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Category: Entertainment

  • MIL-OSI: Republic of Gamers Announces Next-Gen RTX 50 Series Laptop Lineup – Now Available for Pre-Order in Canada

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced the arrival of its 2025 NVIDIA® RTX™ Laptop GPU line-up of equipped devices – now available for pre-order. ROG’s cutting-edge line-up involves the latest from NVIDIA, with innovative graphics technologies like DLSS 4 and Frame Generation to enjoy ray tracing without sacrificing performance. Our line up available for pre-order includes: ROG Strix SCAR 16 & 18, ROG Strix G16, and ROG Zephyrus G14 & G16, on online retailers including Best Buy, Memory Express, CDW, Canada Computers and selected retailers.

    ROG Strix SCAR 16 & 18: Unleashing Ultimate Power and Precision

    At the heart of our line-up is the 2025 ROG Strix SCAR 16 & SCAR 18, equipped with the most powerful RTX 50 Series Laptop GPU’s NVIDIA has to offer. They’re also equipped with a built in MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, these laptops are engineered handle the most demanding AAA titles, high-performance applications, and intensive multi-tasking with ease.

    Complementing this power is ROG’s Intelligent Cooling technology, which incorporates a custom vapor chamber, sandwiched heatsink, and advanced Tri-Fan Technology. Enhanced further with Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on both the CPU and GPU, this thermal system keeps temperatures low and reduces noise levels to 45dB, allowing gamers to fully unleash their hardware’s potential in even the most extended sessions.

    With up to 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and a spacious up to 4TB PCIe Gen4 SSD, the Strix SCAR Series delivers exceptional speed, storage, and smooth multitasking. The tool-less access design makes it easy to upgrade both memory and storage, empowering users to stay at the cutting edge of technology. Additionally, the AniMe Vision array on the lid and full-surround Aura RGB light bar across the chassis allow gamers to customize their devices and create a distinctive, personal aesthetic.

    ROG Strix G16: Empowering Every Gamer

    Designed to unite squads and elevate gaming experiences, the ROG Strix G16 deliver fast AAA gaming performance and seamless content creation, powered by Intel’s® Core™ Ultra 9 Processor 275HX. Paired with NVIDIA RTX™ 50 Series Laptop GPUs, these devices offer unmatched performance and stunning graphics. With up to 32GB of DDR5 5600MHz RAM, they ensure smooth multitasking and efficient handling of resource-intensive applications. The advanced Tri-Fan Technology, full-width heatsink, and full-surround vents provide exceptional thermal management, allowing users to maintain peak performance during intense gaming sessions.

    The ROG Strix G16 is equipped with dual PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD slots and designed for future-proofing, with Intel models supporting PCIe Gen 5 on both slots this allows for seamless storage upgrades. With customizable hotkeys for quick access to essential functions, the Strix G16 empower gamers to rise to victory. 

    ROG Zephyrus G14 & G16: Ultra-Portable Gaming at its Best

    The ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16 are prime choices for gamers and creators seeking portability without sacrificing performance. Crafted from a CNC-milled aluminum chassis, these laptops balance lightweight design with structural durability. The G16 is powered by up to the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 285H, while the G14 features up to an AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370 processor. They come equipped with up to an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5090 on the G16 and up to an RTX™ 5080 on the G14, delivering top-tier performance for gaming and multitasking on the go.

    To maintain peak performance during intense gaming sessions, the Zephyrus series incorporates an advanced cooling system that includes 2nd Gen Arc Flow Fans, and either a vapor chamber or a robust set of heat pipes depending on the configuration. With weights of just 3.46lbs for the G14 and 1.95 Kg (4.30 lbs) for the G16, alongside a thickness of 1.59cm (0.63”) for the Zephyrus G14 and 1.49cm (0.59”) for the Zephyrus G16 at their thinnest section, these ultra-thin laptops excel in portability. They also feature Slash Lighting and are available in a stylish Platinum White option, making a bold visual statement.

    AVAILABILITY AND PRICING

    The new 2025 ROG Strix SCAR 16 & 18, ROG Strix G16, and ROG Zephyrus G14 & G16 are now available for pre-order through online retailers including Best Buy, Memory Express, CDW, Canada Computers, and selected retailers.

    Additional availability will be listed on the ASUS website later in Q1, with shipments expected to start from late March.

    For more information, contact your local ASUS representative.

    SPECIFICATIONS

    ROG Strix SCAR 18 

    Config Model Name  G835LX-XS99-CA G835LX-XS97 G835LW-XS97 G835LW-BS97-CB G835LR-XS96
    Marketing Name  ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025) 
    Operating System  Windows 11 Pro 
    Color  Off Black 
    Weight  3.30 Kg (7.28 lbs)
    Dimensions  39.9 x 29.8 x 2.35 ~ 3.20 cm (15.71″ x 11.73″ x 0.93″ ~ 1.26″)
    Display  18″, ROG Nebula HDR, Mini LED, 240Hz, 2560×1600, 500 nits (SDR), 1200 nits (HDR), 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, G-Sync, Dolby Vision HDR, 1200:1 contrast ratio 
    Processor  Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 275HX 2.7 GHz

    (36MB Cache, up to 5.4 GHz, 24 cores, 24 Threads); Intel AI Boost NPU up to 13TOPS

    Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU

    24GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU

    16GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU

    12GB GDDR7

    Memory  64 GB DDR5 (2 x 32 GB SO-DIMM)  32 GB DDR5 (2 x 16 GB SO-DIMM)  64 GB DDR5 (2 x 32 GB SO-DIMM)  32 GB DDR5 (2 x 16 GB SO-DIMM) 
    Storage  2TB + 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    Webcam  1080p FHD IR Camera for Windows Hello
    Wi-Fi  Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 
    IO Ports  1 x 2.5G Lan Jack 
    2 x Thunderbolt 5 (PD, DP, G-Sync support) 
    3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 
    1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL 
    1 x 3.5 mm Audio Combo Jack 
    Battery  90 Whr 
    AC Adapter  Rectangle Conn, 380W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 19A, 380W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal 
    MSRP  C$6,999  C$6,499 C$5,299 C$5,299 C$4,499
    Where to buy link  Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    ASUS
    Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    Memory Express

    ASUS
    Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    Memory Express

    ASUS
    Best Buy

    ASUS
    Canada Computers

    ASUS

     
    ROG Strix SCAR 16

    Config Model Name  G635LX-XS99-CA G635LX-XS97 G635LW-XS97 G635LR-XS96
    Marketing Name  ROG Strix Scar 16 (2025)
    Operating System  Windows 11 Pro
    Color  Off Black
    Weight  2.80 Kg (6.17 lbs)
    Dimensions  35.4 x 26.8 x 2.28 ~ 3.08 cm (13.94″ x 10.55″ x 0.90″ ~ 1.21″)
    Display 16″ ROG Nebula HDR, Mini LED, 240Hz, 2560×1600, 500 nits (SDR), 1200 nits (HDR), 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, G-Sync, Dolby Vision HDR, 1200:1 contrast ratio 
    Processor Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 275HX 2.7 GHz

    (36MB Cache, up to 5.4 GHz, 24 cores, 24 Threads); Intel AI Boost NPU up to 13TOPS

    Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU

    24GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU

    16GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU

    12GB GDDR7

    Memory  64 GB DDR5 (2 x 32 GB SO-DIMM) 32 GB DDR5 (2 x 16 GB SO-DIMM)
    Storage  2TB + 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD (RAID 0)

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    Webcam  1080p FHD IR Camera for Windows Hello
    Wi-Fi  Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 
    IO Ports  1 x 2.5G Lan Jack 
    2 x Thunderbolt 5 (PD, DP, G-Sync support) 
    3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 
    1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL 
    1 x 3.5 mm Audio Combo Jack 
    Battery  90 Whr 
    AC Adapter  Rectangle Conn, 380W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 19A, 380W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal 
    MSRP  C$6,699 C$5,999 C$4,999 C$4,499
    Where to buy link  Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    ASUS
    Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    CDW

    ASUS
    Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    ASUS
    Canada Computers

    ASUS


    ROG Strix G16 (2025) 

    Config Model Name  G615LW-XS96-CA G615LR-DS96-CA
    Marketing Name  ROG Strix G16 (2025) 
    Operating System  Windows 11 Pro 
    Color  Off Black 
    Weight  2.65 Kg (5.84 lbs)
    Dimensions  35.4 x 26.8 x 2.28 ~ 3.08 cm (13.94″ x 10.55″ x 0.90″ ~ 1.21″)
    Display  16-inch, 2.5K (2560 x 1600, WQXGA), 240HZ, 3ms, G-SYNC, 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS, anti-glare display, 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, Dolby Vision HDR
    Processor  Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 275HX

    2.7 GHz (36MB Cache, up to 5.4 GHz, 24 cores, 24 Threads); Intel AI Boost NPU up to 13TOPS

    Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU

    16GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU

    12GB GDDR7

    Memory  32 GB DDR5 (2 x 16 GB SO-DIMM)
    Storage  1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 Performance SSD

    (2x M.2 PCIe slots total)

    Webcam  1080p FHD IR Webcam 
    Wi-Fi  Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 
    IO Ports  1 x 2.5G Lan Jack 
    2 x Thunderbolt 5 (PD, DP, G-Sync support) 
    3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 
    1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL 
    1 x 3.5 mm Audio Combo Jack 
    Battery  90 Whr 
    AC Adapter  Rectangle Conn, Up to 380W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 19A, 380W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal 
    MSRP  C$4,299 C$3,599
    Where to buy link  Best Buy

    Canada Computers

    ASUS
    Canada Computers

    ASUS


    ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) 

    Config Model Name  GA403WW-RS96-CA GA403WR-DS96-CA
    Marketing Name  ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) 
    Operating System  Windows 11 Pro  Windows 11 Home 
    Color  Platinum White
    Weight  1.57 Kg (3.46 lbs)
    Dimensions  31.1 x 22.0 x 1.59 ~ 1.83 cm (12.24″ x 8.66″ x 0.63″ ~ 0.72″)
    Display  14″, ROG Nebula, OLED, 120Hz, 2880 x 1800, 500 nits, 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, G-Sync, Dolby Vision HDR 
    Processor  AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370 Processor

    2.0GHz (36MB Cache, up to 5.1GHz, 12 cores, 24 Threads); AMD XDNA™ NPU up to 50TOPS

    Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU

    16GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU

    12GB GDDR7

    Memory  32 GB LPDDR5X 8000 (on board)  32 GB LPDDR5X 7500 (on board) 
    Storage  1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD included (1 x SSD PCIE 4.0) 
    Webcam  1080p FHD IR Webcam 
    Wi-Fi  Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 
    IO Ports 1 x USB 4.0 (PD, DP support) 
    1 x USB 3.2 Gen Type-C (PD, DP, G-Sync support) 
    2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 
    1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL 
    1 x 3.5 Audio Combo Jack
    1x card reader (microSD) (UHS-II)
    Battery  73 Whr 
    AC Adapter  Rectangle Conn, 200W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 12A, 240W, Input: 100~240C AC 50/60Hz universal 
    MSRP  C$4,299 C$3,699 
    Where to buy link  ASUS Best Buy

    ASUS


    ROG Zephyrus G16 

    Config Model Name  GU605CX-XS98-CA GU605CW-XS98-CA GU605CR-XS98-CA
    Marketing Name  ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025) 
    Operating System  Windows 11 Pro 
    Color  Platinum White
    Weight  1.95 Kg (4.30 lbs)
    Dimensions  35.4 x 24.6 x 1.49 ~ 1.74 cm (13.94″ x 9.69″ x 0.59″ ~ 0.69″)
    Display  16″, ROG Nebula, OLED, 240Hz, 2560×1600, 500 nits, 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, G-Sync, Dolby Vision HDR 
    Processor  Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 285H

    2.9 GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.4 GHz, 16 cores, 16 Threads); Intel AI Boost NPU up to 13TOPS

    Graphics  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU

    24GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU

    16GB GDDR7

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU

    12GB GDDR7

    Memory  64 GB LPDDR5X 7467 (on board) 
    Storage  2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD included (2 x SSD PCIE 4.0) 
    Webcam  1080p FHD IR Webcam 
    Wi-Fi  Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 
    IO Ports  1 x Thunderbolt 4 (PD, DP support) 
    1 x USB 3.2 Gen Type-C (PD, DP, G-Sync support) 
    2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 
    1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL 
    1 x 3.5 Audio Combo Jack
    1x card reader (SD) (UHS-II, 312MB/s
    Battery  90 Whr 
    AC Adapter  Rectangle Conn, 240W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 12A, 240W, Input: 100~240C AC 50/60Hz universal 
    MSRP  C$5,499 C$4,799 C$4,299
    Where to buy link  Best Buy 

    Canada Computers

    Memory Express

    ASUS

    Best Buy
     
    Canada Computers

    Memory Express

    ASUS
    Best Buy
     
    ASUS


    NOTES TO EDITORS

    Where to buy links:

    2025 ROG Gaming Laptops: https://rog.asus.com/content/2025-rog-gaming-laptops/

    ROG Strix SCAR 18 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-strix/rog-strix-scar-18-2025/

    ROG Strix SCAR 16 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-strix/rog-strix-scar-16-2025/

    ROG Strix G18 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-strix/rog-strix-g18-2025/

    ROG Strix G16 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-strix/rog-strix-g16-2025/

    ROG Zephyrus G14 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-zephyrus/rog-zephyrus-g14-2025/

    ROG Zephyrus G16 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-zephyrus/rog-zephyrus-g16-2025-gu605/

    ROG Flow Z13 Product Page: https://rog.asus.com/ca-en/laptops/rog-flow/rog-flow-z13-2025/

    ROG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asusrog

    ROG X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/asus_rog

    ASUS Pressroom: http://press.asus.com

    ASUS Global Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asus

    ASUS Global Twitter: https://www.x.com/asus

    About ROG

    Republic of Gamers (ROG) is an ASUS sub-brand dedicated to creating the world’s best gaming hardware and software. Formed in 2006, ROG offers a complete line of innovative products known for performance and quality, including motherboards, graphics cards, system components, laptops, desktops, monitors, smartphones, audio equipment, routers, peripherals and accessories. ROG participates in and sponsors major international gaming events. ROG gear has been used to set hundreds of overclocking records and it continues to be the preferred choice of gamers and enthusiasts around the world. To become one of those who dare, learn more about ROG at http://rog.asus.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a844e4b-61d1-4a8d-a25e-66e5fe44bbd8

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cotton Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Outdoor Sporting Events from Unauthorized Drones

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Disabling Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment (DEFENSE) Act to protect outdoor sporting events from unauthorized drones. This bipartisan bill will enhance security at major outdoor gatherings and sporting events by ensuring that state and local law enforcement have the authority and tools necessary to protect these events from aerial threats in real-time, rather than waiting for federal intervention. This bill is endorsed by the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, the NCAA, and the SEC.
    “Major events — including sports and live entertainment — play a significant role in supporting our economy in Las Vegas and across the country, and we need to ensure they are safe,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan bill would enable state and local law enforcement to better mitigate threats posed by drones to the security of these high attendance events.”
    “Stadiums and spectators at large events are vulnerable to unauthorized drone activity, which puts both public safety and national security at risk. Our bill empowers local authorities to safeguard large public gatherings from aerial threats,” said Senator Cotton.
    “The NFL thanks Senators Cotton and Rosen for introducing the DEFENSE Act.  As the threat of illicit drone use continues to rise, it is critical that our partners in local law enforcement have the tools and resources they need to keep fans safe.  The league strongly supports this legislation, which will help keep fans safe at major sporting events across the country,” said Cathy Lanier, Chief Security Officer, NFL.
    “Major League Baseball applauds Senators Tom Cotton and Jacky Rosen for introducing the Disabling Enemy Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment (DEFENSE) Act”, said David Thomas, Major League Baseball Senior Vice President of Security and Ballpark Operations. “For several years, MLB has urged Congress to address the growing and unmitigated threat which unauthorized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones) pose to major sporting venues. The Cotton-Rosen legislation would enable the employment of counter-drone technology by well-trained state and local law enforcement to protect our stadiums and sporting venues nationwide. If enacted, this legislation would dramatically increase the security of our stadiums and the safety of the 70,000,000 fans who attend our games annually. We look forward to working with Senator Cotton, Senator Rosen and other members of Congress to advance this critical piece of legislation for the benefit of our fans, players, and employees.”
    “In introducing the DEFENSE Act, NASCAR recognizes Senator Cotton and Senator Rosen for addressing a crucial issue related to event security,” said Allen Taylor, Managing Director, Security, NASCAR. “Giving qualified law enforcement partners at the state and local level the resources necessary to mitigate drone related threats is essential to helping keep events and communities across the country safe.”
    “The NCAA supports this legislation and thanks Senator Cotton and Senator Rosen for their leadership on this issue.  For several years, the NCAA has expressed concern for the threat that unauthorized drones pose at NCAA championships and college sporting events. The safety of the competitors, fans, and staff that work at NCAA events is our top priority,” said Tim Buckley, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, NCAA.
    “The safety of our teams and fans is a key priority at athletics events. The SEC commends the bipartisan leadership of Senator Tom Cotton and Senator Jacky Rosen for introducing this important legislation that is intended to provide public safety officials on campuses and in the communities they serve with enhanced measures to address unauthorized drone usage,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
    Senator Rosen has been working to support Nevada’s law enforcement community and ensure it has the resources needed to fight crime effectively and safely. She has also been a leader in supporting Nevada’s tourism economy, including its major events.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Burglar not up to par

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police scored a hole in one following a series of burglaries in Waiuku over recent months.

    The Pukekohe Tactical Crime Unit have been investigating a number of burglaries at a Waiuku golf club since November 2024.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor says the clubrooms had been the target of each burglary.

    “A number of items including tills and alcohol were allegedly taken during the offending,” he says.

    “Since these reports, CCTV footage and forensics enquiries have been carried out in the investigation.”

    It has led to the arrest of a 37-year-old man, who faces three burglary charges.

    The man is expected in the Pukekohe District Court today.

    “Our enquiries are ongoing into these matters and we cannot rule out further charges at this stage,” Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says.

    “I know these burglaries have been subject of discussion amongst the community, and we will continue to hold those to account where there is sufficient evidence.”

    Any suspicious behaviour should be promptly reported to the Police.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Continues To Investigate The Merger – NVRO, LGTY, AVTE, PLYA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm by ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating:

    • Nevro Corp. (NYSE: NVRO), relating to the proposed merger with Globus Medical. Under the terms of the agreement, Globus Medical will acquire all shares of Nevro for $5.85 per share.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/nevro-corp-nvro/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Logility Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: LGTY), relating to the proposed merger with Aptean. Under the terms of the agreement, Aptean will acquire all of Logility’s outstanding common stock for $14.30 per share in an all-cash transaction.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/logility-supply-chain-solutions-inc-lgty/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Aerovate Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVTE), relating to a proposed merger with Jade Biosciences. Under the terms of the agreement, pre-merger Aerovate stockholders are expected to own approximately 1.6% of the combined company, while pre-merger Jade stockholders are expected to own approximately 98.4% of the combined entity.

    Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/aerovate-therapeutics-inc-avte/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. (Nasdaq: PLYA), relating to the proposed merger with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, Hyatt will acquire all outstanding shares of Playa for $13.50 per share in cash.

    ACT NOW. The Tender Offer expires on April 25, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/playa-hotels-resorts-n-v-plya/ It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: King County man who dealt narcotics on the dark web and kept a cache of weapons at his RV sentenced to 8 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Law enforcement was already investigating dark web drug trafficking when defendant was shot near Olallie State Park

    Seattle – A King County man, arrested after law enforcement discovered a drug lab and cache of firearms and explosives inside an RV near a state park, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and unlawful possession of destructive devices, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Braiden F. Wilson, 29, and his partner, 30- year-old Chandler B. Bennett were arrested following a May 12, 2024, shooting in rural King County.  At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, the crimes “were egregious… You distributed a large amount of drugs that cause a danger to our community.”

    “Mr. Wilson used the dark web to advertise his potentially deadly wares, shipping fentanyl pills across the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “He further placed the lives of the community in danger by stockpiling a cache of weapons and explosives, which he stored adjacent to a state park frequented by the public.”

    According to records filed in the case, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) was investigating Wilson for dealing drugs on the dark web, when King County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the RV near Olallie State Park when Wilson was shot. The deputies noticed that the RV had surveillance cameras and asked to get access to the recorded video to identify the assailant. Bennett refused to allow law enforcement to enter the RV, so they sought a warrant from a King County Judge.

    When law enforcement entered the RV, they found a large cache of weapons as well as fentanyl powder, tablets containing fentanyl, and sundry items associated with the manufacture of tablets, including a manual pill press. Law enforcement located more than two and a half kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills. Law enforcement seized 16 firearms, body armor, silencers, and ballistic shields. They also found gun parts made from 3D printers – making them untraceable. There were multiple destructive devices and literature on the chemistry and manufacturing of explosives, as well as literature on how to convert firearms to fully automatic capability.

    Agents and officers also searched two storage units associated with Wilson and found two additional pill presses, more controlled substances, and mailing supplies. In all law enforcement seized more than two kilos of fentanyl-laced pills, nearly a kilo of fentanyl powder, and more than three kilos of methamphetamine. Computer and bank records reveal that Wilson distributed controlled substances via his dark web identity more than 2,000 times and he took in more than $287,000 in crypto currency.

    Wilson pleaded guilty in October 2024.

    Asking for an eight-year prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Wilson engaged in a comprehensive enterprise to distribute fentanyl-laced pills throughout the country by offering his products for sale on dark web 

    marketplaces…  He maintained a veritable armory while engaged in his drug distribution business. Inside the motorhomes Wilson shared with his co-defendant, investigators found an operable machinegun; silencers designed to muffle the report of a discharged firearm; a shotgun stored in a case designed to look like it carried a musical instrument; destructive devices commonly called pipe bombs; and materials to make more destructive devices.”

    “This is another example of great work by our patrol deputies, as they went above and beyond on a call that resulted in taking two dangerous criminals off the street,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “Additionally, I am so proud of the work done by our Gun Violence Reduction Unit.  That team was able to ensure the proper steps were taken in this investigation, and in partnership with several federal agencies, were able to hold these people accountable and ensure justice was served.”

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Washington State Patrol.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Flywire Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal-Year 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fourth Quarter Revenue Increased 17.0% Year-over-Year

    Fourth Quarter Revenue Less Ancillary Services Increased 17.4% Year-over-Year

    Company Provides First Quarter and Fiscal-Year 2025 Outlook

    BOSTON, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flywire Corporation (Nasdaq: FLYW) (“Flywire” or the “Company”) a global payments enablement and software company, today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal-year ended December 31, 2024.

    “Our fourth quarter results capped off another strong year for Flywire as we continued to grow the business while navigating a complex macro environment with significant headwinds,” said Mike Massaro, CEO of Flywire, “We continued to focus on business and bottom line growth and generated 17% revenue growth and 680 bps adjusted EBITDA margin growth in the quarter.”

    “Looking ahead, we’re focused on driving effectiveness and discipline throughout our global business. We will be undertaking an operational and business portfolio review. The operational review will help ensure we are efficient and effective, with a focus on driving productivity and optimizing investments across all areas. Our comprehensive business portfolio review will focus on Flywire’s core strengths – such as complex, large-value payment processing, our global payment network, and verticalized software.”

    “One of the efficiency measures we are undertaking is a restructuring, which impacts approximately 10% of our workforce. It is difficult to say goodbye to so many FlyMates, and I want to thank them for their hard work as we endeavor to support them throughout this transition.”

    “As we refocus our teams on areas that we believe will drive Flywire’s future growth, we are excited to announce the acquisition of Sertifi, which is expected to accelerate the expansion of our fast-growing Travel vertical. Sertifi augments our travel product offering with a leading dedicated hotel property management system integration and expands our footprint across more than 20,000 hotel locations worldwide.”

