Category: Trade
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Opposing Austerity – More than 10,000 workers fight back against government cuts
Source: PSA
More than 10,000 workers, including PSA members, gathered across the motu to fight back together against government cuts to public, health and community services and attacks on Te Tiriti.PSA members stood shoulder to shoulder with workers from other unions at hui in Whangārei, Auckland, Manukau, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.The New Zealand Council of Trade unions led organisation of the Fight Back Together hui with the support of many its affiliated unions.Speaking before a 4,500 strong crowd at Parliament Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said that workers demand, “better investment in public and social infrastructure, public services, health and education” so New Zealanders’ standard of living improves.“That’s what this is all about. It’s about a decent quality of life for all of us. It’s about an education system where every child reaches their potential,” she said.“It’s about a health system where we … and our families get the health care we need.“It’s about an Aotearoa New Zealand that upholds the provision of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.“It’s about an Aotearoa New Zealand that values public servants and the public services they deliver for all of us.”More than 6000 public servants, many PSA members, have lost their jobs under the government’s cuts. Fitzsimons said public servants including those in public health, public science and those protecting our borders have been impacted by the cuts.Fitzsimons described the cuts as “shameful”.“[Public servants] know their work is important and it now won’t get done.”PSA National Secretary Duane Leo said the 3500-strong crowd at Auckland’s Aotea Square was vibrant and colourful.‘People were happy to be there speaking up. It’s about time we started to do this,” he said.“We need to change course and value and invest in our public services; for our future, for all Kiwis, and abandon this backward road to nowhere.” -
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Kennedy Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):Question: The Exit and Entry Administration of the country announced on July 1 this year the issuance of Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens) (non-Chinese Permits) to non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents who make an application starting from the 10th of that month. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:(1) given that since September 1, 2018, relevant Mainland authorities have further facilitated the use of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (commonly known as Home Return Permit) by Hong Kong and Macao residents for easy application of the Home Return Permit in areas such as transport, finance, communications, education, healthcare, social security, industry and commerce, taxation and accommodation, and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare said in July this year that the measures relating to the non-Chinese Permit would be conducive to the talent exchange between the Mainland and Hong Kong and further facilitate Hong Kong’s better integration into the overall development of the country and its contribution to the country’s high-quality development, but it is learnt that currently holders of non-Chinese Permits are still unable to enjoy any convenience on the Mainland, including their inability to directly open bank accounts, apply for telephone cards and purchase railway tickets, whether the authorities will seek to secure the wider and more convenient use of the non-Chinese Permit on the Mainland, so that holders of the permit can enjoy the same convenience afforded to holders of the Home Return Permit; if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that;(2) of the total number of persons who have applied for non-Chinese Permits so far, their main nationalities and the situation of their use of the permit; and(3) of the channels used by the Government to promote the non-Chinese Permit, so as to ensure that non-Chinese residents in Hong Kong who are eligible can receive the relevant information in a timely manner, and whether assistance is provided for holders of non-Chinese Permits at the relevant control points?Reply:President, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) warmly welcomes and expresses gratitude to the country for issuing non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents a card???type document with five-year validity (Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese Citizens)) with effect from July 2024. The new measure represents a major policy breakthrough under “one country, two systems” implemented by the Mainland authorities with innovative thinking and fully highlights the unique status of the HKSAR. Before the introduction of the new measure, foreigners (including non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents) could only go through the manual channels at control points of the Mainland with their foreign passports and fill in an arrival card each time. Even though persons of certain nationalities can enjoy visa-free access to the Mainland, they still have to use the manual channels for clearance using their passports at Mainland control points. After the introduction of the new measure, individuals holding the card-type document are able to enjoy self-service clearance at control points of the Mainland, and they are no longer required to fill in any arrival card. It has significantly enhanced clearance efficiency and facilitated access to the Mainland for business, travelling and visiting relatives by non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents. In consultation with the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Information Services Department (ISD) and the Home Affairs Department (HAD), my reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:(1) The issuance of new card-type document to non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents has significantly enhanced clearance convenience. We understand that various sectors of the community expect wider use of the new document on the Mainland. The HKSAR Government has been in close communication with relevant Mainland authorities and will continue to do so in enhancing the level of convenience of Hong Kong residents living on the Mainland, with a view to promoting better integration of the HKSAR into the overall development of the country.(2) The application, approval, and issuance of the new card-type document fall within the remit of the Mainland authorities. According to the figures provided by the Exit and Entry Administration of the country (EEA), from July to mid-October 2024, a total of about 55 000 non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents had made appointments for application, and about 20 000 new card-type documents were issued by the EEA. The number of visitor arrivals/departures made using the card-type document amounted to a total of 53 000. Applicants mainly included nationals from European, North American, Southeast and South Asian countries. Based on the HKSAR Government’s understanding, the first batch of people who obtained and used the card-type document for travelling to the Mainland (including those from the business and school sectors) greatly welcomed the new measure. They also considered that the measure could substantially shorten the clearance time and fully satisfy their needs for visiting the Mainland for business, academic and cultural exchanges, and travelling purposes. Some of them also said that the measure had given them a stronger sense of identity and facilitated their greater participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA).(3) The Security Bureau has been actively promoting the new measure together with relevant bureaux and departments, including the CEDB, InvestHK, the ISD, the HAD, as well as Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices overseas and on the Mainland, etc. Apart from promoting through various channels, including mass media and social media, we have been particularly promoting this measure to foreign chambers of commerce in Hong Kong, encouraging international talents of Hong Kong companies who are permanent residents to make use of the card-type document to better seize the opportunities of the country’s rapid development, especially in the building of the GBA. In addition, we have especially introduced the measure to ethnic minorities through the eight support service centres for ethnic minorities funded by the HAD and promoted the measure to ethnic minority groups, community groups and schools, etc. through relevant District Offices in districts where more ethnic minorities live. We have also been maintaining close communication with the Mainland authorities to ensure the smooth implementation of first-time registration for the use of this permit and clearance arrangement at Mainland control points, including the provision of more directional signs in English and additional manpower to assist card holders when necessary.
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Workers demonstrate strength of union power
Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is celebrating a strong turnout of workers across the country who stood together in opposition to the Government’s anti-worker agenda, with more than 10,000 working people attending hui from Whangārei to Invercargill.
“Today workers from a wide range of sectors and industries came together and demonstrated the strength of union power. Workers told the Government that they are sick and tired of the total disregard for their livelihoods,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“It is galling to hear Brooke van Velden try and claim today the coalition is great for working people, when she is overseeing a series of policies that erode hard fought for worker’s rights, and refuses to even meet with unions.
“Actions speak louder than words. That’s why we know that this coalition government is in the pockets of the rich and corporate interests and doesn’t care about working people.
“We are proud of our movement for uniting together and sending this Government a strong message that will not back down and let them get away with their anti-worker and anti-Te Tiriti agenda.
“When unions and working people unite and use our collective strength, we bring people together and transform society for the better. We have a proud history of creating change, even in the toughest circumstances.
“We will continue to fight for good work, livable incomes, well-funded public services, health and safety at work, and the rights of kaimahi Māori,” said Wagstaff. -
MIL-OSI: Unifiedpost Group announces changes in Leadership team and Board composition
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
INSIDE INFORMATION
La Hulpe, Belgium – 23 October 2024, 7:00 am. CET – INSIDE INFORMATION – Unifiedpost Group SA (Euronext Brussels: UPG) (Unifiedpost, Company), a leading provider of integrated business communications solutions, announces the appointment of Nicolas de Beco as its CEO, effective December 1, 2024. Founder and current CEO Hans Leybaert will transition to Executive Chairman. Additionally, the Board has co-opted two new members: Crescemus BV, represented by Pieter Bourgeois, and PDMT Investments LLC, represented by Peter Mulroy. The Board further plans to nominate potential Board members at the next Ordinary General Shareholder Meeting. These changes align with our commitment to enhance governance and strengthen the position of Unifiedpost.
Summary of appointments:
- Nicolas de Beco has been appointed as the new CEO of Unifiedpost, effective December 1, 2024. Nicolas succeeds Hans Leybaert, who will transition to Executive Chairman of the Board.
- Crescemus BV, represented by Pieter Bourgeois, has been co-opted as a non-executive director, replacing AS Partner BV, represented by Stefan Yee, who stepped down on October 1, 2024. Crescemus will represent Alychlo NV in the Board. The mandate will take effect as from October 23, 2024.
- PDMT Investments LLC, represented by Peter Mulroy, has been co-opted as independent director, replacing Sopharth BV, represented by Philippe De Backer, who stepped down on October 1, 2024. The mandate will take effect as from October 23, 2024.
- The Board plans to nominate four potential Board members at the next Ordinary Shareholder Meeting in May 2025.
Appointment of Nicolas de Beco as CEO; Hans Leybaert becomes executive chairman.
Unifiedpost is pleased to announce Nicolas de Beco as its new CEO, effective December 1, 2024. Nicolas will succeed Hans Leybaert, who will transition into the role of Executive Chairman. Nicolas brings extensive experience in scaling SaaS businesses and driving operational excellence, both of which are essential to Unifiedpost’s current strategic priorities, as the company continues to execute on its organic growth plans and capitalise on opportunities arising from regulatory reforms across Europe. Hans Leybaert will remain on board to guide the strategy implementation of the company.
Hans Leybaert stated, “We welcome Nicolas as our new CEO, and I am excited to transition into the role of Executive Chairman. Nicolas brings a wealth of experience to Unifiedpost, having served as Senior Vice President of Strategy at Quadient and President of the French Foreign Trade Advisors in New England. His proven ability to understand and address customer needs aligns with our commitment to customer-centric innovation. I am confident that this transition will keep Unifiedpost on track to becoming the leading digital platform for administrative, financial, payment, and communication processes. Nicolas will bring fresh ideas that will accelerate our growth.”
Nicolas de Beco stated: “I’m excited to join Unifiedpost, Europe’s leading SaaS provider for Financial Automation. With the support of 1.000+ dedicated employees and a strong base of 1,3 million customers, I look forward to leading the team towards sustained, profitable growth and shareholder returns.”
Co-optation of new Board members
Following the announcement on July 8, 2024, Stefan Yee, representing AS Partners BV, has decided to voluntarily step down as chairman and member of the Board after nearly 10 years of service since 2014, effective October 1, 2024. Additionally, Philippe De Backer, representing Sopharth BV, has also stepped down from the Board effective October 1, 2024, due to a new professional commitment that prevents his continued service on the Unifiedpost Board.
Following this, the Board of Directors has decided to co-opt Pieter Bourgeois, representing Crescemus BV, and Peter Mulroy, representing PDMT Investments LLC, as directors effective October 23, 2024. Pieter Bourgeois, who will replace Stefan Yee, is the CEO of Alychlo NV and will represent Alychlo on the Board. Peter Mulroy, replacing Philippe De Backer, will serve as an independent director and brings over 40 years of experience in global trade, receivables, and supply chain finance. The Board will seek ratification of these appointments from the Ordinary General Shareholder Meeting in May 2025. These changes reflect Unifiedpost’s commitment to maintaining a diverse and experienced Board, ensuring strong corporate governance. The newly appointed members’ extensive international experience aligns with Unifiedpost’s ambitions to accelerate the growth of digital services and enhance value for our shareholders and customers.
Commenting on the announcement, Hans Leybaert stated, “First and foremost, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Stefan Yee and Philippe De Backer for their significant contributions to Unifiedpost during their tenure on our Board. Their insights and dedication have been invaluable to our growth. As we welcome Pieter Bourgeois and Peter Mulroy as new members, I am confident that their expertise will further enhance our governance. Pieter, representing Alychlo, underscores our commitment to a strong Board, while Peter’s extensive background in global trade and finance will be instrumental as we continue to advance our strategic objectives. We look forward to the fresh perspectives our new Board members will bring while building upon the strong foundation laid by their predecessors”.
Pieter Bourgeois, CEO of Alychlo, added, “As long-term investors, we have always believed in the company’s potential and the value it can unlock for all shareholders. We appreciate the collaborative approach taken by Unifiedpost’s leadership to implement these governance changes, which we believe are a testament to Unifiedpost’s commitment to adopt best practices and strengthen oversight. I am honoured to join the board and look forward to working collaboratively with my fellow directors and management to drive sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation for all stakeholders.”
Planned nominations by the Board.
To further expand the experience of the Board and give it a more international character, the Board shall propose to nominate four additional directors at the next Ordinary General Shareholder Meeting, scheduled for May 20, 2025:
- Nathalie Van den Haute, representing Quilaudem BV, shall be proposed to be nominated as a non-executive director. Nathalie is an Investment Principal at Alychlo NV and will represent Alychlo on the Board. She has extensive experience in corporate finance and equity capital markets, having held various leadership positions at KBC Securities.
- Koen Hoffman, representing Ahok BV, shall be proposed to be nominated as an independent director. Koen is the CEO of Value Square and serves on the boards of Greenyard, Fagron, and MDxHealth in independent capacities.
- Leanne Kemp shall be proposed to be nominated as an independent director. Leanne is the founder and CEO of Everledger. A prominent figure in the technology sector, she co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Manufacturing and participates in the Global Future Council on Blockchain. Additionally, Leanne leads workstreams at the Global Blockchain Business Council, co-chairs the Sustainable Trade Action Group for the World Trade Board and serves on the IBM Blockchain Platform Board of Advisors.
- Nicolas de Beco, representing Beco Global Consulting LLC, shall be proposed to be nominated as executive director.
The Board shall propose to nominate them for a four-year term, effective from the next Ordinary General Shareholder Meeting. Additionally, the Board shall propose that the shareholders align the terms of the mandates for Crescemus BV and PDMT Investments LLC with this four-year term.
With these changes to its governance structure, Unifiedpost highlights the international experience of its Board. This reinforces the company’s ambition to become a leading Pan-European player in its market segment.
Please visit Unifiedpost’s website for more information about the Board of Directors.
