividend and the repurchase of shares. Determination of the annual cash return is based on the Company’s assessment of its underlying cash flow position. The Company prioritizes a stable cash distribution to shareholders and funding of growth projects, with the option to apply surplus capital towards incremental cash returns to shareholders.

    As a result, following review of its cash flow position and forecast, the Company intends to pay US$1.59 per share through a proposed US$155m dividend5 (EUR150 million equivalent or US$0.88 per share4) and US$150 million (EUR141 million equivalent) share repurchase program6. This represents an increase of 30% compared with 2024. The objective of the share buyback program would be to reduce share capital and provide shares for regular management and employee share programs (maximum US$25 million). Shares repurchased as part of the cash return will be cancelled.

    The share repurchase program will be launched after the current share repurchase program has ended. The dividend will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting on April 9, 2025.

    Guidance

    The Company’s 2025 Directional revenue guidance is above US$4.9 billion of which above US$2.2 billion is expected from the Lease and Operate segment and around US$2.7 billion from the Turnkey segment.

    2025 Directional EBITDA guidance is around US$1.55 billion for the Company.

    Conference Call

    SBM Offshore has scheduled a conference call together with a webcast, which will be followed by a Q&A session, to discuss the Full Year 2024 Earnings release.

    The event is scheduled for Thursday February 20, 2025, at 10.00 AM (CET) and will be hosted by Øivind Tangen (CEO) and Douglas Wood (CFO).

    Interested parties are invited to register prior the call using the link: Full Year 2024 Earnings Conference Call

    Please note that the conference call can only be accessed with a personal identification code, which is sent to you by email after completion of the registration.

    The live webcast will be available at: Full Year 2024 Earnings Webcast

    A replay of the webcast, which is available shortly after the call, can be accessed using the same link.

    Corporate Profile

    SBM Offshore is the world’s deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert. Through the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, we play a pivotal role in a just transition. By advancing our core, we deliver cleaner, more efficient energy production. By pioneering more, we unlock new markets within the blue economy.

    More than 7,800 SBMers collaborate worldwide to deliver innovative solutions as a responsible partner towards a sustainable future, balancing ocean protection with progress.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.sbmoffshore.com.

    Financial Calendar   Date Year
    Annual General Meeting   April 9 2025
    First Quarter 2025 Trading Update   May 15 2025
    Half Year 2025 Earnings   August 7 2025
    Third Quarter 2025 Trading Update   November 13 2025
    Full Year 2025 Earnings   February 26 2026

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations

    Wouter Holties
    Corporate Finance & Investor Relations Manager

    Media Relations

    Giampaolo Arghittu
    Head of External Relations

    Market Abuse Regulation

    This press release may contain inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Disclaimer

    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those in such statements. These statements may be identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘shall’ and / or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The principal risks which could affect the future operations of SBM Offshore N.V. are described in the ‘Impacts, Risks and Opportunities’ section of the 2024 Annual Report.

    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and performance of the Company’s business may vary materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements described in this release. SBM Offshore does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.

    This release contains certain alternative performance measures (APMs) as defined by the ESMA guidelines which are not defined under IFRS. Further information on these APMs is included in the 2024 Annual Report, available on our website Annual Reports – SBM Offshore.

    Nothing in this release shall be deemed an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. The companies in which SBM Offshore N.V. directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release “SBM Offshore” and “SBM” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to SBM Offshore N.V. and its subsidiaries in general. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

    “SBM Offshore®“, the SBM logomark, “Fast4Ward®”, “emissionZERO®” and “F4W®” are proprietary marks owned by SBM Offshore.


    1 Directional reporting, presented in the Financial Statements under section 4.3.2 Operating Segments and Directional Reporting, represents a pro-forma accounting policy, which treats all lease contracts as operating leases and consolidates all co-owned investees related to lease contracts on a proportional basis based on percentage of ownership. This explanatory note relates to all Directional reporting in this document.
    2 Based on the number of shares outstanding and exchange rate EUR/US$ of 1.039 at December 31, 2024.

    3 Reflects a pro-forma view of the Company’s Directional backlog and expected net cash from Turnkey, Lease and Operate and Build Operate Transfer sales after tax and debt service.
    4 Based on the number of shares outstanding at December 31, 2024. Dividend amount per share depends on number of shares entitled to dividend.
    5 Equivalent of EUR150 million based on the EUR/US$ exchange rate on February 11, 2025. Dividends will be paid in Euro provided that the minimum Euro dividend shall amount to EUR150 million.
    6 Including maximum US$25 million for management and employee share plans.

    7 Numbers may not add up due to rounding.
    8 Project delivery not disclosed by the client.

    9 Measured per 200,000 work hours.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Growing concerns over phthalates in plastic packaging highlight importance of alternative packaging solutions, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Growing concerns over phthalates in plastic packaging highlight importance of alternative packaging solutions, says GlobalData

    Posted in Packaging

    Environmental organizations are increasingly highlighting the numerous health risks associated with phthalates, leading to a rise in consumer awareness and concern over the use of plastic packaging in processed food and beverage products.

    The use of phthalates in plastic packaging is facing increased scrutiny due to a growing body of research that underscores significant health risks linked to these chemicals, observers GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. This concern has led to legal action by environmental organizations such as Earthjustice and the Environmental Defense Fund against the FDA over its alleged refusal to address regulation concerning the issue.

    One notable health risk associated with plastics is their propensity to absorb flavors, colors, and odors, which consequently raises concerns about the potential leaching of harmful chemicals into food and beverage products packaged with this material.

    Chris Rowland, Packaging Consultant and Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The European Union has implemented a ban or imposed restrictions on certain phthalate compounds that come into contact with food, a regulatory move adopted by other nations such as the United Kingdom and Canada. To future-proof their packaging capabilities, FMCG companies could explore innovative alternatives, including paper or plant-based materials, regardless of lagging regulation in the US. While initially this shift may entail higher costs, the growing consumer awareness of health risks associated with plastic packaging, coupled with a rising preference for sustainable packaging solutions and the tightening of global regulations on plastic packaging use, suggests that a failure to adapt could lead to a long-term competitive disadvantage.”

    Physical health and fitness concerns could be impacting packaging choices

    According to the latest consumer survey by GlobalData for Q4 2024, nearly half of global consumers (47%) are “extremely” or “quite” concerned about their physical fitness and health.

    The same survey also highlights that over 50% of consumers are “extremely” or “quite concerned” about the amount of processed food they eat or give to others in the “meat”, “pre-packaged meals”, and “food/drinks for children” categories.

    Rowland continues: “Consumers who are concerned about their physical fitness and dietary intake of processed foods tend to be more open to alternatives to plastic packaging. Consequently, an opportunity may arise for consumer packaged goods manufacturers to respond to these concerns, by providing packaging free from phthalates, prominently displaying this feature on the packaging, and working with their packaging suppliers to pioneer innovations in paper and biodegradable packaging for processed foods.”

    “Phthalate-Free” claims associated with personal care products

    At present, “Phthalate-Free” claims are predominantly associated with products within the personal care category, including soaps, cosmetics, and skincare products. Brands that provide phthalate-free options, such as Ecover, MyPure, and Natural Beauty, are at the forefront of this initiative. Additionally, certain niche food producers are making strides by advocating for packaging that is plastic-free, biodegradable, and recyclable. A case in point is Pheasants Hill Farm in the UK, which markets a range of food products, including steaks, mince, and burgers—in plastic-free pouches. These pouches are constructed from plant-based materials, which are claimed to be biodegradable, compostable, and ocean-friendly.

    Alternative packaging formats are increasing in both variety and popularity.

    Numerous packaging formats are now being presented as safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives to phthalate-containing plastic packaging. For example, mushroom packaging employs mycelium—the root structure of mushrooms—to bind agricultural waste into biodegradable packaging materials. This method is not only more sustainable but also provides natural insulation and protection for fragile goods. Seaweed is another material gaining popularity in the packaging industry because of its biodegradable properties and its ability to decompose without leaving harmful residues.

    Rowland adds: “The health and environmental concerns associated with plastic packaging are significant and complex. Addressing these issues necessitates a collaborative effort from consumers, businesses, and regulators to adopt sustainable practices and alternative materials. By adopting paper-based packaging and other alternative materials, brands can align with consumer preferences, comply with regulations, and demonstrate their commitment to health, well-being, and sustainability.”

    GlobalData Consumer Custom Solutions

    GlobalData Consumer Custom Solutions offers sector-level expertise in the Consumer Packaged Goods, Food, Beverages, Foodservice, Retail, Apparel, Packaging, Agribusiness and Automotive industries. We use our unique data, expert insights, and analytics to answer your bespoke questions with a tailored approach and deliverables. To learn more or have a chat, just drop us an email at consulting@globaldata.com or contact us here, and we’ll get in touch! CCS0210

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT welcomes further debate on banking wokery

    Source: ACT Party

    In response to the draw of the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide) Amendment Bill from Parliament’s ballot:

    “When I first raised the problem of climate ideology in banking, it was an issue only grumbled about across the farm fence. Now it’s a mainstream concern, challenged in New Zealand’s highest chambers of power,” says ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron, who is also leading a select committee inquiry into rural banking practices.

    “The ACT team will be looking at the detail of this bill before forming a position.

    “In the meantime, ACT will continue to make the case for tackling woke banking practices at the cause. That includes the Net Zero Banking Alliance, which major banks in the United States, Canada, and Australia are rightly fleeing. We’ve also challenged the stupid climate commitments placed on banks by the Financial Markets Authority.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock’s Issues Statement for the Official Record on Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be USTR

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock’s Issues Statement for the Official Record on Nomination of Jamieson Greer to be USTR

    Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), issued the following statement on consideration of the Nomination of Jamieson Greer, of Maryland, to be United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
    “I will vote against the nomination of Mr. Jamieson Greer to serve as the United States Trade Representative. Despite Mr. Greer’s qualifications, he would be responsible for implementing President Trump’s haphazard and reckless trade policies, which I believe are harmful to Georgia businesses, farmers, and families. I am particularly concerned that, instead of advising the President on trade, Mr. Greer would be forced to appease President Trump’s chaotic tariff impulses.”
    “President Trump has used the threat of tariffs on America’s closest allies and trading partners—including Mexico, Canada, and even the European Union—merely to advance partisan or political goals that have little to do with our economy. These actions risk increasing costs for Georgia families and threatening good-paying American jobs.”  
    “Should Mr. Greer be confirmed, as Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, I will work with him, holding him accountable when necessary, to fight for domestic manufacturing in critical sectors like clean energy and electric vehicles, which are leading Georgia’s economic growth and reducing our dependence on China; to identify new international market access opportunities for Georgia’s farmers and small businesses, while protecting them from harmful trade wars; and to lower costs for hard-working families.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: US backing for Pacific disinformation media course casualty of Trump aid ‘freeze’

    Pacific Media Watch

    A New Zealand-based community education provider, Dark Times Academy, has had a US Embassy grant to deliver a course teaching Pacific Islands journalists about disinformation terminated after the new Trump administration took office.

    The new US administration requested a list of course participants and to review the programme material amid controversy over a “freeze” on federal aid policies.

    The course presentation team refused and the contract was terminated by “mutual agreement” — but the eight-week Pacific workshop is going ahead anyway from next week.