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights:

    GAAP Results

    • Revenue increased 17.0% to $117.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $100.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Gross Profit increased to $74.3 million, resulting in Gross Margin of 63.2%, for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to Gross Profit of $61.8 million and Gross Margin of 61.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Net loss was ($15.9) million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to net income of $1.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Key Operating Metrics and Non-GAAP Results

    • Number of clients grew by 16%year-over-year, with over 180 new clients added in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Total Payment Volume increased 27.6% to $6.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $5.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Revenue Less Ancillary Services increased 17.4% to $112.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $96.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Adjusted Gross Profit increased to $75.6 million, up 19.1% compared to $63.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adjusted Gross Margin was 67.0% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 66.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Adjusted EBITDA increased to $16.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $7.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Our adjusted EBITDA margins increased 680 bps year-over-year to 14.8% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    2024 Business Highlights:

    • We signed more than 800 new clients in fiscal-year 2024 surpassing the 700 new clients signed in fiscal-year 2023.
    • Our transaction payment volume grew by 23.6% year-over-year to $29.7 billion
    • Our global education vertical, continued to strengthen in a number of core geographies, with U.K. region outperformance driven by new clients and net revenue retention; accompanied by growth in our network of international recruitment agents to further connect our ecosystem of clients, agents and payers
    • Our travel vertical grew into our second largest vertical in terms of revenue less ancillary services, and we generated strong growth most notably with EMEA and APAC based Tour Operators and DMC providers, particularly in our new sub vertical of ocean experiences.
    • Our business-to-business vertical continued its strong organic growth, enhanced by the acquisition of Invoiced.
    • We further optimized our global payment network to enable vertical growth with a focus on new acceptance rails, market localization and expanded network coverage. This included continued support of our strategic payer markets like India and China, enhancing our offerings to digitize the disbursement of student loans from India and strengthening partnerships with India’s three largest banks.
    • We repurchased 2.3 million shares for approximately $44 million, inclusive of commissions, under our share repurchase program announced on August 6th, 2024.

    First Quarter and Fiscal-Year 2025 Outlook:

    “Effective execution drove both revenue growth and margin expansion in 2024, in spite of significant macroeconomic challenges” said Flywire’s CFO, Cosmin Pitigoi. “For our 2025 financial outlook, we project revenue less ancillary services growth of 10-14% on an FX-neutral (constant currency) basis, and a 200-400 basis point increase in adjusted EBITDA margin. We expect approximately 3 percentage points of headwind from FX throughout the year.  This guidance excludes the contributions from the Sertifi acquisition, as well as any potential lessening of the macroeconomic headwinds. We are particularly encouraged by the anticipated performance of our combined travel vertical, as well as the emerging B2B vertical, both of which are expected to exceed our historical growth rate for the applicable vertical”

    Based on information available as of February 25, 2025, Flywire anticipates the following results for the first quarter and fiscal-year 2025 excluding Sertifi.

      Fiscal-Year 2025
    FX-Neutral GAAP Revenue Growth 9-13% YoY
    FX-Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services Growth 10-14% YoY
    Adjusted EBITDA* Margin Growth +200-400 bps YoY
       
      First Quarter 2025
    FX-Neutral GAAP Revenue Growth 10-13% YoY
    FX-Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services Growth 11-14% YoY
    Adjusted EBITDA* Margin Growth +300-600 bps YoY
       

    “Based on Sertifi’s historical financials, we currently expect the acquisition to provide incremental revenue of $3.0-4.0 million and $30.0-40.0 million in revenue  in the first quarter and fiscal year 2025, respectively.  In addition, we currently expect the Sertifi acquisition to have a flat to slightly positive effect on adjusted EBITDA and positive (low single–digit million) effect on adjusted EBITDA, in the first quarter and fiscal year 2025, respectively, as we plan to invest in the combined solution during 2025.”

    *Flywire has not provided a quantitative reconciliation of forecasted Adjusted EBITDA Margin growth to forecasted GAAP Net Income Margin growth within this earnings release because Flywire is unable, without making unreasonable efforts, to calculate certain reconciling items with confidence. These items include, but are not limited to income taxes which are directly impacted by unpredictable fluctuations in the market price of Flywire’s stock and in foreign currency exchange rates.

    These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the “Safe Harbor Statement” below for information on the factors that could cause Flywire’s actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.

    Conference Call

    The Company will host a conference call to discuss fourth quarter and fiscal-year 2024 financial results today at 5:00 pm ET. Hosting the call will be Mike Massaro, CEO, Rob Orgel, President and COO, and Cosmin Pitigoi, CFO. The conference call can be accessed live via webcast from the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.flywire.com/. A replay will be available on the investor relations website following the call.

    Note Regarding Share Repurchase Program

    Repurchases under the Company’s share repurchase program (the Repurchase Program) may be made from time to time through open market purchases, in privately negotiated transactions or by other means, including through the use of trading plans intended to qualify under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in accordance with applicable securities laws and other restrictions, including Rule 10b-18. The timing, value and number of shares repurchased will be determined by the Company in its discretion and will be based on various factors, including an evaluation of current and future capital needs, current and forecasted cash flows, the Company’s capital structure, cost of capital and prevailing stock prices, general market and economic conditions, applicable legal requirements, and compliance with covenants in the Company’s credit facility that may limit share repurchases based on defined leverage ratios. The Repurchase Program does not obligate the Company to purchase a specific number of, or any, shares.  The Repurchase Program does not expire and may be modified, suspended or terminated at any time without notice at the Company’s discretion.

    Key Operating Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Flywire uses non-GAAP financial measures to supplement financial information presented on a GAAP basis. The Company believes that excluding certain items from its GAAP results allows management to better understand its consolidated financial performance from period to period and better project its future consolidated financial performance as forecasts are developed at a level of detail different from that used to prepare GAAP-based financial measures. Moreover, Flywire believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide its stakeholders with useful information to help them evaluate the Company’s operating results by facilitating an enhanced understanding of the Company’s operating performance and enabling them to make more meaningful period to period comparisons. There are limitations to the use of the non-GAAP financial measures presented here. Flywire’s non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Other companies, including companies in Flywire’s industry, may calculate non-GAAP financial measures differently, limiting the usefulness of those measures for comparative purposes.

    Flywire uses supplemental measures of its performance which are derived from its consolidated financial information, but which are not presented in its consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures include the following:

    • Revenue Less Ancillary Services.  Revenue Less Ancillary Services represents the Company’s consolidated revenue in accordance with GAAP after excluding (i) pass-through cost for printing and mailing services and (ii) marketing fees. The Company excludes these amounts to arrive at this supplemental non-GAAP financial measure as it views these services as ancillary to the primary services it provides to its clients.
    • Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin.  Adjusted gross profit represents Revenue Less Ancillary Services less cost of revenue adjusted to (i) exclude pass-through cost for printing services, (ii) offset marketing fees against costs incurred and (iii) exclude depreciation and amortization, including accelerated amortization on the impairment of customer set-up costs tied to technology integration. Adjusted Gross Margin represents Adjusted Gross Profit  divided by Revenue Less Ancillary Services. Management believes this presentation supplements the GAAP presentation of Gross Margin with a useful measure of the gross margin of the Company’s payment-related services, which are the primary services it provides to its clients.
    • Adjusted EBITDA.  Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA further adjusted by excluding (i) stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, (ii) the impact from the change in fair value measurement for contingent consideration associated with acquisitions,(iii) gain (loss) from the remeasurement of foreign currency, (iv) indirect taxes related to intercompany activity, (v) acquisition related transaction costs, and (vi) employee retention costs, such as incentive compensation, associated with acquisition activities. Management believes that the exclusion of these amounts to calculate Adjusted EBITDA provides useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of the Company’s business. We calculate adjusted EBITDA margin by dividing adjusted EBITDA by Revenue Less Ancillary Services.
    • Revenue Less Ancillary Services at Constant Currency.  Revenue Less Ancillary Services at Constant Currency represents Revenue Less Ancillary Services adjusted to show presentation on a constant currency basis. The constant currency information presented is calculated by translating current period results using prior period weighted average foreign currency exchange rates.  Flywire  analyzes Revenue Less Ancillary Services on a constant currency basis to provide a comparable framework for assessing how the business performed excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations.
    • Non-GAAP Operating Expenses – Non-GAAP Operating Expenses represents GAAP Operating Expenses adjusted by excluding (i) stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, (ii) depreciation and amortization, (iii) acquisition related transaction costs, if applicable, (iv) employee retention costs, such as incentive compensation, associated with acquisition activities and (v) the impact from the change in fair value measurement for contingent consideration associated with acquisitions.

    These non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered as indicators of performance in isolation from or as a substitute for the Company’s revenue, gross profit, gross margin or net income (loss), or operating expenses prepared in accordance with GAAP and should be read only in conjunction with financial information presented on a GAAP basis. Reconciliations of Revenue Less Ancillary Services, Revenue Less Ancillary Services at Constant Currency, Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP Operating Expenses to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure are presented below. Flywire encourages you to review these reconciliations in conjunction with the presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures for each of the periods presented. In future fiscal periods, Flywire may exclude such items and may incur income and expenses similar to these excluded items. Flywire has not provided a quantitative reconciliation of forecasted Adjusted EBITDA Margin growth to forecasted GAAP Net Income growth within this earnings release because it is unable, without making unreasonable efforts, to calculate certain reconciling items with confidence. These items include but are not limited to income taxes which are directly impacted by unpredictable fluctuations in the market price of Flywire’s stock and in foreign exchange rates.  For figures in this press release reported on an “FX-Neutral basis,” Flywire calculates the year-over-year impact of foreign currency movements using prior period weighted average foreign currency rates.

    About Flywire

    Flywire is a global payments enablement and software company. We combine our proprietary global payments network, next-gen payments platform and vertical-specific software to deliver the most important and complex payments for our clients and their customers.

    Flywire leverages its vertical-specific software and payments technology to deeply embed within the existing A/R workflows for its clients across the education, healthcare and travel vertical markets, as well as in key B2B industries. Flywire also integrates with leading ERP systems, such as NetSuite, so organizations can optimize the payment experience for their customers while eliminating operational challenges.

    Flywire supports approximately 4,500** clients with diverse payment methods in more than 140 currencies across 240 countries and territories around the world. Flywire is headquartered in Boston, MA, USA with global offices. For more information, visit www.flywire.com. Follow Flywire on X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook.

    **Excludes clients from Flywire’s Invoiced and Sertifi acquisitions

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Flywire’s future operating results and financial position, Flywire’s business strategy and plans, market growth, and Flywire’s objectives for future operations. Flywire intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as, but not limited to, “believe,” “may,” “will,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “target,” “plan,” “expect,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks, changes in circumstances, assumptions, and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Flywire’s forward-looking statements include, among others, Flywire’s future financial performance, including its expectations regarding FX-Neutral GAAP Revenue Growth, FX-Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services Growth, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin Growth and foreign exchange rates.  Risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: Flywire’s  ability to execute its business plan and effectively manage its growth; Flywire’s cross-border expansion plans and ability to expand internationally; anticipated trends, growth rates, and challenges in Flywire’s business and in the markets in which Flywire operates; the  sufficiency of Flywire’s cash and cash equivalents to meet its liquidity needs;  political, economic, foreign currency exchange rate, inflation, legal, social and health risks, that may affect Flywire’s business or the global economy; Flywire’s beliefs and objectives for future operations; Flywire’s ability to develop and protect its brand; Flywire’s ability to maintain and grow the payment volume that it processes; Flywire’s ability to further attract, retain, and expand its client base; Flywire’s ability to develop new solutions and services and bring them to market in a timely manner; Flywire’s expectations concerning relationships with third parties, including financial institutions and strategic partners; the effects of increased competition in Flywire’s markets and its ability to compete effectively; recent and future acquisitions or investments in complementary companies, products, services, or technologies; Flywire’s ability to enter new client verticals, including its relatively new business-to-business  sector; Flywire’s expectations regarding anticipated technology needs and developments and its ability to address those needs and developments with its solutions; Flywire’s expectations regarding its ability to meet existing performance obligations and maintain the operability of its solutions; Flywire’s expectations regarding the effects of existing and developing laws and regulations, including with respect to payments and financial services, taxation, privacy and data protection; economic and industry trends, projected growth, or trend analysis; the effects of global events and geopolitical conflicts, including without limitation the continuing hostilities in Ukraine and involving Israel; Flywire’s ability to adapt to  changes in U.S. federal income or other tax laws or the interpretation of tax laws, including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022;  Flywire’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees; Flywire’s ability to maintain, protect, and enhance its intellectual property; Flywire’s ability to maintain the security and availability of its solutions; the increased expenses associated with being a public company; the future market price of Flywire’s common stock; and other factors that are described in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Flywire’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/. Additional factors may be described in those sections of Flywire’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, expected to be filed in the first quarter of 2025. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Flywire undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations:
    Masha Kahn
    ir@Flywire.com

    Media:
    Sarah King
    Media@Flywire.com

    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
    (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Twelve Months Ended December 31,
        2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Revenue $ 117,550     $ 100,545     $ 492,144     $ 403,094  
    Costs and operating expenses:              
    Payment processing services costs   41,384       36,780       177,490       147,339  
    Technology and development   17,370       16,898       66,636       62,028  
    Selling and marketing   33,353       28,830       129,435       107,621  
    General and administrative   31,218       28,065       125,838       107,624  
    Total costs and operating expenses   123,325       110,573       499,399       424,612  
    Loss from operations $ (5,775 )   $ (10,028 )   $ (7,255 )   $ (21,518 )
    Other income (expense):              
    Interest expense   (135 )     (92 )     (538 )     (372 )
    Interest income   4,872       5,638       21,440       13,349  
    Gain (loss) from remeasurement of foreign currency   (13,866 )     7,707       (11,787 )     4,189  
    Total other income (expense), net   (9,129 )     13,253       9,115       17,166  
    Income (loss) before provision for income taxes   (14,904 )     3,225       1,860       (4,352 )
    Provision (benefit) for income taxes   995       1,938       (1,040 )     4,214  
    Net Income (Loss) $ (15,899 )   $ 1,287     $ 2,900     $ (8,566 )
    Foreign currency translation adjustment   (7,330 )     3,731       (3,594 )     3,232  
    Unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities, net $ (441 )   $ —     $ 208     $ —  
    Total other comprehensive income (loss) $ (7,771 )   $ 3,731     $ (3,386 )   $ 3,232  
    Comprehensive income (loss) $ (23,670 )   $ 5,018     $ (486 )   $ (5,334 )
    Net loss attributable to common stockholders – basic and diluted $ (15,899 )   $ 1,287     $ 2,900     $ (8,566 )
    Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders – basic $ (0.13 )   $ 0.01     $ 0.02     $ (0.07 )
    Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders – diluted $ (0.12 )   $ 0.01     $ 0.02     $ (0.07 )
    Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic   124,463,252       121,690,938       124,269,820       114,828,494  
    Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted   128,924,166       128,877,877       129,339,462       114,828,494  
                                   
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands, except share amounts)
           
      December 31,   December 31,
        2024       2023  
    Assets      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 495,242     $ 654,608  
    Restricted cash   —       —  
    Short-term investments   115,848       —  
    Accounts receivable, net   23,703       18,215  
    Unbilled receivables, net   15,453       10,689  
    Funds receivable from payment partners   90,110       113,945  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   22,528       18,227  
    Total current assets   762,884       815,684  
    Long-term investments   50,125       —  
    Property and equipment, net   17,160       15,134  
    Intangible assets, net   118,684       108,178  
    Goodwill   149,558       121,646  
    Other assets   24,035       19,089  
    Total assets $ 1,122,446     $ 1,079,731  
           
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable $ 15,353     $ 12,587  
    Funds payable to clients   217,788       210,922  
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   49,297       43,315  
    Deferred revenue   7,337       6,968  
    Total current liabilities   289,775       273,792  
    Deferred tax liabilities   12,643       15,391  
    Other liabilities   5,261       4,431  
    Total liabilities   307,679       293,614  
    Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)      
    Stockholders’ equity:      
    Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2024 and 2023; and no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2023   —       —  
    Voting common stock, $0.0001 par value; 2,000,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023; 126,853,852 shares issued and 122,182,878 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024; 123,010,207 shares issued and 120,695,162 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023   13       11  
    Non-voting common stock, $0.0001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023; 1,873,320 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023   —       1  
    Treasury voting common stock, 4,670,974 and 2,315,045 shares as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, held at cost   (46,268 )     (747 )
    Additional paid-in capital   1,033,958       959,302  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income   (2,066 )     1,320  
    Accumulated deficit   (170,870 )     (173,770 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   814,767       786,117  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 1,122,446     $ 1,079,731  
                   
    Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
    (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands)
           
      Twelve Months Ended December 31,
        2024       2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:      
    Net income (loss) $ 2,900     $ (8,566 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:      
    Depreciation and amortization   17,363       15,764  
    Stock-based compensation expense   64,933       43,726  
    Amortization of deferred contract costs   972       1,789  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration   (978 )     380  
    Deferred tax provision (benefit)   (8,794 )     72  
    Provision for uncollectible accounts   (83 )     326  
    Non-cash interest expense   230       298  
    Non-cash interest income   (1,435 )     —  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:      
    Accounts receivable   (5,292 )     (2,082 )
    Unbilled receivables   (4,764 )     (5,394 )
    Funds receivable from payment partners   23,835       (50,975 )
    Prepaid expenses, other current assets and other assets   (5,322 )     (4,279 )
    Funds payable to clients   6,867       86,616  
    Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities   3,302       5,548  
    Contingent consideration   (93 )     (467 )
    Other liabilities   (1,543 )     (1,260 )
    Deferred revenue   (630 )     (871 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities   91,468       80,625  
           
    Cash flows from investing activities:      
    Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired   (45,230 )     (32,764 )
    Purchase of debt securities   (193,927 )     —  
    Sale of debt securities   29,598       —  
    Capitalization of internally developed software   (5,317 )     (5,004 )
    Purchases of property and equipment   (924 )     (1,009 )
    Net cash (used in) investing activities   (215,800 )     (38,777 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:      
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock under public offering, net of underwriter discounts and commissions   —       261,119  
    Payments of costs related to public offering   —       (1,062 )
    Payment of debt issuance costs   (783 )     —  
    Contingent consideration paid for acquisitions   (1,032 )     (1,207 )
    Payments of tax withholdings for net settled equity awards   (797 )     (8,483 )
    Purchases of treasury stock   (43,740 )     —  
    Proceeds from the issuance of stock under Employee Stock Purchase Plan   3,108       2,691  
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options   5,613       10,360  
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   (37,631 )     263,418  
    Effect of exchange rates changes on cash and cash equivalents   2,597       (1,835 )
    Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   (159,366 )     303,431  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year $ 654,608     $ 351,177  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of year $ 495,242     $ 654,608  
                   
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions, except percentages)
                     
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Revenue   $ 117.6     $ 100.5     $ 492.1     $ 403.1  
    Adjusted to exclude gross up for:                
    Pass-through cost for printing and mailing     (4.5 )     (4.0 )     (15.9 )     (19.4 )
    Marketing fees     (0.3 )     (0.4 )     (2.0 )     (2.2 )
    Revenue Less Ancillary Services   $ 112.8     $ 96.1     $ 474.2     $ 381.5  
    Payment processing services costs     41.4       36.8       177.5       147.3  
    Hosting and amortization costs within technology and development expenses     1.9       1.9       7.7       8.4  
    Cost of Revenue   $ 43.3     $ 38.7     $ 185.2     $ 155.7  
    Adjusted to:                
    Exclude printing and mailing costs     (4.5 )     (4.0 )     (15.9 )     (19.4 )
    Offset marketing fees against related costs     (0.3 )     (0.4 )     (2.0 )     (2.2 )
    Exclude depreciation and amortization     (1.3 )     (1.7 )     (5.9 )     (6.7 )
    Adjusted Cost of Revenue   $ 37.2     $ 32.6     $ 161.4     $ 127.4  
    Gross Profit   $ 74.3     $ 61.8     $ 306.9     $ 247.4  
    Gross Margin     63.2 %     61.5 %     62.4 %     61.4 %
    Adjusted Gross Profit   $ 75.6     $ 63.5     $ 312.8     $ 254.1  
    Adjusted Gross Margin     67.0 %     66.1 %     66.0 %     66.6 %
                                     
        Three Months Ended
    December 31, 2024
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31, 2024
        Transaction   Platform and
    Other Revenues
      Revenue   Transaction   Platform and
    Other Revenues
      Revenue
    Revenue   $ 95.3     $ 22.3     $ 117.6     $ 410.2     $ 81.9     $ 492.1  
    Adjusted to exclude gross up for:                        
    Pass-through cost for printing and mailing     —       (4.5 )     (4.5 )     —       (15.9 )     (15.9 )
    Marketing fees     (0.3 )     —       (0.3 )     (2.0 )     —       (2.0 )
    Revenue Less Ancillary Services   $ 95.0     $ 17.8     $ 112.8     $ 408.2     $ 66.0     $ 474.2  
    Percentage of Revenue     81.0 %     19.0 %     100.0 %     83.4 %     16.6 %     100.0 %
    Percentage of Revenue Less Ancillary Services     84.2 %     15.8 %     100.0 %     86.1 %     13.9 %     100.0 %
                             
        Three Months Ended
    December 31, 2023
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31, 2023
        Transaction   Platform and
    Other Revenues
      Revenue   Transaction   Platform and
    Other Revenues
      Revenue
    Revenue   $ 81.9     $ 18.6     $ 100.5     $ 329.7     $ 73.4     $ 403.1  
    Adjusted to exclude gross up for:                        
    Pass-through cost for printing and mailing     —       (4.0 )     (4.0 )     —       (19.4 )     (19.4 )
    Marketing fees     (0.4 )     —       (0.4 )     (2.2 )     —       (2.2 )
    Revenue Less Ancillary Services   $ 81.5     $ 14.6     $ 96.1     $ 327.5     $ 54.0     $ 381.5  
    Percentage of Revenue     81.5 %     18.5 %     100.0 %     81.8 %     18.2 %     100.0 %
    Percentage of Revenue Less Ancillary Services     84.8 %     15.2 %     100.0 %     85.8 %     14.2 %     100.0 %
                                                     
    FX Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services                      
    (unaudited) (in millions)                            
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
          Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
       
          2024       2023     Growth Rate     2024       2023     Growth Rate
    Revenue   $ 117.6     $ 100.5       17 %   $ 492.1     $ 403.1       22 %
    Ancillary services     (4.8 )     (4.4 )         (17.9 )     (21.6 )    
    Revenue Less Ancillary Services     112.8       96.1       17 %     474.2       381.5       24 %
    Effects of foreign currency rate fluctuations     (1.1 )     —           (2.3 )     —      
    FX Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services   $ 111.7     $ 96.1       16 %   $ 471.9     $ 381.5       24 %
                                                     
    EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA                
    (Unaudited) (in millions)                
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
      Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
          2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net loss   $ (15.9 )   $ 1.3     $ 2.9     $ (8.6 )
    Interest expense     0.1       0.1       0.5       0.4  
    Interest income     (4.8 )     (5.6 )     (21.4 )     (13.3 )
    Provision for income taxes     1.0       1.9       (1.0 )     4.2  
    Depreciation and amortization     5.0       4.3       18.5       16.4  
    EBITDA     (14.6 )     2.0       (0.5 )     (0.9 )
    Stock-based compensation expense and related taxes     16.8       12.9       65.8       45.2  
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration     0.0       —       (1.0 )     0.4  
    (Gain) loss from remeasurement of foreign currency     13.9       (7.7 )     11.8       (4.2 )
    Indirect taxes related to intercompany activity     0.5       —       0.7       0.2  
    Acquisition related transaction costs     0.1       0.4       0.6       0.4  
    Acquisition related employee retention costs     —       0.1       0.5       0.9  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 16.7     $ 7.7     $ 77.9     $ 42.0  
                                     
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Operating Expenses            
    (Unaudited) (in millions)            
                             