Contact:
Alex Nicoll
Investor Relations
Unifiedpost Group
alex.nicoll@unifiedpost.comAbout Unifiedpost Group
Unifiedpost is a leading cloud-based platform for SME business services built on “Documents,” “Identity” and “Payments”. Unifiedpost operates and develops a 100% cloud-based platform for administrative and financial services that allows real-time and seamless connections between Unifiedpost’s customers, their suppliers, their customers, and other parties along the financial value chain. With its one-stop-shop solutions, Unifiedpost’s mission is to make administrative and financial processes simple and smart for its customers. For more information about Unifiedpost Group and its offerings, please visit our website: Unifiedpost Group | Global leaders in digital solutions
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations, opinions, and other forward-looking statements in relation to the expected future performance of Unifiedpost Group and the markets in which it is active. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current views and assumptions regarding future events. By nature, they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that appear justified at the time at which they are made but may not turn out to be accurate. Actual results, performance or events may, therefore, differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, Unifiedpost Group does not undertake any obligation to update, clarify or correct any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in light of new information, future events or otherwise and disclaims any liability in respect hereto. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
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MIL-OSI: Production report for August and September 2024
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Oslo, 23 October 2024
August 2024 September 2024 Operated Boepd (1) Bopd (2) Boepd (1) Bopd (2) Colombia 502 292 480 274 Argentina 723 34 1,602 218 Total operated 1,225 326 2,082 492 Total equity 645 206 1,014 276 (1) Barrels of oil equivalents per day (includes liquid and gas)
(2) Barrels of oil per day (represents only liquids)
[boepd]: barrels of oil equivalents per day (includes liquid and gas)
[Operated]: 100% field production operated by Interoil
[Equity] : Interoil’s share production net of royalties.Comments
Interoil’s daily average total operated production in September ended at 2,082 boepd, showing a significant improvement from August (+857 boepd). This increase was primarily due to the recovery of Argentina’s production, which had been affected by severe winter conditions. In Colombia, production decreased slightly by 22 boepd, while in Argentina, production surged by 879 boepd.
In Argentina, production in August was severely impacted by winter weather, which obstructed roads and prevented movement, leading to the shut-in of a significant portion of production. With the arrival of spring, field personnel were able to return to operational duties, resulting in production returning to pre-winter levels in September. The company continues efforts to sustain and further increase production in the current month.
In Colombia, production at Puli C decreased in September, primarily from the Mana field, while Vikingo-1 remained out of production. The workover rig has been delayed due to a pending oversized load permit from local road transit authorities. The replacement of the downhole production system in Vikingo began in October, and the work program is expected to last 10-15 days, assuming no further delays.
Additional information
Further details about production performance are shown in the attached document. The graphs and tables illustrate both operated and equity production of oil and gas by country. “Operated production” refers to the total output from fields operated by Interoil, while “Equity production” refers to Interoil’s share of production, net of royalties.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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Please direct any further questions to ir@interoil.no
Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company – listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with focus on Latin America. The Company is operator and license holder of several production and exploration assets in Colombia and Argentina with headquarter in Oslo.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities” to examine cultural landscape of Lingnan (with photos)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
“!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities” to examine cultural landscape of Lingnan (with photos)
“!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities” to examine cultural landscape of Lingnan (with photos)
******************************************************************************************The Film Programmes Office (FPO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present “!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities” from November 23 to January 19 next year, screening films that cover the period from the reform and opening-up to date from Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen and Guangzhou at Hong Kong City Hall and the Hong Kong Film Archive. Exchange and workshop sessions will also be held to promote the collaboration of filmmakers of the four cities. The opening film “Ah Ying” (1983) was directed by Hong Kong new wave director Allen Fong. The film was the winner of Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Film Editing. It delicately depicts the story between Ah Ying, who works at a market fish stall, and her acting mentor, who has also become her friend. Various selected films illustrate the cultural impact and exchanges in different times. Renowned actor Chow Yun-fat plays a village chief in “Now You See Love… Now You Don’t” (1992). The clash between the lifestyles and ways of thinking of him and his childhood sweetheart returning from abroad, played by Carol “Do Do” Cheng, leads to scene after scene of hilarious comedy. “Little Cheung” (1999) depicts the livelihood of ordinary people from the perspective of children, who are able to find peace and hope in the midst of chaos with their innocence. “Ip Man – The Final Fight” (2013) and “Knitting” (2008) both reflect on how immigrants adapt to their new lives. The former tells the story of Ip Man, who upholds the virtues of Lingnan martial arts while facing the setbacks that come with his relocation to Hong Kong. The latter depicts the evolution of Guangzhou culture amid an influx of workers from outside, resulting in a mixture of northern and southern influences. There are also films portraying the confusion that urbanites face. Directed by Philip Yung, “Glamorous Youth” (2009) tells the story of a Hong Kong boy moving to Shenzhen to escape from family pressure and love problems, yet still finding himself trapped in the mundane routines of life. “Sun and Rain” (1987), directed by Zhang Zeming, illustrates the alienation and love between people in a city through a love quadrangle. “Damp Season” (2020) depicts the stress lingering in the lives of the working class in Shenzhen, like the dampness and humidity often found in spring. Both set in Guangzhou, “Eight Diagrams” (2009) is a dark comedy about the desire and sadness of urbanites, while “Something in Blue” (2016) is a travelogue of a city that brings together the unremarkable daily lives of four young people. Some of the selected films bring the cityscapes to the forefront. “Dot 2 Dot” (2014) traces the present and past of Hong Kong as a man and a woman with contrasting backgrounds navigate through the streets of the city. In “San Yuan Li” (2003) and “Cop Shop II” (2011), the Guangzhou cityscape and its changes through time are respectively illustrated with images and sounds.??? Two distinctive works from Macao will also be screened. Both of them are combinations of six stories. “Macau Stories 2: Love in the City” (2011) consists of six stories about love by six directors, while “Passing Rain” (2017), by director and screenwriter Chan Ka-keong, tells the stories of six characters with intertwined plotlines. Moreover, two collections consisting of seven short films in total on the history, societies and cultures of the Lingnan region will be screened. The films are “Miasma, Plants, Export Paintings” (2017), “Fonting the City” (2015), “Sons of the Land” (2007), “14 Paintings” (2023), “Real Talk” (2024), “An Asian Ghost Story” (2023) and “Fear and Trembling” (2009). Some of the screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks, hosted by actor Hui So-ying, screenwriters Sze Yeung-ping and Mabel Cheung, producer Albert Chu, and directors Wong Teng-teng and Chan Ka-keong. To enable audiences to have a better understanding of the creation of films, there will be seminar screening sessions and exchange sessions. Three sessions of seminar screenings, entitled “The Spirit of Films about Intellectuals”, “Lingnan’s Secret Thoughts in Mind” and “The Current Situation of Macao Cinema”, will be held in which directors Gan Xiao’er, Yang Pingdao, and Wong Teng-teng and producer Albert Chu will share on their creative processes with screenings of selected film excerpts. Eight exchange sessions will also be held with filmmakers from the four cities in dialogues with each other or with film critics and audiences. Speakers include directors Yi Lichuan, Fruit Chan, Philip Yung, Herman Yau, Amos Why, and Zhang Zeming, film critic Joyce Yang and co-curators Law Kar and Feng Yu. Ticket holders of screenings with respective talks or exchange sessions will be admitted with priority, while the remaining seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with free admission. All films are with Chinese and English subtitles. “Glamorous Youth” is rated Category III and restricted to viewers aged 18 or above. Tickets for film screenings and seminar screening sessions priced at $70 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please call 2734 2900 or visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=65. To provide an opportunity for new talent of the film industry from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to gain a better understanding about the industry through discussions and exchanges with guidance from professional filmmakers, the FPO will hold the Brainstorming Workshop covering topics of film production, such as screenwriting, directing, cinematography, post-production, fund sourcing, producing and distribution. The workshop will be conducted in Cantonese and is free for admission, with a quota of 30 places. Film students and those who have been involved in film productions can register for selection from November 25 to December 20. Successful registrants will be invited to participate in the two-day workshop to be held on January 9 and 10 at Ko Shan Theatre. For details of the workshop, please visit the above website. This screening programme is one of the programmes of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. Hong Kong is the host city of the Festival for the first time, organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held in the “9+2” cities in the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchanges and co-operation among the cities. For more information, please visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk./en. It is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.
Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2024Issued at HKT 15:00NNNN
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary and Japan suspended
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary and Japan suspended
Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Hungary and Japan suspended
*****************************************************************************The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 23) that in view of notifications from the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 and H5 avian influenza in Bács-Kiskun County in Hungary and Chiba Prefecture in Japan respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong. A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Hungary for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 40 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Hungary, and about 1 170 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 150.45 million poultry eggs from Japan in the first six months of this year. “The CFS has contacted the Hungarian and Japanese authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2024Issued at HKT 15:02NNNN
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MIL-OSI Europe: 26th OLAF Digital Forensics and Analysts training
Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is pleased to inform you that the 26th OLAF Digital Forensics and Analysts training session is taking place between 25-29 November in Prague, Czech Republic.
This training is financed by the European Union Anti-Fraud Programme (UAFP) (2021-2027). This programme is implemented by the European Commission (OLAF). It was established to promote activities to combat fraud affecting the EU’s financial interests.
120 applicants working for Law Enforcement Agencies in Member States, acceding and candidate countries, EFTA/EEA countries, countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy and certain countries with which the European Union has concluded an agreement on mutual assistance in customs matters, were selected to participate in this event.
The following trainings will be delivered:
1. Linux Forensics Intermediate
2. Live Data Forensics
3. Cloud Forensics
4. Mobile Phone Forensics Intermediate
5. Magnet Axiom Examinations AX200
6. Open Source Intelligence Analytics
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – The 2024 Māori business leaders shaping Aotearoa’s future – UoA
Source: University of Auckland (UoA)
Aotearoa’s best and brightest Māori business leaders were honoured at the 2024 Ngā Tohu Kaiārahi Pakihi Māori o Aotearoa | Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards.
Whakatō te kākano, marotiritiri ai te māra, ka māea ngā hua | Plant the seed, cultivate the garden, reap the benefits.
A macadamia pioneer, sustainable fisheries champions and a plastic waste-to-product business, were among those honoured at the 2024 Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards.
The event, held on 23 October and hosted by the University of Auckland Business School, celebrated the remarkable contributions of the Māori entrepreneurs, leaders and organisations shaping Aotearoa’s business landscape.
Six awards were presented, acknowledging the unique and powerful contributions of Māori leaders, each with their own inspiring story and unique approach to business.
Vanessa Hayes, founder of kaupapa Māori business Torere Macadamias, won the Entrepreneurial Māori Business Leader award.
Vanessa and her team are growing the New Zealand macadamia industry, which has historically relied on imported macadamias.
Torere Macadamias is working with Plant and Food Research, expanding its nursery and encouraging other growers and grower collectives by providing training, workshops and supplying plants from their nursery.
The company’s orchard produces around 20 tonnes of macadamias annually. And recently, Vanessa and the Torere team celebrated a milestone, winning a contract to supply Air New Zealand on their long haul and business class flights.
Moana New Zealand was honoured with the Kaitiaki Business Leader award for their dedication to sustainable fisheries management. The seafood company is a 100 percent iwi-owned organisation with a deep sense of responsibility and respect for New Zealand’s fisheries.
Māori Women’s Development Inc., a charitable trust formed, managed and operated by Māori women, earned the Mānuka Henare award for its continued support of Māori women in business, offering loans and wrap-around support.
Traci Houpapa, chair of the Federation of Māori Authorities, won the Māori Governance Leader award for her extensive leadership in business and governance, shaping the Māori business landscape. She holds a number of directorships and Ministerial appointments, including Chiefs Rugby and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
The Outstanding Māori Business Leader award went to Harry Burkhardt, co-founder and managing director of Replas Ltd, an innovative company transforming waste plastic into valuable products.
Meanwhile, the Dame Mira Szászy Alumni Award went to Karleen Everitt, a University of Auckland Business School graduate who has had a stellar career and is currently leading Te Ao Māori Strategy at ANZ Bank.
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MIL-OSI China: Import expo in Shanghai to promote high-level opening up: official
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Oct. 23 — The 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled to be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10, will play its role as a platform to promote high-level opening up, an official said Wednesday.
The CIIE serves to showcase China’s major opening-up measures and confidence, to share China’s new development opportunities with other countries, and to help improve global economic governance rules and promote the building of an open world economy, Tang Wenhong, assistant minister of commerce, told a press conference.
This edition of the CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations, and achieved a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders set to attend, Tang said.
As an important part of the CIIE, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum will include a main forum and 19 sub-forums.
Since its first edition in 2018, this expo has become an important stage spotlighting China’s new development paradigm, a platform for high-level opening up, and a public good for the whole world.
The previous six editions saw nearly 2,500 new products, technologies and services make their debuts, with combined intended turnover reaching over 420 billion U.S. dollars.
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Food retailer convicted of supplying and in possession of duck liver with false claims (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Food retailer convicted of supplying and in possession of duck liver with false claims (with photo)
Food retailer convicted of supplying and in possession of duck liver with false claims (with photo)
******************************************************************************************A food retailer was convicted of supplying and in possession of a kind of Chinese duck liver that was falsely claimed as “Hungarian goose liver”, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), and was fined $30,000 at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today (October 23). A total of 27 packs of duck liver involved in the case were also confiscated. During a territory-wide inspection conducted earlier, Hong Kong Customs purchased a food product claimed to be goose liver from the food retailer and sent the samples to the Government Laboratory for testing. The testing results revealed that the products were actually duck livers. Customs subsequently took enforcement action and seized a total of 27 packs of related products with a total value of about $3,900 from four branches of the food retailer. Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and urges consumers to procure products at reputable shops. Under the TDO, any person who supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business, or is in possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years. Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2024Issued at HKT 16:45NNNN
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MIL-OSI: Exclusive Markets’ Mr. Lambros Lambrou Honoured with ‘Top 50 Financial Markets CEO Awards 2024’ in Dubai
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Exclusive Markets proudly announces that Mr. Lambros Lambrou, CEO of the esteemed organization, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Top 50 Financial Markets CEO Awards’ at the Middle East Financial Markets Awards Ceremony Dubai 2024 – 2ndEdition. This award is not only a testament to his exceptional leadership, visionary approach, and significant contributions to the financial sector but also highlights his dedication to excellence and his role in driving the success and growth of Exclusive Markets.