    Dark Times Academy’s co-founder Mandy Henk . . . “A Bit Sus”, an evidence-based peer-reviewed series of classes on disinfiormation for Pacific media. Image: Newsroom

    “As far as I can tell, the current foreign policy priorities of the US government seem to involve terrorising the people of Gaza, annexing Canada, invading Greenland, and bullying Panama,” said Dark Times Academy co-founder Mandy Henk.

    “We felt confident that a review of our materials would not find them to be aligned with those priorities.”

    The course, called “A Bit Sus”, is an evidence-based peer-reviewed series of classes that teach key professions the skills needed to identify and counter disinformation and misinformation in their particular field.

    The classes focus on “prebunking”, lateral reading, and how technology, including generative AI, influences disinformation.

    Awarded competitive funds
    Dark Times Academy was originally awarded the funds to run the programme through a public competitive grant offered by the US Embassy in New Zealand in 2023 under the previous US administration.

    The US Embassy grant was focused on strengthening the capacity of Pacific media to identify and counter disinformation. While funded by the US, the course was to be a completely independent programme overseen by Dark Times Academy and its academic consultants.

    Co-founder Henk was preparing to deliver the education programme to a group of Pacific Island journalists and media professionals, but received a request from the US Embassy in New Zealand to review the course materials to “ensure they are in line with US foreign policy priorities”.

    Henk said she and the other course presenters refused to allow US government officials to review the course material for this purpose.

    She said the US Embassy had also requested a “list of registered participants for the online classes,” which Dark Times Academy also declined to provide as compliance would have violated the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

    Henk said the refusal to provide the course materials for review led immediately to further discussions with the US Embassy in New Zealand that ultimately resulted in the termination of the grant “by mutual agreement”.

    However, she said Dark Times Academy would still go ahead with running the course for the Pacific Island journalists who had signed up so far, starting on February 26.

    Continuing the programme
    “The Dark Times Academy team fully intends to continue to bring the ‘A Bit Sus’ programme and other classes to the Pacific region and New Zealand, even without the support of the US government,” Henk said.

    “As noted when we first announced this course, the Pacific Islands have experienced accelerated growth in digital connectivity over the past few years thanks to new submarine cable networks and satellite technology.

    “Alongside this, the region has also seen a surge in harmful rumours and disinformation that is increasingly disrupting the ability to share accurate and truthful information across Pacific communities.

    “This course will help participants from the media recognise common tactics used by disinformation agents and support them to deploy proven educational and communications techniques.

    “By taking a skills-based approach to countering disinformation, our programme can help to spread the techniques needed to mitigate the risks posed by digital technologies,” Henk said.

    Especially valuable for journalists
    Dark Times Academy co-founder Byron Clark said the course would be especially valuable for journalists in the Pacific region given the recent shifts in global politics and the current state of the planet.

    Dark Times Academy co-founder and author Byron Clark . . . “We saw the devastating impacts of disinformation in the Pacific region during the measles outbreak in Samoa.” Image: APR

    “We saw the devastating impacts of disinformation in the Pacific region during the measles outbreak in Samoa, for example,” said Clark, author of the best-selling book Fear: New Zealand’s Underworld of Hostile Extremists.

    “With Pacific Island states bearing the brunt of climate change, as well as being caught between a geopolitical stoush between China and the West, a course like this one is timely.”

    Henk said the “A Bit Sus” programme used a “high-touch teaching model” that combined the current best evidence on how to counter disinformation with a “learner-focused pedagogy that combines discussion, activities, and a project”.

    Past classes led to the creation of the New Zealand version of the “Euphorigen Investigation” escape room, a board game, and a card game.

    These materials remain in use across New Zealand schools and community learning centres.

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ has long suffered from low productivity. A simple fix is keeping workers happy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    bbernard/Shutterstock

    The low-productivity bogeyman has long haunted New Zealand, with people working longer hours for lower output than other comparable countries. The country is now one of the least productive in the OECD.

    At its most basic level, productivity measures how much output can be produced with a set of inputs. The inputs can be the work of staff, as well as technical innovation, research and development and automation to encourage more efficient processes.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has committed to resolving this persistent productivity crisis with science sector reforms and overseas investment.

    But after decades of lagging behind the rest of the world, a growing body of research shows the answer could lie in greater support for workers’ mental health.

    Linking productivity and mental health

    For many, increasing productivity equates to people working “harder” for longer hours – the implication being that if only we “pulled finger” and “knuckled down” the country’s productivity would magically increase.

    Instead, could the answer to our productivity crisis be in improving the psychological functioning and mental health of our workforce?

    There is a substantial body of evidence showing poor mental health is related to poor productivity. Recent New Zealand data show workers with the poorest mental health lost more than three times the number of productive workdays annually (71 days) than those with the highest mental health (19 days).

    Poor mental health can take a toll in the form of time away from work (absenteeism), loss of focus, and emotional exhaustion (presenteeism).

    Conversely, measures taken by employers to improve the mental health of workers show a strong positive relationship with increased productivity.

    Data from more than 1,600 publicly listed companies in the United States found employee wellbeing predicts higher company valuations, return on assets, gross profits and stock market performance.

    Of those interventions used to improve mental health and productivity at work, the most promising appear to target leadership capability, health screening and psycho-socially healthy working environments.

    One of the more notable initiatives happened in our own backyard. Andrew Barnes from Perpetual Guardian has been a vocal proponent of four-day work week.

    This doesn’t mean packing a 40-hour week into four days instead of five. Rather, its central tenet is reducing the working week (usually to 32 hours), keeping workers’ salaries at 100%, and continuing productivity at 100% (at least) of its existing level.

    Results from a pilot with 61 companies in the United Kingdom show an average increase of 36% per annum in revenue for participating businesses, with over 90% of UK businesses that have trialled the programme choosing to continue with it.

    Similarly positive results came from a widespread trial of a shorter working week (at full pay) in Iceland, involving 1% of the working population, including office workers, teachers, and healthcare workers.

    The four-day work week trial in Iceland has been heralded as a success.
    Canadastock/Shutterstock

    More than a ‘nice-to-have’

    But despite the need to improve productivity and the growing business case for improving employee wellbeing, demand for organisational mental health services has dipped.

    Anecdotally, organisations involved in supporting the mental health of New Zealand workplaces have reported a decrease in demand, with many businesses and government agencies citing budget constraints as a major barrier to investing in this area.

    This is likely a sign of the economic times, with more than three-quarters of New Zealand business leaders citing economic uncertainty as a key threat to their organisation in 2025.

    To some, providing psychological support to workplaces may appear frivolous at worst, and a “nice-to-have” at best. Understanding the mechanisms by which these interventions can boost productivity may help dispel these doubts.

    If we consider some of the core symptoms of poor mental health at work – namely exhaustion, reduced focus and greater sickness absence – it’s easy to see how improving workers’ mental health can improve the productivity of a business.

    Maintaining workers

    The idea of sustainable labour practices isn’t new or radical, nor is it just another attempt to load businesses with extra responsibility for worker mental health.

    It is a way to enable people to work more efficiently in the time they have, and to keep them in their jobs for longer. In turn, this improves overall company performance and, crucially, improves population health.

    For many businesses, people are their biggest asset. Ensuring your biggest asset is functioning well is as essential to enhancing productivity as regular maintenance and capital expenditure on physical machinery and buildings.

    Like any business strategy worth its while, it’s not always easy. But there is too much at stake not to get it right.

    Dougal Sutherland is an Honorary Teaching Fellow at Te Herenga Waka. He is also Principal Psychologist at Umbrella Wellbeing.

    Dr Amanda Wallis from Umbrella Wellbeing contributed to this article

    ref. NZ has long suffered from low productivity. A simple fix is keeping workers happy – https://theconversation.com/nz-has-long-suffered-from-low-productivity-a-simple-fix-is-keeping-workers-happy-248752

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI China: US’ new tariffs worsen global prospects

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, Feb. 13, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    After US President Donald Trump’s first punitive tariffs targeted the United States’ major trade partners — Mexico, Canada and China — tariff threats are shifting to the European Union, even the rest of the world. The tariff threats are also shifting from steel and aluminum to computer chips and pharmaceuticals.

    In the latest move, Trump said on Tuesday he intends to impose auto tariffs “in the neighborhood of 25 percent” and similar duties on semiconductors and pharmaceutical imports.

    The US has a major trade deficit with many other trading economies, including Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Vietnam, which are likely to be in the firing line later, if not soon.

    A tariff is a tax levied on imported goods and services. In its haste to target the three countries, the Trump administration has ignored concerns about these tariffs fostering inflation or snarling global supply chains. This is a serious mistake on the part of the administration. In the US, wholesale prices are already rising on higher food and energy costs, adding to the growing pile of bad inflation news ahead of more US tariffs. Globally, these risks are real, costly and damaging.

    As the new US administration has been launching another tariff war, China’s economy has been showing progressive signs of stabilization — especially since the fourth quarter of 2024, as the impact of the November stimulus measures has kicked in. During this period, growth accelerated from 4.6 percent to 5.4 percent to reach 5.0 percent year-on-year in 2024, which prompted the International Monetary Fund to recently upgrade China’s GDP growth.

    But what’s fueling these gains?

    China’s industrial production has proved resilient on the back of both domestic and international demand, particularly in electric vehicles and solar panels. The most prominent part of the growth story is the strong expansion of China’s advanced technology, electronics and automobile sectors. The pace of development in industrial robotics is almost as strong, while consumption is being fueled by equipment and durable goods upgrade.

    Yet two main challenges remain. At home, the nearly 11 percent decline in real estate investment suggests the property market is still ailing. But in about 300 Chinese cities, the decline of residential inventory is slowing.

    The external challenges China faces include the impending trade and tech wars, which the first Trump administration launched in 2017, the Biden administration expanded and the new Trump administration is broadening worldwide.

    On Feb 1, Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs and 10 percent duties on energy products imported from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. The three countries are the US’ biggest trade partners and the US has a trade deficit with each one of them. These tariffs alone would cost an average US household more than $1,200 a year.

    After separate talks between Trump and the Canadian and Mexican presidents, the US agreed to delay levying the extra tariffs for 30 days. But the threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, if they are imposed, could reduce long-run GDP by 0.3 percent.

    Moreover, a trade war between the US and its two largest trading partners would hit incomes in the US, impact employment and accelerate inflation. As Trump’s tariffs went into effect against China, Beijing announced a broad package of economic measures against Washington on Feb 10. And more countermeasures are likely to follow.

    Half a decade ago, the US’ punitive tariffs on Chinese goods covered goods worth $396 billion, or more than 90 percent of the total trade. But the first round of Trump’s tariffs against Canadian, Mexican and Chinese goods alone will cover far more traded goods in dollar terms.

    Trump’s four tranches of tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018-19 covered imports worth $360 billion. Today, Canada and Mexico and China account for more than two-fifths of all US imports. New tariffs on the goods imported from the two countries plus additional tariffs on Chinese goods would likely cover imports valued at more than $1.3 trillion. That’s more than 3.5 times the value than half a decade ago.

    This might be just the opening salvo in a series of tariffs the Trump administration is likely to announce in the coming weeks. Factor in the potential/likely retaliatory tariffs and duties by the affected countries and the Trump administration’s “reciprocal tariff” plan, and the final toll could be much higher.

    Ironically, US tariffs are legitimized by a flawed victimization narrative in which Washington is portrayed as a target of wrongful economic and geopolitical measures. In reality, the US’ imposed tariff levels are about geopolitical coercion, not economic factors.