        Three Months Ended December 31,   Twelve Months Ended December 31,
    (in millions)   2024   2023   2024   2023
    GAAP Technology and development   $ 17.4     $ 16.9     $ 66.6     $ 62.0  
    (-) Stock-based compensation expense and related taxes     (3.1 )     (2.5 )     (11.8 )     (9.2 )
    (-) Depreciation and amortization     (2.1 )     (2.3 )     (7.4 )     (8.4 )
    (-) Acquisition related employee retention costs     —       0.3       —       (0.5 )
    Non-GAAP Technology and development   $ 12.2     $ 12.4     $ 47.4     $ 43.9  
                   
    GAAP Selling and marketing   $ 33.4     $ 28.8     $ 129.5     $ 107.6  
    (-) Stock-based compensation expense and related taxes     (4.8 )     (3.2 )     (18.3 )     (12.4 )
    (-) Depreciation and amortization     (2.2 )     (1.3 )     (8.2 )     (5.2 )
    (-) Acquisition related employee retention costs     —       (0.2 )     (0.5 )     (0.4 )
    Non-GAAP Selling and marketing   $ 26.4     $ 24.1     $ 102.5     $ 89.6  
                   
    GAAP General and administrative   $ 31.2     $ 28.0     $ 125.8     $ 107.6  
    (-) Stock-based compensation expense and related taxes     (8.9 )     (7.2 )     (35.7 )     (23.6 )
    (-) Depreciation and amortization     (0.8 )     (0.7 )     (3.0 )     (2.8 )
    (-) Change in fair value of contingent consideration     —       —       1.0       (0.4 )
    (-) Acquisition related transaction costs     (0.1 )     (0.4 )     (0.6 )     (0.4 )
    Non-GAAP General and administrative   $ 21.4     $ 19.7     $ 87.5     $ 80.4  
                                     
    Net Margin, EBITDA Margin and Adjusted EBITDA Margin
    (Unaudited) (Amounts in millions, except percentages)
                             
        Three Months Ended
    December 31,
          Twelve Months Ended
    December 31,
       
          2024       2023     Change     2024       2023     Change
    Revenue (A)   $ 117.6     $ 100.5     $ 17.1     $ 492.1     $ 403.1     $ 89.0  
    Revenue less ancillary services (B)     112.8       96.1       16.7       474.2       381.5       92.7  
    Net loss (C)     (15.9 )     1.3       (17.2 )     2.9       (8.6 )     11.5  
    EBITDA (D)     (14.6 )     2.0       (16.6 )     (0.5 )     (0.9 )     0.4  
    Adjusted EBITDA (E)     16.7       7.7       9.0       77.9       42.0       35.9  
    Net margin (C/A)     -13.5 %     1.3 %     -14.8 %     0.6 %     -2.1 %     2.7 %
    Net margin using RLAS (C/B)     -14.1 %     1.3 %     -15.4 %     0.6 %     -2.3 %     2.9 %
    EBITDA Margin (D/A)     -12.4 %     2.0 %     -14.4 %     -0.1 %     -0.2 %     0.1 %
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin (E/A)     14.2 %     7.6 %     6.6 %     15.8 %     10.4 %     5.4 %
    EBITDA Margin using RLAS (D/B)     -12.9 %     2.1 %     -15.0 %     -0.1 %     -0.2 %     0.1 %
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin using RLAS (E/B)     14.8 %     8.0 %     6.8 %     16.4 %     11.0 %     5.4 %
                                                     
    Reconciliation of FX Neutral Revenue Growth Guidance to
    FX Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services Growth Guidance
                   
      Three Months Ended
    March 31, 2025
      Year Ended
    December 31, 2025
      Low   High   Low   High
                   
    FX Neutral GAAP Revenue Growth   10 %     13 %     9 %     13 %
                   
    Adjustment for Ancillary Services   1 %     1 %     1 %     1 %
                   
    FX Neutral Revenue Less Ancillary Services Growth   11 %     14 %     10 %     14 %
                                   

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: SiriusPoint Announces Secondary Offering of 4,106,631 Common Shares by Entities Associated with Daniel S. Loeb and Potential Repurchase of up to 2,000,000 Common Shares by SiriusPoint

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, Bermuda, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SiriusPoint Ltd.  (“SiriusPoint” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SPNT) today announced that entities associated with Daniel S. Loeb (collectively, the “Loeb Entities”) are offering an aggregate of 4,106,631 common shares through a registered secondary offering.

    SiriusPoint has indicated its intent to repurchase an aggregate of up to 2,000,000 of the common shares being offered in the offering at the public offering price. SiriusPoint would cancel any common shares it repurchases in the offering.

    Immediately following the completion of the offering and our previously announced repurchase of all of common shares and warrants currently held by CM Bermuda, it is expected that the Loeb Entities will own approximately 9.67% of SiriusPoint’s issued and outstanding common shares, up from approximately 9.4% prior to the offering and the CM Bermuda repurchase.

    Under the terms of the transaction, the remaining shares owned by the Loeb Entities will be subject to a 90 day lock-up agreement with the sole bookrunning manager.

    Jefferies is acting as the sole bookrunning manager for the proposed offering.

    The offering will be made only by means of an effective registration statement and a prospectus. The Company has previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement (including a prospectus) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-283827), dated December 16, 2024, and a preliminary prospectus supplement for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and this offering. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from: Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388, or by email at prospectus_department@jefferies.com. Electronic copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus will also be available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Contacts
    Investor Relations
    Liam Blackledge, SiriusPoint
    Liam.Blackledge@siriuspt.com
    + 44 203 772 3082
    Media
    Sarah Hills, Rein4ce
    Sarah.Hills@rein4ce.co.uk
    + 44 7718 882011 

    About SiriusPoint

    SiriusPoint is a global underwriter of insurance and reinsurance providing solutions to clients and brokers around the world. Bermuda-headquartered with offices in New York, London, Stockholm and other locations, we are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (SPNT). We have licenses to write Property & Casualty and Accident & Health insurance and reinsurance globally. Our offering and distribution capabilities are strengthened by a portfolio of strategic partnerships with Managing General Agents and Program Administrators within our Insurance & Services segment. With over $2.6 billion total capital, SiriusPoint’s operating companies have a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) from AM Best, S&P and Fitch, and A3 from Moody’s.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    We make statements in this press release that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. federal securities laws. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions and conditions affecting the insurance and reinsurance industry; the adequacy of our reserves; fluctuation in the results of operations; pandemic or other catastrophic event; uncertainty of success in investing in early-stage companies, such as the risk of loss of an initial investment, highly variable returns on investments, delay in receiving return on investment and difficulty in liquidating the investment; our ability to assess underwriting risk, trends in rates for property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, competition, investment market and investment income fluctuations; trends in insured and paid losses; regulatory and legal uncertainties; and other risk factors described in SiriusPoint’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2024.

    Except as required by applicable law or regulation, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, or new information, data or methods, future events, or other circumstances after the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Fidus Investment Corporation Schedules Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSTON, Ill., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fidus Investment Corporation (NASDAQ: FDUS) (“Fidus” or the “Company”) today announced that it will report its fourth quarter 2024 financial results on Thursday, March 6, 2025 after the close of the financial markets.

    Management will host a conference call to discuss the operating and financial results at 9:00am ET on Friday, March 7, 2025. To participate in the conference call, please dial (844) 808-7136 approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. International callers should dial (412) 317-0534. Please ask to be joined into the Fidus Investment Corporation call.

    A live webcast of the conference call will be available at https://investor.fdus.com/news-events/events-presentations. Please access the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to download and install any necessary audio software.

    A webcast replay of the conference call will be available two hours after the call on the investor relations section of the Company’s website.

    ABOUT FIDUS INVESTMENT CORPORATION

    Fidus Investment Corporation provides customized debt and equity financing solutions to lower middle-market companies, which management generally defines as U.S. based companies with revenues between $10 million and $150 million. The Company’s investment objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns by generating both current income from debt investments and capital appreciation from equity related investments. Fidus seeks to partner with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors by providing customized financing for change of ownership transactions, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, business expansion and other growth initiatives.

    Fidus is an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. In addition, for tax purposes, Fidus has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Fidus was formed in February 2011 to continue and expand the business of Fidus Mezzanine Capital, L.P., which commenced operations in May 2007 and is licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC).

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements which are based upon current expectations and are inherently uncertain, including, but not limited to, statements about the future performance and financial condition of the Company, the prospects of our existing and prospective portfolio companies, the financial condition and ability of our existing and prospective portfolio companies to achieve their objectives, and the timing, form and amount of any distributions or supplemental dividends in the future. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under the Company’s control, and that the Company may or may not have considered, such as changes in the financial and lending markets and the impact of interest rate volatility, including the decommissioning of LIBOR and rising interest rates; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future as a result of a number of factors related to changes in the markets in which the Company invests, changes in the financial, capital, and lending markets, and other factors described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future, except as required by applicable law.

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Skyward Specialty Insurance Group Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or the “Company”) today reported fourth quarter 2024 net income of $14.4 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, compared to $29.3 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, for the same 2023 period. Net income for the year ended 2024 was $118.8 million, or $2.87 per diluted share, compared to $86.0 million, or $2.24 per diluted share, for the same 2023 period.

    Adjusted operating income(1) for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $33.2 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, compared to $24.3 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, for the same 2023 period. Adjusted operating income(1) for the year ended 2024 was $126.7 million, or $3.06 per diluted share, compared to $80.8 million, or $2.11 per diluted share, for the same 2023 period.

    Highlights for the fourth quarter included:

    • Gross written premiums of $388.4 million, an increase of $66.8 million, or 20.8%, when compared to 2023;
    • Adjusted combined ratio(1) of 91.6%, including catastrophe losses of 2.2 points;
    • Return on equity of 16.3% for the year ended 2024 compared to 15.9% for the same 2023 period;
    • Adjusted return on equity(1) of 17.4% for the year ended 2024 compared to 14.9% for the same 2023 period; and,
    • Book value per share of $19.79, an increase of 18% compared to December 31, 2023.
    (1) See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”

    Skyward Specialty Chairman and CEO Andrew Robinson commented, “We wrapped up another remarkable year for Skyward Specialty, delivering both outstanding underwriting results while growing gross written premiums at over 20% for the quarter and 19% for the full year, with six out of eight divisions growing double-digits over the prior year. Our 16.3% return on equity for the year was again an excellent outcome. Throughout 2024 we continued to thoughtfully diversify our product portfolio, strategically launching new units including Media Liability, Life Sciences, Mortgage and Credit, and Renewable Energy. Our focus and disciplined execution of our “Rule Our Niche” strategy, and the extraordinary efforts of my 600 plus colleagues made 2024 another impressive year for our Company, and we are confident that we have built the foundation that will propel us in 2025 and beyond.”

    Results of Operations

    Underwriting Results

    Premiums                        
    ($ in thousands)   Three months ended December 31,   Twelve months ended December 31,
    unaudited    2024     2023    %
    Change
       2024     2023    %
    Change
    Gross written premiums   $ 388,355     $ 321,605     20.8 %   $ 1,743,232     $ 1,459,829     19.4 %
    Ceded written premiums   $ (117,328 )   $ (107,488 )   9.2 %   $ (619,654 )   $ (549,138 )   12.8 %
    Net retention     69.8 %     66.6 %   NM(1)     64.5 %     62.4 %   NM(1)
    Net written premiums   $ 271,027     $ 214,117     26.6 %   $ 1,123,578     $ 910,691     23.4 %
    Net earned premiums   $ 293,240     $ 224,932     30.4 %   $ 1,056,722     $ 829,143     27.4 %
    (1)Not meaningful                        
                             

    The increase in gross written premiums for the fourth quarter and year ended 2024, when compared to the same 2023 periods, was driven by double-digit premium growth primarily from our surety, programs, captives, global property & agriculture and transactional E&S underwriting divisions.

    Combined Ratio   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)   2024    2023    2024    2023 
    Non-cat loss and LAE   60.5 %   60.9 %   60.6 %   60.9 %
    Cat loss and LAE(1)   2.2 %   0.4 %   1.7 %   1.4 %
    Prior accident year development – LPT(2)   4.2 %   (0.2 )%   1.1 %   (0.2 )%
    Loss Ratio   66.9 %   61.1 %   63.4 %   62.1 %
    Net policy acquisition costs   15.3 %   13.4 %   14.2 %   13.0 %
    Other operating and general expenses   13.9 %   16.3 %   15.3 %   16.3 %
    Commission and fee income   (0.3 )%   (0.1 )%   (0.6 )%   (0.7 )%
    Expense ratio   28.9 %   29.6 %   28.9 %   28.6 %
    Combined ratio   95.8 %   90.7 %   92.3 %   90.7 %
    Ex-Cat Combined Ratio(3)   93.6 %   90.3 %   90.6 %   89.3 %
                     
    Adjusted Underwriting Ratios                
    Adjusted loss ratio(2)   62.7 %   61.3 %   62.3 %   62.3 %
    Expense ratio   28.9 %   29.6 %   28.9 %   28.6 %
    Adjusted combined ratio(2)   91.6 %   90.9 %   91.2 %   90.9 %
    (1)Current accident year
    (2)See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”
    (3)Defined as the combined ratio excluding cat loss and LAE(1)            
                     

    The loss ratios for the fourth quarter and year ended 2024 increased 5.8 points and 1.3 points, respectively, when compared to the same 2023 periods, primarily due to the net impact of prior accident year development related to the LPT. The fourth quarter and year ended 2024 were also impacted by higher catastrophe losses, primarily from Hurricane Milton in the fourth quarter of 2024 and Hurricanes Helene and Beryl in the third quarter of 2024. The improvement in the non-cat loss and LAE ratios for the fourth quarter and year ended 2024, when compared to the same 2023 periods, was driven by the business mix shift.

    The expense ratio for the fourth quarter improved when compared to the same 2023 period primarily due to earnings leverage partially offset by the business mix shift. The expense ratio for the year ended 2024 increased slightly when compared to the same 2023 period, driven by the business mix shift.

    The expense ratios for all periods presented exclude the impact of IPO related stock compensation and secondary offering expenses, which are reported in other expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

    Investment Results

    Net Investment Income                
    $ in thousands   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)    2024     2023     2024     2023 
    Short-term investments & cash and cash equivalents   $ 3,998     $ 3,670     $ 17,643     $ 11,677  
    Fixed income     15,909       11,680       57,631       36,547  
    Equities     771       880       2,745       2,212  
    Alternative & strategic investments     52       (2,226 )     2,667       (10,114 )
    Net investment income   $ 20,730     $ 14,004     $ 80,686     $ 40,322  
    Net unrealized (losses) gains on securities still held   $ (7,688 )   $ 8,736     $ 7,921     $ 11,130  
    Net realized losses     (2,721 )     (992 )     (1,665 )     (58 )
    Net investment (losses) gains   $ (10,409 )   $ 7,744     $ 6,256     $ 11,072  
     

    Beginning January 1, 2024 we simplified the investment portfolio classifications to align with our strategy and the underlying risk characteristics of the portfolio. The prior period has been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

    Net investment income for the fourth quarter and year ended 2024 increased $6.7 million and $40.4 million, respectively when compared to the same 2023 periods, primarily driven by (i) increased income from our fixed income portfolio and short-term investments due to higher yields and larger asset bases, and (ii) income from alternative and strategic investments compared to losses for the same 2023 periods, which were impacted by the decline in the fair value of limited partnership investments.

    Stockholders’ Equity

    Stockholders’ equity was $794.0 million at December 31, 2024 which represented a decrease of 0.4% when compared to stockholders’ equity of $797.5 million at September 30, 2024. The decrease in stockholders’ equity was primarily due to a decline in the market value of our investment portfolio partially offset by net income.

    Conference Call

    At 9:30 a.m. eastern time tomorrow, February 26, 2025, Skyward Specialty management will hold a conference call to discuss quarterly results with insurance industry analysts. Interested parties may listen to the discussion at investors.skywardinsurance.com under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This release contains certain financial measures and ratios that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). We refer to these measures as “non-GAAP financial measures.” We use these non-GAAP financial measures when planning, monitoring, and evaluating our performance.

    We have chosen to exclude the net impact of the Loss Portfolio Transfer (“LPT”), all development on reserves fully or partially covered by the LPT and amortization of deferred gains associated with recoveries of prior LPT reserve strengthening in certain non-GAAP metrics, where noted, as the business subject to the LPT is not representative of our continuing business strategy. The business subject to the LPT is primarily related to policy years 2017 and prior, was generated and managed under prior leadership, and has either been exited or substantially repositioned during the reevaluation of our portfolio. The LPT was commuted effective January 31, 2025. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for our management and investors to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. While we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating our business, this information should be considered supplemental in nature and is not meant to be a substitute for revenue or net income, in each case as recognized in accordance with GAAP. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate such measures differently, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures. For more information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of such measures to comparable GAAP financial measures, see the section entitled “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

    About Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.

    Skyward Specialty is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through eight underwriting divisions – Accident & Health, Captives, Global Property & Agriculture, Industry Solutions, Professional Lines, Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S. SKWD stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which represents the top fourth of all Nasdaq listed companies.

    Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, Great Midwest Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. Additional information about Skyward Specialty can be found on our website at www.skywardinsurance.com. 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Skyward Specialty’s Form 10-K, and include (but are not limited to) legislative changes at both the state and federal level, state and federal regulatory rule making promulgations and adjudications, class action litigation involving the insurance industry and judicial decisions affecting claims, policy coverages and the general costs of doing business, the potential loss of key members of our management team or key employees and our ability to attract and retain personnel, the impact of competition on products and pricing, inflation in the costs of the products and services insurance pays for, product development, geographic spread of risk, weather and weather-related events, other types of catastrophic events, our ability to obtain reinsurance coverage at prices and on terms that allow us to transfer risk and adequately protect our company against financial loss, and losses resulting from reinsurance counterparties failing to pay us on reinsurance claims. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

    Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.

    Investor contact:
    Natalie Schoolcraft,
    nschoolcraft@skywardinsurance.com 
    614-494-4988

    or

    Media contact:
    Haley Doughty
    hdoughty@skywardinsurance.com 
    713-935-4944

    Consolidated Balance Sheets        
    ($ in thousands, except share and per share amounts)        
    (unaudited)   December 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Assets        
    Investments:        
    Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost of $1,320,266 and $1,047,713, respectively)   $ 1,292,218     $ 1,017,651  
    Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (net of allowance for credit losses of $243 and $329, respectively)     39,153       42,986  
    Equity securities, at fair value     106,254       118,249  
    Mortgage loans, at fair value     26,490       50,070  
    Equity method investments     98,594       110,653  
    Other long-term investments     33,182       3,852  
    Short-term investments, at fair value     274,929       270,226  
    Total investments     1,870,820       1,613,687  
    Cash and cash equivalents     121,603       65,891  
    Restricted cash     35,922       34,445  
    Premiums receivable, net     321,641       179,235  
    Reinsurance recoverables, net     857,876       596,334  
    Ceded unearned premium     203,901       186,121  
    Deferred policy acquisition costs     113,183       91,955  
    Deferred income taxes     30,486       21,991  
    Goodwill and intangible assets, net     87,348       88,435  
    Other assets     86,698       75,341  
    Total assets   $ 3,729,478     $ 2,953,435  
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity        
    Liabilities:        
    Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses   $ 1,782,383     $ 1,314,501  
    Unearned premiums     637,185       552,532  
    Deferred ceding commission     40,434       37,057  
    Reinsurance and premium payables     177,070       150,156  
    Funds held for others     102,665       58,588  
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities     76,206       50,880  
    Notes payable     100,000       50,000  
    Subordinated debt, net of debt issuance costs     19,536       78,690  
    Total liabilities     2,935,479       2,292,404  
    Stockholders’ equity        
    Common stock, $0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 40,127,908 and 39,863,756 shares issued and outstanding, respectively     401       399  
    Additional paid-in capital     718,598       710,855  
    Stock notes receivable     —       (5,562 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (22,120 )     (22,953 )
    Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)     97,120       (21,708 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     793,999       661,031  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,729,478     $ 2,953,435  
             
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income
    ($ in thousands)   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)    2024     2023     2024     2023 
                     
    Revenues:                
    Net earned premiums   $ 293,240     $ 224,932     $ 1,056,722     $ 829,143  
    Commission and fee income     806       247       6,703       6,064  
    Net investment income     20,730       14,004       80,686       40,322  
    Net investment (losses) gains     (10,409 )     7,744       6,256       11,072  
    Other income (loss)     35       (632 )     (167 )     (632 )
    Total revenues     304,402       246,295       1,150,200       885,969  
    Expenses:                
    Losses and loss adjustment expenses     196,320       137,396       669,809       515,237  
    Underwriting, acquisition and insurance expenses     85,487       66,791       311,757       243,444  
    Interest expense     2,091       2,774       9,496       10,024  
    Amortization expense     908       462       2,007       1,798  
    Other expenses     1,042       1,303       4,392       5,364  
    Total expenses     285,848       208,726       997,461       775,867  
    Income before income taxes     18,554       37,569       152,739       110,102  
    Income tax expense     4,148       8,304       33,911       24,118  
    Net income     14,406       29,265       118,828       85,984  
    Net income attributable to participating securities     —       —       —       1,677  
    Net income attributable to common stockholders   $ 14,406     $ 29,265     $ 118,828     $ 84,307  
    Comprehensive income:                
    Net income   $ 14,406     $ 29,265     $ 118,828     $ 85,984  
    Other comprehensive income:                
    Unrealized gains and losses on investments:                
    Net change in unrealized (losses) gains on investments, net of tax     (14,735 )     30,825       9,792       25,516  
    Reclassification adjustment for losses on securities no longer held, net of tax     (5,682 )     (105 )     (8,959 )     (4,984 )
    Total other comprehensive (loss) income     (20,417 )     30,720       833       20,532  
    Comprehensive (loss) income   $ (6,011 )   $ 59,985     $ 119,661     $ 106,516  
                     
    Share and Per Share Data                
    ($ in thousands, except share and per share amounts)   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)   2024   2023   2024   2023
                     
    Weighted average basic shares     40,107,617       37,570,274       40,056,475       36,031,907  
    Weighted average diluted shares     41,622,397       39,582,352       41,377,460       38,317,534  
                     
    Basic earnings per share   $ 0.36     $ 0.78     $ 2.97     $ 2.34  
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.35     $ 0.74     $ 2.87     $ 2.24  
    Basic adjusted operating earnings per share   $ 0.83     $ 0.65     $ 3.16     $ 2.20  
    Diluted adjusted operating earnings per share   $ 0.80     $ 0.61     $ 3.06     $ 2.11  
                     
    Annualized ROE (1)     7.2 %     19.6 %     16.3 %     15.9 %
    Annualized adjusted ROE (2)     16.7 %     16.3 %     17.4 %     14.9 %
    Annualized ROTE (3)     8.1 %     23.0 %     18.6 %     19.0 %
    Annualized adjusted ROTE (4)     18.8 %     19.1 %     19.8 %     17.9 %
                     
                December 31   December 31
                 2024     2023 
                     
    Shares outstanding             40,127,908       39,863,756  
    Fully diluted shares outstanding             42,059,182       41,771,854  
                     
    Book value per share           $ 19.79     $ 16.72  
    Fully diluted book value per share           $ 18.88     $ 15.96  
    Fully diluted tangible book value per share           $ 16.80     $ 13.84  
                     
    (1)Annualized ROE is net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period
    (2)Annualized adjusted ROE is adjusted operating income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period
    (3)Annualized ROTE is net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending tangible stockholders’ equity during the period
    (4)Annualized adjusted ROTE is adjusted operating income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending tangible stockholders’ equity during the period

    Adjusted operating income – We define adjusted operating income as net income excluding the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook, net of tax impact. We use adjusted operating income as an internal performance measure in the management of our operations because we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our results of operations and our underlying business performance. Adjusted operating income should not be viewed as a substitute for net income calculated in accordance with GAAP, and other companies may define adjusted operating income differently.        