Lambros Lambrou leads Exclusive Markets, guiding the firm through dynamic market landscapes and ensuring sustained growth. His strategic vision has been instrumental in positioning Exclusive Markets as one of the top players in the global trading sector. Under his leadership, the firm has expanded its portfolio and consistently delivered exceptional value to its clients.
On receiving the award, Lambros Lambrou expressed his gratitude for the recognition, saying, “I am deeply honoured. It reflects the collective efforts of the entire team at Exclusive Markets. Together, we have strived to create an environment that fosters innovation, integrity, and excellence. This award inspires us to continue our journey towards setting new standards in the industry.”
This marks the relentless commitment to excellence of Lambros Lambrou. His innovative strategies and client centric approach have set new benchmarks in the industry. The leadership in Exclusive Markets is characterized by a deep understanding of market dynamics, a keen eye for emerging trends, and a passion for nurturing talent within the organization.
About Exclusive Markets
Exclusive Markets is committed to delivering a robust, secure, and transparent platform for investors in various financial instruments. With a strong emphasis on advanced technology and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification from MSECB, Exclusive Markets provides traders with an outstanding platform that seamlessly blends advanced features with user-friendly interfaces.
Traders can explore a diverse selection of trading instruments, including CFD stocks, commodities, currencies, and spot metals. The company’s expert team is dedicated to meeting the evolving demands of clients by broadening the array of products and services, enabling traders to invest according to their unique preferences.
Risk Warning: Trading involves risk.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25d6ff93-af6f-4d51-b584-4e27a0ed10ed
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MIL-OSI Security: Meet Hedwige Lauwaert, who supported NATO’s media relations for more than 25 years
Source: NATO
During her long career at NATO, Hedwige Lauwaert served as the principal assistant to four NATO Spokespersons. In this behind-the-scenes role, she helped the Alliance communicate with thousands of international journalists – and witnessed turning points in NATO history, such as the accession of the first countries from the former Eastern Bloc in 1999, NATO’s operation Allied Force conducted in March 1999 to halt the humanitarian catastrophe that was then unfolding in Kosovo, and the invocation of Article 5 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
The journey to NATO’s press office
Hedwige was born in the Belgian city of Ninove in 1950, just a year after Belgium became a founding member of NATO. She studied modern languages and worked for 12 years in the private sector, for air transportation and engineering companies, before applying for a job at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
Hedwige’s journey at NATO started in 1984, when she joined the International Military Staff at the Allied Long Lines Agency (ALLA). ALLA’s mission was to ensure telecommunication services in times of conflict and peace, and to provide support to NATO and the Allies in commercial procurement.
After one year of working in ALLA, Hedwige transferred to a new role in NATO’s Office of Information and Press, where she was part of the team in charge of organising visits to NATO Headquarters and offering group briefings to students, opinion makers, government officials and academics in English, French and Dutch. Additionally, she assisted the Dutch Liaison Officer in organising visits and conferences for groups from the Netherlands.
“When I worked in the Visits Section, I realised how important communication was for NATO’s image. It was a difficult time for the Alliance because of the protests against the storage of cruise missiles on European military bases in the 1980s and nuclear activism demonstrations, so when I was offered the position of personal assistant to soon-to-be Spokesperson Jamie Shea at the Press Office, I accepted it immediately.”
Working with the NATO Spokespersons
From 1995 to 2011, Hedwige served as the principal assistant to the NATO Spokesperson, working with Jamie Shea, Yves Brodeur, James Appathurai and Oana Lungescu. Hedwige’s main role was to organise interviews for the Spokesperson, the NATO Secretary General and other NATO officials with journalists and media outlets from all over the world, and to accompany the Spokesperson to NATO summits and ministerial meetings abroad.
During her sixteen years working for the NATO Spokesperson, Hedwige witnessed key episodes in the Alliance’s history. One particularly challenging moment was the Kosovo crisis in 1999. The pace of work was relentless, with daily press conferences, non-stop calls, long working hours and a considerable amount of stress as Spokesperson Jamie Shea explained NATO’s intervention over a 78-day air campaign to halt the humanitarian catastrophe.
“The Kosovo crisis was probably the most intense period of my career at NATO. Every day felt like a summit day. At the time, our offices were located in the entrance hall of the press building, and journalists would constantly approach us until a Media Operations Centre was created in the secure zone.”
Another key event of 1999 was NATO’s 50th anniversary summit in Washington, D.C. – where the North Atlantic Treaty had been signed in 1949.
“I remember this meeting as being quite historical, because the Heads of State and Government of the new NATO members – Czechia, Hungary and Poland – were participating in their first NATO summit meeting,” Hedwige recalls. “This was also the time when I first visited the CNN studios, where I met my media contact for many years to come.”
The 9/11 terrorist attacks
The 9/11 terrorist attacks were a turning point in NATO’s history. Hedwige remembers the moment she learned about the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York City and the never-ending night when the crisis team scrambled to understand what had happened, with no sustenance other than leftover birthday cake.
“Then-Spokesperson Yves Brodeur had just briefed a group of Finnish journalists when he returned to the office and told me to turn on the TV to see the images of the plane impact. Essential staff were required to stay working that night while all catering facilities were closed on the premises. It also happened to be the birthday of Jamie Shea, at the time the Director of Information and Press, and his cake was the only thing to eat all evening and night, and it had to be shared with approximately 20 people.”
Over the following days and weeks, Hedwige supported the Spokesperson and the Secretary General as they communicated NATO’s response to the world – including the invocation of Article 5 for the first time in NATO’s history.
During her time as contact point for international journalists, Hedwige learned about some of the professional difficulties they faced, particularly when it came to covering NATO’s meetings abroad. For this reason, on the occasion of the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Reykjavik in May 2002, Hedwige established a partnership with the Belgian Ministry of Defence that allowed her to use one of their planes as a means of transportation for journalists to such events. Hedwige’s creativity and innovation were commended by Secretary General Lord Robertson with NATO’s Award of Excellence, a recognition dedicated to honouring the professionalism of hard-working NATO staff members.
Life after NATO
Hedwige retired from NATO in 2011 and currently lives in Provence, France. She has become a keen gardener and helps to organise visits to the gardens in the region for the organisation ‘Mediterranean Gardening France’.
Hedwige Lauwaert’s message for the Alliance’s 75th anniversary
“It is probably a cliché, but I hope that NATO will be around for another 75 years, and longer, to make sure that future generations will live in peace.
There have always been difficult periods in NATO’s history, and frequently its relevance was put into question, but in the current hostile world, NATO is the only guarantee to stability and hopefully peace.”
This article is part of the 75th anniversary #WeAreNATO series.
These interviews feature former NATO staff members who share their personal stories and first-hand experiences related to the Alliance’s key moments and historic turning points, such as the Cold War and 1989, the first out-of-area missions, partnerships, 9/11 and more.
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MIL-OSI Global: Flock is a refreshing play about the complex reality of growing up in care
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Eva A Sprecher, Research Fellow in Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, UCL
Flock follows Robbie (Jamie Ankrah) and his older sister Cel (Gabriella Leonardi).
Playing On, CC BYThere are over 100,000 children and young people living in care in the UK, either with foster carers, in residential children’s homes or in other settings. Flock, currently playing at the Soho Theatre in London before embarking on a UK tour, follows the lives of two young people who have spent time in care, Robbie (Jamie Ankrah) and his older sister Cel (Gabriella Leonardi).
The play was written by Lin Coughlan and directed by Jim Pope after three years of development with Raising the Roof, a project working with young people aged 16-25 who have lived in care, to develop fictional narratives informed by their own lives.
The voices of young people who have lived in care give this play its beating heart. And they’re also vitally important for authentic representation of first-hand care-stories that are notably missing in mainstream media.
Historically, characters who have grown up in the care system tend to be represented as villains or criminals in popular culture. Think Paul Spector in The Fall, or Loki from the Marvel universe. Exceptions can be found in many heroes in the Marvel comics created by Stan Lee, like Spider-Man or Daredevil.
Researchers who have first-hand experience of the care system have commented on the prevalence of stigmatising narratives around “damage” and negative stereotypes associated with experience of care, alongside idealised “happy-ever-after” foundling stories.
Important work is being done to archive the work of creators with experience of the care system and to capture a variety of care stories. However, nuanced work taking into account the complexity of going through the care system is rare and public attitudes reflect harmful misconceptions about young people living in care.
Trailer for the touring production of Flock. In England, it’s estimated that at least one in three children who enter care are separated from their siblings. In Flock, Robbie is desperately waiting for his 18th birthday, when he hopes he will be able to live reunited with his sister Cel.
While Robbie and Cel are not living together, they find ways to connect – taking trips to McDonalds or going bowling. Maintaining connections with siblings, while sometimes complex, can make a big difference to supporting the sense of belonging, mental health and wellbeing experienced by young people in care.
Cel is one of the only people who shares Robbie’s memories of his nan and their valued moments with her before coming into care. There is evidence that sibling separation has a long-lasting impact for adults with experience of care, associated with complicated feelings of loss. However, when planning for young people’s living arrangements, sibling reunification or connection is not always prioritised.
Young carers and their siblings
Sibling reunification is not always easy. While Cel loves Robbie, she often feels more like his parent, and the responsibility of supporting him to manage his emotions while she is still a child weighs heavily on her. Cel might be described as a young carer, taking on daily tasks and personal care for her sibling when adults were not able to do so.
While young carers who have spent time caring for a sibling do often express feeling more resourceful, greater responsibility and prioritising their sibling’s needs can impact their own wellbeing. Cel dreams of going to university and the freedom of leaving her responsibility as an older sister, even as she loves Robbie and wants the best for him.
Cel is not the only person that Robbie can rely on. He also has a strong connection with his best friend Miko (Deshaye Gayle) and somewhat reluctantly meets with his personal advisor, Mrs Bosely (Jennifer Daley). As Robbie’s relationship with Cel comes under threat, these connections become especially important.
Coming into care can cause disruption to more than sibling relationships. Children often lose touch with family, friends and communities and often move school and neighbourhood. Most young people living in care, like Robbie, have had difficult and possibly traumatic early experiences before, during and after moving into care.
After difficult early experiences, some young people may experience changes to their brain and behaviour that allows them to survive loss, neglect or abuse. These adaptations may look like an increased alertness to danger or an unwillingness to trust others.
While these changes may help children stay safe when living in unsafe circumstances, they might also make it harder to maintain close relationships. This negative impact of these understandable adaptations on relationships is called “social thinning”. At moments, Robbie’s mistrust is clear – when he fears that Miko is only his friend out of pity or when he finds it hard to accept any support Bosely offers him. However, we also see that the consistent, warm and understanding support of Miko and Bosely helps Robbie to stay connected in his lowest moments.
This play represents both the very difficult experiences of young people living in care, alongside real moments of joy, strength, hope and connection. Flock provides a refreshing and much-needed story of the complex reality of the lives of young people living in care in the UK, putting real voices at its centre.
Flock is on at the Soho Theatre, London until November 2, when it embarks on a UK tour.
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Eva A Sprecher 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. Flock is a refreshing play about the complex reality of growing up in care – https://theconversation.com/flock-is-a-refreshing-play-about-the-complex-reality-of-growing-up-in-care-241620
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MIL-OSI Global: Why Trump’s messaging is becoming more extreme, a mathematician explains
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dorje C. Brody, Professor of Mathematics, University of Surrey
“Talk about extreme.” That was the response of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at September’s televised debate, after her rival, Donald Trump, made the baseless claim that migrants had been eating the dogs and cats of their neighbours in Springfield, Ohio.
Despite mounting criticism, Trump doubled down on the accusation. Likewise, during the more recent vice-presidential debate, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, falsely claimed that the migrants in Springfield are illegal.
The arrival of hurricanes Milton and Helene then gave them more opportunities to disseminate disinformation. Trump’s team attacked the government over its response to the disaster, claiming that government money earmarked for disaster victims has been spent on migrants who crossed illegally into the US.
“Kamala spent all her Fema [Federal Emergency Management Agency] money – billions of dollars – on housing for illegal migrants”, Trump said at a rally in Michigan. This point was also repeated by Vance in an opinion piece on October 8 in the Wall Street Journal.
The claim is false. But does it make sense for Trump’s team to spread such extreme disinformation? Mathematical analysis suggests it can.
The positions of the candidates on the various issues, such as migration, can be represented on the political spectrum from the left to the right. It is fair to say that Trump places himself at the right end of the spectrum, while Harris sits at the centre.
If you are at the far end of the spectrum, left or right, then you want to move people as far in your direction as possible. So, given that these days, in the US at least, there appear to be no consequences for disseminating disinformation, you want your messages to be extreme.
By consistently hyping up the dangers of migrants, for example, more voters will start feeling that something needs to be done, even if they have never encountered an issue themselves.
Indeed, mathematical models show that the probability of a candidate positioned at the end of the spectrum winning an election can, at least theoretically, reach 100%, if the messages are nothing but extreme. The same does not apply to a candidate positioned in the middle.
We have seen this effect manifesting itself in the recent elections in Germany and France. Unless the public already has a strong appetite for the centre ground, which was the case for July’s general election in the UK, positions at the centre are often precarious.
The path to victory for Harris therefore remains steep. But there are means for an effective counteroffensive.
Clear communication
Political messages have two purposes: communicating where the candidate stands on the various issues, and making the voters feel that those positions are desirable. We can apply the mathematics of communication, which explains our cognitive response to digesting information, to infer the impact of political messages.
In particular, we can study how different messages on a given issue combine and interact. This, of course, only concerns voters who consume a variety of information sources, as opposed to those confined to an information echo chamber.
For those who consume both Democratic and Republican messages, the effect of combining them can be subtle. But, in many cases, they combine in an additive way with some weights on each message.
You can think of it as a weighted average of the two information sources. For example, if Harris says one thing and Trump says something opposite on a particular issue, then the net effect is each message muting the other slightly.