    The threatened wave of tariffs could further heighten trade tensions, reduce investments, hit market pricing, distort trade flows, disrupt supply chains and undermine consumer confidence. In fact, much worse could happen.

    Due to the new US tariffs, we are in for a far costlier, global déjà vu all over again.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT MP congratulates Labour MP for pro-freedom bill

    Source: ACT Party

    Responding to the draw of the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide) Amendment Bill:

    “Finally, the House of Representatives will have a chance to debate the wokery in the banking sector that has seen farmers and other unfashionable sectors treated like second-class borrowers,” says ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron, who is also leading an inquiry into rural banking practices.

    “The ACT team will be looking at the detail of this bill. We’ll continue to make the case for tackling woke banking practices at its cause. That includes the Net Zero Banking Alliance, which major banks in the United States, Canada, and Australia are rightly fleeing. We’ve also challenged the stupid climate commitments placed on banks by the Financial Markets Authority.

    “In the meantime, I’m celebrating the fact that these issues, once only discussed with frustration across the farm fence, are now being addressed in New Zealand’s highest chambers of power.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Charts Path to Combat the Fentanyl Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) reintroduced his Alan Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act. The legislation takes a three-fold approach to addressing the fentanyl crisis fueled by the expiration of Title 42 during the Biden administration. This legislation would allow the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expedite the processing and removal of migrants illegally entering the country in response to the fentanyl-related public health emergency. 

    “The former president left a disaster on our southern border that infected communities and families across our nation. A couple of years ago, my friend Alan Shao lost his son to the crisis curated by the Biden administration’s open border policies. This legislation is named in honor of his son to remind us that one life lost is one too many and that we can’t continue to sit idly by allowing devastation to rip through our homes,” said Senator Scott. “I am grateful to lead efforts to put an end to this public health crisis and clean up our border. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to ensure more Americans can live in a safer nation.”

    “The fentanyl crisis is a national emergency. It was driven by the Biden administration’s open-border policies and will require decisive, sustained, and specific action to stem. This bill will protect American lives and secure our border. I’m proud to work with my colleagues on this critical issue,” said Senator Cruz.

    “Sheriffs across North Carolina have told me that every one of our counties is a border county after four years of the Biden administration. To reverse this dangerous situation, I am proud to join Senator Tim Scott’s bill to speed up the removal of illegal aliens who pose safety risks to communities across the nation,” said Senator Budd. “The Trump administration needs more tools to get the southern border under control, and this bill would be another major step in the effort to restore law and order in our country.”

    In addition to Senator Scott, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). 

    Expedited processing and removal would apply to migrants who:

    • Are attempting to enter the US from Canada or Mexico illegally; 
    • Do not possess necessary travel documents for admittance into the US; and 
    • Are being held at a point of entry or a Border Patrol station facilitating immigration processing. 

    BACKGROUND

    The Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act is named after the son of Dr. Alan Shao, the former Dean of the School of Business at the College of Charleston. Alan T. Shao II passed away at the age of 27 due to a fentanyl overdose. 

    Senator Scott’s legislation utilizes powers similar to those under Title 42, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to expedite the processing and removal of migrants illegally entering the country, and applies them in response to the fentanyl-related public health emergency.  

    According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the agency seized more than 367 million deadly doses (2 mg of fentanyl equates to a deadly dose) in 2024. More than 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses during 2023, with the majority of such deaths caused by fentanyl. 

    In addition to the Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act, Senator Scott introduced the Securing Our Border Act, which redirects $22.4 billion of unobligated funding passed by Democrats to hire 87,000 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and utilizes it to bolster security measures along our southern border.

    Furthermore, he introduced the Stifling Transnational Operations and Proliferators by Mitigating Activities that Drive Narcotics, Exploitation, and Smuggling Sanctions Act – or the STOP MADNESS Act, which would also ensure the president can sanction foreign governments that resist efforts to repatriate their citizens who unlawfully enter the United States.

    In April 2024, Senator Scott’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which directs the Department of Treasury to use U.S. economic national security tools to choke off the profits of the Chinese precursor manufacturers and the Mexican cartels that push fentanyl across the border, was signed into law. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Health Care Acquisitions – Valsoft Enters the Managed Care Space with the Acquisition of Chordline Health

    Source: Valsoft Corporation Inc

    Montreal, Canada, February 19, 2024 – Valsoft Corporation Inc. (“Valsoft”), a Canadian company specializing in acquiring and developing vertical market software businesses, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Chordline Health, a leading provider of managed care software designed by clinicians to support health plans, third-party administrators (TPAs), accountable care organizations (ACOs), and other risk-bearing entities across both private and public sectors.

    With a comprehensive suite of solutions, Chordline Health seamlessly integrates case management, utilization management, appeals and grievances, and advanced analytics to enhance decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and optimize costs. By focusing on population health, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency, Chordline empowers healthcare organizations to enhance care delivery, manage risk, and streamline workflows.

    “For years, we have been dedicated to empowering healthcare organizations with technology-driven solutions that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency,” said Matt Fahner, CEO at Chordline. “With Valsoft’s support, we are poised to scale our offerings, enhance our capabilities, and bring even greater value to our customers.”

    “Chordline Health’s deep industry expertise and commitment to healthcare transformation align perfectly with Valsoft’s vision of acquiring and growing industry-leading businesses,” said Antonino Piazza, Investment Partner at Valsoft. “Together, we will expand Chordline’s reach and continue driving innovation in the healthcare technology sector.”

    Valsoft is committed to providing Chordline with the additional resources and operational experience necessary to accelerate its growth. The Chordline leadership team will remain in place, continuing to drive innovation and support their customers with the expertise and dedication that have defined their success.

    About Chordline

    Chordline Health was founded in 1983 to address the critical need for managed care solutions designed from the clinician perspective. Chordline’s cloud-based software and analytics platforms deliver actionable, real-time data to users, empowering healthcare organizations to deliver optimized clinical outcomes and improved patient experiences, all while reducing operational costs. Supported by a team of clinicians and developers recognized for their best-in-class managed care expertise and customer support, Chordline is the leading provider of software designed to support health plans, TPAs, ACOs, and other risk-bearing organizations. For more information: https://chordline.com/

     

    About Valsoft Corporation

    Valsoft Corporation acquires and develops vertical market software companies that deliver mission-critical solutions. A key tenet of Valsoft’s philosophy is to invest in established businesses and foster an entrepreneurial environment that shapes a company into a leader in its respective industry. Unlike private equity and VC firms, Valsoft does not have a predefined investment horizon and looks to buy, hold, and create value through long-term partnerships with existing management and customers. Learn more at www.valsoftcorp.com

     

    Valsoft was represented internally by David Felicissimo (General Counsel), Shinjay Choi (Ssin) (Senior Legal Counsel), and Pamela Romero (Paralegal). Chordline was represented by Fifth Third Securities (Exclusive Financial Advisors) and Barnes & Thornburg LLP (Legal Counsel)

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI: Pulse Seismic Inc. Receives TSX Approval for Normal Course Issuer Bid and Enters Into Automatic Share Purchase Plan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pulse Seismic Inc. (TSX:PSD) (OTCQX:PLSDF) (“Pulse” or the “Company”) announces that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) has accepted the Company’s Notice of Intention to enter a normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”). The NCIB allows Pulse to purchase up to 2,770,658 common shares (representing 10 percent of the public float of 27,706,584 common shares as at February 17, 2025). All shares will be purchased through the facilities of the TSX and/or alternative Canadian trading platforms. All shares purchased under the normal course issuer bid will be cancelled. The duration of the normal course issuer bid will be from February 24, 2025, through February 23, 2026. As of February 17, 2025, the Company had 50,837,763 common shares outstanding.

    The Company’s purchase of shares during any trading day will not exceed 2,866 common shares (representing 25 percent of the average daily trading volume of 11,467 shares traded on the TSX during the most recently completed six calendar months preceding the filing of the Notice of Intention), subject to Pulse’s ability to make block purchases in accordance with the TSX facilities and rules.

    During the period from December 20, 2023, through December 19, 2024, the NCIB allowed Pulse to purchase up to 2,957,406 common shares. During that period, Pulse purchased 1,799,600 common shares under the normal course issuer bid at a weighted average price of $2.17 per share. All shares were purchased through the facilities of the TSX and/or alternative Canadian trading platforms. All shares purchased under the normal course issuer bid were cancelled.

    The Company also entered into an automatic share purchase plan (“ASPP”) with a broker, in order to facilitate repurchases of Pulse’s common shares under its normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”). During the effective period of its ASPP, Pulse’s broker may purchase common shares at times when Pulse would not be active in the market due to regulatory restrictions, including insider trading rules, and Pulse’s own internal trading blackout periods. Purchases will be made by Pulse’s broker based on parameters set by Pulse when it is not in possession of any material non-public information about the Company or its securities, and in accordance with the limits and other terms of the ASPP. The ASPP has been entered into in accordance with the requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws.

    CORPORATE PROFILE

    Pulse is a market leader in the acquisition, marketing and licensing of 2D and 3D seismic data to the western Canadian energy sector. Pulse owns the largest licensable seismic data library in Canada, currently consisting of approximately 65,310 square kilometres of 3D seismic and 829,207 kilometres of 2D seismic. The library extensively covers the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, where most of Canada’s oil and natural gas exploration and development occur.

    For further information, please contact:
    Neal Coleman, President and CEO
    Or
    Pamela Wicks, VP Finance and CFO

    Tel.: 403-237-5559
    Toll-free: 1-877-460-5559
    E-mail: info@pulseseismic.com.
    Please visit our website at www.pulseseismic.com.

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/44800f70-c245-41f0-88a0-9072db871bd7

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Legislation helps expand parks, recognize Indigenous history

    Legislation has been introduced to expand three existing provincial parks and rename two parks to recognize Indigenous connections.

    Through proposed amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia Act, Enderby Cliffs Park near Salmon Arm will be renamed Tplaqín/Enderby Cliffs Park. Maquinna Marine Park near Tofino will be renamed Nism̓aakqin Park.

    Tplaqín (pronounced T-bla-qeen) means cliff in Interior Salish. The name Nism̓aakqin (pronounced nis-mock-kin) means “our land that we care for” in Nuu-chah-nulth.

    “Indigenous people have been stewards of the water, land and wildlife for millennia,” said Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks. “Renaming these parks to traditional Indigenous names recognizes significant cultural values and supports ongoing reconciliation with First Nations. Expanding B.C.’s parks and protected-areas system enhances protection of important ecological, recreational, cultural and historical values that make these places special.”

    The proposed additions will add approximately 143 hectares to three parks:

    • Naikoon Park (Haida Gwaii): 104 hectares of land that is already surrounded by the existing park. The land will provide further protection of wildlife habitat.
    • Wells Gray Park (near Clearwater): 33 hectares of land to protect wetland and forest that is surrounded by the existing park on three sides;
    • Cinnemousun Narrows (near Sicamous): three hectares of land and three hectares of adjacent lake shore.

    As part of the amendments, Kilby Park near Harrison Mills will be formally transferred to the Province’s Heritage Branch, which has managed the park and the adjacent Kilby Historic Site since 2003.

    The amendments will also remove one hectare from Naikoon Park to allow the expansion of a neighbouring cemetery and will make administrative updates to several protected-area boundary descriptions.

    Quick Facts:

    • B.C. has 1,050 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering more than 14 million hectares, or approximately 14.7% of the land base.
    • The Province acquires land each year through the BC Parks Land Acquisition Program to expand parks and protected areas.
    • Provincial funding for the cost for these acquisitions is often augmented by partnerships with conservation groups, individual donors and corporations.