    ($ in thousands) Three months ended December 31,   Twelve months ended December 31,
    (unaudited)  2024    2023     2024    2023 
      Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax
    Income as reported $ 18,554     $ 14,406     $ 37,569     $ 29,265     $ 152,739     $ 118,828     $ 110,102     $ 85,984  
    Less (add):                              
    Net investment (losses) gains   (10,409 )     (8,223 )     7,744       6,118       6,256       4,942       11,072       8,747  
    Net impact of loss portfolio transfer   (12,398 )     (9,794 )     457       361       (11,598 )     (9,162 )     1,427       1,127  
    Other loss   35       28       (632 )     (499 )     (167 )     (132 )     (632 )     (499 )
    Other expenses   (1,042 )     (823 )     (1,303 )     (1,029 )     (4,392 )     (3,470 )     (5,364 )     (4,238 )
    Adjusted operating income $ 42,368     $ 33,218     $ 31,303     $ 24,314     $ 162,640     $ 126,650     $ 103,599     $ 80,847  
                                   

    Underwriting income – We define underwriting income as net income before income taxes excluding net investment income, net realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments, impairment charges, interest expense, amortization expense and other income and expenses. Underwriting income represents the pre-tax profitability of our underwriting operations and allows us to evaluate our underwriting performance without regard to investment income. We use this metric as we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our underlying business performance. Underwriting income should not be viewed as a substitute for pre-tax income calculated in accordance with GAAP, and other companies may define underwriting income differently.

    ($ in thousands)   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)    2024     2023     2024     2023 
    Income before income taxes   $ 18,554     $ 37,569     $ 152,739     $ 110,102  
    Add:                
    Interest expense     2,091       2,774       9,496       10,024  
    Amortization expense     908       462       2,007       1,798  
    Other expenses     1,042       1,303       4,392       5,364  
    Less (add):                
    Net investment income     20,730       14,004       80,686       40,322  
    Net investment (losses) gains     (10,409 )     7,744       6,256       11,072  
    Other income (loss)     35       (632 )     (167 )     (632 )
    Underwriting income   $ 12,239     $ 20,992     $ 81,859     $ 76,526  
                     

    Adjusted Loss Ratio / Adjusted Combined Ratio – We define adjusted loss ratio and adjusted combined ratio as the corresponding ratio (calculated in accordance with GAAP), excluding losses and LAE related to the LPT and all development on reserves fully or partially covered by the LPT and amortization of deferred gains associated with recoveries of prior LPT reserve strengthening. We use these adjusted ratios as internal performance measures in the management of our operations because we believe they give our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our results of operations and our underlying business performance. Our adjusted loss ratio and adjusted combined ratio should not be viewed as substitutes for our loss ratio and combined ratio, respectively.

    ($ in thousands)   Three months ended
    December 31,
      Twelve months ended
    December 31,
    (unaudited)   2024   2023   2024   2023
    Net earned premiums   $ 293,240     $ 224,932     $ 1,056,722     $ 829,143  
                     
    Losses and LAE     196,320       137,396       669,809       515,237  
    Less: Pre-tax net impact of LPT     12,398       (457 )     11,598       (1,427 )
    Adjusted losses and LAE   $ 183,922     $ 137,853     $ 658,211     $ 516,664  
                     
    Loss ratio     66.9 %     61.1 %     63.4 %     62.1 %
    Less: net impact of LPT     4.2 %     (0.2 )%     1.1 %     (0.2 )%
    Adjusted loss ratio     62.7 %     61.3 %     62.3 %     62.3 %
                     
    Combined ratio     95.8 %     90.7 %     92.3 %     90.7 %
    Less: net impact of LPT     4.2 %     (0.2 )%     1.1 %     (0.2 )%
    Adjusted combined ratio     91.6 %     90.9 %     91.2 %     90.9 %
                     

    Tangible Stockholders’ Equity – We define tangible stockholders’ equity as stockholders’ equity less goodwill and intangible assets. Our definition of tangible stockholders’ equity may not be comparable to that of other companies and should not be viewed as a substitute for stockholders’ equity calculated in accordance with GAAP. We use tangible stockholders’ equity internally to evaluate the strength of our balance sheet and to compare returns relative to this measure.

    ($ in thousands)   December 31,
    (unaudited)    2024    2023
    Stockholders’ equity   $         793,999   $         661,031
    Less: Goodwill and intangible assets             87,348             88,435
    Tangible stockholders’ equity   $         706,651   $         572,596
             
        Three months ended December 31,   Twelve months ended December 31,
    ($ in thousands)   2024   2023   %
    Change
      2024   2023   % Change
    Industry Solutions     80,738     78,796   2.5 %     317,198     305,476   3.8 %
    Global Property & Agriculture   $ 31,681   $ 25,996   21.9 %   $ 311,402   $ 273,191   14.0 %
    Captives     57,765     40,375   43.1 %     241,902     167,624   44.3 %
    Programs     52,151     35,694   46.1 %     218,407     178,726   22.2 %
    Accident & Health     44,594     38,882   14.7 %     173,073     151,701   14.1 %
    Transactional E&S     36,262     31,560   14.9 %     169,053     122,508   38.0 %
    Professional Lines     39,130     40,145   (2.5 )%     159,785     154,565   3.4 %
    Surety     46,034     30,157   52.6 %     152,429     106,056   43.7 %
    Total gross written premiums(1)   $ 388,355   $ 321,605   20.8 %   $ 1,743,249   $ 1,459,847   19.4 %
    (1)Excludes exited business                        

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Sprout Social Announces Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sprout Social, Inc. (“Sprout Social”, the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPT), an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    “The Sprout team delivered a solid fourth quarter, driving 14% revenue growth and 26% growth in cRPO, laying the foundation for future growth in 2025 and beyond. As we work to define the future of social media management, we remain focused on execution—winning the enterprise, driving customer health, expanding our partnership ecosystem, and driving deeper engagement in our customer base,” said Ryan Barretto, CEO.

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

    Revenue

    • Revenue was $107.1 million, up 14% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Total remaining performance obligations (RPO) of $351.5 million as of December 31, 2024, up 28% year-over-year.
    • Current remaining performance obligations (cRPO) of $249.4 million as of December 31, 2024, up 26% year-over-year.

    Operating Income (Loss)

    • GAAP operating loss was ($13.7) million, compared to ($18.2) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP operating income was $11.4 million, compared to $1.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Net Loss

    • GAAP net loss was ($14.4) million, compared to ($20.1) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP net income was $10.7 million, compared to $1.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • GAAP net loss per share was ($0.25) based on 57.5 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, compared to ($0.36) based on 56.1 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP net income per share was $0.19 based on 57.5 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding, compared to $0.02 based on 56.1 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Cash

    • Cash and equivalents and marketable securities totaled $90.2 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $91.5 million as of September 30, 2024.
    • Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities was $4.1 million, compared to ($2.6) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
    • Non-GAAP free cash flow was $6.6 million, compared to ($0.3) million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    See “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for definitions of Non-GAAP operating income (loss), Non-GAAP net income (loss), Non-GAAP net income (loss) per share and non-GAAP free cash flow and the financial tables that accompany this release for reconciliations of our non-GAAP measures to their closest comparable GAAP measures. See “Key Business Metrics” below for how Sprout Social defines RPO, cRPO, the number of customers contributing over $10,000 in ARR, the number of customers contributing over $50,000 in ARR, dollar-based net retention rate and dollar-based net retention rate excluding small-and-medium-sized business customers.

    Customer Metrics

    • Grew number of customers contributing over $10,000 in ARR to 9,327 customers as of December 31, 2024, up 7% compared to December 31, 2023.
    • Grew number of customers contributing over $50,000 in ARR to 1,718 customers as of December 31, 2024, up 23% compared to December 31, 2023.
    • Dollar-based net retention rate was 104% in 2024, compared to 107% in 2023.
    • Dollar-based net retention rate excluding small-and-medium-sized business (SMB) customers was 108% in 2024, compared to 111% in 2023.

    Recent Customer Highlights

    • During the fourth quarter, we had the opportunity to grow with new and existing customers like: Under Armour, ESPN, Rocket Mortgage, Klaviyo, Carhartt, Campbell, and Cushman & Wakefield.

    Recent Business Highlights

    Sprout Social recently:

    • Released a new Total Economic Impact™ study conducted by Forrester Consulting that found Sprout Social enabled customers to achieve a 268% return on investment (link)
    • Recognized by G2’s Best Software Awards as a top company across seven categories (link)
    • Announced rebranded influencer marketing platform to prepare brands for the next generation of social (link)
    • Launched the 2025 Sprout Social Index™ highlighting the latest trends in social culture and brand implications for the future (link)
    • Unveiled updates to its suite of AI solutions that enable marketers to unlock new potential and boost competitiveness (link)
    • Named a leader in worldwide social media marketing software for large enterprises by IDC Marketscape (link) and earned a 2025 Buyer’s Choice Award from TrustRadius (link)
    • Recognized by Built In as a Best Place to Work for the sixth consecutive year (link)

    First Quarter and 2025 Financial Outlook

    For the first quarter of 2025, the Company currently expects:

    • Total revenue between $107.2 million and $108.0 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating income between $8.5 million and $9.5 million.
    • Non-GAAP net income per share between $0.14 and $0.16 based on approximately 58.5 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding.

    For the full year 2025, the Company currently expects:

    • Total revenue between $448.1 million and $453.1 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating income between $38.2 million and $43.2 million.
    • Non-GAAP net income per share between $0.65 and $0.74 based on approximately 59.3 million weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding.

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

    The Company does not provide guidance for operating loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP operating income, or net loss per share, the most directly comparable GAAP measure to non-GAAP net income per share, and similarly cannot provide a reconciliation between its forecasted non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP net income 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 the Company’s control and may vary greatly between periods and could significantly impact future financial results.

    Conference Call Information

    The financial results and business highlights will be discussed on a conference call and webcast scheduled at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) today, February 25, 2025. Online registration for this event conference call can be found at https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I1913111787. The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from Sprout Social’s investor relations website at http://investors.sproutsocial.com.

    Following completion of the events, a webcast replay will also be available at http://investors.sproutsocial.com for 12 months.

    About Sprout Social
    Sprout Social is a global leader in social media management and analytics software. Sprout’s unified platform puts powerful social data into the hands of approximately 30,000 brands so they can make strategic decisions that drive business growth and innovation. With a full suite of social media management solutions, Sprout offers comprehensive publishing and engagement functionality, customer care, connected workflows and AI-powered business intelligence. Sprout’s award-winning software operates across all major social media networks and digital platforms. For more information about Sprout Social (NASDAQ: SPT), visit sproutsocial.com.

    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,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “explore,””future,” “intend,” “long-term model,” “may,” “medium to longer term goals,” “might” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” 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 2025 and full year 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: we may not be able to sustain our revenue and customer growth rate in the future, including due to risks associated with our strategic focus on enterprise customers; price increases have and may continue to negatively impact demand for our products, customer acquisition and retention and reduce the total number of customers or customer additions; our business would be harmed by any significant interruptions, delays or outages in services from our platform, our API providers, or certain social media platforms; if we are unable to attract potential customers through unpaid channels, convert this traffic to free trials or convert free trials to paid subscriptions, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected; we may be unable to successfully enter new markets, manage our international expansion and comply with any applicable international laws and regulations; we may be unable to integrate acquired businesses or technologies successfully or achieve the expected benefits of such acquisitions and investments; unstable market and economic conditions, such as recession risks, effects of inflation, labor shortages, supply chain issues, high interest rates, and the impacts of current and potential future bank failures and impacts of ongoing overseas conflicts, have and could continue to adversely impact our business and that of our existing and prospective customers, which may result in reduced demand for our products; we may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service our indebtedness; covenants in our credit agreement may restrict our operations, and if we do not effectively manage our business to comply with these covenants, our financial condition could be adversely impacted; any cybersecurity-related attack, significant data breach or disruption of the information technology systems or networks on which we rely could negatively affect our business; changing regulations relating to privacy, information security and data protection could increase our costs, affect or limit how we collect and use personal information and harm our brand; and risks related to ongoing legal proceedings. 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 filed with the SEC on February 23, 2024 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, to be filed with the SEC as well as any future reports that we file with the SEC. Moreover, you should interpret many of the risks identified in those reports as being heightened as a result of the current instability in market and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Sprout Social at the time those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. Sprout Social 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.

    Non-GAAP gross profit. We define non-GAAP gross profit as GAAP gross profit, excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization expense associated with the acquired developed technology from our acquisition of Tagger Media, Inc. (the “Tagger acquisition”) and restructuring charges. We believe non-GAAP gross profit provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as it eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, amortization expense and restructuring charges which are often unrelated to overall operating performance. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP gross profit to exclude restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization, consisting primarily of severance and other personnel-related costs.

    Non-GAAP gross margin. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue.

    Non-GAAP operating income (loss). We define non-GAAP operating income (loss) as GAAP loss from operations, excluding stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization expense associated with the acquired intangible assets from the Tagger acquisition, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications. We believe non-GAAP operating income (loss) provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as it eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, acquisition-related expenses, amortization expense, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications, which are often unrelated to overall operating performance. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP operating income (loss) to exclude restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization, consisting primarily of severance and other personnel-related costs, and non-cash gain related to an office lease modification.

    Non-GAAP operating margin. We define non-GAAP operating margin as non-GAAP operating income (loss) as a percentage of revenue.

    Non-GAAP net income (loss). We define non-GAAP net income (loss) as GAAP net loss, excluding stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses, amortization expense associated with the acquired intangible assets from the Tagger acquisition, tax expense due to changes in valuation allowances from business acquisitions, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications. We believe non-GAAP net income (loss) provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as this non-GAAP financial measure eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, acquisition-related expenses, amortization expense and tax expense due to changes in valuation allowances from business acquisitions, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications, which are often unrelated to overall operating performance. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP net income (loss) to exclude restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization, consisting primarily of severance and other personnel-related costs, and non-cash gain related to an office lease modification.

    Non-GAAP net income (loss) per share. We define non-GAAP net income (loss) per share as GAAP net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted, excluding stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses, amortization expense associated with the acquired intangible assets from the Tagger acquisition, tax expense due to changes in valuation allowances from business acquisitions, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications. We believe non-GAAP net income (loss) per share provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as this non-GAAP financial measure eliminates the effect of stock-based compensation, acquisition-related expenses, amortization expense, tax expense due to changes in valuation allowances from business acquisitions, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications, which are often unrelated to overall operating performance. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP net income (loss) per share to exclude restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization, consisting primarily of severance and other personnel-related costs, and non-cash gain related to an office lease modification.

    Non-GAAP free cash flow. We define non-GAAP free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less expenditures for property and equipment, acquisition-related costs, interest and payments related to restructuring charges. Non-GAAP free cash flow does not reflect our future contractual obligations or represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for a given period. We believe non-GAAP free cash flow is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash used in our core operations that, after expenditures for property and equipment, acquisition-related costs, interest and payments related to restructuring charges, is not available for strategic initiatives. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP free cash flow to exclude payments related to restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization.

    Non-GAAP free cash flow margin. We define non-GAAP free cash flow margin as non-GAAP free cash flow as a percentage of revenue.

    Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses, non-GAAP research and development expenses and non-GAAP general and administrative expenses. Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses, non-GAAP research and development expenses and non-GAAP general and administrative expenses are defined as sales and marketing expenses, research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses, respectively, less stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications. We believe these non-GAAP measures provide our management and investors with insight into day-to-day operating expenses given that these measures eliminate the effect of stock-based compensation, acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and non-cash gains from lease modifications. During the fourth quarter of 2024, we revised our definition of non-GAAP general and administrative expenses to exclude restructuring charges associated with a workforce reorganization, consisting primarily of severance and other personnel-related costs, and non-cash gain related to an office lease modification.

    Key Business Metrics

    Remaining performance obligations (“RPO”). RPO, or remaining performance obligations, represents contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized, and includes deferred revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized in future periods.

    Current remaining performance obligations (“cRPO”). cRPO, or current RPO, represents contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized, and includes deferred revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized in the next 12 months.

    Number of customers contributing more than $10,000 in ARR. We define number of customers contributing more than $10,000 in ARR as those on a paid subscription plan that had more than $10,000 in ARR as of a period end. We view the number of customers that contribute more than $10,000 in ARR as a measure of our ability to scale with our customers and attract larger organizations. We believe this represents potential for future growth, including expanding within our current customer base.

    Number of customers contributing more than $50,000 in ARR. We define number of customers contributing more than $50,000 in ARR as those on a paid subscription plan that had more than $50,000 in ARR as of a period end. We view the number of customers that contribute more than $50,000 in ARR as a measure of our ability to scale with large customers and attract sophisticated organizations. We believe this represents potential for future growth, including expanding within our current customer base.

    Dollar-based net retention rate. We calculate dollar-based net retention rate by dividing the ARR from our customers as of December 31st in the reported year by the ARR from those same customers as of December 31st in the previous year. This calculation is net of upsells, contraction, cancellation or expansion during the period but excludes ARR from new customers. We use dollar-based net retention to evaluate the long-term value of our customer relationships, because we believe this metric reflects our ability to retain and expand subscription revenue generated from our existing customers.

    Dollar-based net retention rate excluding SMB customers. We calculate dollar-based net retention rate excluding SMB customers by dividing the ARR from all customers excluding ARR from customers that we have identified or that self-identified as having less than 50 employees as of December 31st in the reported year by the ARR from those same customers as of December 31st of the previous year. This calculation is net of upsells, contraction, cancellation or expansion during the period but excludes ARR from new customers. We used dollar-based net retention excluding SMB customers to evaluate the long-term value of our larger customer relationships, because we believe this metric reflects our ability to retain and expand subscription revenue generated from our existing customers.

    While we no longer believe that ARR and number of customers are key performance indicators of Sprout Social’s business, these metrics are necessary for an understanding of how we define number of customers contributing over $10,000 in ARR and number of customers contributing over $50,000 in ARR. For this purpose, we define ARR as the annualized revenue run-rate of subscription agreements from all customers as of the last date of the specified period and we define a customer as a unique account, multiple accounts containing a common non-personal email domain, or multiple accounts governed by a single agreement or entity.

    Availability of Information on Sprout Social’s Website and Social Media Profiles

    Investors and others should note that Sprout Social routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts and the Sprout Social Investors website. We also intend to use the social media profiles listed below as a means of disclosing information about us to our customers, investors and the public. While not all of the information that the Company posts to the Sprout Social Investors website or to social media profiles is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Sprout Social to review the information that it shares at the Investors link located at the bottom of the page on www.sproutsocial.com and to regularly follow our social media profiles. Users may automatically receive email alerts and other information about Sprout Social when enrolling an email address by visiting “Email Alerts” in the “Shareholder Services” section of Sprout Social’s Investor website at https://investors.sproutsocial.com/.

    Social Media Profiles:
    www.twitter.com/SproutSocial 
    www.twitter.com/SproutSocialIR 
    www.facebook.com/SproutSocialInc
    www.linkedin.com/company/sprout-social-inc-/
    www.instagram.com/sproutsocial

    Contact

    Media:
    Layla Revis
    Email: pr@sproutsocial.com
    Phone: (866) 878-3231

    Investors:
    Alex Kurtz
    Twitter: @SproutSocialIR
    Email: investors@sproutsocial.com
    Phone: (312) 528-9166

     
    Sprout Social, Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
    (in thousands, except share and per share data)
           
      Three Months Ended December 31,
      2024    2023 
    Revenue      
    Subscription $ 105,922   $ 92,224
    Professional services and other 1,168   1,360
    Total revenue 107,090   93,584
    Cost of revenue(1)      
    Subscription 23,094   20,597
    Professional services and other 319   364
    Total cost of revenue 23,413   20,961
    Gross profit 83,677   72,623
    Operating expenses      
    Research and development(1) 27,627   22,661
    Sales and marketing(1) 45,889   47,380
    General and administrative(1) 23,838   20,805
    Total operating expenses 97,354   90,846
    Loss from operations (13,677)   (18,223)
    Interest expense (656)   (1,544)
    Interest income 878   1,210
    Other expense, net (620)   (118)
    Loss before income taxes (14,075)   (18,675)
    Income tax expense 342   1,402
    Net loss $ (14,417)   $ (20,077)
    Net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted $ (0.25)   $ (0.36)
    Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted 57,511,942   56,098,243
           
    (1) Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:      
       
      Three Months Ended December 31,
      2024    2023 
    Cost of revenue $ 1,046   $ 895
    Research and development 6,640   5,529
    Sales and marketing 7,017   7,770
    General and administrative 7,750   4,465
    Total stock-based compensation expense $ 22,453   $ 18,659
    Sprout Social, Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
    (in thousands, except share and per share data)
           
      Twelve Months Ended December 31,
      2024   2023
    Revenue      
    Subscription $ 402,022   $ 330,458
    Professional services and other 3,886   3,185
    Total revenue 405,908   333,643
    Cost of revenue(1)      
    Subscription 90,305   75,076
    Professional services and other 1,170   1,192
    Total cost of revenue 91,475   76,268
    Gross profit 314,433   257,375
    Operating expenses      
    Research and development(1) 102,794   79,550
    Sales and marketing(1) 184,122   168,091
    General and administrative(1) 87,873   79,011
    Total operating expenses 374,789   326,652
    Loss from operations (60,356)   (69,277)
    Interest expense (3,525)   (2,754)
    Interest income 3,973   7,021
    Other expense, net (1,393)   (768)
    Loss before income taxes (61,301)   (65,778)
    Income tax expense 670   649
    Net loss $ (61,971)   $ (66,427)
    Net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted $ (1.09)   $ (1.19)
    Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted 56,935,910   55,664,404
           
    (1) Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows:      
       
      Twelve Months Ended December 31,
      2024   2023
    Cost of revenue $ 3,936   $ 3,224
    Research and development 25,619   18,478
    Sales and marketing 31,544   30,116
    General and administrative 23,204   15,886
    Total stock-based compensation expense $ 84,303   $ 67,704
    Sprout Social, Inc.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
    (in thousands, except share and per share data)
           
       
      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Assets      
    Current assets      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 86,437   $ 49,760
    Marketable securities 3,745   44,645
    Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $2,169 and $2,177 at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 84,033   63,489
    Deferred Commissions 20,184   27,725
    Prepaid expenses and other assets 15,816   10,324
    Total current assets 210,215   195,943
    Marketable securities, noncurrent –   3,699
    Property and equipment, net 10,951   11,407
    Deferred commissions, net of current portion 51,653   26,240
    Operating lease, right-of-use asset 11,326   8,729
    Goodwill 121,315   121,404
    Intangible assets, net 21,914   28,065
    Other assets, net 967   1,098
    Total assets $ 428,341   $ 396,585
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity      
    Current liabilities      
    Accounts payable $ 6,984   $ 6,933
    Deferred revenue 178,585   140,536
    Operating lease liability 3,747   3,948
    Accrued wages and payroll related benefits 20,567   18,362
    Accrued expenses and other 10,869   11,260
    Total current liabilities 220,752   181,039
    Revolving credit facility 25,000   55,000
    Deferred revenue, net of current portion 1,101   920
    Operating lease liability, net of current portion 14,543   15,083
    Other non-current liabilities 351   351
    Total liabilities 261,747   252,393
           
    Stockholders’ equity      
           
    Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 54,219,684 and 51,277,740 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2024; 52,133,594 and 49,241,563 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2023 4   4
    Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 25,000,000 shares authorized; 6,687,582 and 6,480,638 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2024; 7,201,140 and 6,994,196 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2023 1   1
    Additional paid-in capital 558,391   471,789
    Treasury stock, at cost (37,422)   (35,113)
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss 3   (77)
    Accumulated deficit (354,383)   (292,412)
    Total stockholders’ equity 166,594   144,192
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 428,341   $ 396,585
    Sprout Social, Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
    (in thousands)
           