So, if Trump says the illegal Haitian migrants in Springfield are eating people’s pets, and Harris says the migrants are there legally and are not eating anyone’s pets, then people might come to the conclusion that, while there may be illegal Haitian migrants in Springfield, they may not be eating pets.
However, in some cases, one of the weights can take a negative value. This means that rather than adding them, the receiver of the two messages will subtract them. When this happens, the effect of that message is unexpectedly reversed.
For example, when clear and convincing evidence of the legal status of the migrants in Springfield is presented, the prevailing noise about their pet-eating habits will, in anything, strengthen people’s belief that the claim is false.
This can happen when the message from Harris is sufficiently loud and clear. Importantly, this does not mean Harris should loudly deny the disinformation. Provided that Harris sticks to her own messages in a clear and transparent manner, the mathematics of communication predicts that disinformation can turn itself against its spreader, for the following reasons.
The idea, roughly speaking, goes as follows. Suppose that a recipient of the messages is unaware of the prevalence of disinformation, and that there is a considerable gap between the unsubstantiated disinformation and reliable information, with the latter being communicated very clearly.
In this situation, communication theory shows that the receiver will dismiss disinformation more strongly than someone who is aware of the prevalence of disinformation.
It is reminiscent of the Japanese martial art judo where the ultimate aim is to use your opponent’s momentum, rather than your own force.
Disinformation should be challenged. And, indeed, both Harris and her predecessor Joe Biden have come out to condemn Trump’s “onslaught of lies” in relation to the two hurricanes.
But merely focusing on challenging disinformation is counterproductive. What is more important is for their own message to be communicated loud and clear.
No crystal ball can tell us whether the Democrats will retain the White House in November. But simply repeating the point that Trump is a threat to democracy, as Biden was prone to do, will not cut it.
Dorje C. Brody has received funding from UKRI.
– ref. Why Trump’s messaging is becoming more extreme, a mathematician explains – https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-messaging-is-becoming-more-extreme-a-mathematician-explains-239421
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MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: Sally McManus on what unions want from Labor and Innes Willox on business wish list for Dutton
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Industrial relations will be hotly contested at next year’s election.
Labor has introduced a raft of new worker protections and pushed for wage increases for lower paid workers.
Business groups have argued against further red tape and claimed the government’s new regulations have contributed to rising costs.The union movement, meanwhile, has been mired in the fallout from the CFMEU controversy, with some union leaders angry over the government and ACTU’s tough treatment of that union after revelations of its infiltration by criminals.
To talk about these issues and more, we’re joined by ACTU secretary Sally McManus and Innes Willox, the head of the Australian Industry Group, one of the peak employer groups.
On how to fix the construction industry, Willox advocates an oversight body but not the reintroduction of the Australian Building and Construction Commission,
We believe that the construction sector does require its own oversight. We had the ABCC previously. We’re not saying go back to that. You don’t have to replicate that model entirely. But the sector has shown that it does require an oversight body that has the ability to launch both civil and criminal claims for poor behaviour. You’re not going to clean it up through sort of task forces and the like, which actually don’t do anything on the ground to change and moderate behaviour.
What other changes to industrial relations would employers want from a Coalition government?
I think what we can expect or hope that the Coalition will look long and hard at things like the right to disconnect. Which came from nowhere. It came out of left field right at the end of a process. It’s created huge uncertainty in workplaces. It’s a bit of a minefield both for employers and employees.
The definition of’casual’ is now a 17-page manual that employers have to work through, rather than a straightforward definition. We’d hope that the Coalition would look at that. And, of course, union right-of-entry powers which have now tilted the balance totally in favour of unions. They’re the sort of things we think that they should look at as a priority and examine what they can do to take off the rough edges that have been put in place there.
On the unions’ wish list from Labor, McManus says they are talking with the government about further action on the issue of equality.
At the moment, the gender pay gap is at the lowest ever recorded. So that’s a good thing. But in terms of equality in the workplace, that issue is still a big one, and there is a big push that we are making for reproductive leave. This isn’t just for women, it’s also for men.
So many women suffer from things like painful periods. Of course, there’s a whole issue of menopause.
For men, there’s a whole lot of issues to do with reproductive issues as well. […] So this is something that we are talking to the government about and campaigning around.
Another issue is that of youth wages:
It’s really totally outrageous that 19, 20-year-olds are paid discount wages in Australia. It’s not acceptable in 2024-2025 and should be fixed. The union movement’s taking it up at the moment and have got rid of it in a lot of industries, and we want to finish the job. So we’re going to try and achieve that through campaigning and through the industrial commission. But if we don’t, if there’s no way of fixing it that way, there’ll be no option then other than to say to the government, listen, ball’s in your court now.
On the split in the union movement over the government and ACTU actions against the construction division of the CFMEU, McManus says the ACTU will continue to keep its door open,
Look, no one likes what’s happened. No one likes the fact that, obviously, that union was infiltrated by organised crime, outlaw motorcycle gangs. And no one supports corruption. The other construction union who works with the CFMEU all the time, which is the ETU, the Electrical Trades Union – they’re the ones who have disaffiliated from the ACTU.
They’re mates, they’re all mates, right? And so, obviously, they’re also not happy with what’s happened. And obviously we will always keep the door open and encourage unity. The ACTU is a place where truck drivers and community workers and teachers and nurses and road workers, everyone of every profession, gets together and talks. It’s always a good thing because you’re listening to other people and you’re stronger together.
Michelle Grattan 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. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Sally McManus on what unions want from Labor and Innes Willox on business wish list for Dutton – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-sally-mcmanus-on-what-unions-want-from-labor-and-innes-willox-on-business-wish-list-for-dutton-242019
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MIL-OSI: TransUnion Announces Third Quarter 2024 Results
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- Exceeded third quarter 2024 financial guidance for revenue and earnings
- Accelerated revenue growth to 12 percent, driven by U.S. Financial Services, Insurance, Consumer Interactive and International, while executing on technology modernization and transformation program savings
- Voluntarily prepaid $25 million in debt, bringing total prepayments to $105 million in 2024
- Raising 2024 financial guidance, we now expect to deliver 9 percent revenue growth for the year
CHICAGO, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) (the “Company”) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024.
Third Quarter 2024 Results
Revenue:
- Total revenue for the quarter was $1,085 million, an increase of 12 percent (12 percent on a constant currency basis), compared with the third quarter of 2023.
Earnings:
- Net income attributable to TransUnion was $68 million for the quarter, compared with a loss of $319 million for the third quarter of 2023. Diluted earnings per share was $0.35, compared with a loss per share of $1.65 in the third quarter of 2023. Net income attributable to TransUnion margin was 6.3 percent, compared with a loss of 32.9 percent in the third quarter of 2023. Our third quarter 2023 net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion, diluted loss per share and net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion margin were impacted by a $414 million non-cash goodwill impairment expense for our United Kingdom reporting unit in the period.
- Adjusted Net Income was $205 million for the quarter, compared with $177 million for the third quarter of 2023. Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share was $1.04, compared with $0.91 in the third quarter of 2023.
- Adjusted EBITDA was $394 million for the quarter, compared with $356 million for the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 11 percent (11 percent on a constant currency basis). Adjusted EBITDA margin was 36.3 percent, compared with 36.8 percent in the third quarter of 2023.
“In the third quarter, TransUnion exceeded financial guidance,” said Chris Cartwright, President and CEO. “U.S. Markets grew by double-digits against stable market conditions, driven by mortgage strength, improving non-mortgage financial services, accelerating insurance growth and large breach remediation wins. Our International segment delivered double-digit organic constant currency revenue growth across India, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa.”
“We continue to progress well against our transformation program. We now expect to capture $85 million of operating expense savings in 2024, driven by strong execution against our operating model optimization to expand our Global Capability Center network. Additionally, our technology modernization is accelerating our pace of innovation with several new capabilities and products launched in the quarter, powered by OneTru.”
“We are raising our 2024 guidance and now expect to deliver 9 percent revenue growth, reflecting third quarter outperformance, stronger mortgage volumes and broad-based strength across the portfolio.”
Third Quarter 2024 Segment Results
U.S. Markets:
U.S. Markets revenue was $848 million, an increase of 12 percent compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Financial Services revenue was $367 million, an increase of 17 percent compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Emerging Verticals revenue was $307 million, an increase of 3 percent compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Consumer Interactive revenue was $174 million, an increase of 21 percent compared with the third quarter of 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA was $320 million, an increase of 9 percent compared with the third quarter of 2023.
International:
International revenue was $242 million, an increase of 11 percent (12 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Canada revenue was $39 million, an increase of 7 percent (9 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Latin America revenue was $33 million, an increase of 7 percent (13 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- United Kingdom revenue was $58 million, an increase of 6 percent (4 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Africa revenue was $17 million, an increase of 12 percent (10 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- India revenue was $68 million, an increase of 21 percent (23 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
- Asia Pacific revenue was $26 million, an increase of 11 percent (11 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA was $110 million, an increase of 14 percent (15 percent on a constant currency basis) compared with the third quarter of 2023.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash and cash equivalents was $643 million at September 30, 2024 and $476 million at December 31, 2023.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cash provided by operating activities was $579 million, compared with $444 million in 2023. The increase in cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to improved operating performance, partially offset by employee separation payments and a penalty paid for the early termination of a facility lease, both of which were in connection with our operating model optimization program. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cash used in investing activities was $195 million, compared with $231 million in 2023. The decrease in cash used in investing activities was due primarily to prior year investments in non-consolidated affiliates and lower capital expenditures. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, capital expenditures were $199 million, compared with $213 million in 2023. Capital expenditures as a percent of revenue represented 6% and 7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cash used in financing activities was $220 million, compared with $375 million in 2023. The decrease in cash used in financing activities was primarily due to a decrease in debt prepayments.
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Outlook
Our guidance is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change, many of which are outside of the control of the Company, including general macroeconomic conditions, interest rates and inflation. There are numerous evolving factors that we may not be able to accurately predict. There can be no assurance that the Company will achieve the results expressed by this guidance.
Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 (in millions, except per share data) Low High Low High Revenue, as reported $ 1,014 $ 1,034 $ 4,161 $ 4,181 Revenue growth1: As reported 6 % 8 % 9 % 9 % Constant currency1, 2 6 % 8 % 8 % 9 % Organic constant currency1, 3 6 % 8 % 8 % 9 % Net income attributable to TransUnion $ 65 $ 77 $ 284 $ 295 Net income attributable to TransUnion growth n/m n/m 238 % 243 % Net income attributable to TransUnion margin 6.4 % 7.4 % 6.8 % 7.1 % Diluted Earnings per Share $ 0.34 $ 0.39 $ 1.45 $ 1.51 Diluted Earnings per Share growth n/m n/m 237 % 243 % Adjusted EBITDA, as reported5 $ 360 $ 375 $ 1,488 $ 1,503 Adjusted EBITDA growth, as reported4 10 % 15 % 11 % 12 % Adjusted EBITDA margin 35.5 % 36.2 % 35.8 % 36.0 % Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share5 $ 0.92 $ 0.98 $ 3.87 $ 3.93 Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share growth 14 % 21 % 15 % 17 % - Additional revenue growth assumptions:
- The impact of changing exchange rates is expected to have an insignificant impact for Q4 2024 and FY 2024.
- There is no impact from recent acquisitions for Q4 2024 and FY 2024.
- The impact of mortgage is expected to be approximately 5 points of benefit for Q4 2024 and approximately 4 points of benefit for FY 2024.
- Constant currency growth rates assume foreign currency exchange rates are consistent between years. This allows financial results to be evaluated without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
- Organic constant currency growth rates are constant currency growth excluding inorganic growth. Inorganic growth represents growth attributable to the first twelve months of activity for recent business acquisitions. There is no impact from recent business acquisitions in Q4 2024 and FY 2024.
- Additional Adjusted EBITDA assumptions:
- The impact of changing foreign currency exchange rates is expected to have an insignificant impact for Q4 2024 and FY 2024.
- For a reconciliation of the above non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, refer to Schedule 7 of this Earnings Release.
Earnings Webcast Details
In conjunction with this release, TransUnion will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:30 a.m. Central Time to discuss the business results for the quarter and certain forward-looking information. This session and the accompanying presentation materials may be accessed at http://www.transunion.com/tru. A replay of the call will also be available at this website following the conclusion of the call.
About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.
http://www.transunion.com/business
Availability of Information on TransUnion’s Website
Investors and others should note that TransUnion routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts and the TransUnion Investor Relations website. While not all of the information that the Company posts to the TransUnion Investor Relations website is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media and others interested in TransUnion to review the information that it shares on http://www.transunion.com/tru.
Forward-Looking Statements
This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of TransUnion’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this earnings release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including our guidance and descriptions of our business plans and strategies. These statements often include words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “guidance,” “suggest,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “potential,” “continues,” “seeks,” “predicts,” or the negatives of these words and other similar expressions.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, or that could materially affect our financial results or such forward-looking statements include:
- macroeconomic effects and changes in market conditions, including the impact of inflation, risk of recession, and industry trends and adverse developments in the debt, consumer credit and financial services markets, including the impact on the carrying value of our assets in all of the markets where we operate;
- our ability to provide competitive services and prices;
- our ability to retain or renew existing agreements with large or long-term customers;
- our ability to maintain the security and integrity of our data;
- our ability to deliver services timely without interruption;
- our ability to maintain our access to data sources;
- government regulation and changes in the regulatory environment;
- litigation or regulatory proceedings;
- our ability to effectively manage our costs;
- our efforts to execute our transformation plan and achieve the anticipated benefits and savings;
- our ability to remediate existing material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures;
- economic and political stability in the United States and international markets where we operate;
- our ability to effectively develop and maintain strategic alliances and joint ventures;
- our ability to timely develop new services and the market’s willingness to adopt our new services;
- our ability to manage and expand our operations and keep up with rapidly changing technologies;
- our ability to acquire businesses, successfully secure financing for our acquisitions, timely consummate our acquisitions, successfully integrate the operations of our acquisitions, control the costs of integrating our acquisitions and realize the intended benefits of such acquisitions;
- our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property, trade secrets and other forms of unpatented intellectual property;
- our ability to defend our intellectual property from infringement claims by third parties;
- geopolitical conditions and other risks associated with our international operations;
- the ability of our outside service providers and key vendors to fulfill their obligations to us;
- further consolidation in our end-customer markets;
- the increased availability of free or inexpensive consumer information;
- losses against which we do not insure;
- our ability to make timely payments of principal and interest on our indebtedness;
- our ability to satisfy covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness;
- our ability to maintain our liquidity;
- share repurchase plans; and
- our reliance on key management personnel.