    Learn More:

    For more information about BC Parks, visit: https://bcparks.ca/

    For a summary of the types of parks and protected areas, visit: https://bcparks.ca/about/our-mission-responsibilities/types-parks-protected-areas/

    For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/Legislation

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Power struggles: The psychology behind workplace energy use – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    Do you ever take the stairs instead of the lift or print double-sided – not for fitness, or to stretch the last few sheets of paper, but to save energy?
      
    An international study co-authored by researchers from the University of Auckland looks at how businesses can support these kinds of everyday choices, often overlooked in corporate sustainability plans.

    Published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the study analyses 70 research papers on employee energy-saving behaviours and shows that a combination of personal attitudes, social norms, habits, organisational culture and peer feedback shapes employees’ willingness to save energy.
       
    It suggests that businesses looking to cut energy use should focus on engagement rather than enforcement.

    Employees who feel encouraged, rather than monitored or penalised, are more likely to develop lasting energy-saving habits.
       
    “A work environment that recognises the value of energy-saving behaviour and employees with intentions to save energy are very effective,” says Business School Professor Sholeh Maani.

    The economics professor says businesses that integrate energy-saving behaviours into workplace policies and culture see greater engagement from staff.

    For example, giving employees control over lighting and temperature settings and regular feedback on energy use, combined with positive reinforcement, can motivate staff to save energy. 

    Digital tools like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and gamified apps can help staff track their energy use, says Maani, encouraging autonomy and responsibility.

    And while many businesses rely on employee education campaigns to encourage energy conservation, the research suggests that providing information alone is not enough, and in some cases, it may even backfire if it’s seen as personal monitoring.

    One study the researchers point out took place at a university in Canada and surveyed 595 employees in 24 buildings. The results found that feedback and peer education reduced energy use by seven percent and four percent respectively, while energy consumption increased by four percent in the buildings that educated employees on how and why to save energy.

    Another study in the Netherlands examined a 13-week energy-saving initiative at an environmental consulting firm with 83 employees across five departments. Employees received weekly rewards for saving energy, with some receiving monetary incentives and others getting positive public  recognition. The results were clear: public feedback was more effective than financial incentives.
       
    These results and others highlight that awareness alone won’t necessarily drive change – practical interventions that reinforce personal and group habits, such as social incentives and feedback can be effective, say Maani and co-author Dr Le Wen.

    If businesses want to reduce energy waste, they need to focus on building a workplace culture that supports and normalises energy-saving behaviours, says Maani.

    “Employees are more likely to conserve energy when they see their colleagues doing the same, receive regular feedback on workplace energy use, and feel supported to make changes and take control.

    “And when managers and colleagues actively participate in energy-saving initiatives, other employees are far more likely to follow suit.”

    With rising electricity costs and increasing pressure to cut carbon emissions, New Zealand businesses have a lot to gain from empowering employees to be part of the solution, says Maani.
      
    “In a country where sustainability is a priority, reducing workplace energy waste is a low-cost, high-impact way for businesses to reach their environmental goals.”  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI: NamSys Reports Results of Operations for Fiscal 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO , Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NamSys Inc. (the “Company”) (CTZ – TSX-V), a leading provider of technology for cash processing and transportation, today reports the results of operations for the fiscal year and the election of Nicole Sparks as the Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Directors. All amounts referenced herein are in Canadian dollars.

    Fiscal Year Highlights (for the twelve months ended October 31, 2024 compared to October 31, 2023)

    • Revenue of $6,840,146 increased by 12% or $747,126 compared to $6,093,020.
    • Gross profit of $4,269,368 increased by 17% or $616,868 compared to $3,652,500.
    • Net income of $2,090,475 ($0.08 per share) increased 29% or $475,600 compared to $1,614,875 ($0.05 per share).
    • A special dividend of $0.05 per common share was paid, returning $1,350,477 to shareholders.
    • Net cash of $8,047,351 increased by 11% or $829,039 compared to $7,218,312 and now represents $0.29 of net cash per diluted share.
    • The Company purchased and cancelled 355,600 common shares as part of the Normal Course Issuer Bid that commenced August 30, 2023 and ended August 30, 2024.

    “I’m pleased to announce our record results and the election of Ms. Sparks. She has served on the Board of Directors since April 2018 and succeeds her father, K. Barry Sparks, who retired as Chair on October 31, 2024 and sadly passed away on January 19, 2025.” commented Jason Siemens, President and CEO.

    The financial statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ending October 31st, 2024 are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.

    NamSys Inc. products are designed to bring efficiency to the processing of currency and other value instruments in retailers, financial institutions, and cash-in-transit providers. NamSys’ proprietary systems for this market are sold as software-as-a-service subscriptions and operate in the public cloud service providers.

    For further information, please contact:
    Mr. Jason Siemens, President & CEO
    ‪(289) 748-3685‬; mailto:ir@namsys.com

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This Media Release may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect the Corporation’s current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Corporation’s sales strategies.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bill introduced to extend term of acting conflict of interest commissioner

    Legislation has been introduced to extend the appointment term of the acting conflict of interest commissioner until the next conflict of interest commissioner can be appointed.

    Without the proposed legislation, the office will become vacant before the next commissioner can be appointed. Victoria Gray, KC, was appointed to the acting role on Jan. 6, 2025. The term expires 20 sitting days of legislative assembly after the appointment date, on April 7, 2025, as per the Member’s Conflict of Interest Act.

    The search for a commissioner is carried out by a special committee of the legislature through a process that takes approximately six to eight months. Typically, this process would have been already underway, but it has been delayed due to the 2024 provincial general election and interregnum period. Government anticipates that the special committee will be struck imminently and will begin its work shortly.

    The commissioner is an independent officer of the legislative assembly of British Columbia. The commissioner serves five-year terms and provides advice to members of the legislative assembly concerning their obligations under the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act. The commissioner’s primary roles are:

    • to provide confidential advice to members about their obligations under the act;
    • to oversee the disclosure process, including meeting with each member at least annually to review the disclosure of the member’s financial interests; and
    • to respond to allegations that a member has contravened the act and conduct an inquiry if needed.

    Gray completed a five-year term as commissioner from Jan. 6, 2020, to Jan. 5, 2025. She sat on the B.C. Supreme Court from 2001 until 2017, after 19 years of practicing as a commercial litigator in Vancouver and teaching civil litigation at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia.

    Learn More:

    For information about the conflict of interest commissioner, visit: https://coibc.ca/

    To read about the appointment of Gray as acting commissioner, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/31886

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government provides update on pharmacy investigations, prescribed alternatives

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province is taking action to prevent the diversion of prescribed opioids and hold bad actors accountable for putting people and communities at risk.

    The Prescribed Alternatives Program helps save lives by separating people at the highest risk of overdose from toxic street drugs and predatory drug dealers. It is one part of the Province’s work to address the toxic drug crisis, in addition to the expansion of treatment and recovery services, early intervention and prevention, supportive housing and more.

    “We are committed to saving lives and getting the people who are suffering from addiction the treatment they need,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “In doing this work, we need to know that medications, like prescribed alternatives, are being used by the person they’re intended for. Prescribed alternatives have been proven to save lives by providing a safer option for people at high risk of overdose. We are requiring that the use of prescribed alternatives must be witnessed by a health professional. This will remove the risk of these medications from ending up in the hands of gangs and organized crime.” 

    The Province is revising the Prescribed Alternatives Program to require that the consumption of all prescribed alternatives must be witnessed by health professionals, ensuring they are consumed by their intended recipient. This requirement will be implemented immediately for new patients. The Province will work with clinicians to transition existing patients to witnessed consumption as soon as possible, while ensuring continuity of care.

    Since 2024, the Ministry of Health’s Special Investigative Unit, in collaboration with the College of Pharmacists of BC and law enforcement, has been investigating pharmacies suspected of engaging in illegal activities, including misusing fee-for-service payments to offer incentives to attract patients. So far, the Ministry of Health has received allegations against more than 60 pharmacies. In cases where wrongdoing is confirmed, the Ministry of Health will, in co-ordination with the College of Pharmacists of BC, ensure that a pharmacy’s licence is suspended or cancelled, made ineligible to bill PharmaCare and referred to law enforcement as appropriate.

    The Province will make changes to fix the fee structure for pharmacies that provide prescribed alternatives. Fees will be restructured for daily dispensing to better align with the cost of providing service and avoid financial incentive for bad actors to offer kickbacks to retain and attract new patients, and to try to take advantage of the system.

    The Province is also working with partners to take action to reduce the over-prescribing of opioids generally by health-care providers. In December 2024, 97% of the people who were prescribed an opioid medication in B.C. received it for reasons unrelated to prescribed alternatives, such as pain management. The Province will establish a working group with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Nurses and Midwives to investigate the inappropriate prescribing of opioids and take action to reduce overprescribing, including enhanced monitoring and additional guidance.

    “The overwhelming majority of pharmacies and prescribers follow the rules, but it is unacceptable that bad actors are exploiting the health-care system and putting communities at risk,” Osborne said. “We are working with law enforcement to stop illegal activity and ensure pharmacies operate in the best interests of patients and public safety.”

    This announcement builds on work underway to build a seamless system of mental-health and addiction care to better meet people where they are at and provide them with supports at every stage of journey. That is why the Province is taking actions, such as enhancing overdose-prevention services, supervised consumption sites and drug checking. These services keep people alive, giving them a chance to connect to care and find a path forward.

    Learn More:

    Learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C.: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: Trupanion Reports Fourth Quarter & Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trupanion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUP), a leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

    “2024 was a milestone year for Trupanion. Strong execution drove 20% subscription revenue growth, the doubling of our subscription margin in Q4 from its quarterly low in 2023, and a record $39 million in free cash flow,” said Margi Tooth, Chief Executive Officer and President of Trupanion. “As we look to 2025, our focus remains on sustainable, measured growth while enhancing the member experience and improving retention.”

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial and Business Highlights

    • Total revenue was $337.3 million, an increase of 14% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Total enrolled pets (including pets from our other business segment) was 1,677,570 at December 31, 2024, a decrease of 2% over December 31, 2023.
    • Subscription business revenue was $227.8 million, an increase of 19% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Subscription enrolled pets was 1,041,212 at December 31, 2024, an increase of 5% over December 31, 2023.
    • Net income was $1.7 million, or $0.04 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(2.2) million, or $(0.05) per basic and diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $19.4 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA of $8.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Operating cash flow was $23.7 million and free cash flow was $21.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This compared to operating cash flow of $17.5 million and free cash flow of $13.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Full Year 2024 Financial and Business Highlights

    • Total revenue was $1,286 million, an increase of 16% compared to 2023.
    • Subscription business revenue was $856.5 million, an increase of 20% compared to 2023.
    • Net loss was $(9.6) million, or $(0.23) per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $(44.7) million, or $(1.08) per basic and diluted share, in 2023.
    • Adjusted EBITDA was $46.1 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA of $6.4 million in 2023.
    • Operating cash flow was $48.3 million and free cash flow was $38.6 million in 2024. This compared to operating cash flow of $18.6 million and free cash flow of $0.4 million in 2023.
    • At December 31, 2024, the Company held $307.4 million in cash and short-term investments, including $35.4 million held outside the insurance entities, with an additional $15 million available under its credit facility.
    • The Company maintained $288.0 million of capital surplus at its insurance subsidiaries. The largest insurance subsidiary, APIC, maintained $245.5 million of capital surplus, which was $140.2 million more than the company action level risk-based capital requirement.