      Three Months Ended December 31,
       2024     2023 
    Cash flows from operating activities      
    Net loss $ (14,417)   $ (20,077)
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities      
    Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment and software 1,064   835
    Amortization of line of credit issuance costs 51   52
    Accretion of discount on marketable securities (23)   (470)
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1,474   1,604
    Amortization of deferred commissions 4,698   7,518
    Amortization of right-of-use operating lease asset 467   425
    Stock-based compensation expense 22,453   18,659
    Provision for accounts receivable allowances 236   835
    Gain on lease modification (1,570)   –
    Tax expense due to change in valuation allowance from business acquisition –   1,134
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding impact from business acquisition      
    Accounts receivable (29,908)   (19,235)
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets (729)   3,979
    Deferred commissions (13,101)   (14,522)
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses 4,650   (473)
    Deferred revenue 29,475   18,051
    Lease liabilities (678)   (919)
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 4,142   (2,604)
    Cash flows from investing activities      
    Expenditures for property and equipment (888)   (629)
    Payments for business acquisition, net of cash acquired –   143
    Proceeds from maturity of marketable securities 4,900   32,657
    Net cash provided by investing activities 4,012   32,171
    Cash flows from financing activities      
    Borrowings from line of credit –   –
    Repayments of line of credit (5,000)   (20,000)
    Payments for line of credit issuance costs –   (208)
    Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan 718   912
    Employee taxes paid related to the net share settlement of stock-based awards (309)   (537)
    Net cash used in financing activities (4,591)   (19,833)
    Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 3,563   9,734
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash      
    Beginning of period 86,855   43,961
    End of period $ 90,418   $ 53,695
    Sprout Social, Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
    (in thousands)
         
      Twelve Months Ended December 31,
       2024     2023
    Cash flows from operating activities    
    Net loss $ (61,971) $ (66,427)
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities    
    Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment and software 3,890   3,137
    Amortization of line of credit issuance costs 206   86
    Accretion of discount on marketable securities (406)   (3,203)
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 6,151   3,541
    Amortization of deferred commissions 16,347   26,582
    Amortization of right-of-use operating lease asset 1,827   1,553
    Stock-based compensation expense 84,303   67,704
    Provision for accounts receivable allowances 1,709   2,418
    Gain on lease modification (1,570)   –
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding impact from business acquisition    
    Accounts receivable (22,253)   (26,982)
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets (5,452)   444
    Deferred commissions (34,219)   (40,540)
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses 3,124   (226)
    Deferred revenue 38,230   41,918
    Lease liabilities (3,595)   (3,549)
    Net cash provided by operating activities 26,321   6,456
    Cash flows from investing activities    
    Expenditures for property and equipment (2,950)   (2,073)
    Payments for business acquisition, net of cash acquired (1,409)   (145,636)
    Purchases of marketable securities –   (63,085)
    Proceeds from maturity of marketable securities 45,085   118,621
    Proceeds from sale of marketable securities –   5,538
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 40,726   (86,635)
    Cash flows from financing activities    
    Borrowings from line of credit –   75,000
    Repayments of line of credit (30,000)   (20,000)
    Payments for line of credit issuance costs –   (1,031)
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options 29   29
    Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan 1,956   2,339
    Employee taxes paid related to the net share settlement of stock-based awards (2,309)   (2,380)
    Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (30,324)   53,957
    Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 36,723   (26,222)
    Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash    
    Beginning of period 53,695   79,917
    End of period $ 90,418   $ 53,695

    The following schedule reflects our non-GAAP financial measures and reconciles our non-GAAP financial measures to the related GAAP financial measures (in thousands, except per share data):

    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures              
                   
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Twelve Months Ended December 31,
       2024     2023     2024     2023 
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP gross profit              
    Gross profit $ 83,677   $ 72,623   $ 314,433   $ 257,375
    Stock-based compensation expense 1,046   895   3,936   3,224
    Amortization of acquired developed technology 705   705   2,820   1,175
    Restructuring charges 62   –   62   –
    Non-GAAP gross profit $ 85,490   $ 74,223   $ 321,251   $ 261,774
                   
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP operating income (loss)            
    Loss from operations $ (13,677)   $ (18,223)   $ (60,356)   $ (69,277)
    Stock-based compensation expense 22,453   18,659   84,303   67,704
    Acquisition-related expenses –   51   –   4,272
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1,212   1,213   4,851   2,022
    Restructuring charges 3,020   –   3,020   –
    Gain on lease modification (1,570)   –   (1,570)   –
    Non-GAAP operating income $ 11,438   $ 1,700   $ 30,248   $ 4,721
                   
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP net income (loss)              
    Net loss $ (14,417)   $ (20,077)   $ (61,971)   $ (66,427)
    Stock-based compensation expense 22,453   18,659   84,303   67,704
    Acquisition-related expenses –   51   –   4,272
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1,212   1,213   4,851   2,022
    Restructuring charges 3,020   –   3,020   –
    Gain on lease modification (1,570)   –   (1,570)   –
    Tax expense due to change in valuation allowance from business acquisition –   1,134   –   –
    Non-GAAP net income $ 10,698   $ 980   $ 28,633   $ 7,571
                   
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP net income (loss) per share            
    Net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted $ (0.25)   $ (0.36)   $ (1.09)   $ (1.19)
    Stock-based compensation expense 0.39   0.34   1.48   1.22
    Acquisition-related expenses –   –   –   0.08
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.03   0.02   0.09   0.03
    Restructuring charges 0.05   –   0.05   –
    Gain on lease modification (0.03)   –   (0.03)   –
    Tax expense due to change in valuation allowance from business acquisition –   0.02   –   –
    Non-GAAP net income per share $ 0.19   $ 0.02   $ 0.50   $ 0.14
                   
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP free cash flow              
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 4,142   $ (2,604)   $ 26,321   $ 6,456
    Expenditures for property and equipment (888)   (629)   (2,950)   (2,073)
    Acquisition-related costs –   1,366   –   4,272
    Interest paid on credit facility 621   1,588   3,635   1,588
    Payments related to restructuring charges 2,682   –   2,682   –
    Non-GAAP free cash flow $ 6,557   $ (279)   $ 29,688   $ 10,243

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Definitive Healthcare to Present at the Raymond James 2025 Institutional Investors Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Definitive Healthcare Corp. (“Definitive Healthcare”) (Nasdaq: DH), an industry leader in healthcare commercial intelligence, today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Coop, and its Chief Financial Officer, Rick Booth, will present at the Raymond James 2025 Institutional Investors Conference.

    The Definitive Healthcare presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 3:25 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Events page of the Definitive Healthcare investor relations website at https://ir.definitivehc.com/. A replay of the webcast will also be available for a limited time.

    About Definitive Healthcare
    At Definitive Healthcare, our mission is to transform data, analytics, and expertise into healthcare commercial intelligence. We help clients uncover the right markets, opportunities, and people, so they can shape tomorrow’s healthcare industry. Our SaaS products and solutions create new paths to commercial success in the healthcare market, so companies can identify where to go next. Learn more at definitivehc.com.

    Investor Contact:
    Brian Denyeau
    ICR for Definitive Healthcare
    brian.denyeau@icrinc.com
    646-277-1251

    Media Contact:
    Bethany Swackhamer
    bswackhamer@definitivehc.com

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: More than just a game: How sports are reflecting Canada-U.S. tensions

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Western University

    Canada emerged victorious in the 4 Nations Face-off hockey tournament on Feb. 20, but the event was overshadowed by growing political tensions between Canada and the United States.

    In the lead-up to the final game, American fans booed the Canadian national anthem, likely in response to Canadian fans booing the American national anthem ahead of a game between the two teams on Feb. 15.

    This was not the first recent airing of grievances from Canadian fans at a sporting event. Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of tariffs against Canada and repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st state, fans at a Toronto Raptors game and Ottawa Senators game booed the American national anthem.




    Read more:
    How Donald Trump’s attacks on Canada are stoking a new Canadian nationalism


    Despite the proposed tariffs being postponed for 30 days, Trump’s antagonistic vision for Canada-U.S. relations has stoked anti-American sentiments among Canadians, including calls to boycott American goods and a deteriorating belief in close Canada-U.S. relations.

    Those anti-American sentiments boiled over again when Canada faced the U.S. in Montréal, showcasing how sport can be used as an expression of nationalism — especially at a time of increased tensions between the two countries.

    Why sports matter politically

    It’s not surprising that sport has become an arena for nationalist political rhetoric. Sport possesses powerful symbolism that can be exploited to great affect in forming a coherent national identity.

    In this way, sporting events are a way fandoms can reinforce national identity as an objective symbol that connects to primitive forms of national ideology.

    Sport is also a powerful psychological setting for national rhetoric. A person’s social identity, or how they see themselves in relation to others, can be reinforced through sport. This can happen, for instance, when someone views themselves as a member of a team and celebrates their success, or views a rival team or country in a negative light after a loss.

    Additionally, the outcome of a game can boost in-group favouritism, which can influence whether consumers buy goods from a specific vendor.

    Nationalism versus patriotism

    Generally, research suggests sports reinforce a national in-group identity that is more patriotic than nationalistic. However, the vitriol Canadians have expressed during the American national anthem leans towards expressing nationalist views rather than patriotic ones.

    Patriotism typically focuses on why a country is great without necessarily disparaging outsiders or other countries. Nationalism, on the other hand, tends to play up why one’s country is great while vilifying another country or group.

    Trump’s focus on using tariffs to bully Canada into increasing security at the border has undoubtedly soured relations between the two countries. If Trump decides to flex the United States’ capacity to be a bully in U.S.-Canadian relations, Canada is stuck with limited options.

    But are Canadians playing right into Donald Trump’s hand by leaning into an adversarial relationship?

    How Trump uses sports for political gain

    Trump has a history of using major sporting events to his political benefit. During his last presidential campaign, he attended the Army-Navy football game and became the first sitting president to attend the recent Super Bowl in New Orleans.

    Trump also considered attending the 4 Nations final between the U.S. and Canada in Boston, but couldn’t attend due to a scheduled speech with U.S. governors. Still, he made his presence felt by calling the American team the morning before the game to wish them luck.

    Looking ahead, Trump may continue to use international sporting events to assert his vision for U.S. relations with Canada and Mexico.

    In January, Trump invited Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, to his inauguration, just as preparations have begun for the 2026 World Cup, which is to be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

    With Infantino and Trump becoming increasingly friendly, it seems likely Trump will use the upcoming World Cup to influence North American relations. At the very least, he will likely try to insert himself into its coverage.

    Trump using sport to reinforce his image

    Beyond politics, Trump uses sports to play into his crafted image as a hyper-masculine man. This image has played a large part in Trump’s popularity among young men and helped him win a second term as president.

    Yet Trump does not necessarily fit the masculine norms his supporters lionize. Trump is fairly tall, which has been shown to be preferred among American voters. However, unlike past presidents such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, who played college football, Trump’s athletic background is limited to high school football.

    Nor did Trump serve in the military like previous presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, both of whom served in the Second World War. Trump, by contrast, avoided service during the Vietnam war for medical and educational reasons.

    Despite a lack of traditional masculine bonafides, Trump has shown an ability to use sporting events for his political gain. He has used sporting events as potent media environments to insert his talking points and burnish his masculine image.

    In the end, the boos from Canadian fans may be music to Donald Trump’s ears. He wants to be hated by outsiders so he can turn around to his supporters and say that the U.S. is under attack at its borders. He wants the sporting accomplishments of the American men’s teams to reflect on his strength.

    It can still go against him, as we saw Thursday night with Canada beating the U.S. in overtime. Justin Trudeau wasted no time using that moment to respond with strong rhetoric in a tweet.

    What happened on the ice was out of Trump’s control. But he used the event to serve his own goals, sowing greater divisiveness across borders. The shadow of his combative rhetoric loomed large over the entire event.

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

    – ref. More than just a game: How sports are reflecting Canada-U.S. tensions – https://theconversation.com/more-than-just-a-game-how-sports-are-reflecting-canada-u-s-tensions-250385

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Regional Dialogue on Social Justice Hosted by India Concludes at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Regional Dialogue on Social Justice Hosted by India Concludes at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi

    Over 500 Participants from Asia-Asia Pacific Region and beyond Enriched Regional Dialogue

    Collaborative Approaches Explored for Responsible Business Practices, Promoting Decent Work within Global Value Chains and Harnessing AI for Decent Work & Equity

    Coalition Partners Reaffirmed the Need for Continued Dialogue And Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration to Drive Global Agenda for Social Justice

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 7:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Labour and Employment and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in collaboration with Global Coalition for Social Justice and International Labour Organization, with the support Confederation of Industry (CII) – Employers Federation of India (EFI) hosted a two-day Regional Dialogue on Social Justice under the Global Coalition for Social Justice at Bharat Mandapam from 24-25 February 2025 in New Delhi.

    The event brought together more than 500 representatives from Coalition partners, governments, concerned Ministries of Government of India, employers’ and workers’ organizations, academia and enterprises, experts from international organizations bodies and ESIC members and officers.

    Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the two-day Regional Dialogue and launched key publications on  Responsible Business Conduct, Transforming India’s Social Protection Landscape, Compendium of Social Protection in India, and Shram Samarth, in the presence of Director General, International Labour Organization (ILO), Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje, and Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Labour & Employment.

    The event also marked the 74th foundation day of ESIC celebrating seven decades of the organisation’s service to workers and their families across the country. The highlight of the occasion was the start of the ESIC Special Services Fortnight, a 15-day initiative aimed at enhancing worker welfare. Running from February 24th to March 10th, 2025, this initiative will involve participation from ESIC Field Offices, Hospitals, and Medical Institutions in a series of activities, including seminars, health talks, awareness camps, hygiene education, health check-ups etc.

    Global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders shared their insights during technical sessions to advance social justice in the region. Experts from international organizations including International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations India, UNICEF, UN Women and UNESCAP shared crucial insights and global perspectives.

     

    Representatives from Australia, Japan, Namibia, Philippines, Germany, Brazil, showcased their respective experiences and learnings, while participants discussed strategies on empowering the youth to drive sustainable growth for enterprises, expanding social security to informal workers, responsible business practices in safeguarding worker well-being, promoting decent work, living wages within global value chains and human centric approach to harnessing AI for decent Work & equity. Emphasizing corporate accountability and compliance with international labour standards, the discussions reinforced the importance of multi-stakeholder partnership in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth while upholding workers’ rights and well-being.

     

    Representatives from Ministry of Labour & Employment presented its key initiatives and achievements including NCS and e-Shram, social security coverage and OSH in changing world of work during the technical sessions.

    Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Labour & Employment) emphasized the need for collaboration among social partners- industry and workers’ organizations for fostering social justice by promoting sustainable business models, driving inclusive growth and advancing quality employment generation. She further highlighted India’s commitment to leading global efforts on social justice in collaboration with the ILO as well as OECD on the development of an International Reference Classification of Skills and Occupations under the G20 framework.

    In her concluding remarks, Secretary, Labour and Employment elaborated on the strides taken by India towards Responsible Business conduct. She appreciated the efforts of Indian businesses who showcased practices for promoting responsible business conduct by ensuring health & safety of workers, living wages, and youth skilling while expanding social protection coverage.

    Ms. Dawra also emphasized India’s demographic dividend, skilling youth for future of work, quality employment generation, and workforce well-being as top priorities.

     

    Ms. Sana De Courcelles, Director of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, praised India’s pioneering efforts and strong commitment to taking the lead in the coalition as an active partner. She commended India not only for its leadership in the coalition but also for delivering concrete outcomes, fostering tangible actions for job creation, promoting shared prosperity, and encouraging collective efforts for ongoing dialogue.

    Interactive digital kiosks of Ministry of Labour and Employment and its organizations including ESIC, Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, Director General of Employment and Director General of Labour Welfare, received good response from the participants.

    Landmark initiatives of the Ministry including e-Shram, NCS portal, labour reforms Gig & Platform Worker, ELI Schemes, EPFO and ESIC were showcased through digital flipbooks. These engaging kiosks emphasized India’s commitment to leveraging technology to make social security more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

     

    The seminar concluded as the Joint Secretary, Labour & Employment, Shri Rupesh Kumar Thakur reaffirmed the need for continued dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration of Coalition Partners to drive the global agenda for social justice.

    ******

    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2106221) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 6:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Smart Solutions for Ad Spend Optimization

    Introduction

    The AdSpend Optimizer Hackathon part of the WAVES Create India Challenge Season 1 is an exciting event that brings together industry experts to revolutionize ad spend optimization using predictive analytics. Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), this hackathon offers a platform to address key challenges, share expertise and drive growth in the advertising sector. With 35 registrations so far, including 1 international participant the event is gaining momentum.

    The World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in its first edition is a unique hub and spoke platform poised for the convergence of the entire Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector. The event is a premier global event that aims to bring the focus of the global M&E industry to India and connect it with the Indian M&E sector along with its talent.

    The summit will take place from May 1-4, 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre & Jio World Gardens in Mumbai. With a focus on four key pillars—Broadcasting & Infotainment, AVGC-XR, Digital Media & Innovation, and Films-WAVES will bring together leaders, creators and technologists to showcase the future of India’s entertainment industry.

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon is a part of the Broadcasting & Infotainment pillar. It invites young advertising and marketing professionals from India and beyond to showcase their expertise in ad optimization. Participants will use data science, machine learning and statistical modeling to create solutions that help advertisers make data-driven decisions, maximize ROI and achieve their marketing goals.

    Participation Criteria

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon invites professionals to craft innovative ad strategies:

    • Participate individually or in teams (max 3 members), with a mix of skills in data science, Machine Learning, statistics, software, marketing and advertising.
    • Open to professionals from advertising agencies (full service, media, digital) or marketing departments, with at least 1 year of experience.
    • Develop a strategy to meet TrimMaster’s marketing objectives within a set budget.
    • Participants are required to submit their solution in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.

    Shaping TrimMaster’s Brand Strategy

    Participants can use the case “TrimMaster – Enhancing Brand Strategy for Male Grooming” to elevate top-funnel marketing efforts.

    Background: TrimMaster is a well-known direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in male grooming products. Their main product the PrecisionTrim trimmer has become popular among customers. However, even with a great product and growing customer base TrimMaster faces challenges in taking its brand awareness to the next level.

    Current Situation: TrimMaster’s research shows a strong link between brand searches and unaided awareness. Currently, the brand has an unaided awareness score of 52 which is solid but leaves room for growth. With increasing competition in the male grooming market TrimMaster aims to boost brand searches to improve overall brand recall and awareness.

    Challenges: TrimMaster’s marketing team faces key challenges in optimizing top-funnel marketing efforts:

    Objective: TrimMaster aims to raise its unaided brand awareness score from 52 to 75 through an optimized ad spend strategy across multiple channels, ensuring measurable impact on brand lift and ROI. The budget is Rs 2,00,00,000/- (Two Crore). Focus on:

    Evaluation Criteria

    Participants’ brand strategies will be evaluated based on these key parameters:

    Prizes

    The winning individuals and teams will receive:

    • The top 3 will present their solutions at the WAVES event (details to be announced) with travel expenses reimbursed.
    • Exciting prizes for exceptional presentations.
    • AAAI will cover the registration costs for the top 3 to participate in Advertising Festivals/Conferences in India.

    Conclusion

    The AAAI Ad Spend Optimizer Hackathon part of the WAVES Create India Challenge invites professionals to develop innovative strategies to optimize ad spend and boost brand awareness for TrimMaster. With exciting prizes and the chance to present at WAVES, this is a unique opportunity to shape the future of advertising and make a real impact.

    References

    Click here to see PDF.

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Kamna Lakaria

    (Release ID: 2106195) Visitor Counter : 34

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO Jakarta celebrates Year of Snake in Penang

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKETO Jakarta celebrates Year of Snake in Penang
    HKETO Jakarta celebrates Year of Snake in Penang
    ************************************************

         ​The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta (HKETO Jakarta) hosted a Chinese New Year dinner in Penang, Malaysia, today (February 25) to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Some 220 guests from the local government, business, academic, cultural and media sectors attended the event.           In her welcome speech, the Director-General of the HKETO Jakarta, Miss Libera Cheng, said that Hong Kong and Penang share a similar historic and cultural background. The HKETO Jakarta worked closely with the Penang State Government last year to strengthen bilateral exchanges, working together to facilitate numerous Hong Kong teams’ participation at the Penang International Dragon Boat Regatta and the Penang International Lion Dance-on-Stilts Competition, as well as the inaugural performances by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and the Hong Kong Dance Company in Penang.           “Over the past year, Hong Kong-based airlines have significantly expanded passenger services according to the direction set under the Policy Address. Hong Kong has now become one of Penang International Airport’s most frequent routes beyond the Southeast Asia region,” said Miss Cheng.     She added that visitor arrivals from Malaysia increased by 50 per cent year-on-year in 2024, fully reflecting Hong Kong’s glamour. With the grand opening of Kai Tak Sports Park on March 1, a host of sports and entertainment events are set to take place at this iconic venue. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is also committed to enriching visitors’ travel experience, including products related to the panda economy. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will take forward the relevant measures in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 promulgated in December 2024 to attract more tourists from Malaysia and beyond.           “The robust air connectivity of our two cities will also enable Penang enterprises to export a diverse range of products to the world seamlessly via Hong Kong, leveraging Hong Kong International Airport’s advantages as the world’s busiest cargo airport and the various high value-added logistics facilities therein.”           Dignitaries attending the dinner included the Chief Minister of Penang, Mr Chow Kon Yeow; the Chinese Consul-General in Penang, Mr Zhou Youbin; the Director of Malaysia of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ms Hoh Jee Eng; the President of the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association, Dato’ Dixon Chew, and senior representatives from other major local business chambers.           Also joining the event were the Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy, Mr Wong Hon Wai, the Penang State Executive Councillor for Youth, Sports and Health, Mr Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, and other key local officials.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, February 25, 2025Issued at HKT 20:42

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Outstanding craftsmanship and international voices: the 5 films up for best documentary at the 2025 Oscars

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hart, Associate Professor, Film Screen & Animation, Queensland University of Technology

    Oscar-nominated best documentary film Sugarcane. Disney+

    The Academy Awards represent the screen industry’s biggest annual global recognition for the very best of moviemaking. And in these troubled times, many recognise the power of documentaries to transform the world for the better.

    Like last year, the 2025 nominations for Best Documentary are international in their scope, continuing an Academy trend of placing more emphasis on voices outside of the United States.

    This year’s nominations feature a few milestones: it’s the first time a Japanese filmmaker has been put forward, and the first time an Indigenous North American filmmaker has been nominated in Oscars history.

    All exhibit outstanding craftsmanship while exploring intense themes. The following roundup will hopefully encourage you to check them out at the cinema or online, and see why the experts also think they deserve the top gong.

    Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

    Johan Grimonprez’s experimental essay examines the Cold War politics of the 1950s and 60s. At this time, many African nations were gaining independence from their colonial masters.

    In Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, the uranium and mineral rich Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes a poignant case study.

    As the first prime minister Patrice Lumumba breaks the country away from Belgian rule, a murderous plot by global superpowers to destroy the country’s newfound sovereignty unfolds.

    And underneath it all: the frenetic beat of jazz as a revolutionary reaction against racism on both sides of the Atlantic.

    A wealth of archival material featuring former world leaders, the Congolese situation, and the musical stylings of Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and others make this documentary effortlessly cool. The edit and sound design has a wonderful syncopated rhythm, revealing fascinating facets of modern history and the scramble for power.

    Sugarcane

    St. Joseph’s Mission was a residential school for Indigenous children in Canada, which closed in 1981.

    When ground penetrating radar begins looking for unmarked graves at the school, Julian Brave NoiseCat – whose father was born on the site – and co-director Emily Kassie embark on a quest of accountability for a myriad of institutional abuses.