There may be other factors, many of which are beyond our control, that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this report in the context of these risks and uncertainties.
The forward-looking statements contained in this earnings release speak only as of the date of this earnings release. We undertake no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this earnings release.
For More Information
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)September 30,
2024December 31,
2023Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 643.2 $ 476.2 Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance of $18.2 and $16.4 798.4 723.0 Other current assets 228.2 275.9 Total current assets 1,669.8 1,475.1 Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $858.3 and $804.4 181.5 199.3 Goodwill 5,184.5 5,176.0 Other intangibles, net of accumulated amortization of $3,055.8 and $2,719.8 3,356.9 3,515.3 Other assets 661.1 739.4 Total assets $ 11,053.8 $ 11,105.1 Liabilities and stockholders’ equity Current liabilities: Trade accounts payable $ 319.4 $ 251.3 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt 66.5 89.6 Other current liabilities 609.8 661.8 Total current liabilities 995.7 1,002.7 Long-term debt 5,134.9 5,250.8 Deferred taxes 481.8 592.9 Other liabilities 120.2 153.2 Total liabilities 6,732.6 6,999.6 Stockholders’ equity: Common stock, $0.01 par value; 1.0 billion shares authorized at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, 201.4 million and 200.0 million shares issued at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and 194.9 million and 193.8 million shares outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 2.0 2.0 Additional paid-in capital 2,524.3 2,412.9 Treasury stock at cost, 6.6 million and 6.2 million shares at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively (333.0 ) (302.9 ) Retained earnings 2,312.6 2,157.1 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (289.5 ) (260.9 ) Total TransUnion stockholders’ equity 4,216.4 4,008.2 Noncontrolling interests 104.8 97.3 Total stockholders’ equity 4,321.2 4,105.5 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 11,053.8 $ 11,105.1 TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue $ 1,085.0 $ 968.7 $ 3,147.0 $ 2,876.9 Operating expenses Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization below) 448.7 368.8 1,261.7 1,136.8 Selling, general and administrative 305.7 290.8 922.1 867.7 Depreciation and amortization 133.6 131.3 400.5 391.1 Goodwill impairment — 414.0 — 414.0 Restructuring 40.5 — 66.8 — Total operating expenses 928.6 1,205.0 2,651.0 2,809.6 Operating income (loss) 156.4 (236.3 ) 495.9 67.3 Non-operating income and (expense) Interest expense (66.6 ) (72.7 ) (203.2 ) (217.2 ) Interest income 7.8 5.0 19.9 15.1 Earnings from equity method investments 4.7 3.7 14.0 11.7 Other (expense) and income, net (5.4 ) 8.7 (26.2 ) (16.3 ) Total non-operating income and (expense) (59.6 ) (55.4 ) (195.4 ) (206.8 ) Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes 96.8 (291.7 ) 300.5 (139.5 ) Provision for income taxes (24.9 ) (22.2 ) (68.9 ) (60.1 ) Income (loss) from continuing operations 71.9 (313.9 ) 231.6 (199.6 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — (0.5 ) — (0.7 ) Net income (loss) 71.9 (314.4 ) 231.6 (200.3 ) Less: net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests (3.9 ) (4.3 ) (13.4 ) (11.9 ) Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.8 ) $ 218.2 $ (212.2 ) Basic earnings (loss) per common share from: Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.12 $ (1.09 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — — — — Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.12 $ (1.10 ) Diluted earnings (loss) per common share from: Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.09 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — — — — Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.10 ) Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 194.6 193.4 194.3 193.3 Diluted 197.0 193.4 196.3 193.3 As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(in millions)Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income (loss) $ 231.6 $ (200.3 ) Less: Discontinued operations, net of tax — 0.7 Income (loss) from continuing operations 231.6 (199.6 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 400.5 391.1 Goodwill impairment — 414.0 Loss on repayment of loans 2.6 3.0 Deferred taxes (94.1 ) (101.3 ) Stock-based compensation 85.6 72.9 Loss on early termination of lease 40.5 — Other 17.9 13.1 Changes in assets and liabilities: Trade accounts receivable (88.9 ) (104.2 ) Other current and long-term assets 31.4 (42.4 ) Trade accounts payable 44.2 16.9 Other current and long-term liabilities (92.8 ) (19.7 ) Cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations 578.5 443.8 Cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations — (0.2 ) Cash provided by operating activities 578.5 443.6 Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (198.7 ) (213.2 ) Proceeds from sale/maturities of other investments — 63.9 Purchases of other investments — (43.7 ) Investments in nonconsolidated affiliates (5.9 ) (36.9 ) Proceeds from the sale of investments in nonconsolidated affiliates 3.8 — Payment related to disposal of discontinued operations — (0.5 ) Other 5.7 (0.1 ) Cash used in investing activities (195.1 ) (230.5 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from term loans 934.9 — Repayments of term loans (927.9 ) — Repayments of debt (141.0 ) (310.9 ) Debt financing fees (13.5 ) — Proceeds from issuance of common stock and exercise of stock options 24.5 23.1 Dividends to shareholders (61.7 ) (61.4 ) Employee taxes paid on restricted stock units recorded as treasury stock (30.1 ) (17.6 ) Distributions to noncontrolling interests (4.7 ) (8.5 ) Cash used in financing activities (219.5 ) (375.3 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 3.1 (2.2 ) Net change in cash and cash equivalents 167.0 (164.4 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 476.2 585.3 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 643.2 $ 420.9 As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresWe present Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes, Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Leverage Ratio for all periods presented. These are important financial measures for the Company but are not financial measures as defined by GAAP. These financial measures should be reviewed in conjunction with the relevant GAAP financial measures and are not presented as alternative measures of GAAP. Other companies in our industry may define or calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, including operating income, operating margin, effective tax rate, net income attributable to the Company, diluted earnings per share or cash provided by operating activities. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the tables below.
We present Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate as supplemental measures of our operating performance because these measures eliminate the impact of certain items that we do not consider indicative of our cash operations and ongoing operating performance. These are measures frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in their evaluation of the operating performance of companies similar to ours.
Our board of directors and executive management team use Adjusted EBITDA as an incentive compensation measure for most eligible employees and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share as an incentive compensation measure for certain of our senior executives.
Under the credit agreement governing our Senior Secured Credit Facility, our ability to engage in activities such as incurring additional indebtedness, making investments and paying dividends is tied to our Leverage Ratio which is partially based on Adjusted EBITDA. Investors also use our Leverage Ratio to assess our ability to service our debt and make other capital allocation decisions.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA
Management has excluded the following items from net income attributable to TransUnion in order to calculate Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:
- Discontinued operations, net of tax, as reported on our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We exclude discontinued operations, net of tax because we believe it does not reflect the underlying and ongoing performance of our business operations.
- Net interest expense is the sum of interest expense and interest income as reported on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Provision for income taxes, as reported on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Depreciation and amortization, as reported on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Stock-based compensation is used as an incentive to engage and retain our employees. It is predominantly a non-cash expense. We exclude stock-based compensation because it may not correlate to the underlying performance of our business operations during the period since it is measured at the grant date fair value and it is subject to variability as a result of performance conditions and timing of grants. These expenses are reported within cost of services and selling, general and administrative on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Operating model optimization program represents employee separation costs, facility lease exit costs, and other business process optimization expenses incurred in connection with the transformation plan discussed further in “Results of Operations – Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024. We exclude these expenses as we believe they are not directly correlated to the underlying performance of our business. Further, these costs will vary and may not be comparable during the transformation initiative as we progress toward an optimized operating model. These costs are reported primarily in restructuring and selling, general and administrative on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Accelerated technology investment includes Project Rise and the final phase of our technology investment announced in November 2023. Project Rise was announced in February 2020 and was originally expected to be completed in 2022. Following our acquisition of Neustar in December 2021, we recognized the opportunity to take advantage of Neustar’s capabilities to enhance and complement our cloud-based technology already under development as part of Project Rise. As a result, we extended Project Rise’s timeline to 2024 and increased the total estimated cost to approximately $240 million. In November 2023, we announced our plans to further leverage Neustar’s technology to standardize and streamline our product delivery platforms and to build a single global platform for fulfillment of our product lines. The additional investment is expected to be approximately $90 million during 2024 and 2025 and represents the final phase of the technology investment in our global technology infrastructure and core customer applications. We expect that the accelerated technology investment will fundamentally transform our technology infrastructure by implementing a global cloud-based approach to streamline product development, increase the efficiency of ongoing operations and maintenance and enable a continuous improvement approach to avoid the need for another major technology overhaul in the foreseeable future. The unique effort to build a secure, reliable and performant hybrid cloud infrastructure requires us to dedicate separate resources in order to develop the new cloud-based infrastructure in parallel with our current on-premise environment by maintaining our existing technology team to ensure no disruptions to our customers. The costs associated with the accelerated technology investment are incremental and redundant costs that will not recur after the program has been completed and are not representative of our underlying operating performance. Therefore, we believe that excluding these costs from our non-GAAP measures provides a better reflection of our ongoing cost structure. These costs are primarily reported in cost of services and therefore do not include amounts that are capitalized as internally developed software.
- Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization expenses are non-recurring expenses associated with specific transactions (exploratory or executed) and consist of (i) transaction and integration costs, (ii) post-acquisition adjustments to contingent consideration or to assets and liabilities that occurred after the acquisition measurement period, (iii) fair value and impairment adjustments related to investments and call and put options, (iv) transition services agreement income, and (v) a loss on disposal of a business. We exclude these expenses as we believe they are not directly correlated to the underlying performance of our business operations and vary depending upon the timing of such transactions. These expenses are reported in costs of services, selling, general and administrative and other income and (expenses), net, on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Net other adjustments principally relate to: (i) deferred loan fee expense from debt prepayments and refinancing, (ii) currency remeasurement on foreign operations, (iii) other debt financing expenses consisting primarily of revolving credit facility deferred financing fee amortization and commitment fees and expenses associated with ratings agencies and interest rate hedging, (iv) legal and regulatory expenses, net, and (v) other non-operating (income) expense. We exclude these expenses as we believe they are not directly correlated to the underlying performance of our business and create variability between periods based on the nature and timing of the expense or income. These costs are reported in selling, general and administrative and in non-operating income and expense, net as applicable based on their nature on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin
Management defines Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA divided by total revenue as reported.
Adjusted Net Income
Management has excluded the following items from net income attributable to TransUnion in order to calculate Adjusted Net Income for the periods presented:
- Discontinued operations, net of tax (see Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above).
- Amortization of certain intangible assets presents non-cash amortization expenses related to assets that arose from our 2012 change in control transaction and business combinations occurring after our 2012 change in control. We exclude these expenses as we believe they are not directly correlated to the underlying performance of our business operations and vary dependent upon the timing of the transactions that give rise to these assets. Amortization of intangible assets is included in depreciation and amortization on our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
- Stock-based compensation (see Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above).
- Operating model optimization program (see Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above).
- Accelerated technology investment (see Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above).
- Mergers and acquisitions, divestiture and business optimization (see Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above).
- Net other is consistent with the definition in Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA above except that other debt financing expenses and certain other miscellaneous income and expense that are included in the adjustment to calculate Adjusted EBITDA are excluded in the adjustment made to calculate Adjusted Net Income.
- Total adjustments for income taxes relates to the cumulative adjustments discussed below for Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes. This adjustment is made for the reasons indicated in Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes below. Adjustments related to the provision for income taxes are included in the line item by this name on our consolidated statement of operations.
Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share
Management defines Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share as Adjusted Net Income divided by the weighted-average diluted shares outstanding.
Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes
Management has excluded the following items from our provision for income taxes for the periods presented:
- Tax effect of above adjustments represents the income tax effect of the adjustments related to Adjusted Net Income described above. The tax rate applied to each adjustment is based on the nature of each line item. We include the tax effect of the adjustments made to Adjusted Net Income to provide a comprehensive view of our adjusted net income.
- Excess tax expense (benefit) for stock-based compensation is the permanent difference between expenses recognized for book purposes and expenses recognized for tax purposes, in each case related to stock-based compensation expense. We exclude this amount from the Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes in order to be consistent with the exclusion of stock-based compensation from the calculation of Adjusted Net Income.
- Other principally relates to (i) deferred tax adjustments, including rate changes, (ii) infrequent or unusual valuation allowance adjustments, (iii) return to provision, tax authority audit adjustments, and reserves related to prior periods, and (iv) other non-recurring items. We exclude these items because they create variability that impacts comparability between periods.
Adjusted Effective Tax Rate
Management defines Adjusted Effective Tax Rate as Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes divided by Adjusted income from continuing operations before income taxes. We calculate adjusted income from continuing operations before income taxes by excluding the pre-tax adjustments in the calculation of Adjusted Net Income discussed above and noncontrolling interest related to these pre-tax adjustments from income from continuing operations before income taxes.
Leverage Ratio
Management defines Leverage Ratio as net debt divided by Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the most recent twelve-month period including twelve months of Adjusted EBITDA from significant acquisitions. Since the Leverage Ratio is calculated on a trailing twelve month basis, prior period goodwill impairment is excluded as this expense may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business operations during that period and may vary significantly between periods. Net debt is defined as total debt less cash and cash equivalents as reported on the balance sheet as of the end of the period.
This earnings release presents constant currency growth rates assuming foreign currency exchange rates are consistent between years. This allows financial results to be evaluated without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. This earnings release also presents organic constant currency growth rates, which assumes consistent foreign currency exchange rates between years and also eliminates the impact of our recent acquisitions. This allows financial results to be evaluated without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and the impacts of recent acquisitions.
Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures and is a measure we may refer to.