    Conference Call
    Trupanion’s management will host a conference call today to review its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results. The call is scheduled to begin shortly after 1:30 p.m. PT/ 4:30 p.m. ET. A live webcast will be accessible through the Investor Relations section of Trupanion’s website at https://investors.trupanion.com/ and will be archived online for 3 months upon completion of the conference call. Participants can access the conference call by dialing 1-877-300-8521 (United States) or 1-412-317-6026 (International). A telephonic replay of the call will also be available after the completion of the call, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering the replay pin number: 10194900.

    About Trupanion
    Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, certain countries in Continental Europe, and Australia with over 1,000,000 pets currently enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. Policies are sold and administered in Canada by Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. dba Trupanion 309-1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC V7J 0A2 and in the United States by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. is a registered damage insurance agency and claims adjuster in Quebec #603927. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 relating to, among other things, expectations, plans, prospects and financial results for Trupanion, including, but not limited to, its expectations regarding its ability to continue to grow its enrollments and revenue, and otherwise execute its business plan. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of Trupanion’s management as of the date of this press release, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on information available to Trupanion as of the date hereof, and Trupanion has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

    In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the ability to achieve or maintain profitability and/or appropriate levels of cash flow in future periods; the ability to keep growing our membership base and revenue; the accuracy of assumptions used in determining appropriate member acquisition expenditures; the severity and frequency of claims; the ability to maintain high retention rates; the accuracy of assumptions used in pricing medical plan subscriptions and the ability to accurately estimate the impact of new products or offerings on claims frequency; actual claims expense exceeding estimates; regulatory and other constraints on the ability to institute, or the decision to otherwise delay, pricing modifications in response to changes in actual or estimated claims expense; the effectiveness and statutory or regulatory compliance of our Territory Partner model and of our Territory Partners, veterinarians and other third parties in recommending medical plan subscriptions to potential members; the ability to retain existing Territory Partners and increase the number of Territory Partners and active hospitals; compliance by us and those referring us members with laws and regulations that apply to our business, including the sale of a pet medical plan; the ability to maintain the security of our data; fluctuations in the Canadian currency exchange rate; the ability to protect our proprietary and member information; the ability to maintain our culture and team; the ability to maintain the requisite amount of risk-based capital; our ability to implement and maintain effective controls, including to remediate material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting; the ability to protect and enforce Trupanion’s intellectual property rights; the ability to successfully implement our alliance with Aflac; the ability to continue key contractual relationships with third parties; third-party claims including litigation and regulatory actions; the ability to recognize benefits from investments in new solutions and enhancements to Trupanion’s technology platform and website; our ability to retain key personnel; and deliberations and determinations by the Trupanion board based on the future performance of the company or otherwise.

    For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to the risk factors discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including but not limited to, Trupanion’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and any subsequently filed reports on Forms 10-Q, 10-K and 8-K. All documents are available through the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system at https://www.sec.gov or the Investor Relations section of Trupanion’s website at https://investors.trupanion.com.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    Trupanion’s stated results may include certain non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures may not provide information that is directly comparable to that provided by other companies in its industry as other companies in its industry may calculate or use non-GAAP financial measures differently. In addition, there are limitations in using non-GAAP financial measures because the non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP, may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies and exclude expenses that may have a material impact on Trupanion’s reported financial results. The presentation and utilization of non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the directly comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Trupanion urges its investors to review the reconciliation of its non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in its consolidated financial statements, and not to rely on any single financial or operating measure to evaluate its business. These reconciliations are included below and on Trupanion’s Investor Relations website.

    Because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of equity instruments that can impact a company’s non-cash expenses, Trupanion believes that providing various non-GAAP financial measures that exclude stock-based compensation expense and depreciation and amortization expense allows for more meaningful comparisons between its operating results from period to period. Trupanion offsets new pet acquisition expense with sign-up fee revenue in the calculation of net acquisition cost because it collects sign-up fee revenue from new members at the time of enrollment and considers it to be an offset to a portion of Trupanion’s new pet acquisition expense. Trupanion believes this allows it to calculate and present financial measures in a consistent manner across periods. Trupanion’s management believes that the non-GAAP financial measures and the related financial measures derived from them are important tools for financial and operational decision-making and for evaluating operating results over different periods of time.

     
    Trupanion, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (in thousands, except share data)
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
      (unaudited)        
    Revenue:              
    Subscription business $ 227,783     $ 191,537     $ 856,521     $ 712,906  
    Other business   109,524       104,320       429,163       395,699  
    Total revenue   337,307       295,857       1,285,684       1,108,605  
    Cost of revenue:              
    Subscription business   181,614       158,631       706,851       613,686  
    Other business   102,770       97,162       400,035       363,903  
    Total cost of revenue(1), (2)   284,384       255,793       1,106,886       977,589  
    Operating expenses:              
    Technology and development(1)   8,172       5,969       31,255       21,403  
    General and administrative(1)   16,828       13,390       63,731       60,207  
    New pet acquisition expense(1)   18,354       17,189       71,379       77,372  
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299             5,299        
    Depreciation and amortization   3,924       3,029       16,466       12,474  
    Total operating expenses   52,577       39,577       188,130       171,456  
    Gain (loss) from investment in joint venture   2       (79 )     (182 )     (219 )
    Operating income (loss)   348       408       (9,514 )     (40,659 )
    Interest expense   3,427       3,697       14,498       12,077  
    Other expense (income), net   (4,773 )     (1,256 )     (14,374 )     (7,701 )
    Income (loss) before income taxes   1,694       (2,033 )     (9,638 )     (45,035 )
    Income tax expense (benefit)   38       130       (5 )     (342 )
    Net income (loss) $ 1,656     $ (2,163 )   $ (9,633 )   $ (44,693 )
                   
    Net income (loss) per share:              
    Basic $ 0.04     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.23 )   $ (1.08 )
    Diluted $ 0.04     $ (0.05 )   $ (0.23 )   $ (1.08 )
    Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:              
    Basic   42,402,323       41,716,527       42,158,773       41,436,882  
    Diluted   42,903,536       41,716,527       42,158,773       41,436,882  
                   
    (1)Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows: Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Cost of revenue $ 1,337     $ 1,478     $ 5,523     $ 5,279  
    Technology and development   1,160       861       4,934       2,846  
    General and administrative   4,261       3,269       15,696       17,717  
    New pet acquisition expense   1,536       1,693       7,279       7,319  
    Total stock-based compensation expense $ 8,294     $ 7,301     $ 33,432     $ 33,161  
                   
    (2)The breakout of cost of revenue between veterinary invoice expense and other cost of revenue is as follows:
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Veterinary invoice expense $ 245,663     $ 217,739     $ 949,148     $ 831,055  
    Other cost of revenue   38,721       38,054       157,738       146,534  
    Total cost of revenue $ 284,384     $ 255,793     $ 1,106,886     $ 977,589  
                                   
     
    Trupanion, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (in thousands, except share data)
      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
           
    Assets      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 160,295     $ 147,501  
    Short-term investments   147,089       129,667  
    Accounts and other receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of $1,117 at December 31, 2024 and $1,085 at December 31, 2023   274,031       267,899  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   15,912       17,022  
    Total current assets   597,327       562,089  
    Restricted cash   39,235       22,963  
    Long-term investments   373       12,866  
    Property, equipment and internal-use software, net   102,191       103,650  
    Intangible assets, net   13,177       18,745  
    Other long-term assets   17,579       18,922  
    Goodwill   36,971       43,713  
    Total assets $ 806,853     $ 782,948  
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable $ 11,532     $ 10,505  
    Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities   33,469       34,052  
    Reserve for veterinary invoices   51,635       63,238  
    Deferred revenue   251,640       235,329  
    Long-term debt – current portion   1,350       1,350  
    Total current liabilities   349,626       344,474  
    Long-term debt   127,537       127,580  
    Deferred tax liabilities   1,946       2,685  
    Other liabilities   4,476       4,487  
    Total liabilities   483,585       479,226  
    Stockholders’ equity:      
    Common stock: $0.00001 par value per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 43,516,631 and 42,488,445 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 42,887,052 and 41,858,866 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2023          
    Preferred stock: $0.00001 par value per share, 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding          
    Additional paid-in capital   568,302       536,108  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   (2,612 )     403  
    Accumulated deficit   (225,888 )     (216,255 )
    Treasury stock, at cost: 1,028,186 shares at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023   (16,534 )     (16,534 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   323,268       303,722  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 806,853     $ 782,948  
                   
     
    Trupanion, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (in thousands)
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
      (unaudited)        
    Operating activities              
    Net income (loss) $ 1,656     $ (2,163 )   $ (9,633 )   $ (44,693 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash provided by (used in) operating activities:              
    Depreciation and amortization   3,924       3,029       16,466       12,474  
    Stock-based compensation expense   8,294       7,301       33,432       33,161  
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299             5,299        
    Other, net   (1,294 )     2,481       (1,748 )     1,347  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:              
    Accounts and other receivables   15,303       10,153       (6,717 )     (35,440 )
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   817       854       3,215       (1,907 )
    Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and other liabilities   2,433       5,476       2,084       1,644  
    Reserve for veterinary invoices   (4,841 )     1,788       (11,310 )     19,485  
    Deferred revenue   (7,890 )     (11,412 )     17,199       32,567  
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   23,701       17,507       48,287       18,638  
    Investing activities              
    Purchases of investment securities   (26,118 )     (56,547 )     (133,493 )     (165,936 )
    Maturities and sales of investment securities   45,886       42,905       127,653       190,270  
    Purchases of property, equipment, and internal-use software   (1,858 )     (3,970 )     (9,716 )     (18,280 )
    Other   548       165       2,099       1,585  
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   18,458       (17,447 )     (13,457 )     7,639  
    Financing activities              
    Proceeds from debt financing, net of financing fees                     60,102  
    Repayments of debt financing   (338 )     (337 )     (1,350 )     (1,717 )
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options   36       1,374       752       2,655  
    Shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding   (1,142 )     (240 )     (2,519 )     (1,536 )
    Other   (230 )     (228 )     (840 )     (378 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   (1,674 )     569       (3,957 )     59,126  
    Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, net   (1,826 )     1,254       (1,807 )     424  
    Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash   38,659       1,883       29,066       85,827  
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period   160,871       168,581       170,464       84,637  
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 199,530     $ 170,464     $ 199,530     $ 170,464  
                                   
     
    The following tables set forth our key operating metrics.
                                   