    Editors Nathan Punwar and Maya Daisy Hawke interweave archival reels alongside Emily Kassie and Christopher LaMarca’s stark verité cinematography. The film captures members of the Williams Lake First Nation community reckoning with generations of trauma at the hands of Catholic clergy.

    Together, they present some disturbing facts in the film, which won a directing award at the Sundance Film Festival.

    National Geographic has routinely received a documentary Oscar nomination. This film is a challenging topic for Australian and New Zealand audiences. We also have a troubling history with the placement of Aboriginal children in homes, where many faced hardships and mistreatment.

    Sugarcane gives a platform for truth-telling and healing.

    Porcelain War

    Ceramists Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko are inspired by the nature of Ukraine and each other. Their friend, and fellow creator, Andrey Stefanov documents their lives on tape after his wife and children flee at the start of the Russian invasion.

    All become involved in active defiance.

    The film combines nonprofessional video, body cams and drone footage alongside wildlife photography and charming animations of Anya’s delicate paintings on clay.

    There are gripping scenes of armed conflict from the viewpoint of Slava’s squad of reservists. These are everyday folks who have become involved in fighting on the ground.

    Porcelain War benefits from a soundtrack composed and performed by folk music quartet DakhaBrakha. This adds an eerie texture to this portrait of hope.

    The film thoughtfully balances light and shade with grace, demonstrating that art remains a potent way to oppose erasure.

    Black Box Diaries

    When her high-profile #MeToo sexual assault case is dropped on the grounds of insufficient evidence, Japanese journalist, director and producer Shiori Itō commences chronicling her journey to justice.

    Deploying abstract imagery over recorded conversations with investigators and witnesses, Itō builds her argument over several years. The passage of time is interspersed with her unfiltered video diary entries.

    There has been controversy about the director including hotel footage of her drugged and being dragged out of a taxi by her attacker, senior reporter Noriyuki Yamaguchi, without permission. Itō had been given the footage for the legal case, but had agreed it would not be used outside of the courtroom.

    The debate has prevented the film from showing on Japanese screens. However, Itō has argued the public good of using this material outweighs commercial interests – especially considering the pressure of Yamaguchi’s influential connections to quell the case, which include then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

    Itō doesn’t shy away from exposing the raw emotional depths of her remarkably brave undertaking against fierce odds, and she serves as an inspiring change-maker we should all heed.

    No Other Land

    No Other Land takes stock of the West Bank situation from the perspective of Basel Adra, who documents evictions of Palestinians in his home village of Masafer Yatta.

    Basel works with journalist Yuval Abraham to bear witness to the army’s gradual destruction of his village to make way for a military training ground.

    No Other Land features some great observational camerawork with many poetic images of resilience. Things kick up a notch when a villager, Harun, is shot by Israeli soldiers while trying to confiscate his building tools. Basel is targeted for filming the ensuing protests – but Adra and Abraham continue undeterred.

    A friendship develops amid the chaos between the Palestinian activist and Israeli reporter, who co-direct and edit with Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. It’s the touching humanity of their relationship that goes to the core of the film; compassion is key to deescalating tensions in the region.


    In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, Porcelain War, Black Box Diaries and No Other Land are streaming on DocPlay; Sugarcane is streaming on Disney+.

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

    – ref. Outstanding craftsmanship and international voices: the 5 films up for best documentary at the 2025 Oscars – https://theconversation.com/outstanding-craftsmanship-and-international-voices-the-5-films-up-for-best-documentary-at-the-2025-oscars-249151

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden to FTC: Stop Companies from Offering Bait-and-Switch Sales of Digital TV, E-Book, Music, and Video Game Purchases

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop companies from misleadingly offering people the ability to “buy” online content, including TV, e-books, movies, music, and video games, when the reality is consumers do not have total control over their purchases. Far too often, consumers “buy” digital goods only to learn they cannot own, sell, or transfer the items, and may even have them deleted with no recourse— a legal loophole that many companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Sony only explain in the finely printed terms of service.

    In the letter to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Wyden said, “This information should be presented before and at the point of sale in a way that is clear and understandable for consumers, so that they can use all the information at hand to determine if they want to purchase or rent the product at the offered price. To put it simply, prior to agreeing to any transaction, consumers should understand what they are paying for and what is guaranteed after the sale.”

    Over the past several years, many companies have shifted from producing and selling physical copies of books, music, TV, video games, and other content to online versions. As people increasingly buy their products online, this shift has raised concerns about companies failing to be transparent about what consumers are actually buying. Online purchasers are left vulnerable and susceptible to getting less than what they paid for.

    Companies may be able to change or remove people’s online content at any time. In 2023, Sony announced users could no longer watch previously purchased Discovery content, including shows such as Cake Boss, MythBusters, and Deadliest Catch, until the companies reached a deal. Amazon also recently announced that consumers would no longer be able to download or back up their e-books, making it more difficult for them to access and keep their purchases.

    Wyden concluded, “The shift from physical to digital goods presents some complex legal questions. One thing is clear, however: consumers deserve transparency about their ownership rights in digital goods. Guidance from the FTC on this issue will help ensure that digital goods sellers are aware of best practices and that American consumers can make informed buying decisions.”

    Wyden is a longtime champion in the Senate of protecting consumers while holding companies accountable in today’s digital environment. In 2019, Wyden introduced a bill to hold corporations accountable for abusing their use of Americans’ information. Also, in 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced a bill requiring companies to target flawed algorithms that have resulted in biased or discriminatory decisions harming Americans. In 2023, Wyden and then-Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wrote a letter to stakeholders requesting their policy clarifications on taxing digital assets.

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal following attempted rape in Tower Hamlets

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating an attempted rape in Limehouse have released a CCTV image of a man they need to identify as part of their enquiries.

    An investigation has been ongoing since the incident – which took place inside a social and health club on Commercial Road, E14 between 17:00hrs and 18:00hrs on Monday, 17 February – was reported to police.

    It is alleged that a man tried to rape the victim, a man in his 20s.

    The suspect is described as a man in his mid to late 50s.

    Detective Sergeant Stacey Smith, from the Central East Public Protection Team, said: “This was a terrifying experience for the victim, who continues to be supported by specialist officers.

    “We are seeking the help of the public to identify the man in this image. Do you recognise him? Did you see him in the area that night? If you believe you know who he is don’t approach him directly, contact police.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 3226/25Feb. To remain anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership Second Closing March 26, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield, on behalf of MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership (“MRF 2025” or the “Partnership”), is pleased to announce that it has completed the first closing of the initial public offering of MRF 2025 Class A and Class F units for total gross proceeds of $10.4 million. The maximum offering size is $50 million. The offering is being made in each of the provinces of Canada. The Partnership intends to have a second closing on March 26, 2025.

    The objectives of the Partnership are to provide investors with capital appreciation and significant tax benefits to enhance after-tax returns to limited partners, including the deductibility of 100% of their original investment. The Partnership intends to achieve these objectives by investing in an actively managed, diversified portfolio comprised primarily of equity securities of Canadian companies involved in the resource sector.

    Middlefield is a leading provider of flow-through share funds in Canada and has a strong track record of delivering positive after-tax returns. Since 1983, Middlefield has sponsored 70 public and private flow-through funds and has acted as agent or manager for over $2.5 billion of resource investments.

    The syndicate of agents for the offering is being co-led by CIBC Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets and includes BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc., Richardson Wealth Limited, Manulife Securities Incorporated, iA Private Wealth Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Raymond James Ltd. and Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This offering is only made by prospectus. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the securities being offered. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from your CIRO registered financial advisor using the contact information for such advisor. Investors should read the prospectus before making an investment decision.

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: AutoScheduler.AI Exhibits AI-Enhanced Warehouse Orchestration at ProMat 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Orchestration Platform and WMS accelerator, will exhibit its award-winning platform at ProMat 2025 in Booth E11539. AutoScheduler booth visitors will learn how to maximize labor utilization, eliminate dock congestion, and optimize automation for peak efficiency.

    “Many supply chains struggle with uncoordinated workflows, unpredictable labor needs, and automation inefficiencies that increase costs and reduce productivity,” says Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. “These challenges result in dock congestion, labor shortages, data silos, and disconnected automation. With AutoScheduler, companies gain optimum real-time workflows, leading to a fully optimized operation. Our solution prioritizes tasks instantly to streamline operations and improve bottom-line profits.”

    At booth #E11539, AutoScheduler.AI will be showcasing how AI-powered orchestration transforms operations to:

    • Boost labor efficiency and reduce costs
    • Level-load automation for maximum ROI
    • Eliminate dock congestion and streamline workflows

    AutoScheduler is hosting a Happy Hour on March 18. To register for the Happy Hour, visit:
    https://info.autoscheduler.ai/asi_promat_happyhour_2025?utm_campaign=8721832-ProMat%202025&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_xiCihisd_9vNdl3SN6-aLu3tLSqAG3A7iBB0kDUuTSC-M54VRGE4af6aGAmGMmVBzbiim

    ProMat 2025 will showcase the world’s leading manufacturing and supply chain solution providers at McCormick Place in Chicago on March 17 – 20, 2025. In over 200 educational sessions, attendees will gain insights on the leading trends and innovations from thought leaders, see leading solution providers in action, and network with peers and suppliers from around the world to create strong business relationships.

    To schedule a meeting with AutoScheduler executives at the booth, visit: https://info.autoscheduler.ai/asi_promat_2025?utm_campaign=8721832-ProMat%202025&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-853U5Bi9-MNkact1dnl6IiojyVgAnRAlpBaYBSSKAkavYzn8MP3ccg3vhj4Tz1UtNQY5EU

    About AutoScheduler.AI

    AutoScheduler.AI empowers you to take full control of your warehouse with a cloud-based solution that seamlessly integrates with your existing WMS/LMS/YMS or any other solution. We automate critical tasks like labor scheduling, dock management, and task sequencing, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. You’ve already invested in the software to run your warehouse—what we do is provide the orchestration layer that ties it all together to make real-time data driven decisions. With AutoScheduler.AI, you get smart orchestration for a smarter, more agile warehouse. For more information, visit: http://www.autoscheduler.ai.

    Contact:
    Becky Boyd
    MediaFirst PR
    Becky@MediaFirst.Net
    Cell: (404) 421-8497 

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM statement on defence spending: 25 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM statement on defence spending: 25 February 2025

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s press statement on increasing defence spending.

    Good evening. 

    I was a young man when the Berlin Wall came down

    I remember it vividly. 

    It felt as if we were casting off the shackles of history

    A continent united by freedom and democracy. 

    If you had told me then, that in my lifetime

    We would see Russian tanks rolling into European cities again

    I would not have believed you. 

    Yet here we are

    In a world where everything has changed

    Because three years ago, in Ukraine

    That is exactly what happened. 

    Just reflect on that for a second – I think it’s worth it. 

    Just imagine you are walking to work

    Taking your kids to school. 

    Just another February morning, like any other. 

    Then suddenly – missiles. 

    Sirens. 

    Explosions. 

    Not in the distance

    Not on TV

    In your town. 

    Hitting your community. 

    Killing your friends. 

    An invading army, in your country. 

    The people of Ukraine have woken up to this nightmare

    For three years now

    Their courage is inspiring. 

    And Britain can be proud of its response. 

    British families have opened their doors to fleeing Ukrainians

    The ‘yellow and light blue’ flag flies on town halls and churches, the length and breadth of this country

    And I will also put on record again – 

    That I respect the robust response taken by the previous government

    I supported it in opposition

    And we have built on it in government

    Taking our support for Ukraine – to record levels. 

    But, as the nature of that conflict changes

    As it has done in recent weeks

    It also brings our response into sharper focus.

    And I believe we must now change our approach to national security

    So we are ready to meet the challenges of our volatile world. 

    The reason for this is straightforward

    Putin’s aggression does not stop in Ukraine. 

    Russian spy ships menace our waters. 

    Russian planes enter our airspace. 

    Russian cyber-attacks hit our NHS 

    And just seven years ago – there was a Russian chemical weapons attack, in broad daylight

    On the streets of Salisbury. 

    We can’t hide from this. 

    I know people have felt the impact of this conflict through rising bills and prices. 

    But unless Ukraine is properly protected from Putin

    Then Europe will only become more unstable – and that will hurt us even more. 

    Furthermore, the great lesson of our history

    Is that tyrants like Putin only respond to strength. 

    So today I have announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. 

    We will keep our manifesto commitment to spend 2.5% of our GDP on defence.

    But in light of the grave threats we face

    We will bring that target forward so we meet it in 2027. 

    That is an increase of £13.4bn year on year compared to where we are today. 

    And we will go further. 

    I have long argued that in the face of ongoing and generational challenges

    European countries must do more for their own defence. 

    That is incontrovertible. 

    A completely reasonable point. 

    It’s a generational challenge – of course it is.  

    But one we must now take on. 

    So, subject to economic and fiscal conditions

    We will also set a clear ambition for Defence spending to rise to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament.  

    Clearly this is first and foremost a security imperative. 

    But I also believe that it’s a tremendous opportunity

    We can use this investment to rebuild Britain’s industrial base. 

    The first test of defence policy is always whether it keeps our country safe. 

    But the second should be whether it improves the condition of the British people

    Does it help provide the economic security that working people need? 

    Because ultimately that is fundamental to national security as well. 

    So mark my words

    We will make sure this investment maximises British jobs, British growth, British skills and British innovation. 

    And we should be optimistic about the change that it will deliver. 

    Nonetheless, in the short-term

    This investment can only be funded through hard choices. 

    And so today I have decided that we will fund the initial increase in defence spending

    By cutting our spending on overseas development

    Moving from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3%. 

    I want to be clear – that this is not an announcement I am happy to make. 

    I am proud of Britain’s pioneering record on overseas development

    And we will continue to play a key humanitarian role

    In war-torn countries like Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza

    In tackling climate change

    And supporting international efforts on global health challenges like vaccination.  

    And we will do everything to move towards a world where we can rebuild our development capacity. 

    However, the realities of our dangerous new era

    Mean that the defence and national security of our country must always come first. 

    That is what I campaigned on in the general election

    It is what we are delivering today. 

    A new approach to defence

    A revival of our industrial base

    A deepening of our alliances

    The instruments of our national power – brought together

    Creating opportunity.

    Assuring our allies.

    Delivering security for our country. 

    At moments like this in our past

    Britain has stood up to be counted. 

    It has come together. 

    And it has demonstrated strength.  

    That is what the security of this country needs now

    And it is what this Government will deliver. 

    I will now take questions.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Podcast with Craig Duncan, head of Xbox Game Studios

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Podcast with Craig Duncan, head of Xbox Game Studios

    SPEAKER 1: Games in this podcast range from E to M.

    TINA AMINI: Hello, and welcome to the official Xbox Podcast. I’m here with a very special guest today, I get the great pleasure of introducing you all to Craig Duncan, our new Head of Xbox Game Studios. Welcome to Xbox Studio, not to be confused with your Xbox Game Studios.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: So I’m in charge of this as well? This is new, like this is — that’s, I didn’t realize that.

    TINA AMINI: We don’t make games here–

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Good to see you, Tina.

    TINA AMINI: Good to see you too. Yeah, so we don’t make games here, we do make games marketing here, as well as this lovely podcast. So yes, thank you so much for joining the podcast. I do want to start with kind of giving the community a little bit of context about your very storied history and career in games. You’ve been in games for two decades, so you’ve seen a lot, you’ve seen the ups and down of the industry, the literal ups and downs.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah.

    TINA AMINI: You’ve also been lauded where you were Studio Head at Rare for many years. You’ve been lauded for your work there. The studio culture, obviously you shipped Rare Replay, you’ve been in charge of Sea of Thieves for its millions, aka seven years it’s been ongoing now. And you actually have been working with Ninja Theory and Compulsion before this new role. So you’ve been around the block, as they say.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, it’s been a fun couple of decades, and I love what I do, like that’s why I do what I do. And very lucky to see a bunch of the transition on the games industry, joined back in 2002, I worked for a European publisher called Codemasters that was kind of my learn how to make games, made a bunch of different kind of games; action games, sports games, then a little bit of (inaudible) midway games, a little bit of (inaudible) digital, and then joined Rare to lead them. And I’ve seen Xbox evolve and change over, I guess 14 years I’ve been with Xbox now. And really, the part of the job I love more than anything is working with studios. I think everyone’s role is important, and I think my job as a leader is to help create the right environment for our teams to be successful, create a culture where they can support each other, help each other. Making games is really hard, it’s not any easier now than it was 20 years ago. In fact, it’s harder than ever, competition is higher, player expectations are higher. So, I think my job is about creating the culture and supporting our leaders, supporting our teams to do the very best work they can, because I think if I do that, then hopefully that shows in the games we make and what goes to our players.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, absolutely. Honestly a favorite part of my job too, just getting to know all of our talent at our studios. Like incredible talent, so an incredible job that you have in front of you. But well-suited to the role, obviously, since you’ve had a lot of that pedigree, which is —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah.

    TINA AMINI: — exciting and I’m happy for the studios and how we’re moving forward. So, I’d love to talk about that as well, like we’ve got a big and exciting year ahead of us. We kicked off the year with Developer Direct. I want to talk about the games that were in Developer Direct, because we’ve got a chance to talk about the release dates so we know what’s coming, when it’s coming. But we also just released Avowed, Obsidian’s latest game. So I’ve been spending the weekend playing that myself. How about you?

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, I mean, again, the lucky part of this job, spend time with all the teams, spent a bunch of time with the Obsidian team. And then really, like I feel like I’ve been playing Avowed for like three or four months, because we’ve — yeah, we obviously look at what we’re building. But just seeing the reaction of players, seeing the reviews, seeing just people share the same love for the (inaudible), they’ve got so much passion, Carrie, Feargus, all of the team, so much passion into the game. And yeah, it’s a wonderful game, it’s got wonderful story. If you haven’t checked it out, go check it out. But just seeing all the reviews and it’s a real personal moment for a team when you put a game out there.

    TINA AMINI: Absolutely.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: And just seeing the reactions and just some of the hype around the game, and people really enjoying it, I think’s been great to see.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, I’m unfortunately only five hours in, so immediately when we wrap up I’m going home and I’m playing some more.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Okay, yeah.

    TINA AMINI: This has been officially sanctioned. But even five hours in there’s so much depth and richness.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah.

    TINA AMINI: And we’ve had the pleasure of having Carrie Patel, Game Director, out on the podcast before. She’s been on Extended with me, so I’ve gotten to talk to her quite a bit. I love Carrie, shout out to Carrie.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, absolutely. And just Obsidians play the game your way, and just like Avowed, sure it’s a game you can play through the story and through the side quests, but there’s actually quite a lot of the way you load out with your character, that you can really play the game in very, very different ways and I love that. >> Yeah. It’s both the game play, but then it’s also the exploration which is really cool. I was just at DICE and a lot of my journalist friends were telling me, oh, my God, the verticality! And it’s like yes, we’ve been basically talking about the verticality in the podcast with Carrie and there is so much to do and there is that sense of, I see that thing in the distance and I want to go engage with that thing. And there’s something in that environment for you to do. Yeah, yeah.

    TINA AMINI: And it’s like my kind of game, and been seeing a lot of good reviews out there.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, and just like the story and the setting and like I’m super happy for Obsidian and —

    TINA AMINI: World-class storytellers, I’m loving Kai so far. He’s like scratching my like New Yorker sarcasm itch. So it’s personality-wise, we’re a good fit.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Good, I love that.

    TINA AMINI: Well, we also had a bunch of other games showcased in Developer Direct this year. First off, I just have to say, I absolutely love working on that show. It’s both because we get to like really embed with the studios, like at their studio, so all of the audience gets to see what is the studio environment and like what is the culture, how are people working together. And it’s just such a beautiful storytelling format, I think, if I’m —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, I love the format and I think just, and I think you said it well earlier, just putting our talent, like we have so many — so much talent across our studios and just the more you put them — I always feel a little bit of a shill when I come and do this thing. It’s like, you don’t really want to hear from me talking about our games, you want to hear from our team members, and Developer Direct is just a really great setting for them to talk about the games and the passion and yeah, like South of Midnight was on there, which obviously a team I’ve worked super closely with. And hearing them tell the story and the inspiration, it’s a great format.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, I love the Compulsion team, this is actually their third ever game, which is pretty incredible.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yep.

    TINA AMINI: They have a very unique style, if you’ve, if the community our there has played their previous two games as well. People were really celebrating the storytelling, the performances, and there’s so much heart in that game and I love to see people enjoying that when I’ve seen the reviews.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, it’s a, and again, very, very lucky I’ve been playing it a lot. The creatures, the storytelling, the southern gothic, like there’s no game I can think of that’s been in a setting that they’ve realized and it’s beautiful, the art’s beautiful. The, like I said, storytelling, the creatures, the audio, the music —

    TINA AMINI: The music too, yes. Especially the music, you always, in every game the music is definitely matching the tone, like the ambience. Are you in a boss fight, or are you just in an environmental kind of more peaceful setting. But the way that the music’s like literally speaking to the bosses.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It’s the storytelling.

    TINA AMINI: It’s their theme song. Exactly.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It’s incredible.

    TINA AMINI: I thought it was so clever. Yeah. So I was really happy to have that in our show, that one’s coming out April 8, we announced in Developer Direct. Fun fact actually, before we talk about the other games, is Art Director, Whitney Clayton, who opened the (inaudible) for South of Midnight, she actually designed their whole studios too. The studio space itself. And it is gorgeous.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It’s a wonderful place, yeah.

    TINA AMINI: — I wanted to steal her over and help design our of offices and he said, absolutely not. So that’s not happening.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: See, I went for a different thing, I’m like hey, I can just be based in here. Because —

    TINA AMINI: Yes.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: — it just feels so creative and it’s back to back, you want to be surrounded by the things that inspire you.

    TINA AMINI: Yes and you feel the creativity when you’re there.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, absolutely.

    TINA AMINI: I very much love their space and that’s the beauty of Developer Direct, you get to see some of that in the environmental storytelling that we do in the show. But we also had a very exciting reveal with Ninja Gaiden 4. So that’s been in the works for some time. What is our backstory with that franchise?

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, and I love the story behind that. So, not only Team Ninja, but along with Platinum Games and I know there was a lot of, what are Platinum Games working on, really prestigious developer. Ninja Gaiden, I mean it’s a franchise started on arcade and then home computers. And I guess, I think the original Nintendo there was a Ninja Gaiden version, if my memory serves me correctly. But it’s also a franchise that’s been synonymous with Xbox over the years in multiple generations. So, just to bring a super up-to-date, highly polished, just seeing just the pace of combat, the excitement, the boss — like it’s got so much. And I think fans are going to be blown away by the game. They’re going to enjoy it. I actually love the shadow drop of Ninja Gaiden 2 as well.

    TINA AMINI: Yes, a little bonus surprise, yes.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: And just the fact that we get to have those kind of surprises in the shows and people can go play it immediately on Game Pass is really great, and look forward to Ninja Gaiden 4 later this year.

    TINA AMINI: Exactly, it’s such a good way to just kind of set it back up and scratch that nostalgia itch, and then remind the community about like the great prowess and —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It’s been a while since the last one —

    TINA AMINI: Yes, exactly. Yeah.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, just putting it back on people’s radars and what was great about the franchise, but the publishing team really excited about it. Everything we’re seeing, like we think the game’s shaping up really well. So.

    TINA AMINI: Yes, we have so much love for Ninja Gaiden internally. The producer on my team that took on that particular segment and flew to Japan and worked with the studio, used to back in the day work for IGN, 10 years ago was begging for the return of Ninja Gaiden, so very special for a lot of us internally at Xbox, to be kind of bringing this out into the world with those teams and get the community as excited as we are —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, it’s a great franchise.

    TINA AMINI: — really special. Yes, absolutely. Well, we also had third-party friends show up —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: You did?