Refer to Schedules 1 through 7 for a reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
SCHEDULE 1
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth rates as Reported, CC, and Organic CC
(Unaudited)For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 compared with
the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 compared with
the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023Reported CC Growth1 Organic CC
Growth2Reported CC Growth1 Organic CC
Growth2Revenue: Consolidated 12.0 % 12.2 % 12.2 % 9.4 % 9.4 % 9.4 % U.S. Markets 12.5 % 12.5 % 12.5 % 8.4 % 8.4 % 8.4 % Financial Services 17.1 % 17.1 % 17.1 % 13.5 % 13.5 % 13.5 % Emerging Verticals 3.3 % 3.3 % 3.3 % 4.0 % 4.0 % 4.0 % Consumer Interactive 21.4 % 21.3 % 21.3 % 6.0 % 6.0 % 6.0 % International 11.3 % 12.1 % 12.1 % 13.4 % 13.5 % 13.5 % Canada 6.8 % 8.6 % 8.6 % 11.5 % 12.7 % 12.7 % Latin America 7.2 % 12.7 % 12.7 % 11.8 % 10.9 % 10.9 % United Kingdom 6.0 % 3.7 % 3.7 % 4.9 % 2.5 % 2.5 % Africa 12.3 % 9.5 % 9.5 % 8.3 % 10.4 % 10.4 % India 21.5 % 23.1 % 23.1 % 25.4 % 27.0 % 27.0 % Asia Pacific 11.1 % 11.5 % 11.5 % 13.6 % 14.2 % 14.2 % Adjusted EBITDA: Consolidated 10.5 % 10.9 % 10.9 % 10.9 % 11.0 % 11.0 % U.S. Markets 9.0 % 9.0 % 9.0 % 8.2 % 8.2 % 8.2 % International 13.9 % 15.3 % 15.3 % 17.4 % 17.9 % 17.9 % 1. Constant Currency (“CC”) growth rates assume foreign currency exchange rates are consistent between years. This allows financial results to be evaluated without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. 2. We have no inorganic revenue or Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented. Organic CC growth rate is the CC growth rate less the inorganic growth rate. SCHEDULE 2
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated and Segment Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (Unaudited)
(dollars in millions)Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue: U.S. Markets gross revenue Financial Services $ 367.2 $ 313.7 $ 1,077.6 $ 949.6 Emerging Verticals 307.2 297.3 913.1 877.9 Consumer Interactive 173.7 143.1 455.1 429.4 U.S. Markets gross revenue $ 848.1 $ 754.0 $ 2,445.9 $ 2,256.9 International gross revenue Canada $ 39.4 $ 36.9 $ 115.9 $ 103.9 Latin America 33.5 31.2 100.9 90.2 United Kingdom 57.8 54.5 168.6 160.7 Africa 17.1 15.2 48.0 44.3 India 68.2 56.1 202.8 161.8 Asia Pacific 25.6 23.1 77.1 67.9 International gross revenue $ 241.6 $ 217.1 $ 713.3 $ 628.9 Total gross revenue $ 1,089.6 $ 971.2 $ 3,159.2 $ 2,885.8 Intersegment revenue eliminations U.S. Markets $ (2.8 ) $ (1.0 ) $ (7.4 ) $ (4.6 ) International (1.9 ) (1.5 ) (4.8 ) (4.3 ) Total intersegment revenue eliminations $ (4.7 ) $ (2.5 ) $ (12.3 ) $ (8.9 ) Total revenue as reported $ 1,085.0 $ 968.7 $ 3,147.0 $ 2,876.9 Adjusted EBITDA: U.S. Markets $ 319.9 $ 293.7 $ 920.9 $ 850.9 International 110.5 97.0 318.1 271.0 Corporate (36.7 ) (34.5 ) (110.6 ) (104.3 ) Adjusted EBITDA Margin:1 U.S. Markets 37.7 % 38.9 % 37.6 % 37.7 % International 45.7 % 44.7 % 44.6 % 43.1 % 1. Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margins are calculated using segment gross revenue and segment Adjusted EBITDA. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated using total revenue as reported and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA. Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion to consolidated Adjusted EBITDA: Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.8 ) $ 218.2 $ (212.2 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — 0.5 — 0.7 Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.3 ) $ 218.2 $ (211.5 ) Net interest expense 58.9 67.8 183.3 202.1 Provision for income taxes 24.9 22.2 68.9 60.1 Depreciation and amortization 133.6 131.3 400.5 391.1 EBITDA $ 285.4 $ (97.0 ) $ 870.8 $ 441.8 Adjustments to EBITDA: Stock-based compensation 33.8 27.0 85.7 73.3 Goodwill impairment1 — 414.0 — 414.0 Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization2 7.3 (6.0 ) 17.1 24.5 Accelerated technology investment3 21.8 16.3 58.6 53.5 Operating model optimization program4 47.3 — 86.4 — Net other5 (2.0 ) 1.8 9.7 10.6 Total adjustments to EBITDA $ 108.3 $ 453.1 $ 257.5 $ 575.8 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 393.7 $ 356.1 $ 1,128.4 $ 1,017.6 Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion margin 6.3 % (32.9 )% 6.9 % (7.4 )% Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA margin5 36.3 % 36.8 % 35.9 % 35.4 % As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the tables above and footnotes below.
1. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, we recorded a goodwill impairment of $414.0 million related to our United Kingdom reporting unit in our International segment. 2. Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Transaction and integration costs $ 3.6 $ 5.8 $ 7.0 $ 21.0 Fair value and impairment adjustments — (10.7 ) 0.8 0.8 Post-acquisition adjustments 3.7 — 9.4 5.1 Transition services agreement income — (1.1 ) — (2.4 ) Total mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization $ 7.3 $ (6.0 ) $ 17.1 $ 24.5 3. Represents expenses associated with our accelerated technology investment to migrate to the cloud. There are three components of the accelerated technology investment: (i) building foundational capabilities, which includes establishing a modern, API-based and services-oriented software architecture, (ii) the migration of each application and customer data to the new enterprise platform, including the redundant software costs during the migration period, as well as the efforts to decommission the legacy system, and (iii) program enablement, which includes dedicated resources to support the planning and execution of the program. The amounts for each category of cost are as follows: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Foundational Capabilities $ 9.9 $ 8.0 $ 25.0 $ 27.7 Migration Management 11.0 7.2 29.9 21.9 Program Enablement 0.9 1.1 3.8 3.9 Total accelerated technology investment $ 21.8 $ 16.3 $ 58.6 $ 53.5 4. Operating model optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Employee separation $ — $ — $ 24.7 $ — Facility exit 40.5 — 42.1 — Business process optimization 6.8 — 19.6 — Total operating model optimization $ 47.3 $ — $ 86.4 $ — 5. Net other consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Deferred loan fee expense from debt prepayments and refinancing $ 0.1 $ 1.0 $ 9.2 $ 3.1 Other debt financing expenses 0.5 0.3 1.6 1.5 Currency remeasurement on foreign operations (1.7 ) 0.8 (0.4 ) 6.5 Other non-operating (income) expense (0.8 ) (0.3 ) (0.7 ) (0.5 ) Total other adjustments $ (2.0 ) $ 1.8 $ 9.7 $ 10.6 6. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA by total revenue.
SCHEDULE 3
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.3 ) $ 218.2 $ (211.5 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — (0.5 ) — (0.7 ) Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.8 ) $ 218.2 $ (212.2 ) Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 194.6 193.4 194.3 193.3 Diluted 197.0 193.4 196.3 193.3 Basic earnings (loss) per common share from: Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.12 $ (1.09 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — — — — Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.12 $ (1.10 ) Diluted earnings (loss) per common share from: Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.09 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — — — — Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.10 ) Reconciliation of Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion to Adjusted Net Income: Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.8 ) $ 218.2 $ (212.2 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — 0.5 — 0.7 Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 68.0 $ (318.3 ) $ 218.2 $ (211.5 ) Adjustments before income tax items: Amortization of certain intangible assets1 71.5 72.1 214.9 221.2 Stock-based compensation 33.8 27.0 85.7 73.3 Goodwill impairment2 — 414.0 — 414.0 Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization2 7.3 (6.0 ) 17.1 24.5 Accelerated technology investment3 21.8 16.3 58.6 53.5 Operating model optimization program4 47.3 — 86.4 — Net other5 (2.1 ) 1.8 8.6 9.6 Total adjustments before income tax items $ 179.6 $ 525.2 $ 471.3 $ 796.0 Total adjustments for income taxes6 (43.1 ) (29.5 ) (112.9 ) (85.2 ) Adjusted Net Income $ 204.5 $ 177.4 $ 576.6 $ 499.3 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 194.6 193.4 194.3 193.3 Diluted 197.0 194.6 196.3 194.8 Adjusted Earnings per Share: Basic $ 1.05 $ 0.92 $ 2.97 $ 2.58 Diluted $ 1.04 $ 0.91 $ 2.94 $ 2.56 Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of Diluted earnings (loss) per share from Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion to Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share: Diluted earnings (loss) per common share from: Net income (loss) attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.10 ) Discontinued operations, net of tax — — — — Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to TransUnion $ 0.35 $ (1.65 ) $ 1.11 $ (1.09 ) Adjustments before income tax items: Amortization of certain intangible assets1 0.36 0.37 1.09 1.14 Stock-based compensation 0.17 0.14 0.44 0.38 Goodwill impairment2 — 2.13 — 2.13 Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization3 0.04 (0.03 ) 0.09 0.13 Accelerated technology investment4 0.11 0.08 0.30 0.27 Operating model optimization program5 0.24 — 0.44 — Net other6 (0.01 ) 0.01 0.04 0.05 Total adjustments before income tax items $ 0.91 $ 2.70 $ 2.40 $ 4.09 Total adjustments for income taxes7 (0.22 ) (0.15 ) (0.57 ) (0.44 ) Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share $ 1.04 $ 0.91 $ 2.94 $ 2.56 Each component of earnings per share is calculated independently, therefore, rounding differences exist in the table above.
1. Consists of amortization of intangible assets from our 2012 change-in-control transaction and amortization of intangible assets established in business acquisitions after our 2012 change-in-control transaction. 2. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, we recorded a goodwill impairment of $414.0 million related to our United Kingdom reporting unit in our International segment. 3. Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Transaction and integration costs $ 3.6 $ 5.8 $ 7.0 $ 21.0 Fair value and impairment adjustments — (10.7 ) 0.8 0.8 Post-acquisition adjustments 3.7 — 9.4 5.1 Transition services agreement income — (1.1 ) — (2.4 ) Total mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization $ 7.3 $ (6.0 ) $ 17.1 $ 24.5 4. Represents expenses associated with our accelerated technology investment to migrate to the cloud. There are three components of the accelerated technology investment: (i) building foundational capabilities which includes establishing a modern, API-based and services-oriented software architecture, (ii) the migration of each application and customer data to the new enterprise platform, including the redundant software costs during the migration period, as well as the efforts to decommission the legacy system, and (iii) program enablement, which includes dedicated resources to support the planning and execution of the program. The amounts for each category of cost are as follows: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Foundational Capabilities $ 9.9 $ 8.0 $ 25.0 $ 27.7 Migration Management 11.0 7.2 29.9 21.9 Program Enablement 0.9 1.1 3.8 3.9 Total accelerated technology investment $ 21.8 $ 16.3 $ 58.6 $ 53.5 5. Operating model optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Employee separation $ — $ — $ 24.7 $ — Facility exit 40.5 — 42.1 — Business process optimization 6.8 — 19.6 — Total operating model optimization $ 47.3 $ — $ 86.4 $ — 6. Net other consisted of the following adjustments: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Deferred loan fee expense from debt prepayments and refinancing $ 0.1 $ 1.0 $ 9.2 $ 3.1 Currency remeasurement on foreign operations (1.7 ) 0.8 (0.4 ) 6.5 Other non-operating (income) and expense (0.5 ) — (0.2 ) — Total other adjustments $ (2.1 ) $ 1.8 $ 8.6 $ 9.6 7. Total adjustments for income taxes represents the total of adjustments discussed to calculate the Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes. SCHEDULE 4
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes and Adjusted Effective Tax Rate (Unaudited)
(dollars in millions)Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes $ 96.8 $ (291.7 ) $ 300.5 $ (139.5 ) Total adjustments before income tax items from Schedule 3 179.6 525.2 471.3 796.0 Adjusted income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes $ 276.4 $ 233.5 $ 771.8 $ 656.5 Reconciliation of Provision for income taxes to Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes: Provision for income taxes (24.9 ) (22.2 ) (68.9 ) (60.1 ) Adjustments for income taxes: Tax effect of above adjustments (41.8 ) (27.9 ) (108.5 ) (90.1 ) Eliminate impact of excess tax (benefit) expense for stock-based compensation (2.3 ) 0.7 (1.4 ) 2.7 Other1 0.9 (2.2 ) (3.0 ) 2.2 Total adjustments for income taxes $ (43.1 ) $ (29.5 ) $ (112.9 ) $ (85.2 ) Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes $ (68.0 ) $ (51.7 ) $ (181.8 ) $ (145.3 ) Effective tax rate 25.7 % (7.6 )% 22.9 % (43.1 )% Adjusted Effective Tax Rate 24.6 % 22.2 % 23.6 % 22.1 % As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
1. Other adjustments for income taxes include: Three Months Ended
September 30,Nine Months Ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Deferred tax adjustments $ 3.8 $ (0.2 ) $ (1.4 ) $ 0.6 Valuation allowance adjustments (2.3 ) (1.9 ) (2.1 ) (0.8 ) Return to provision, audit adjustments, and reserves related to prior periods (1.2 ) 1.4 1.2 2.6 Other adjustments 0.7 (1.6 ) (0.7 ) (0.3 ) Total other adjustments $ 0.9 $ (2.2 ) $ (3.0 ) $ 2.2 SCHEDULE 5
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Leverage Ratio (Unaudited)
(dollars in millions)Trailing Twelve
Months Ended
September 30, 2024Reconciliation of Net income attributable to TransUnion to Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA: Net income attributable to TransUnion $ 224.2 Net interest expense 248.6 Provision for income taxes 53.6 Depreciation and amortization 533.8 EBITDA $ 1,060.2 Adjustments to EBITDA: Stock-based compensation $ 113.0 Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization1 27.2 Accelerated technology investment2 75.6 Operating model optimization program3 164.0 Net other4 14.4 Total adjustments to EBITDA $ 394.3 Leverage Ratio Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,454.5 Total debt $ 5,201.4 Less: Cash and cash equivalents 643.2 Net Debt $ 4,558.2 Ratio of Net Debt to Net income attributable to TransUnion 20.3 Leverage Ratio 3.1 As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
1. Mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Trailing Twelve
Months Ended
September 30, 2024Transaction and integration costs $ 16.9 Fair value and impairment adjustments 10.3 Post-acquisition adjustments 0.1 Transition services agreement income (0.1 ) Total mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and business optimization $ 27.2 2. Represents expenses associated with our accelerated technology investment to migrate to the cloud. There are three components of the accelerated technology investment: (i) building foundational capabilities which includes establishing a modern, API-based and services-oriented software architecture, (ii) the migration of each application and customer data to the new enterprise platform including the redundant software costs during the migration period, as well as the efforts to decommission the legacy system, and (iii) program enablement, which includes dedicated resources to support the planning and execution of the program. The amounts for each category of cost are as follows: Trailing Twelve
Months Ended
September 30, 2024Foundational Capabilities $ 33.0 Migration Management 37.5 Program Enablement 5.1 Total accelerated technology investment $ 75.6 3. Operating model optimization consisted of the following adjustments: Trailing Twelve
Months Ended
September 30, 2024Employee separation $ 96.6 Facility exit 45.5 Business process optimization 21.9 Total operating model optimization $ 164.0 4. Net other consisted of the following adjustments: Trailing Twelve
Months Ended
September 30, 2024Deferred loan fee expense from debt prepayments and refinancings $ 15.4 Other debt financing expenses 2.3 Currency remeasurement on foreign operations (2.2 ) Other non-operating (income) and expense (1.2 ) Total other adjustments $ 14.4 SCHEDULE 6
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Segment Depreciation and Amortization (Unaudited)
(in millions)Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 U.S. Markets $ 99.3 $ 99.3 $ 299.4 $ 292.3 International 33.4 31.0 98.1 95.5 Corporate 1.0 1.1 3.0 3.3 Total depreciation and amortization $ 133.6 $ 131.3 $ 400.5 $ 391.1 As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
SCHEDULE 7
TRANSUNION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Guidance (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)Three Months Ended December 31, 2024 Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2024 Low High Low High Guidance reconciliation of Net income attributable to TransUnion to Adjusted EBITDA: Net income attributable to TransUnion $ 65 $ 77 $ 284 $ 295 Interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization 216 219 868 872 EBITDA $ 281 $ 296 $ 1,152 $ 1,167 Stock-based compensation, mergers, acquisitions divestitures and business optimization-related expenses and other adjustments1 79 79 336 336 Adjusted EBITDA $ 360 $ 375 $ 1,488 $ 1,503 Net income attributable to TransUnion margin 6.4 % 7.4 % 6.8 % 7.1 % Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA margin2 35.5 % 36.2 % 35.8 % 36.0 % Guidance reconciliation of Diluted earnings per share to Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share: Diluted earnings per share $ 0.34 $ 0.39 $ 1.45 $ 1.51 Adjustments to diluted earnings per share1 0.58 0.58 2.42 2.42 Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share $ 0.92 $ 0.98 $ 3.87 $ 3.93 As a result of displaying amounts in millions, rounding differences may exist in the table above.