      Year Ended
    December 31,
                           
        2024       2023                          
    Total Business:                              
    Total pets enrolled (at period end)   1,677,570       1,714,473                          
    Subscription Business:                              
    Total subscription pets enrolled (at period end)   1,041,212       991,426                          
    Monthly average revenue per pet $ 72.98     $ 65.26                          
    Average pet acquisition cost (PAC) $ 235     $ 228                          
    Average monthly retention   98.25 %     98.49 %                        
                                   
                                   
      Three Months Ended
      Dec. 31,
    2024
      Sep. 30,
    2024
      Jun. 30,
    2024
      Mar. 31,
    2024
      Dec. 31,
    2023
      Sep. 30,
    2023
      Jun. 30,
    2023
      Mar. 31,
    2023
    Total Business:                              
    Total pets enrolled (at period end)   1,677,570       1,688,903       1,699,643       1,708,017       1,714,473       1,712,177       1,679,659       1,616,865  
    Subscription Business:                              
    Total subscription pets enrolled (at period end)   1,041,212       1,032,042       1,020,934       1,006,168       991,426       969,322       943,958       906,369  
    Monthly average revenue per pet $ 76.02     $ 74.27     $ 71.72     $ 69.79     $ 67.07     $ 65.82     $ 64.41     $ 63.58  
    Average pet acquisition cost (PAC) $ 261     $ 243     $ 231     $ 207     $ 217     $ 212     $ 236     $ 247  
    Average monthly retention   98.25 %     98.29 %     98.34 %     98.41 %     98.49 %     98.55 %     98.61 %     98.65 %
                                                                   
     
    The following table reflects the reconciliation of cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow (in thousands):
                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net cash provided by operating activities $ 23,701     $ 17,507     $ 48,287     $ 18,638  
    Purchases of property, equipment, and internal-use software   (1,858 )     (3,970 )     (9,716 )     (18,280 )
    Free cash flow $ 21,843     $ 13,537     $ 38,571     $ 358  
                                   
     
    The following table reflects the reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP measures (in thousands except percentages):
        Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Veterinary invoice expense   $ 245,663     $ 217,739     $ 949,148     $ 831,055  
    Less:                
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)     (800 )     (885 )     (3,335 )     (3,450 )
    Other business cost of paying veterinary invoices(4)     (85,378 )     (77,572 )     (324,720 )     (287,858 )
    Subscription cost of paying veterinary invoices (non-GAAP)   $ 159,485     $ 139,282     $ 621,093     $ 539,747  
    % of subscription revenue     70.0 %     72.7 %     72.5 %     75.7 %
                     
    Other cost of revenue   $ 38,721     $ 38,054     $ 157,738     $ 146,534  
    Less:                
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)     (476 )     (386 )     (1,955 )     (1,544 )
    Other business variable expenses(4)     (17,336 )     (19,301 )     (75,050 )     (75,756 )
    Subscription variable expenses (non-GAAP)   $ 20,909     $ 18,367     $ 80,733     $ 69,234  
    % of subscription revenue     9.2 %     9.6 %     9.4 %     9.7 %
                     
    Technology and development expense   $ 8,172     $ 5,969     $ 31,255     $ 21,403  
    General and administrative expense     16,828       13,390       63,731       60,207  
    Less:                
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)     (5,277 )     (3,797 )     (19,742 )     (19,869 )
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses(2)                       (4,175 )
    Development expenses(3)     (1,322 )     (1,683 )     (5,624 )     (5,100 )
    Fixed expenses (non-GAAP)   $ 18,401     $ 13,879     $ 69,620     $ 52,466  
    % of total revenue     5.5 %     4.7 %     5.4 %     4.7 %
                     
    New pet acquisition expense   $ 18,354     $ 17,189     $ 71,379     $ 77,372  
    Less:                
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)     (1,482 )     (1,567 )     (6,908 )     (7,000 )
    Other business pet acquisition expense(4)     (8 )     (77 )     (39 )     (200 )
    Subscription acquisition cost (non-GAAP)   $ 16,864     $ 15,545     $ 64,432     $ 70,172  
    % of subscription revenue     7.4 %     8.1 %     7.5 %     9.8 %
                     
    (1) Trupanion employees may elect to take restricted stock units in lieu of cash payment for their bonuses. We account for such expense as stock-based compensation according to GAAP, but we do not include it in any non-GAAP adjustments. Stock-based compensation associated with bonuses was approximately $0.3 million and $1.5 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively.
    (2) Consists of business acquisition transaction expenses, severance and legal costs due to certain executive departures, and a $3.8 million non-recurring settlement of accounts receivable in the first quarter of 2023 related to uncollected premiums in connection with the transition of underwriting a third-party business to other insurers.
    (3) Consists of costs related to product exploration and development that are pre-revenue and historically have been insignificant.
    (4) Excludes the portion of stock-based compensation expense attributable to the other business segment.
     
     
    The following table reflects the reconciliation of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures (in thousands, except percentages):
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Operating income (loss) $ 348     $ 408     $ (9,514 )   $ (40,659 )
    Non-GAAP expense adjustments              
    Acquisition cost   16,872       15,622       64,471       70,372  
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)   8,035       6,636       31,940       31,864  
    Development expenses(3)   1,322       1,683       5,624       5,100  
    Depreciation and amortization   3,924       3,029       16,466       12,474  
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299             5,299        
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses(2)                     4,175  
    Gain (loss) from investment in joint venture   2       (79 )     (182 )     (219 )
    Total adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 35,798     $ 27,457     $ 114,468     $ 83,545  
                   
    Subscription Business:              
    Subscription operating income (loss) $ 2,995     $ 1,300     $ (1,118 )   $ (35,994 )
    Non-GAAP expense adjustments              
    Acquisition cost   16,864       15,545       64,432       70,172  
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)   6,263       5,006       24,985       24,488  
    Development expenses(3)   893       1,090       3,745       3,281  
    Depreciation and amortization   2,650       1,961       10,970       8,021  
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299             5,299        
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses(2)                     218  
    Subscription adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 34,964     $ 24,902     $ 108,313     $ 70,186  
                   
    Other Business:      
    Other business operating income (loss) $ (2,649 )   $ (813 )   $ (8,214 )   $ (4,446 )
    Non-GAAP expense adjustments              
    Acquisition cost   8       77       39       200  
    Stock-based compensation expense(1)   1,772       1,630       6,955       7,376  
    Development expenses(3)   429       593       1,879       1,819  
    Depreciation and amortization   1,274       1,068       5,496       4,453  
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses(2)                     3,957  
    Other business adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 834     $ 2,555     $ 6,155     $ 13,359  
                   
    (1) Trupanion employees may elect to take restricted stock units in lieu of cash payment for their bonuses. We account for such expense as stock-based compensation in accordance with GAAP, but we do not include it in any non-GAAP adjustments. Stock-based compensation associated with bonuses was approximately $0.3 million and $1.5 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, respectively.
    (2) Consists of business acquisition transaction expenses, severance and legal costs due to certain executive departures, and a $3.8 million non-recurring settlement of accounts receivable in the first quarter of 2023 related to uncollected premiums in connection with the transition of underwriting a third-party business to other insurers.
    (3) Consists of costs related to product exploration and development that are pre-revenue and historically have been insignificant.
     
     
    The following table reflects the reconciliation of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures (in thousands, except percentages):
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Subscription revenue $ 227,783     $ 191,537     $ 856,521     $ 712,906  
    Subscription cost of paying veterinary invoices   159,485       139,281       621,093       539,746  
    Subscription variable expenses   20,909       18,367       80,733       69,234  
    Subscription fixed expenses*   12,425       8,987       46,382       33,740  
    Subscription adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 34,964     $ 24,902     $ 108,313     $ 70,186  
    Other business revenue   109,524       104,320       429,163       395,699  
    Other business cost of paying veterinary invoices   85,378       77,572       324,720       287,858  
    Other business variable expenses   17,336       19,301       75,050       75,756  
    Other business fixed expenses*   5,976       4,892       23,238       18,726  
    Other business adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 834     $ 2,555     $ 6,155     $ 13,359  
    Revenue   337,307       295,857       1,285,684       1,108,605  
    Cost of paying veterinary invoices   244,863       216,854       945,813       827,605  
    Variable expenses   38,245       37,668       155,783       144,990  
    Fixed expenses*   18,401       13,879       69,620       52,466  
    Total business adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) $ 35,798     $ 27,457     $ 114,468     $ 83,545  
                   
    As a percentage of revenue: Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Subscription revenue   100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
    Subscription cost of paying veterinary invoices   70.0 %     72.7 %     72.5 %     75.7 %
    Subscription variable expenses   9.2 %     9.6 %     9.4 %     9.7 %
    Subscription fixed expenses*   5.5 %     4.7 %     5.4 %     4.7 %
    Subscription adjusted operating income (non-GAAP)   15.3 %     13.0 %     12.6 %     9.8 %
                   
    Other business revenue   100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
    Other business cost of paying veterinary invoices   78.0 %     74.4 %     75.7 %     72.7 %
    Other business variable expenses   15.8 %     18.5 %     17.5 %     19.1 %
    Other business fixed expenses*   5.5 %     4.7 %     5.4 %     4.7 %
    Other business adjusted operating income (non-GAAP)   0.8 %     2.4 %     1.4 %     3.4 %
                   
    Revenue   100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
    Cost of paying veterinary invoices   72.6 %     73.3 %     73.6 %     74.7 %
    Variable expenses   11.3 %     12.7 %     12.1 %     13.1 %
    Fixed expenses*   5.5 %     4.7 %     5.4 %     4.7 %
    Total business adjusted operating income (non-GAAP)   10.6 %     9.3 %     8.9 %     7.5 %
                   
    *Fixed expenses represent shared services that support both our subscription and other business segments and, as such, are generally allocated to each segment pro-rata based on revenues.
     

    Adjusted operating income is a non-GAAP financial measure that adjusts operating income (loss) to remove the effect of acquisition cost, development expenses, non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses, and gain (loss) from investment in joint venture. Non-cash items, such as goodwill impairment charges, stock-based compensation expense and depreciation and amortization, are also excluded. Acquisition cost, development expenses, gain (loss) from investment in joint venture, stock-based compensation expense, and depreciation and amortization are expected to remain recurring expenses for the foreseeable future, but are excluded from this metric to measure scale in other areas of the business. Management believes acquisition costs primarily represent the cost to acquire new subscribers and are driven by the amount of growth we choose to pursue based primarily on the amount of our adjusted operating income period over period. Accordingly, this measure is not indicative of our core operating income performance. We also exclude development expenses, gain (loss) from investment in joint venture, stock-based compensation expense, and depreciation and amortization because some investors may not view those items as reflective of our core operating income performance.

    Management uses adjusted operating income and the margin on adjusted operating income to understand the effects of scale in its non-acquisition cost and development expenses and to plan future advertising expenditures, which are designed to acquire new pets. Management uses this measure as a principal way of understanding the operating performance of its business exclusive of acquisition cost and new product exploration and development initiatives. Management believes disclosure of this metric provides investors with the same data that the Company employs in assessing its overall operations and that disclosure of this measure may provide useful information regarding the efficiency of our utilization of revenues, return on advertising dollars in the form of new subscribers and future use of available cash to support the continued growth of our business.