    TINA AMINI: — with a new studio, Sandfall Interactive, this is their first game that they’re ever shipping together as a team, and it’s Expedition 33. It looks gorgeous.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: I’m excited to play this one. Like, and again, this is the bit where it’s not part of my job, but it was the, it was the game in the show that I’m like hey, I really like it. JRPG, plus unique setting, plus new IP. Yeah, I’m really excited to play. I think I’ve seen as much as anyone else has seen, but —

    TINA AMINI: The only one you can say that with.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Absolutely, but what I love about Developer Direct again, is it showcasing a new studio, a new IP, and I love that we can do that on the biggest stage and show that to the world. So.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, and that team is really wonderful. I got to spend time with them working on their segment together. Their love for JRPGs is just so apparent. They were so embedded in their segment it was like such a pleasure to work with them and help them tell their story.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Incredible.

    TINA AMINI: Yes, absolutely, they really have their own like unique positioning on it, and like really making it their own. It’s very fun to learn from the behind the scenes, like just how much they’re putting into this game, and we announced it’s coming out April 24, so —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yes, very soon.

    TINA AMINI: — another, yeah, another one to make for a busy year. And there was one other game in Developer Direct, of course, our big closer, our summer blockbuster if you will, for DOOM: The Dark Ages, announced for May 15. So very exciting to have that one close out the show.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, and again, super excited for the game, the team, and just it’s an amazing franchise, very storied franchise, DOOM. And again, I don’t want to speak for them, but like I think it’s going to be an amazing version of DOOM, very different, but yeah. Just —

    TINA AMINI: It feels that way to me too.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Super cool.

    TINA AMINI: Speaking of it being a storied franchise, they did such a good job, both Hugo and Marty just kind of drawing back on like the previous DOOMs, the role that you played, and then what that is compared to Dark Ages.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah.

    TINA AMINI: And that kind of like big mecca, like gob smacking chaos that you’re going to be finding yourself in. So, definitely that big summer blockbuster vibe for May 15 release date. We did also prevails announce that DOOM was going to be coming to other platforms. And since then we’ve had a bunch of other news about other games of ours coming to other platforms. Speaking of Bethesda, also Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yep, of course.

    TINA AMINI: And brief sidebar for Indiana Jones, that won, took home three awards from DICE actually.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, huge, congratulations.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, I had the pleasure of congratulating Todd in person, like the team was really excited. It was so great to see MachineGames on stage, taking home three awards. So they won Adventure Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Character, which of course went to Trip Baker for Indie himself, and Achievement in Story. All super well-deserved.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Well-deserved.

    TINA AMINI: I loved playing that game. I think I devoured it in two days, doing nothing else with my life, but I think it was well-spent hours I would say.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, me too, and again kind of got to play it pre-launch, but what they built was incredible and well-deserving of all the awards.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, absolutely. Very happy for that team.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, me too.

    TINA AMINI: But on that note, some of the games that are going to be coming to other platforms, they’re some of our like long-standing kind of flagship series if you will. So I’m just curious what you think the Xbox community should take away from the fact that we’ve made that decision to bring more games to more platforms.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, I think it’s good for gamers, I think it’s good for our studios. Our studios make amazing games, and we want to give those games the chance to reach the broadest audience possible. So, even if I think back to when I had my Studio Head of Sea of Thieves hat on, having to see if these reach their multiple platforms, being able to remove barriers so those players could play together. And then we announced Forza Horizon 5, which one of the biggest games on Xbox. I’m very biased, of course, because I know the team super well, but arguably I think probably one of the best racing games ever, ever, ever, ever made.

    TINA AMINI: I think a lot of people agree with you.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: I just think it’s good for gamers, it’s good to have our games reach more places.

    TINA AMINI: It’s some of that quality of life element for gamers, but also happy for our developers that get a chance to share their art with more people.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Everyone that makes a game wants it to reach as many players as possible. So.

    TINA AMINI: Exactly.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: I love that we can give that opportunity.

    TINA AMINI: Absolutely. Well, there’s one other highly anticipated game —

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yes!

    TINA AMINI: — that people would be very excited about, that we haven’t talked about yet, and that’s Fable.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yes.

    TINA AMINI: So where are we at with Fable?

    CRAIG DUNCAN: So, I just want to start with really excited, really excited about progress, really excited where Playground are. We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025, we are actually going to give Fable more time and it’s going to ship in 2026 now. While I know that’s not maybe the news people want to hear, what I want to assure people of is that it’s definitely worth the wait. And I just, I have unequivocal confidence in the Playground team. If you think about their history and legacy for Forza Horizon, the last two games critically acclaimed (inaudible) —

    TINA AMINI: Award-winning.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Award-winning, beautiful, played great. And just what they’re bringing to Fable as a franchise, just think of the visuals of what you expect of Playground Games, plus amazing game play, British humor, Playground’s version of Albion, so inspired by what’s gone before with the franchise, but their take. And quite frankly, the most beautifully realized version of Albion you’ve ever seen. So really excited about the plans and really excited about the future and I want the community to understand that we do these things for the best of the games, and the teams, and ultimately that results in the best games, or the best game for the community.

    TINA AMINI: And I think from your visit you actually managed to bring over some footage for us to see some of those beautiful visuals as well.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah. So, I think we’re going to show some of the, some of the footage, this isn’t a trailer or anything. We thought as we were going to talk about the game, it was important to show some of the things.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, we get to see some of these scenes, like kind of both just walking through environments where, and there will be some combat, some city walking scenes, just really seeing how the beautiful variety in environments that are in the game.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, and I’ve played some aspects of it that are in the city based, and again, I’m trying to be very careful that I don’t spoil anything. Ralph and the team won’t forgive me if I spoil something. But I played some of the city elements, I played some of the quests, I played some of the combat, I played a boss battle, I’ve used magic. Like it felt amazing, and I had a great time, and again, I remember the originals and the scene, I’ve played that in game play. I’m not going to spoil the backstory of what’s going on, but as you can see, genuinely beautiful. Plays great.

    TINA AMINI: Just seeing like the cinematics and then cutting to the actual like fight over here, it’s gorgeous. It can barely tell the difference, which is such a seamless transition.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah. It’s very real, everything you’re seeing here is very playable. I’ve seen a bunch more than that, I’m very excited. So take my word for it. But hopefully what the team can see here is enough to build excitement.

    TINA AMINI: I love the little details, it’s great to see how much emphasis is being put into all of that.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, and there’s no bigger fans of Fable as a franchise as the Playground team that are making it. So I think it’s a really fun balance between what are the game tenets that are true to Fable, and what’s some modern day reimagining of what is Playground Games’ version of Fable.

    TINA AMINI: Yeah, absolutely. The modern retelling of Fable. Very excited myself, I’ve been a massive Fable player since day one. So, I’m excited for 2026.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah.

    TINA AMINI: Alright, well that’s all the news that we have for this particular episode and for what’s coming up for the rest of the year. But before we send you back off to go hang out with other studios and see all of their games and tell me about all the things that you’re seeing there, I would just love to know like what are you playing, what are you looking forward to the rest of the year, maybe something non-Xbox Studios.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, it’s kind of tricky, because this job is full on, like as you would imagine. And so I spend a lot of time, so obviously I’m over in Redmond this week. I’ve got a Steam Deck that’s full of XGS games, so I spend a lot of our time playing our own games. We’ve got a bunch of stuff we haven’t announced, so obviously I spend a bunch of time with that. I think as we’ve talked about earlier, I think Expedition 33 I think is something I’m looking forward to playing. Was cool to see the Switch 2 announcement, so like always curious and excited about what Nintendo do, so I think that will be cool. But yeah, just like we have lots going on.

    TINA AMINI: We do.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: So I try and spend as much time as I can playing our own games. Yeah, so.

    TINA AMINI: We’ll call it research.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: Yeah, yeah.

    TINA AMINI: It’s fun research.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It is fun research.

    TINA AMINI: That’s me playing Avowed later.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: It’s the best part of the job.

    TINA AMINI: Continue my journey, yes, exactly. Well, thank you so much for coming by, I hope we have you again here at Xbox Studio, not to be confused with Xbox Game Studios.

    CRAIG DUNCAN: That is confusing.

    TINA AMINI: — many locations, we are but one location, here in Redmond as well. And yeah, we’re looking forward to seeing more the rest of the year, and I hope everyone else at home watching is similarly excited. And we’ll see you at the next show.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary Of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion Of Ukraine, Durbin Reiterates Bipartisan Congressional Support For Ukraine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 24, 2025
    Durbin: We should make sure Ukraine’s sovereignty and future are secure and not given away in appeasement to Putin—a move that could cost us dearly in the future
    WASHINGTON – On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor in support of Ukraine. During his speech, Durbin condemned President Trump’s appeasement to Russian President Vladimir Putin—where Trump announced key concessions to Putin regarding Ukraine, while apparently ignoring Ukraine’s key demands.  Durbin began his speech by reflecting on President Reagan’s powerful speech at the Berlin Wall where he told the Soviets to “tear down this wall.”
    “Ronald Reagan understood all too well what the Soviet regime was all about—it was a regime that had seized eastern Europe and condemned millions of individuals to live under a cruel and repressive communist dictatorship. My mother’s family originally came from Lithuania—once an independent country then a republic of the Soviet Union. Now an independent, democratic country again. That country meant a lot and still does to my family. I certainly recall the stories of my grandparents leaving the Russian domination and coming to America. Until recently, Americans across the political spectrum—including Republican presidents and members of Congress—also saw such Russian tyranny for what it was—until now,” said Durbin.
    “Today, we see President Trump doing the bidding of Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin,” Durbin continued. “That’s right—the President of the United States of America is using talking points that sound like they were whispered in his ear by the Kremlin—all while denigrating and bullying our true allies in the region.”
    Durbin detailed how President Trump has spewed outrageous comments when talking about Ukraine. He claimed, Ukraine started the war with Russia. He then attacked the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—who was democratically elected in a free and fair election. Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections.” Both comments are similar to lies said by Putin. 
    Durbin said, “But it gets worse, with Donald Trump having negotiated away in public key concessions to Russia to end the war including appeasement of Ukraine’s sovereign borders or possible future NATO membership. Trump, with one phone call, gave those away without even negotiating and certainly didn’t involve the Ukrainians who have lost 46,000 brave Ukrainians who have died because of Putin’s invasion. Today, in a stunning, shameful move, the United States voted with Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and a handful of dictatorships at the United Nations against a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine.”
    Former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said of this tragic and unbelievable state of affairs, that it sounded like there was a handout prepared by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov from which the Trump Administration is now reading. He warned if President Trump continues to back Russia, then, “threats to European security will grow immensely. Putin will get braver, meaning more war in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and beyond.”
    “President Trump’s affinity for autocrats like Putin and selling out or bullying our allies will not make America stronger or our world safer. Nor will his petulant and bumbling weekend gutting of our top military officers—a troubling act that raises serious questions about the politicization of our proud, professional fighting force in America. Let me be clear: We cannot let President Trump rewrite history or upend proven alliances with decades of bipartisan support… And ultimately, only the Ukrainian people can decide Ukraine’s future. Doing the bidding of foreign dictators and playing politics with our military only undermines America’s [safety],” Durbin said.
    Today, Durbin joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations over its future.
    Durbin also introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return.
    “When the war started, Republicans across the country opened their hearts and communities to desperately fleeing Ukrainians, even actively petitioning President Biden to protect them from deportation. So far, not a single Republican has cosponsored my bill [the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act]. But I urge them to join this simple act of American compassion. Standing up to dictators and speaking out for victims of war should never be a partisan issue,” Durbin said.
    Durbin concluded his speech by showing a photo of himself and the late Senator John McCain (R-AZ) on a bipartisan delegation CODEL to Ukraine in 2014. At the time, Russia had begun its attempts to seize Crimea and capture additional territory in the eastern part of the country.
    “We should show no less courage here, today on a bipartisan basis, in making sure Ukraine’s sovereignty and future are secure and not given away in appeasement to Putin—a move that could cost us all dearly in the future,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eco Atlantic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Speak at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Amid Orange Basin Expansion

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    PARIS, France, February 25, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Gil Holzman, President & CEO, Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas, will speak at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2025 in Paris this May as the company expands its presence in the Orange Basin, offshore South Africa.

    The Canada-headquartered Eco Atlantic has recently expanded its presence in Africa through strategic transactions and exploration initiatives. In June 2024, Eco Atlantic farmed into Block 1 in the Orange Basin, further strengthening its exploration portfolio in the region. The block has extensive 2D and 3D seismic data already completed, with no additional seismic acquisition or well drilling planned during the three-year carried period. During this time, Eco will focus on interpreting and analyzing the existing data to inform its planned Work Program, leveraging its in-house exploration team. The company also holds interests in Blocks 2B and 3B/4B in South Africa, along with four licenses in Namibia.

    IAE 2025 (http://apo-opa.co/3ETVwbj) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    Eco Atlantic’s approach centers on exploring low-carbon intensity oil and gas in stable emerging markets close to infrastructure, aiming to deliver material value for its stakeholders while contributing to the energy transition. The company prioritizes efficient exploration strategies that minimize environmental impact while maximizing resource potential.

    By focusing on proven basins with existing infrastructure, Eco Atlantic seeks to accelerate development timelines and enhance economic viability in its operating regions. The upcoming forum will highlight how oil and gas independents like Eco Atlantic are navigating Africa’s evolving energy landscape, driving investment and sustainable resource development.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: In Framingham Town Hall, Warren Lays Out Plan to Fight Back Against Trump Policies That Hurt Massachusetts Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    February 22, 2025
    “[U]ltimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on.”
    “[Billionaires like Elon Musk] believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it.” 
    “This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that.”
    Video of Remarks (YouTube)
    Boston, MA – At a town hall in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) shared her thoughts on President Trump and Elon Musk’s work to “bring down our government from the inside,” and laid out her plan to fight back against the Trump administration’s policies that hurt Massachusetts families. 
    February 22, 2025 As Delivered
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Hello Framingham! Hello Massachusetts! Oh, sit down, sit down. Damn, it is good to be here with you all. Not that it’s not fun to be in Washington. But thank you all for being here. 
    This is such an extraordinary moment. I know there’s a lot you could be out doing, but you’re in here because you care. And I’m so glad we have this chance to be together, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s a hard time out there. 
    It is a hard time when our federal government is firing the people who are trying to do cancer research. It is a hard time when our federal government, under co-presidents Elon Musk and Donald Trump, is laying off the people who keep our nuclear materials safe. It is a hard time when our co-presidents are firing veterans. It is a hard time when they are trying to bring down our government from the inside. It is a hard time when President Elon Musk is out there mowing through every federal database that has all your personal financial information, and in some cases, medical information, all of the ways that you can be identified. It is a hard time when that little consumer agency—can we hear it for the CFPB? Yeah. When the cop on the beat that has discovered more than 20 billion dollars of scams over the last dozen years shut them down and made the scammers give the money back to the people they cheated, and now co-president Musk wants to shut that down—not on my watch. You bet. Yeah. Yeah. Not here. And it is a hard time when co-president Trump thinks that he’s going to rule by bullying people, whether those people are immigrants, whether those people identify differently he does, whether or not those people are the governor of Maine. It’s not going to work. 
    Here’s the deal. Yes, it is a hard time. I acknowledge that, and we came together to talk about it. We don’t have all the tools we want. I get it. Boy, can I count to exactly 47 Democrats in the United States Senate and 53 Republicans. I can do that math. I understand that. But the fact that we don’t have as many tools as we want does not mean that we have no tools at all. We are in this fight. You bet. So, I want to do something today. I want to tell you, just as our topper, we’re going to ask some questions in a minute, but I want to tell you what I’m working on and what we’re all trying to do right now. 
    So part one: what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing in large parts of government is flatly illegal. It’s just illegal. It’s not like, “Well on the one hand, on the other.’ A big part of what they’re doing is illegal, and we are in the courts. We are in the courts, and we’re going to fight this out in the courts. That’s part one. 
    Part two: right in the United States Senate, we are the ones who are supposed to do advice and consent. Now, like I said, we’re in a 47-53. These nominees are horrible. It’s a term of art here. Right. They are terrible. We now have someone who’s going to be in charge of our Health and Human Services. Yep. Yep. Yep. Someone who’s in charge of the Department of Defense. The Director of National Intelligence. So, I see you’ve been reading, right? You’re staying up, you get who these people are. 
    The Republicans are going forward in the Senate with these people, Donald Trump has nominated them, going forward. Here’s the deal. We’re not giving it away for free. They can name horrible people, and maybe we don’t have the votes to stop them, but we are not giving it away for free. When RFK gets nominated—you bet—I tried to make clear with my questions: not only does he traffic in antiscience, traffic in antivaxx, but he’s making millions of dollars to do it, and that’s not right. When our Secretary of Defense is credibly accused of sexual assault, I managed to pry out the information: he paid $50,000 to hush that woman up. When he’s falling down drunk at work events and when he drove not one, but two nonprofits straight into the ground financially. We couldn’t stop him, but we didn’t give it away for free. 
    Here’s how I look at it, with all of these nominees. We’re putting a stink on them, and making sure the American people see it, and that every damn Republican who voted for him is going to feel a part of that stink now, and into the future. So, that’s part two. And part three is to try to raise a movement. To do it all across this country. Yep. If you’ve seen me on TV, if you’ve seen me on podcasts, if you’ve seen me out in the streets or sidewalks, you understand that’s what I’m trying to do and it’s what others are trying to do. Because ultimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on. 
    So, with that in mind, I know what we need. We’ve got people in this room. I don’t have to tell you not to give up. You don’t give up. You’re in this room because you were ready for this fight. So, I wanted to be here today to ask for three things. You know I always come with an ask. I mean everybody, anybody wants to meet me, “Oh, Elizabeth, what do you want now?” because that’s my job. So ask number one; tell the stories of what this means. Ask number one, that’s it. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if cancer research is halted. 
    Tell the stories about what it means if we’re going to shut down our national parks. 
    Tell the stories of what it’s going to mean if someone who has dedicated 22 years working in public service just gets laid off. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if you’re going to terrorize an immigrant community so that little business owners have to close their doors because people are afraid to be out on the sidewalks. 
    Tell the story about what it means when children are afraid to go to school. 
    Tell those stories. 
    And the reason for that is: we are at the moment of developing the national narrative for what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing. It is bad, and we need to tell that story, and I need you to tell it. So that’s part one, and by the way, when I say tell it, tell it everywhere. Tell it online, do it on your Facebook, do it on Insta, do it texting, but also the group you went to school with, your group that you work on, anybody, anywhere around the country. Go on these chats and tell the stories, because this is how, as a nation, we make the voice of people heard. So that’s part one. Part two: do not underestimate the value of organizing. Indivisible. God bless them. Some of you, we have some Indivisible members. And other organizations. I’m all in. One voice is powerful. Two voices is more than twice as powerful. Organizing and getting energy behind it—we keep each other going. So please, organize, get in a group that’s organized. Work with others, build your own, bring in your neighbors, but come. 
    And then, part three, you’ve got to take care. These are hard times, and remember how they say on the airplane, ‘Adjust your own mask before helping the person sitting next to you.’ You actually do have to take a deep breath. This is a time when Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to undermine our confidence and our ability to be with each other, to make our voices heard, to make this government work. And we have to take care of ourselves. 
    And that’s going to be a lot of different things for different people. I have my own. We can talk about that. But with your friends, with yourself, you got to take care, because we’re not in this just until tonight. We’re not in this just until the end of this month. We are in this for the long haul to save our country. 
    I know it’s hard right now. It’s hard to maintain focus. There’s so much going on. I sometimes think of this as feeling like you’re in a sandstorm, right, and it’s just buffeting, and things are coming from every direction. Understand that is intentional. They are doing this because they don’t want people to be able to get focused and respond. Why is that? Why all this noise? Why are they doing all these pieces at once? Because they want you to not see the driving force behind it. There is a driving force here, and the driving force is that billionaires like Elon Musk and a handful of the other cronies, they want giant tax cuts so that they can be even richer and so they can run this country. And they want regular folks, people who depend on a little help from the federal government, to be able to stay in a nursing home. People who need, a little kid down the street from you who has a severe disability and he needs an aide to be able to be in a public school. They believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it. You bet. Yup. I think of this as what we fight for. 
    This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that. This is truly what we think our government is for. Why we organize and get out there, why we vote, why we show up. The Republicans right now have completely caved in. It’s Elon Musk and whatever he wants to do, and Donald Trump wants to name himself King. That’s where they’re headed. 
    We are the people who actually believe that we can build an America that doesn’t just work for a handful at the top. We believe in an America where everybody gets a fighting chance, and what that ultimately means is that we make those investments so people can get them. We make the investment, damn it, in public education—can we hear it for our teachers? You bet. We make those investments in healthcare because healthcare is a basic human right. And we’re in the fight to make those investments in housing so everyone has an opportunity to buy a home and build some security. 
    I’m here because I’m an optimist. And yeah, this is, this is, this tests me. I get it. But I’m still an optimist. I’m an optimist because I truly see up close and personal what happens when we work together. I see the things we build, and I see the people right now here in Framingham, here in Massachusetts, who show up to say investing in our government is worth it. So we’re going to stay in this fight. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Demi Moore: the Oscar nominee with a career defined by defiance

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Caroline Ruddell, Reader in Film and Television, Brunel University of London

    Demi Moore won the Golden Globe for best actress in January for her performance in the horror sci-fi film, The Substance. In her acceptance speech, she shared that, 30 years ago, a producer told her she was a “popcorn actress”. The implication was that she was not the kind of “serious” actor who might win awards.

    Having now also received an Oscar nomination for the role, it seems her work is finally being taken seriously. During the 1980s and 1990s, Moore was a huge star and renowned for appearing in mainstream, big budget films – hence the “popcorn” label. If you go back to the films she is best known for, however, an interesting trend emerges.

    As a researcher of gender in film and television, I’ve long been interested in Moore’s work. That’s because, while it is perhaps most explicit in The Substance, the majority of her oeuvre interrogates womanhood and power.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.


    In The Substance, Moore plays the fading celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle with ferocity. But the plaudits for her performance don’t mean this is something new – that ferociousness has always been there in her onscreen roles.

    As femme fatale Meredith in Disclosure (1994), for example, she dominated every scene with an aggressive power that is rare to behold. Writing about Moore’s work in 2004, film researcher Linda Ruth Williams described that power as a “dangerous sexiness”.




    Read more:
    The Substance: Demi Moore is ferocious in gloriously gory satire on Hollywood’s female ageism


    Meredith is a woman from senior executive Tom’s (Michael Douglas) past. When she walks back into his life, she comes close to derailing it entirely through a concoction of manipulative and cunning behaviour, an impressive business sense, and outright pure and simple aggression.

    At one point, Tom even says he would in no way be a physical match for her due to the amount of time she spends exercising on a StairMaster machine. Though she doesn’t win out in the end, Meredith is by far the most powerful and compelling character in the film.

    Moore’s Golden Globe acceptance speech.

    Even in Moore’s more passive roles, such as Molly in Ghost (1990), she steals the show. A big part of that is her uncanny ability to make her eyes flit between intense dark fury and overwhelming grief.

    And I can’t ignore G.I. Jane (1997). In that film, Moore shaved herself a buzzcut on camera and yelled the unforgettable line “suck my dick” at Master Chief Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen) upending, or at least unsettling, social expectations of women in the military. Much of the power of Moore’s performance in this film is in the way she physically transformed for the role. Williams described the role as a work of “corporeal shapeshifting” due to the intense physical training Moore undertook for the part.

    In A Few Good Men (1992), her character, Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway, rivals all others with her fierce intellect and knowledge of the law. While Tom Cruise’s Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee wows in the courtroom, it is Galloway’s knowledge of the case and refusal to bow to patriarchal power (largely embodied by Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessep) that sees them through.

    Ageing in Hollywood

    In September 2024, I was interviewed for an article about older women in film and television by the journalist Christobel Hastings.

    In it, Hastings stated that “Hollywood has a long history of ignoring female actors”. Citing several research studies, she noted that women’s careers peak at age 30 in the industry, while men’s peak 15 years or more later.