- These adjustments include the same adjustments we make to our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income as discussed in the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of our Earnings Release.
- Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA by total revenue.
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MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Addressing the impact of the housing crisis on teachers and other categories of public servants in Greece – E-001890/2024
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001890/2024/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left), Konstantinos Arvanitis (The Left), Nikos Pappas (The Left), Nikolas Farantouris (The Left)Greece faces a steadily worsening housing crisis that is affecting all its citizens, especially workers in critical parts of the public service sector such as teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers and members of the armed services. The problem is acute in tourist areas and on the islands, where the cost of living is disproportionately high, there is a serious shortage of available housing and rents have skyrocketed with the rapid rise in short-term rentals.
What is more, civil servants’ salaries are still low and are not sufficient to cover the increased cost of housing[1]. This state of affairs has direct consequences for the functioning of critical public services, as workers are discouraged from serving in remote and island areas[2], creating gaps in sectors such as education, health and security.
As the Commission has announced the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan[3], can it answer the following questions:
- 1.What European financial instruments can the Member States use to assist public servants such as teachers, doctors, nurses, firefighters and police officers facing difficulties in finding affordable housing – especially in tourist and remote areas of Greece?
- 2.Does it intend to support the Member States, such as Greece, with targeted programmes or financial resources to address the housing crisis that is affecting public servants in key sectors such as education, health and public security owing to the rise in housing prices and short-term rentals?
Submitted: 1.10.2024
- [1] Particularly the approximately 60 000 newly appointed and auxiliary teachers and other public servants on lower pay scales. For more information: https://www.in.gr/2024/08/29/politics/epikairotita/stegastiki-krisi-matonoun-gia-ena-keramidi-oi-ekpaideytikoi-potiri-ksexeilizei-politeia-kofeyei/.
- [2] Statement by ADEDY [Supreme Administration of Greek Civil Servants’ Trade Unions] and DOE [Greek Primary Teachers’ Federation] on housing for teachers and public servants: https://adedy.gr/dt-paremvasi-adedy-k-doe-gia-ti-stegasi-ekpaideutikwn-k-dhmosiwn-leitourgwn-13092024/.
- [3] As part of the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029 set by President Ursula von der Leyen: https://commission.europa.eu/document/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en.
Last updated: 23 October 2024 -
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English Translation of Prime Minister’s Remarks at the Closed Plenary of the 16th BRICS Summit
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 23 OCT 2024 3:25PM by PIB Delhi
Your Highness,
Excellencies,I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Putin for the wonderful organisation of todays, meeting.
I am very pleased that we are meeting for the first time today, as the extended BRICS Family.I warmly welcome all the new friends that have joined the BRICS family.
I congratulate President Putin for Russia’s successful Presidency of BRICS over the last one year.
Friends,
Our meeting is taking place at a time, when the world is facing several pressing challenges such as wars, economic uncertainty, climate change and terrorism. The world is talking about the North South divide and the East West divide.
Preventing inflation, ensuring food security, energy security , health security, water security, are matters of priority for all countries in the world.
And in this era of technology, new challenges have emerged such as cyber deepfake, disinformation.
At such a time, there are high expectations of BRICS. I believe that as a diverse and inclusive platform, BRICS can play a positive role in all areas.
In this regard, our approach must remain people centric.We have to give the world the message that BRICS is not a divisive organisation but one that works in the interest of humanity.
We support dialogue and diplomacy, not war. And just as we were able to overcome a challenge like COVID together, we are certainly able to create new opportunities to ensure a secure , strong and prosperous future for future generations.
In order to counter terrorism and Terror financing, we need the single minded, firm support of all. There is no place for double standards on this serious matter. We need to take active steps to stop radicalization of youth in our countries.
We must work together on the long pending matter in the UN of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
The same way, we need to work on global regulations for cyber security and for safe and secure AI.
Friends,
India is ready to welcome new countries into BRICS as Partner Countries.
In this regard all decisions should be taken by consensus, and the views of BRICS founding members should be respected. The Guiding principles , standards, criteria and procedures adopted during the Johanesburg summit, should be complied with by all members and partner countries.
Friends,
BRICS is an organisation, which is willing to evolve with time.By giving our own example to the world we must collectively and in a united manner, raise our voice for reforms of global institutions.
We must move forward in a time bound manner on reforms in global institutions such as the UN Security Council, Multilateral development banks, and the WTO.
As we take our efforts forward in BRICS, we must be careful to ensure that this organisation does not acquire the image of one that is trying to replace global instutions, instead of being perceived as one that wishes to reform them.
The hopes , aspirations and expectations of the countries of the Global south must also be kept in mind. During our Voice of Global South Summits and G20 Presidency, India put the voices of these countries on the global stage.I am pleased that these efforts are being strengthened under BRICS as well.Last year countries of Africa were integrated into BRICS.
This year, as well, several countries of the Global south have been invited by Russia.
Friends,
The BRICS grouping , created by the confluence of different viewpoints and ideologies, is a source of inspiration for the world,fostering positive cooperation.
Our diversity, respect for each other and our tradition of moving forward on the basis of consensus, are the basis for our cooperation.This quality of ours, and our BRICS spirit, are attracting other countries as well to this forum. I am confident that in the times to come we will together make this unique platform a model for dialogue, cooperation and coordination.
In this regard, as a Founding member of BRICS, India will always continue to fulfill its responsibilities.
Once again, a big thank you to all of you.
DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered
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MIL-OSI Economics: The Crypto Game of Lazarus APT: Investors vs. Zero-days
Source: Securelist – Kaspersky
Headline: The Crypto Game of Lazarus APT: Investors vs. Zero-days
Introduction
Lazarus APT and its BlueNoroff subgroup are a highly sophisticated and multifaceted Korean-speaking threat actor. We closely monitor their activities and quite often see them using their signature malware in their attacks — a full-feature backdoor called Manuscrypt. According to our research, Lazarus has been employing this malware since at least 2013 and we’ve documented its usage in 50+ unique campaigns targeting governments, diplomatic entities, financial institutions, military and defense contractors, cryptocurrency platforms, IT and telecommunication operators, gaming companies, media outlets, casinos, universities, and even security researchers — the list goes on.
On May 13, 2024, our consumer-grade product Kaspersky Total Security detected a new Manuscrypt infection on the personal computer of a person living in Russia. Since Lazarus rarely attacks individuals, this piqued our interest and we decided to take a closer look. We discovered that prior to the detection of Manuscrypt, our technologies also detected exploitation of the Google Chrome web browser originating from the website detankzone[.]com. On the surface, this website resembled a professionally designed product page for a decentralized finance (DeFi) NFT-based (non-fungible token) multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) tank game, inviting users to download a trial version. But that was just a disguise. Under the hood, this website had a hidden script that ran in the user’s Google Chrome browser, launching a zero-day exploit and giving the attackers complete control over the victim’s PC. Visiting the website was all it took to get infected — the game was just a distraction.
We were able to extract the first stage of the attack — an exploit that performs remote code execution in the Google Chrome process. After confirming that the exploit was based on a zero-day vulnerability targeting the latest version of Google Chrome, we reported our findings to Google the same day. Two days later, Google released an update and thanked us for discovering this attack.
Acknowledgement for finding CVE-2024-4947 (excerpt from the security fixes included into Chrome 125.0.6422.60)
Having notified Google about the discovered vulnerability, we followed responsible vulnerability disclosure policy and refrained from sharing specific details in public, giving users sufficient time to apply the patch. This approach is also intended to prevent further exploitation by threat actors. Google took additional steps by blocking detankzone[.]com and other websites linked to this campaign, ensuring that anyone attempting to access these sites — even without our products — would be warned of their malicious nature.
While we respected Google’s request for a set disclosure period, on May 28, 2024, Microsoft published a blog post titled “Moonstone Sleet emerges as new North Korean threat actor with new bag of tricks,” which partially revealed our findings. According to the blog, Microsoft had also been tracking the campaign and associated websites since February 2024. However, their analysis overlooked a key point in the malicious campaign: the presence of the browser exploit and the fact that it was a high-severity issue — a zero-day. In this report, we explore in great detail the vulnerabilities exploited by the attackers and the game they used as bait (spoiler alert: we had to develop our own server for this online game).
The exploit
The website used by the attackers as a cover for their campaign was developed in TypeScript/React, and one of its index.tsx files contained a small piece of code that loads and executes the Google Chrome exploit.
The exploit contains code for two vulnerabilities: the first is used to gain the ability to read and write Chrome process memory from the JavaScript, and the second is used to bypass the recently introduced V8 sandbox.
First vulnerability (CVE-2024-4947)
The heart of every web browser is its JavaScript engine. The JavaScript engine of Google Chrome is called V8 — Google’s own open-source JavaScript engine. For lower memory consumption and maximum speed, V8 uses a fairly complex JavaScript compilation pipeline, currently consisting of one interpreter and three JIT compilers.
When V8 starts to execute JavaScript, it first compiles the script into bytecode and executes it using the interpreter called Ignition. Ignition is a register-based machine with several hundred instructions. While executing bytecode, V8 monitors the program’s behavior, and may JIT-compile some functions for better performance. The best and fastest code is produced by TurboFan, a highly optimizing compiler with one drawback — the code generation takes too much time. Still, the difference in performance between Ignition and TurboFan was so significant that a new non-optimizing JIT compiler was introduced in 2021 called Sparkplug, which compiles bytecode into equivalent machine code almost instantly. Sparkplug-generated code runs faster than the interpreter, but the performance gap between Sparkplug- and TurboFan-generated code was still big. Because of this, in Chrome 117 (released in Q4 2023), the developers introduced a new optimizing compiler, Maglev, whose goal is to generate good enough code fast enough by performing optimizations based solely on feedback from the interpreter. CVE-2024-4947 (issue 340221135) is the vulnerability in this new compiler.
To understand this vulnerability and how it was exploited, let’s take a look at the code the attackers used to trigger it.
function trigger() {
moduleImport.exportedVar;
const emptyArray = [1, 2];
emptyArray.pop();
emptyArray.pop();
const arrHolder = {xxarr: doubleArray, xxab: fakeArrayBuffer};function f() {
try {
moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e-312;
} catch (e) { return false; }
return true;
}while (!f()) { }
weakRef = new WeakRef(moduleImport);
return {emptyArray, arrHolder};
}1
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import * as moduleImport from ‘export var exportedVar = 23;’;
function trigger() {
moduleImport.exportedVar;
const emptyArray = [1, 2];
emptyArray.pop();
emptyArray.pop();
const arrHolder = {xxarr: doubleArray, xxab: fakeArrayBuffer};
function f() {
try {
moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e–312;
} catch (e) { return false; }
return true;
}
while (!f()) { }
weakRef = new WeakRef(moduleImport);
return {emptyArray, arrHolder};
}
Code used by the attackers to trigger CVE-2024-4947
We can see in this code that it first accesses the exported variable exportedVar of the moduleImport module and then creates the emptyArray array and the arrHolder dictionary. However, it seems that no real work is done with them, they are just returned by the function trigger. And then something interesting happens – the f function is executed until it returns “true”. However, this function returns “true” only if it can set the exported variable moduleImport.exportedVar to the “3.79837e-312” value, and if an exception occurs because of this, the f function returns “false”. How could it be that executing the same expression moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e–312; should always return “false” until it returns “true”?