     
    The following tables reflect the reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) (in thousands):
                                   
      Year Ended December 31,                        
        2024       2023                          
    Net loss $ (9,633 )   $ (44,693 )                        
    Excluding:                              
    Stock-based compensation expense   31,942       31,864                          
    Depreciation and amortization expense   16,466       12,474                          
    Interest income   (12,411 )     (9,011 )                        
    Interest expense   14,498       12,077                          
    Income tax benefit   (5 )     (342 )                        
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299                                
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses         4,175                          
    Gain from equity method investment   (33 )     (110 )                        
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 46,123     $ 6,434                          
                                   
      Three Months Ended
      Dec. 31,
    2024
      Sep. 30,
    2024
      Jun. 30,
    2024
      Mar. 31,
    2024
      Dec. 31,
    2023
      Sep. 30,
    2023
      Jun. 30,
    2023
      Mar. 31,
    2023
    Net income (loss) $ 1,656     $ 1,425     $ (5,862 )   $ (6,852 )   $ (2,163 )   $ (4,036 )   $ (13,714 )   $ (24,780 )
    Excluding:                              
    Stock-based compensation expense   8,036       8,127       8,381       7,398       6,636       6,585       6,503       12,140  
    Depreciation and amortization expense   3,924       4,381       4,376       3,785       3,029       2,990       3,253       3,202  
    Interest income   (2,999 )     (3,232 )     (3,135 )     (3,045 )     (2,842 )     (2,389 )     (2,051 )     (1,729 )
    Interest expense   3,427       3,820       3,655       3,596       3,697       3,053       2,940       2,387  
    Income tax expense (benefit)   38       39       (44 )     (38 )     130       (43 )     (238 )     (191 )
    Goodwill impairment charges   5,299                                            
    Non-recurring transaction or restructuring expenses                                 8       65       4,102  
    Gain from equity method investment         (33 )                       (110 )            
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 19,381     $ 14,527     $ 7,371     $ 4,844     $ 8,487     $ 6,058     $ (3,242 )   $ (4,869 )
     

    Contacts:

    Investors:
    Laura Bainbridge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
    Gil Melchior, Director, Investor Relations
    Investor.Relations@trupanion.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1313fc50-df34-432e-8f6b-7dd236de3476

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/361c6270-7516-4b4f-a8b7-51c217d753c3

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: PDF Solutions to Acquire secureWISE to Expand the Reach of its Semiconductor Manufacturing Data Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDF Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: PDFS) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire secureWISE, LLC, the most widely used secure, remote connectivity solution in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, from Telit IOT Solutions Inc.

    The secureWISE global network enables equipment manufacturers to bring up new equipment faster, provide operational support, and maximize the value derived from the equipment customers’ investments. It is currently used by over 100 equipment vendors to connect and control their tools located in over 190 semiconductor fabs and to manage the exchange of multiple petabytes of data annually.

    PDF Solutions empowers semiconductor companies to maximize their manufacturing effectiveness. The PDF Solutions platform breaks down data silos to enable engineers to uncover critical relationships across manufacturing and design, resulting in better process control, product screening, and equipment operations.

    As the semiconductor industry becomes more globally distributed, and as advanced devices rely on the integration of multiple chiplets into a single package, more collaboration and integration are required across the semiconductor industry. This collaboration needs to be executed securely with each participant controlling access to its intellectual property.

    Today, secureWISE customers have built applications on top of the secureWISE network to deliver equipment analytics. PDF Solutions expects the acquisition to accelerate equipment makers’ ability to derive value from equipment data by enabling them to leverage PDF Solutions’ Exensio analytics software.

    Beyond enabling equipment vendors to build equipment analytics at foundries, the acquisition of secureWISE is expected to dramatically expand the capability of PDF Solutions’ secure DEX OSAT network by allowing equipment makers, fab operators, and fabless companies to collaborate to optimize chip manufacturing and test.   

    “This acquisition extends PDF Solutions analytics for equipment makers and fabless to the factory manufacturing level, which allows them to generate value from AI,” said Dr. John Kibarian, President, CEO and co-founder of PDF Solutions. He continued, “We provide the leading analytics platform for semiconductor manufacturing, and with secureWISE, the PDF Solutions platform will also be able to help members of the semiconductor ecosystem collaborate through a secure, direct connection and control the manufacturing process down to the production equipment.”

    Mike Dempsey, Vice President of secureWISE LLC, said, “We believe PDF Solutions is the ideal partner to accelerate secureWISE’s evolution, ensuring we remain at the forefront of industry trends and ahead of our customers’ needs. This acquisition will strengthen our ability to anticipate, pioneer, and integrate a far richer suite of security, collaboration, and analytics capabilities into our platform. As data exchange and collaboration become increasingly relevant to the semiconductor industry, this acquisition will better position secureWISE to deliver maximum long-term benefit to its customers who have invested in our platform.”

    Under the terms of the definitive agreement, PDF Solutions will pay a cash amount of $130.0 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. The purchase price will be funded by a combination of cash on hand and $70M of new bank debt. The acquisition is subject to certain closing conditions and is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2025.

    TD Securities (USA) LLC acted as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to PDF Solutions.

    Updated Financial Outlook

    John Kibarian, CEO and President of PDF Solutions, said, “Assuming the transaction closes in the first quarter of 2025, and with purchase accounting adjustments, we would expect to achieve a full year 2025 revenue growth rate between 21% to 23% on year-over-year basis. Given that, we also expect to achieve 2025 gross margin in line with our corporate gross margin, our target model 20% operating margin, and for EPS to be slightly accretive.”

    Conference Call

    PDF Solutions will discuss this announcement on a live conference call beginning at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time today. To participate in the live call, analysts and investors should pre-register at: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI9abfc7eadb2245c5ba00c59922fe6c87.

    Registrants will receive dial-in information and a unique passcode to access the call. We encourage participants to dial into the call ten minutes ahead of the scheduled time. The teleconference will also be webcast simultaneously on the Company’s website at https://ir.pdf.com/webcasts. A replay of the conference call webcast will be available after the call on the Company’s investor relations website. A copy of this press release will also be available on PDF Solutions’ website at News & PR Archives – PDF Solutions following the date of this release.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements in this press release regarding the expected future financial results, benefits and synergies of the secureWISE acquisition on PDF Solution’s product offerings, and the expected closing of the secureWISE acquisition are forward looking and are subject to future events and circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially include risks associated with: uncertainties with respect to the timing of the closing of the proposed transaction, including when and whether all conditions to closing will be satisfied; the failure of expected benefits from the proposed transaction to be realized or to be realized within the expected time period; uncertainties with respect to the future performance of secureWISE following an acquisition by PDF Solutions; PDF Solution’s ability to integrate secureWISE and its product and service offerings, the cost and schedule of new product development; continued adoption of the PDF Solution’s and secureWISE’s solutions by new and existing customers; the fact that operating costs and business disruption may be greater than expected following the public announcement or consummation of the proposed transaction; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the public announcement or consummation of the proposed transaction; the incurrence of significant transaction costs related to the proposed transaction; unknown or understated liabilities of secureWISE; and other risks set forth in PDF Solutions’ periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, most recently filed for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports. The forward-looking statements made herein are made as of the date hereof, and PDF Solutions does not assume any obligation to update such statements nor the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in such statements.

    About PDF Solutions 

    PDF Solutions (Nasdaq: PDFS) provides comprehensive data solutions designed to empower organizations across the semiconductor and electronics industry ecosystem to improve the yield and quality of their products and operational efficiency for increased profitability. The Company’s products and services are used by Fortune 500 companies across the semiconductor and electronics ecosystem to achieve smart manufacturing goals by connecting and controlling equipment, collecting data generated during manufacturing and test operations, and performing advanced analytics and machine learning to enable profitable, high-volume manufacturing. 

    Founded in 1991, PDF Solutions is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company (directly or through one or more subsidiaries) is an active member of SEMI, INEMI, TPCA, IPC, the OPC Foundation, and DMDII. For the latest news and information about PDF Solutions or to find office locations, visit https://www.pdf.com. 

    Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, PDF Solutions also operates worldwide in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. For the Company’s latest news and information, visit https://www.pdf.com. 

    About secureWISE 

    The secureWISE platform enables secure and controlled remote connectivity, collaboration and service enablement in the semiconductor industry. The secureWISE suite of products and services is designed to give OEM suppliers role-based, real-time and on-demand access to their equipment that is installed at the production facilities of their customers, to deliver valuable operational insights, mission-critical performance, substantial time and cost savings, and new service revenue opportunities. As the only remote access tool built around the ISMI guidelines, secureWISE is installed in over 90% of the world’s 300mm semiconductor fabs and also numerous solar and chemical plants across the globe. https://www.telit.com/iot-platforms-overview/telit-securewise/ 

    PDF Solutions and the PDF Solutions logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of PDF Solutions, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks used herein are the property of their owners. 

    Company Contacts:      
    Adnan Raza    Sonia Segovia 
    Chief Financial Officer    Investor Relations 
    Tel: (408) 516-0237    Tel: (408) 938-6491 
    Email: adnan.raza@pdf.com   Email: sonia.segovia@pdf.com 

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Highlander Silver Announces $25 Million Bought Deal Private Placement of Common Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

    TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Highlander Silver Corp. (CSE: HSLV;Highlander Silver” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Ventum Financial Corp. as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the “Underwriters”), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal private placement basis, 17,857,200 common shares (the “Shares”) of the Company at a price of $1.40 per Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $25,000,080 (the “Offering”), excluding additional proceeds raised from the exercise of the Underwriters’ Option (defined below).

    Certain members of the Board and management of Highlander Silver and members of the Lundin family have indicated their interest in participating in the Offering.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the advancement of exploration activities at the Company’s San Luis gold-silver project in Peru, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The Company has agreed to grant the Underwriters an option (the “Underwriters’ Option”) which will allow the Underwriters to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Shares, on the same terms as the Offering. The Underwriters’ Option may be exercised in whole or in part up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as defined below).

    The Offering is scheduled to close on March 11, 2025 (the “Closing Date”), or such other date as the Company and the Underwriters may agree and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

    The Shares (including any Shares issued pursuant to the Underwriters’ Option) will be offered on a private placement basis pursuant to exemptions from prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws, in all provinces of Canada, except Québec, and will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the Closing Date.

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

    All currency references herein are to Canadian dollar unless otherwise stated.

    About Highlander Silver

    Highlander Silver is advancing a portfolio of silver exploration and development assets in the Americas, including the bonanza grade San Luis gold-silver project that is located adjacent to the Pierina mine in Central Peru. Highlander Silver is backed by the Augusta Group, which boasts an exceptional track record of value creation totaling over $4.5B in exit transactions, and supported by strategic shareholders, the Lundin Family and Eric Sprott. The Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) under the ticker symbol HSLV. Additional information about Highlander Silver and its mineral projects can be viewed on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at (www.sedarplus.ca) and its website at www.highlandersilver.com.

    Neither the CSE nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Arun Lamba, Vice President Corporate Development

    Email: alamba@highlandersilver.com

    Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking Statements

    Certain information contained in this news release constitutes “forward-looking information” under Canadian securities legislation. This includes, but is not limited to, information or statements with respect to the Offering, including statements with respect to the completion of the Offering and the anticipated closing date thereof; the expected receipt of regulatory and other approvals relating to the Offering; participants in the Offering; the expected proceeds of the Offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds therefrom; the future exploration plans of the Company, timing of future exploration, anticipated results of exploration and potential mineralization of the Company’s mineral projects. Such forward looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as “believes”, “plans”, “suggests”, “targets” or “prospects” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “will” be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company and/or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, the actual results of current exploration activities, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future prices of precious and base metals, accident, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, and delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information contained herein are made as of the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Global: The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada

    The day after the Delta Flight 4819 crash on Feb. 17 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the damaged aircraft remained on the runway as the crash investigation ramped up.

    Whether it was due to luck, skill, heroism or aircraft design, the evacuation of passengers took place quickly and everyone aboard the ill-fated flight were able to exit the plane and make it on to the tarmac.

    Post-accident investigations will provide more details about what contributed to the accident, and the strengths and weaknesses of the emergency response. But one point is already obvious: the positive outcome speaks to the importance of the institutions and expertise that keep our aviation system safe overall.

    The response

    The response to Delta Flight 4819 air crash was an example of just how important inter-agency collaboration is in emergency response.