    But she also made the case that there has been an increase in the diversity of roles available to older actresses both in film and television. Such movement for female actresses has long been championed by the Geena Davis Institute, a research organisation focusing on equitable representation in media, for over 20 years.

    If I were to sum up Moore’s career with one word, it would be defiance. And now, with The Substance, she has defied expectations once again by joining the (thankfully increasing) ranks of female actresses who are finding meaty roles as they head into middle or older age.

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

    – ref. Demi Moore: the Oscar nominee with a career defined by defiance – https://theconversation.com/demi-moore-the-oscar-nominee-with-a-career-defined-by-defiance-249765

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Five tips to find what really brings you joy outside of work

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alison Bishop, Lecturer in Positive Psychology Coaching, University of East London

    Not long ago I attended a concert. It was a band that I had been waiting a while to see and so I was excited to be there in the crowd. Part way through, they played my favourite song and I noticed that I felt something different.

    It felt like a pinnacle moment where the emotion of joy felt expansive and unstoppable. In that moment, I felt more alive with all my senses of my surroundings heightened and yet so much more connected to the core of who I know myself to be.

    I first set out to write about finding joy, as if joy was out there in the world waiting for us to find it. However, the story of the concert shows us that this is not the case.

    Not everyone likes the band that I saw and not everyone in the concert had the same experience as me. This tells us that joy is more personal, an inside job, rather than something to find outside ourselves.


    Ready to make a change? The Quarter Life Glow-up is a new, six-week newsletter course from The Conversation’s UK and Canada editions.

    Every week, we’ll bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.


    The psychologist Chris Meadows suggests that joy is a feeling that comes from viewing an event in our lives as being meaningful to us or good for us.

    Joy is not just a singular experience, there are different types of joy, according to Meadows. In his study of joy he writes about the muted experience of “serene joy”, which aims at restoring or maintaining equilibrium in the body. Then there is “excited joy”, which is linked to pursuing goals.

    “Individuated joy” is felt while alone while “affiliative joy” is shared with others. Meadow’s study into the phenomenon of joy suggests that social experiences of joy occur more often than solo ones and result in what we know as bonding experiences.

    “Anticipatory joy” occurs when the fulfilment of a goal is imminent and then “consummatory joy” happens when the goal has been achieved. There is also an element of feeling blessed or that what has been achieved has exceeded expectations.

    In addition to the thought processes that lead to joy, there are many other elements that need to be in place. Safe, familiar surroundings are key in enabling us to be present in the moment to support relaxed equilibrium. When we feel safe and relaxed, we are more able to laugh and play and explore new ideas.

    Playfulness that’s aimless but results in fairly predictable outcomes, allows us to switch off our inner critic and focus on the good feelings of being in the moment with joy. This brings a sense of ease in that whatever happens, requires very little effort on our part.

    Here are five tips on how to find what brings you joy in its many forms:

    1. Be present

    “Be in the moment” is easy to say but harder to do.

    Joy exists in the present, therefore, we need to be there to experience it. This might mean that sometimes we need to ditch the phone and not video something to post or watch later as doing that prevents us becoming immersed in the here and now. This is about making our own experience more important than the “likes” of others.

    2. Listen to your inner voice

    Next, turn up the volume on your inner voice.

    As joy is unique to each of us, we need to hear our own voice to find out what will bring us joy. To do this, it helps to create specificity around the goals that we aspire to in the future so that we are clear about what we want to achieve.

    I love the theme tune for The Pirates of the Caribbean and want to be able to play it on the piano. To make this goal specific, I need to decide what my success criteria is. It might be, I want to play to the end without stopping, or I want to get to the end without stopping and to play all of the notes on the sheet music without mistakes. Only I can know whether I would feel more joyful by achieving the second goal over the first.

    Being specific means we will clearly know when that goal fulfilment is either imminent or achieved. So, the more specific we are the better. The same goes for looking at the experiences that have brought us joy in the past. By reflecting on these experiences, we can learn things about ourselves that lead to us being able to create more joy.

    3. Don’t listen to your inner critic

    It helps to switch off your inner critic, or at least turn the volume on this down.

    It is not possible to be playful and feel safe and free, while we constantly are censoring ourselves. So, tell the inner critic that it is OK for you to be you.

    4. Find your tribe

    These are people who enjoy the same things as you. Being with other people who are like us enables us to feel freer to express ourselves in ways that are congruent with who we are.

    5. Tune into the little things

    Finally, pay attention to the little things, as they actually are the big things. Joy comes from the most unexpected places. By noticing when we feel joy we can create more of those experiences in our lives so that we can truly experience that joie de vivre (the joy of living).

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

    – ref. Five tips to find what really brings you joy outside of work – https://theconversation.com/five-tips-to-find-what-really-brings-you-joy-outside-of-work-238722

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Coface SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on February 21, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COFACE SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on February 21, 2025

    Paris, 25 February – 17.45

    Pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 on market abuse1

    The main features of the 2024-2025 Share Buyback Program have been published on the Company’s website (http://www.coface.com/Investors/Disclosure-requirements, under “Own share transactions”) and are also described in the 2023 Universal Registration Document.

    • Trading session of (Date): 21/02/2025
    • Number of shares: 10,000
    • Weighted average price: 16.0826 €
    • Gross amount: 160,826.70 €
    • MIC: XPAR
    • Purpose of buyback: LTIP 

    CONTACTS

    ANALYSTS / INVESTORS
    Thomas JACQUET: +33 1 49 02 12 58 – thomas.jacquet@coface.com
    Rina ANDRIAMIADANTSOA: +33 1 49 02 15 85 – rina.andriamiadantsoa@coface.com

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2025
    (subject to change)

    Q1-2025 results: 5 May 2025 (after market close)
    Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting: 14 May 2025
    H1-2025 results: 31 July 2025 (after market close)
    9M-2025 results: 3 November 2025 (after market close)

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    This press release, as well as COFACE SA’s integral regulatory information, can be found on the Group’s website: http://www.coface.com/Investors

    For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for H1-2024 and our 2023 Universal Registration Document (see part 3.7 “Key financial performance indicators”).

      Regulated documents posted by COFACE SA have been secured and authenticated with the blockchain technology by Wiztrust.
    You can check the authenticity on the website www.wiztrust.com.
     

    COFACE: FOR TRADE
    As a global leading player in trade credit risk management for more than 75 years, Coface helps companies grow and navigate in an uncertain and volatile environment.
    Whatever their size, location or sector, Coface provides 100,000 clients across some 200 markets. with a full range of solutions: Trade Credit Insurance, Business Information, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Surety Bonds, Factoring.
    Every day, Coface leverages its unique expertise and cutting-edge technology to make trade happen, in both domestic and export markets.
    In 2024, Coface employed ~5,236 people and registered a turnover of €1.84 billion.

    www.coface.com

    COFACE SA is listed in Compartment A of Euronext Paris
    ISIN: FR0010667147 / Ticker: COFA


    1 Also in pursuant to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (and updates); Article L.225-209 and seq. of the French Commercial Code; Article L.221-3, Article L.241-1 and seq. of the General Regulation of the French Market Authority (AMF); AMF Recommendation DOC-2017-04 Guide for issuers on their own shares transactions and for stabilization measures.

    Attachment

    • 2025 02 25 – Declaration – Own shares transaction

    The MIL Network –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Everything revealed at latest ID@Xbox Showcase

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Everything revealed at latest ID@Xbox Showcase

    IGN kicked off its annual Fan Fest event today with an exciting new ID@Xbox Showcase, bringing world premieres, Game Pass announcements, release dates, new gameplay and much more from the incredible slate of indie developers working on games for Xbox platforms right now.

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    From action-roguelikes, to card games, to cozy adventures, to game genres that don’t even have a name yet, this Showcase revealed how wild and wonderful the indie space can be – it’s a celebration of what’s next for gaming.

    Read on for every single bit of news you might have missed.

    33 Immortals – Launching March 18

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    We first saw 33 Immortals during 2023’s Xbox Game Showcase, and this long-awaited co-op action roguelike will arrive on March 18. Pitting up to 33 players against hordes of monsters and gigantic bosses, 33 Immortals captures the joy of MMO raids in a more ‘pick up and play’ context. The release date trailer showed us some of its dark cartoon looks, frenetic gameplay, and huge party sizes.

    Balatro – Out Today on Game Pass!

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    This award-winning roguelike poker sensation gets a surprise Game Pass release today, but that was far from the only announcement we got. Balatro is also headed to Windows PC, and we got the fourth Friends of Jimbo collaboration update, bringing themed cards based on (deep breath) Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Civilization VII, Rust, Slay the Princess, Bugsnax, Dead By Daylight, and YouTube channel Critical Role.

    Blue Prince – Launching With Game Pass on April 10

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    A truly unique experience, Blue Prince combines exploration, puzzles, mapmaking, and card game systems to create a game we’ve truly never seen before. Solve the mysteries of Mount Holly manor by literally piecing its rooms together, and solving mysteries hidden throughout the house you build as a result. Discover its secrets when the game launches on April 10, coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and launching day one with Game Pass.

    Buckshot Roulette – Coming to Xbox and Game Pass

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    This haunting experience makes “gambling with your life” a very literal concept, and has already captivated and horrified PC players. Transforming the (already unpleasant) game of Russian Roulette by introducing a shotgun and some dastardly extra rules, this is a true tabletop strategy game with a grim twist. In today’s show, we learned that Buckshot Roulette is on its way to Xbox and Game Pass – prepare yourself.

    Descenders Next – Launching April 9

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    This sequel to the downhill biking Game Pass sensation, Descenders Next broadens its scope to include multiple ways to go really, really fast down a mountain. Promising to be the ultimate extreme sports game, tackle multiple biomes on snowboards and mountainboards when it arrives on April 9 with Game Pass.

    Echo Weaver – Coming to Xbox and Game Pass

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    This beautifully rendered “Metroidbrainia” draws from classic adventure platformers and the likes of Outer Wilds to create a time looping world where knowledge is your greatest weapon. The trailer offered clues as to how, across multiple loops, you’ll piece together the story and shape of a collapsed utopia and escape the temporal prison you’re trapped within. Echo Weaver is coming to Xbox, with Game Pass.

    Herdling – Coming to Xbox and Windows PC

    [embedded content]

    Developer Okomotive created two of the most exciting, mechanic-packed adventures of recent years in the form of Far: Lone Sails and Far: Changing Tides, so you can count us very excited for their first fully 3D outing, Herdling. In a new trailer, we saw much more of how you’ll guide a herd of curious cattle across a ruined world (and the dangers you’ll face along the way) – and learned that it’ll be coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC when it launches this summer.

    Hotel Barcelona – Launching 2025

    [embedded content]

    This long awaited collaboration between legendary designers Suda51 and Swery is almost upon us. This 2.5D action-platformer pits you against the horror-inspired denizens of the titular hotel, and the new trailer dives deeper into the Slasher Phantom, a brutal game mechanic that summons echoes of the player’s past runs to aid them in battle. We also saw some of the game’s arsenal of deadly weapons and abilities, each designed to turn the tide of battle in the most gruesome ways possible.

    Jump Ship – Coming to Xbox Game Preview

    Developed by Hazelight (It Takes Two) and Mojang (Minecraft) alumni, this 1-4 player FPS puts you in charge of a spaceship and asks you to take on on-foot combat sections, seamlessly transitioning between the two. The new trailer gives us a taste of how you’ll have to work together to survive, not to mention its tongue-in-cheek approach to bombastic action – plus we learned that it’ll be available in early access through  Xbox Game Preview this summer.

    Lies of P: Overture – New Story Trailer

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    We got a closer look at the newly announced DLC for acclaimed Soulslike, Lies of P. The Overture expansion will see Geppetto’s Puppet encounter a mysterious artifact that transports him back in time to the world of Krat in its final days of grandeur. The trailer gives us a melancholy look at Lea, the Legendary Stalker, on her relentless path of vengeance.

    The Lonesome Guild – World Premiere

    [embedded content]

    We got a world-first look at the new game from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant), a whimsical action-RPG full of heart, battles, and bonds that change everything. Embark on a heroic adventure as Ghost, a spirit who wakes to find they hold no memories. Build your dream team, switch seamlessly between them to solve puzzles and fight your way through the collapsing world of Etere. The Lonesome Guild arrives for Xbox Series X|S this fall.

    Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault – Coming to Game Pass

    [embedded content]

    The sequel to the beloved action-RPG that answers the question, “where do RPG merchants get their stock”, Moonlighter 2 takes on a brand new full-3D, isometric look – offering new challenges and rewards as a result. The new trailer shows both your new hometown and shop, and the adventures in store as you adventure to keep your stock flowing. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Game Pass in 2025.

    Outbound – Coming to Xbox in 2026

    This gorgeous open-world exploration game sets you off with an empty camper van and sees you turn it into the home of your dreams – alone or together with your friends. Build and explore at your own pace. Scavenge materials, craft, and build in and on top of your vehicle with modular parts. Advance in technology and efficiently use energy to power your home, while adjusting your playstyle to adapt to new landscapes and changing environmental conditions. Outbound is coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2026.

    Ratatan – Coming to Xbox

    [embedded content]

    A new game from the creators of the beloved Patapon, Ratatan is a rhythm strategy roguelike that sees you taking increasingly huge groups of minions through a world in which you need to literally conduct your attacks – hit the rhythm and you’ll stay alive. Mix in up to four-player co-op, and you can have over 100 characters onscreen in a single fight. Ratatan comes to Xbox this year.

    Revenge of the Savage Planet – Coming to Game Pass on May 8

    [embedded content]

    We got a new look at this co-op exploration adventure by way of an in-universe commercial for the Kindred Catalog – Revenge of the Savage Planet features dozens of fresh and funny upgrades such as the goo cannon, which allows players to create slippery, sticky or flammable surfaces in the world! Or a whip to keep creatures from eating your face! Or a grapple to swing from point to point! Or a lasso to capture creatures and send them back to your Habitat for research. So many tools, so many options, so many ways to play. We don’t have long to wait to try all of this out – Revenge of the Savage Planet arrives for Xbox on May 8, and will be available day one with Game Pass.

    Rockbeasts – World Premiere

    [embedded content]

    We got another world-first look at Rockbeasts, a “rock and roll band manager” game in which you playthe manager of a legendary ‘90s band (who just happen to be animals). Lead a band of misfits on a roller-coaster ride to stardom in the age of MTV, rock anthems, and bad haircuts. Rockbeasts is a story-driven, role-playing management game that puts you in the shoes of a manager of an up-and-coming rock band. Your job – take them to the top. It arrives for Xbox Series X|S this year.

    Tanuki: Pon’s Summer – Coming to Game Pass

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    We got another look at this adorable courier life sim after its debut at Tokyo Game Show. The new trailer showed us how we’ll be performing stunt-filled delivery missions alongside relaxing in its bucolic town – from baseball, to sumo practice, to drumming. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer arrives in late 2025, and it’s coming to Game Pass.

    Tempopo – Coming to Game Pass on April 17

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    The newest title from the award-winning team behind Unpacking, Tempopo is a puzzle adventure bursting with music. Playing as Hana, you enter a fantasy world in which you need to conduct the titular Tempopo creatures to solve puzzles scattered across the world’s sky islands – before heading back home and cultivating her garden. The new trailer showed off new gameplay, and revealed that the game will come to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on April 17, and will launch into Game Pass day one.

    Tron: Catalyst – Launching June 17

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    From Disney, publisher BigFan, and the development team at Bithell Games, the new trailer for Tron: Catalyst gave us a closer look at our game’s protagonist, Exo, who is fighting for her survival in the arena. An explosive event has gifted Exo the ability to perceive the glitch tearing apart her home, the Arq Grid, and given her the unique ability to loop time itself. This thrilling isometric action our game offers combat, conversation, and Light Cycle exploration in the city of Vertical Slice. Tron: Catalyst comes to Xbox Series X|S on June 17.

    Ultimate Sheep Racoon – Coming to Game Pass

    This chaotic side-scrolling, bike riding party game got a new trailer announcing that it’ll come to Game Pass upon release – and then we saw the IGN team playing the game’s 8-player mode. They showed off a variety of different blocks that can hinder your movement or launch you ahead of the competition, two different levels with varying difficulty, and showed how the different power-ups can really make a difference in the race.

    Wax Heads – Launching Summer 2026

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    We got a new look at this slice-of-life narrative game set around running a struggling record store. Showing off its gorgeous hand-drawn looks, the trailer shows more of how you’ll chat to quirky customers with unique tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection, fall in love with bands (and their drama!), or just slack off with your colleagues  – whatever gets everyone’s groove back! Wax Heads will come to Xbox Series X|S in summer 2026.

    Woodo – Coming to Xbox

    [embedded content]

    This cozy, story-driven game showed off more of its beautiful art style and pieced-together 3D puzzles. The trailer revealed how you’ll build the story by literally building the world, pulling 3D objects from your menus to fill a scene, revealing more of the tale of main characters Foxy and Ben as you go. Woodo is on its way to Xbox Series X|S.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    February 26, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Invasive Species Science at WARC

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Cuban treefrogs are native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, but are an invasive species in the U.S. They outcompete native frogs for food and habitat and can be a nuisance to homeowners as they clog plumbing and cause power outages when they seek shelter in utility boxes. WARC researchers use frog calls – or vocalizations made primarily by males interested in attracting a mate – to identify and track invasive frog species in the southeastern U.S. WARC researchers also perform visual encounter surveys and passively capture Cuban treefrogs to remove as many of the invasive anurans as possible.

    What is an invasive species?

    A species is considered invasive if it is introduced outside of its native range and causes harm to ecosystems, the economy, and/or human health.  

    Nonnative, or nonindigenous, species are those organisms that have been introduced outside of their native range but are not yet known to cause harm. This means that while an invasive species is also non-native, not all non-native species are considered invasive.

    Why are they an issue?

    More than 6,500 of these harmful, non-native species cause more than 100 billion dollars in damage each year to the U.S. economy. Invasive species can severely impact native species and ecosystems. They often outcompete and prey upon native species, which can ultimately reduce biodiversity and alter an ecosystem’s food web. Aquatic invasive plant species, like hydrilla, can rapidly overtake a water body, blocking sunlight from reaching the plants and animals below and preventing navigation due to clogged waterways. Other aquatic invasive species, like the zebra mussel, damage infrastructure associated with power plants and other water systems, which results in increased maintenance costs.

    What is WARC doing to address invasive species in the U.S.?

    The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area’s Biological Threats and Invasive Species Program provides the research, management tools, and decision support needed to meet the science needs of resource managers to reduce or eliminate the threat of invasive species and wildlife disease. At WARC, we work closely with our local, state, Tribal, and federal partners to provide the science they need to address the critical invasive species issues facing the southeastern U.S. Our center leads research and monitoring programs and implements innovative technologies to help control or eradicate invasive species.

    Monitoring the Introduction and Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

    The USGS WARC houses the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, which tracks the distribution of introduced aquatic organisms across the United States. The publicly accessible information repository monitors, records, and analyzes reported sightings for more than 1,300 plant and animal species such as lionfish, zebra mussels, and hydrilla. The database contains observations from as early as 1800, derived from many sources, including scientific literature; federal, state, and local natural resource monitoring programs; museum collections; news agencies; and direct submission through online reporting forms from citizen scientists. Subscribers to NAS alerts emails can be informed when a new non-native species has been reported in their area as part of a national early detection and rapid response (EDRR) system. The NAS program also uses the data to help forecast where these species may go next. One such tool developed by members of the NAS team, along with WARC’s Advanced Application Team, is the NAS Flood and Storm Tracker (FaST) maps, which help natural resource managers track and manage the potential spread of non-native aquatic species into new water bodies due to storm-related flooding. The FaST maps are easily accessible, informative, and provide the most up-to-date information to resource managers about potential new invasions, acting as an additional tool for EDRR systems.

    Hurricane Isaias (2020) Flood and Storm Tracker (FaST) Map for Zebra MusselsFlooding related to hurricanes and tropical storms can help spread non-native aquatic plants and animals, like zebra mussels, into new waterbodies. Once established, they have the potential to cause infrastructural damage (e.g., block pipes) and upset aquatic food webs by preying on native species. The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) program, which houses records for non-native aquatic species across the nation, creates Flood and Storm Tracker (FaST) maps which help managers track and manage the potential spread of non-native aquatic species into new water bodies via storm-related flooding.For more information, please visit: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/viewer/Flooding/

    CSI: Python-Style

    How do you detect a cryptic species? A droplet digital PCR platform can detect even a single piece of genetic material, if present in an environmental sample. This information can be used to accurately estimate the likelihood that the species of interest is present in the environment.

    True crime shows/movies/podcasts often tell the story of a criminal who thought they got away with it, only to be brought down by a forensic investigator who discovered a small piece of genetic material at the crime scene belonging to said criminal. Just like a crime scene, ecosystems often require researchers to zoom in to the microscopic, hard-to-spot clues to better understand the full picture. Like humans, wildlife shed genetic material, in the form of excrement, hair, saliva, mucus, skin cells, etc., as they move. The organism’s genetic material is shed into the surrounding environment (i.e., soil, water, snow, air) and referred to as environmental DNA (eDNA). At WARC, researchers are using eDNA techniques to help detect hard-to-find invasive species, like the Burmese python. The cryptic constrictor camouflages into the surrounding Everglades ecosystem, which has made it difficult to find and eradicate. By testing environmental samples, WARC scientists can identify python eDNA in an area whether or not a snake has actually been observed. With improved detection capabilities comes the increased capacity to effectively delineate range limits and better assess the status, distribution, and habitat requirements for pythons and other secretive or rare invasive species.

    This close-up is of the radio-transmitter on a 16 1/2-foot python. The snake, being removed from the wild by USGS and NPS personnel, was re-captured in a thicket in Everglades National Park in April 2012. After its first capture, the snake was equipped with a radio-transmitter and an accelerometer as part of one of the Burmese python projects led by USGS to learn more about the biology of the species to help in efforts to develop better control methods.

    EDRR – Early Detection and Rapid Response

    The first confirmed lionfish sighting was reported in 1985 off the coast of Dania Beach, Florida. Though native to the Indo-Pacific region, a single lionfish didn’t raise many alarms. But then another lionfish was reported in 1990. And then another one in 1992. And then a few more in 1995. By the early 2000s, lionfish had taken over coastal waters in the southeastern U.S. Lionfish have invaded Atlantic coastal waters from New York to the Florida Keys, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf with unprecedented speed and now serve as a case study demonstrating why early detection and rapid response efforts (also known as EDRR) are critical. A single non-native fish might not immediately pose a problem, but if it isn’t removed, it could reproduce and quickly take over the new habitat. Once a population has established and begins reproducing, it is difficult to manage or eradicate. 

    Since 2013, WARC has led a non-native freshwater fish scavenger hunt in Florida. The two-day Fish Slam event helps USGS and partners monitor new non-native fishes and track the possible spread of known non-natives. Many of these species, such as the Asian swamp eel and the sailfin catfish, are outcompeting native species and disrupting the aquatic food webs. By monitoring the introduction and expansion of non-native fishes, USGS WARC is able to provide communities and land managers with critical information to help inform and guide management strategies. This includes removing the fish whenever possible, to help prevent potential future invasions.

    Using hook and line, electroshock boats and backpacks, seines, traps, and other fishing techniques, USGS and partners capture non-native fishes. from Florida canals, ponds, and even ditches. The data collected during the event is entered into the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database, a publicly accessible resource that monitors the introduction and expansion of non-native aquatic plant and animal species. The database also uses this information to project potential future spread of species into new areas during hurricanes and flooding events. USGS’s Fish Slam has provided a unique opportunity for federal, state, local, Tribal, and academic partners to coordinate sampling, data collection, and information sharing while providing up-to-date geographic distribution information via publicly accessible resources. Florida spends millions of dollars each year to combat invasive species and the data collected by Fish Slam informs managers and communities what species are present in their area and helps them develop control/removal plans and allocate resources appropriately.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 26, 2025
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