    Within minutes of the crash, not only were the airport’s firefighters on the scene to douse any flames and assist with the rescue of passengers, but other agencies were already providing aid. Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services sent six vehicles to the airport as part of the mutual aid effort.

    The news conference following the accident involving Delta Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson Airport.

    Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance system, also sent multiple units to the scene to help transport injured passengers to hospitals, aiding Peel Region paramedics who were also triaging passengers.

    Multiple agencies collaborated to save lives. This collaboration in emergency response isn’t developed on the fly, but instead follows a highly choreographed and practised set of plans.

    Both the airport and partner agencies maintain air crash emergency response plans that lay out the details of how help will be requested, where aid will arrive and how to scale up the response as needed.

    Preparation facilitates response

    A primary reason the air crash response worked so well was preparation. An important component of preparation at airports is regularly testing response plans and operations with specialized full-scale mock disaster exercises.

    In these exercises, airport response personnel work through scenarios that simulate emergencies. Real emergency equipment is tested, volunteer victims participate in search-and-rescue scenarios and theatrical make-up is even used to simulate injuries.

    These exercises serve multiple purposes, including increasing familiarity with the plan for responders and creating real challenges that will help to find any potential weaknesses in the plan before a real event.

    Practice saves lives

    Another less desirable way responses can be improved is for an actual disaster to happen. Actual air crash disasters force plans to be activated, require response actions to be taken, and — ideally — foster adaptive learning through hard-won experience.

    According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been 23 aircraft accidents at or near Pearson Airport since 1939. As a testament to safety at Pearson, no casualties occurred in 18 of those 23 accidents.

    One past significant Pearson crash with no casualties is especially relevant to revisit now. In August 2005, Air France Flight 358 rolled off the runway during landing and caught fire.

    All 309 people on board evacuated and survived. An organizational analysis of the 2005 accident highlighted that the crash investigation report “praised the seamless tracking of events and communication between the parties involved” in response.

    Twenty years later, and Pearson CEO Deborah Flint said the crew, airport emergency workers and first responders mounted a “textbook response” to the Delta incident.

    An investigation begins

    While the immediate response may have been over fairly quickly after passengers were successfully evacuated, the mutual aid and collaboration between agencies will continue in the months ahead.

    The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has already launched an investigation into the incident. The cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been retrieved from the wreckage, a key aspect in what will be a slow and methodical investigation.

    The integrity of the investigation depends on strong institutions and trust in experts. In the context of air crashes, lessons learned from these investigations are critical to improving airline procedures for maintaining safety, creating better regulation to avoid accidents in the first place and ensuring emergency systems are well prepared.

    Safety in aviation

    According to the most recent TSB data, the 2023 overall air transportation accident rate of 2.8 per 100,000 aircraft movements is among the lowest recorded by the federal agency since it began measuring in 2004.

    Within the first 24 hours after the Delta crash, a pivot from the emergency response phase to the investigation phase took place.

    It’s far too early to speculate on what the ultimate cause of the accident may have been. While learning about what contributed to the crash of Delta Flight 4819 is important, we can also seek comfort in the fact that air travel in Canada continues to be a safe activity for passengers.

    Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.


    ref. The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses – https://theconversation.com/the-success-of-the-delta-flight-4819-rescue-effort-highlights-the-need-for-co-ordinated-responses-250211

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s cuts to newcomer English language programs puts communities’ well-being at risk

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Natalia Balyasnikova, Assistant Professor of Adult Education, York University, Canada

    The impact of of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s 2024-25 department plan, released about a year ago, are only now starting to become clear in cities across Canada.

    Whether it’s colleges in Vancouver, Lethbridge or Toronto, many federally funded English-language training programs are experiencing crushing funding cuts resulting in closures, layoffs and fewer classes available.




    Read more:
    To really narrow digital divides, Canada should consistently fund adult education programs


    At risk is the future of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) — a federally funded program that has been running since 1992.

    Instead of further cutting funding to LINC, the government should expand the programming in recognition that learning a language is about much more than acquiring a discrete set of skills.

    Importance of language programs

    The LINC program has 60 assessment sites across the country and has served roughly 50,000-60,000 learners per year.

    Language learning programs expecting to receive the most significant cuts will be those focused on building employment skills and preparing learners for higher education.

    Rather than the reducing barriers to newcomers’ employment as promised, the changes will make it more difficult for newcomers to access the language learning programs needed for work and life.

    Immigration is central

    The IRCC states “immigration is central to our future” and that its sustainable development strategy remains committed to addressing the barriers to employment and social belonging that newcomers face.

    While not without critique, LINC classes have an important function beyond helping newcomers acquire language skills.

    Through these programs, newcomers build confidence to be able to advocate for themselves, develop a sense of citizenship, contribute to values of equality, respect and rights and access resources essential for life in Canada. All of these contribute to one’s sense of belonging.

    Addressing connection, community

    There is strong evidence that learning in groups reduces isolation, loneliness and feelings of unbelonging, and increases sense of community and connection for immigrants.

    Research shows that learning activities that have goals beyond developing practical language skills such as drama and poetry are opportunities to build a sense of community, empowerment and belonging to facilitate intercultural dialogue.

    They also contribute to the development of learners’ resilience and leadership.




    Read more:
    Theatre shows how the art of inclusion can help build a better Canada


    A vision for sustainability

    Canada is often portrayed as a tolerant and welcoming country, a stronghold of multiculturalism and multilingualism. Canada has made promises to build a nation that is economically, socially and culturally prosperous.

    To make this promise sustainable, it is essential to continue addressing the complex needs of newcomers, especially by ensuring access to inclusive and quality education throughout their lives.

    IRCC’s choice to cut funding is influenced by a short-term economic model that seems to forget that nearly 20 per cent of Canada’s population are new permanent residents.

    These residents should have access to learning offerings and intercultural socialization opportunities. These would ideally include offerings centred on critical conversations, discussions of shared experiences, visions for life in Canada and building allyships between new immigrants and long-time citizens. Such learning, socialization and relationship-building opportunities could be made accessible through LINC.

    Social stratification concerns

    By reducing funding available for English-language classes, the federal government is denying thousands of people their fundamental right to education. The current budget cuts will inevitably contribute to growing social stratification and increase the challenges faced by the already overwhelmed immigration and educational sectors.

    A recent statement by TESL Ontario, the certification body for educators who teach English as another language in Ontario, urges the Canadian government to consider impacts on language teachers who face precarious employment and low pay, a concern shared by unions across the public sector.

    Language learning programs are foundational to ensuring sustainable settlement in Canada. A truly sustainable development strategy would see the continued funding of English-language programs as essential to ensuring the continued economic and societal well-being of all people living in Canada.

    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. Canada’s cuts to newcomer English language programs puts communities’ well-being at risk – https://theconversation.com/canadas-cuts-to-newcomer-english-language-programs-puts-communities-well-being-at-risk-249103

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SaskGaming Sponsors Al Ritchie’s Food and Clothing Programs

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 19, 2025

    A new sponsorship from SaskGaming will help the Al Ritchie Community Association provide necessities such as clothing and food to families and individuals in Regina.

    “The Al Ritchie Community Association has a long track record of successful programming, and we are pleased to provide this $25,000 sponsorship,” SaskGaming President and CEO Blaine Pilatzke said. “SaskGaming recognizes the importance of corporate giving and sponsors an array of worthy nonprofit groups and organizations in the cities where we operate.”

    As a result of this sponsorship, SaskGaming will become the official program sponsor of the Al Ritchie’s Second Chance Clothing Shop. The shop provides free clothing to more than 1,200 people each month, including casual wear, warm winter clothing, professional attire for job interviews and more.

    “Our mission is to empower and uplift our community by providing programs and resources promoting education and eliminating barriers to basic needs like food and clothing,” Al Ritchie Community Association Executive Director Denis Simard said. “This sponsorship keeps that momentum going.”

    In 2024-25, more than $250,000 of SaskGaming’s annual sponsorship budget will support non-profit organizations and other community initiatives in Regina.

    Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw are operated by SaskGaming, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier Returns to Washington in Fight Against Tariffs

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Tim Houston will return to Washington, D.C., this week on another important mission to exchange information with business and government representatives in the United States. The Premier will attend the National Governors Association winter meeting, where he will share information on the benefits of continuing current trade relations with the United States.

    “My meetings in Washington last week were productive, and I believe Americans are realizing the negative impact these tariffs would have on both sides of the border,” said Premier Houston. “We can’t take our foot off the gas – we must continue discussions on how this valued partnership has benefited both Canada and the United States. It is my sincere hope and my primary focus to avoid tariffs altogether and continue with a mutually beneficial trade relationship.”

    On February 12, a delegation of 13 premiers met with political and business leaders in Washington to remind them of how both countries significantly benefit from free trade. Premier Houston also continues to have discussions with other premiers and the federal government on efforts to remove interprovincial trade barriers, improve labour mobility and diversify to new markets.

    As part of Budget 2025-26, the Province will work to strengthen Nova Scotia’s self-reliance by investing in critical minerals, wind resources and the seafood sector, in addition to more money to grow the Nova Scotia Loyal program. The Province will also develop a comprehensive trade action plan to facilitate internal trade, enhance productivity and drive critical sectors with input from businesses and industry.


    Quick Facts:

    • Budget 2025-26 includes a $200 million contingency fund to help respond if the United States does impose tariffs that affect Nova Scotians
    • Canada is the top U.S. export destination for more than half of all goods produced in the United States.
    • motor vehicles, machinery, metals and minerals, and agri-food made up more than 50 per cent of U.S. exports to Canada in 2023
    • in 2024, Nova Scotia exports to the U.S. were $4.6 billion and imports were $528.3 million; the top exports were:
      • tires – $1.5 billion
      • fish and seafood – $1.2 billion
      • forest products – $430.4 million
      • agriculture and agri-food products – $278.6 million
      • plastics – $217.3 million
      • electrical machinery and equipment – $159 million
      • motor vehicles and parts – $132.7 million
      • machinery and mechanical appliances – $120.9 million
      • non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying (mostly gravel and gypsum) – $118.7 million
      • articles of iron and steel – $97.6 million
    • mission delegates are Premier Houston; Nicole LaFosse Parker, Chief of Staff and General Counsel; Sean Joudry, Principal Secretary; and Executive Deputy Minister Tracey Taweel

    Additional Resources:

    Budget 2025-26 – Unlocking Our Potential: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/02/18/budget-2025-26-unlocking-our-potential

    Tariff Response survey hotline: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/02/06/tariff-response-survey-hotline

    Council of the Federation newsroom: https://www.canadaspremiers.ca/newsroom/


    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Deputy ferries commissioner appointed to BC Ferry Commission

    Carol Bellinger has been appointed deputy ferries commissioner of the BC Ferry Commission.

    The commission sets price caps on the maximum allowable annual increase in fares and approves major capital expenditures for BC Ferries.

    Bellringer has been appointed for a six-year term, effective Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, following a competitive and public application process. She is a full-time governance professional who chairs the University of Victoria Foundation board and sits on boards and audit committees of organizations in the energy, transportation and public sectors.  

    Bellringer is retired from a career in auditing, having worked as the president and CEO of the Canadian Audit and Accountability foundation. Her previous experience includes serving the legislature as the auditor general for the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.

    The BC Ferry Commission is a quasi-judicial regulatory agency operating under the Coastal Ferry Act, and is independent of the provincial government and BC Ferry Services Inc.

    MIL OSI Canada News