LdaImmutableCurrentContextSlot [53]
Star1
LdaConstant [0]
SetNamedProperty r1, [1], [0] // moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e-312;
Bytecode produced by the Ignition interpreter for “moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e-312;”
If we take a look at the bytecode produced for this expression by Ignition and at the code of the SetNamedProperty instruction handler, which is supposed to set this variable to the “3.79837e-312” value, we can see that it will always throw an exception — according to the ECMAScript specification, storing in a module object is always an error in JavaScript.
mov rax, 309000D616Dh // JS object ptr for “moduleImport”
mov edi, [rax+3]
add rdi, r14
mov rax, 309001870B5h // JS object ptr for “3.79837e-312”
mov [rdi–1], eax
JIT code produced by Maglev for “moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e-312;”
But if we wait until this bytecode has been executed enough times and V8 decides to compile it using the Maglev compiler, we’ll see that the resulting machine code doesn’t throw an exception, but actually sets this property somewhere in the moduleImport object. This happens due to a missing check for storing to module exports — which is the CVE-2024-4947 vulnerability (you can find the fix here). How do attackers exploit it? To answer this, we need to understand how JavaScript objects are represented in memory.
All JS objects begin with a pointer to a special object called Map (also known as HiddenClass) which stores meta information about the object and describes its structure. It contains the object’s type (stored at a +8 offset), number of properties, and so on.
The moduleImport module is represented in memory as a JSReceiver object, which is the most generic JS object and is used for types for which properties can be defined. It includes a pointer to the array of properties ( PropertyArray) which is basically a regular JS object of the FixedArray type with its own Map. If in the expression moduleImport.exportedVar = 3.79837e–312; moduleImport was not a module but a regular object, the code would set the property #0 in that array, writing at a +8 offset; however, since it is a module and there is a bug, the code sets this property, writing at a +0 offset, overwriting the Map object with the provided object.
Since 3.79837e-312 is a floating-point number, it is converted to a 64-bit value (according to the IEEE 754 standard) and stored in a HeapNumber JS object at a +4 offset. This allows the attackers to set their own type for the PropertyArray object and cause a type confusion. Setting the type to 0xB2 causes V8 to treat the PropertyArray as a PropertyDictionary, which results in memory corruption because the PropertyArray and PropertyDictionary objects are of different sizes and the kLengthAndHashOffset field of the PropertyDictionary falls outside the bounds of the PropertyArray.
Now the attackers need to get the right memory layout and corrupt something useful. They defragment the heap and perform the actions that you can see in the trigger function.
What happens in this function is the following:
- It accesses the exported module variable moduleImport.exportedVar to allocate moduleImport’s PropertyArray.
- It creates an emptyArray with two elements.
- Removing elements from this array reallocates the object that is used for storing the elements and sets emptyArray’s length to 0. This is an important step because in order to overwrite emptyArray’s length with PropertyDictionary’s hash, the length/hash must be equal to 0.
- The trigger function creates the arrHolder dictionary with two objects. This step follows the creation of the emptyArray to allow the pointers of these two objects to be accessed and overwritten when the length of emptyArray is corrupted. The first object, xxarr: doubleArray is used to construct a primitive for getting the addresses of JS objects. The second object, xxab: fakeArrayBuffer is used to construct a primitive for getting read/write access to the whole address space of the Chrome process.
- Next, the trigger function executes the f function until it is compiled by Maglev, and overwrites the type of the PropertyArray so it is treated as a PropertyDictionary object.
- Executing new WeakRef(moduleImport) triggers the calculation of PropertyDictionary’s hash, and the length of emptyArray is overwritten with the hash value.
- The trigger function returns emptyArray and arrHolder containing objects that can be overwritten with emptyArray.
After this, the exploit again abuses Maglev, or rather the fact that it optimizes the code based on the feedback collected by the interpreter. The exploit uses Maglev to compile a function that loads a double value from an array obtained using arrHolder.xxarr. When this function is compiled, the attackers can overwrite the pointer to an array obtained using arrHolder.xxarr via emptyArray[5] and use this function to get the addresses of JS objects. Similarly, the attackers use arrHolder.xxab to compile a function that sets specific properties and overwrites the length of another ArrayBuffer-type object along with the pointer to its data (backing_store_ptr). This becomes possible when the pointer to the object accessible via arrHolder.xxab is replaced via emptyArray[6] with a pointer to the ArrayBuffer. This gives the attackers read and write access to the entire address space of the Chrome process.
Second vulnerability (V8 sandbox bypass)
At this point, the attackers can read and write memory from JavaScript, but they need an additional vulnerability to bypass the newly introduced V8 (heap) sandbox. This sandbox is purely software-based and its main function is to isolate the V8 memory (heap) in such a way that attackers cannot access other parts of the memory and execute code. How does it do this? You may have noticed that all the pointers in the previous section are 32 bits long. This is not because we’re talking about a 32-bit process. It’s a 64-bit process, but the pointers are 32 bits long because V8 uses something called pointer compression. The pointers are not stored in full, but just as their lower parts, or they could also be seen as a 32-bit offset from some “base” address. The upper part (the “base” address) is stored in CPU registers and added by the code. In this case, attackers should not be able to obtain real pointers from the isolated memory and have no way to obtain addresses for the stack and JIT-code pages.
To bypass the V8 sandbox, the attackers used an interesting but very common vulnerability associated with interpreters — we have previously seen variations of this vulnerability in multiple virtual machine implementations. In V8, regular expressions are implemented using its own interpreter, Irregexp, with its own set of opcodes. The Irregexp VM is completely different from Ignition, but it is also a register-based VM.
BYTECODE(PUSH_REGISTER) {
ADVANCE(PUSH_REGISTER);
if (!backtrack_stack.push(registers[LoadPacked24Unsigned(insn)])) {
return MaybeThrowStackOverflow(isolate, call_origin);
}
DISPATCH();
}BYTECODE(SET_REGISTER) {
ADVANCE(SET_REGISTER);
registers[LoadPacked24Unsigned(insn)] = Load32Aligned(pc + 4);
DISPATCH();
}1
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RegisterT& operator[](size_t index) { return registers_[index]; }
BYTECODE(PUSH_REGISTER) {
ADVANCE(PUSH_REGISTER);
if (!backtrack_stack.push(registers[LoadPacked24Unsigned(insn)])) {
return MaybeThrowStackOverflow(isolate, call_origin);
}
DISPATCH();
}
BYTECODE(SET_REGISTER) {
ADVANCE(SET_REGISTER);
registers[LoadPacked24Unsigned(insn)] = Load32Aligned(pc + 4);
DISPATCH();
}
Examples of vulnerable code in Irregexp VM instruction handlers
The vulnerability is that the virtual machine has a fixed number of registers and a dedicated array for storing them, but the register indexes are decoded from the instruction bodies and are not checked. This allows attackers to access the memory outside the bounds of the register array.
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PUSH_REGISTER r(REGISTERS_COUNT + idx)
POP_REGISTER r(0)
PUSH_REGISTER r(REGISTERS_COUNT + idx + 1)
POP_REGISTER r(1)
// Overwrite “output_registers” ptr
SET_REGISTER r(REGISTERS_COUNT), holderAddressLow
SET_REGISTER r(REGISTERS_COUNT + 1), holderAddressHigh
// Overwrite “output_register_count”
SET_REGISTER r(REGISTERS_COUNT + 2), 2
// MemCopy(output_registers_, registers_.data(), output_register_count_ * sizeof(RegisterT));
SUCCEED
Malicious Irregexp VM bytecode for reading the memory outside of the register array bounds
Coincidentally, the pointers to output_registers and output_register_count are located right next to the register array. This allows the attackers to read and write the memory outside of the V8 sandbox with the help of the SUCCEED opcode. Attackers use this to overwrite JIT’ed code with shellcode and execute it.
This issue (330404819) was submitted and fixed in March 2024. It is unknown whether it was a bug collision and the attackers discovered it first and initially exploited it as a 0-day vulnerability, or if it was initially exploited as a 1-day vulnerability.
Shellcode
At this point, the attackers need additional vulnerabilities to escape the Chrome process and gain full access to the system. In the best practices of sophisticated attackers, they run a validator in the form of a shellcode that collects as much information as possible and sends it to the server to decide whether to provide the next stage (another exploit) or not. This decision is made based on the following information: CPUID information (vendor, processor name, etc), whether it’s running on a VM or not, OS version and build, number of processors, tick count, OS product type, whether it’s being debugged or not, process path, file version info of system modules, file version info of process executable, and SMBIOS firmware table.
By the time we analyzed the attack, the attackers had already removed the exploit from the decoy website, preventing us from easily obtaining the next stage of the attack. At Kaspersky, we possess technologies that have allowed us to discover and help to fix a huge number of 0-day privilege escalation vulnerabilities exploited by sophisticated attackers in various malware campaigns over the years; however, in this particular case we would have to wait for the next attack in order to extract its next stage. We’ve decided to not wait, preferring to let Google fix the initial exploit used to perform the remote code execution in Google Chrome.
Social activity
What never ceases to impress us is how much effort Lazarus APT puts into their social engineering campaigns. For several months, the attackers were building their social media presence, regularly making posts on X (formerly Twitter) from multiple accounts and promoting their game with content produced by generative AI and graphic designers.
One of the tactics used by the attackers was to contact influential figures in the cryptocurrency space to get them to promote their malicious website and most likely to also compromise them.
The attackers’ activity was not limited to X — they also used professionally designed websites with additional malware, premium accounts on LinkedIn, and spear phishing through email.
The game
What particularly caught our attention in this attack was that the malicious website attacking its visitors using a Google Chrome zero-day was inviting them to download and try a beta version of a computer game. As big computer games fans ourselves, we immediately wanted to try it. Could the attackers have developed a real game for this campaign? Could this be the first computer game ever developed by a threat actor? We downloaded detankzone.zip and it looked legit: the 400 MB-archive contained a valid file structure of a game developed in Unity. We unpacked the game’s resources and found “DeTankZone” logos, HUD elements, and 3D model textures. Debugging artifacts indicated that the game had been compiled by the attackers. We decided to give it a spin.
After an intro with the game’s logo, we are greeted with a typical online gaming start menu, asking us to enter valid account credentials to access the game. We tried to log in using some common account names and passwords, and then tried to register our own account through the game and the website — but nothing worked.
Is that really all this game has to offer? We started reverse engineering the game’s code and discovered that there was more content available beyond this start menu. We found the code responsible for communication with the game server and started reverse engineering that as well. The game was hardcoded to use the server running at “api.detankzone[.]com,” which clearly wasn’t working. But we really wanted to check this game out! What to do? We decided to develop our own game server, of course.
First, we discovered that the game uses the Socket.IO protocol to communicate with the server, so we chose the python–socketio library to develop our own server. We then found a function with a list of all supported command names (event names) and reverse engineered how they are obfuscated. After that, we reverse engineered how the data was encoded: it turned out to be a JSON encrypted with AES256 and encoded with Base64. For the AES key it uses the string “Full Stack IT Service 198703Game”, while the string “MatGoGameProject” is used for the IV. We hoped that this information might reveal the identities of the game’s developers, but a Google search yielded no results. Finally, we reverse engineered the data format for a couple of commands, implemented them on our server, and replaced the server URL with the address of our own server. Success! After all this we were able to log into the game and play with the bots!
Yes, it turned out to be a real game! We played it for a bit and it was fun — it reminded us of some shareware games from the early 2000s. Definitely worth the effort. The textures look a little tacky and the game itself closely resembles a popular Unity tutorial, but if Lazarus had developed this game themselves, it would have set a new bar for attack preparation. But no — Lazarus stayed true to themselves. It turns out that the source code for this game was stolen from its original developers.
The original game
We found a legitimate game that served as a prototype for the attacker’s version – it’s called DeFiTankLand (DFTL). Studying the developers’ Telegram chat helped us build a timeline of the attack. On February 20, 2024, the attackers began their campaign, advertising their game on X. Two weeks later, on March 2, 2024, the price of the DeFiTankLand’s currency, DFTL2 coin, dropped, and the game’s developers announced on their Telegram that their cold wallet had been hacked and $20,000 worth of DFTL2 coins had been stolen. The developers blamed an insider for this. Insider or not, we suspect that this was the work of Lazarus, and that before stealing the coins they first stole the game’s source code, modified all the logos and references to DeFiTankLand, and used it to make their campaign more credible.
Conclusions
Lazarus is one of the most active and sophisticated APT actors, and financial gain remains one of their top motivations. Over the years, we have uncovered many of their attacks on the cryptocurrency industry, and one thing is certain: these attacks are not going away. The attackers’ tactics are evolving and they’re constantly coming up with new, complex social engineering schemes. Lazarus has already successfully started using generative AI, and we predict that they will come up with even more elaborate attacks using it. What makes Lazarus’s attacks particularly dangerous is their frequent use of zero-day exploits. Simply clicking a link on a social network or in an email can lead to the complete compromise of a personal computer or corporate network.
Historically, half of the bugs discovered or exploited in Google Chrome and other web browsers have affected its compilers. Huge changes in the code base of the web browser and the introduction of new JIT compilers inevitably lead to a large number of new vulnerabilities. What can end users do about this? While Google Chrome continues to add new JIT compilers, there is also Microsoft Edge, which can run without JIT at all. But it’s also fair to say that the newly introduced V8 sandbox might be very successful at stopping bugs exploitation in compilers. Once it becomes more mature, exploiting Google Chrome with JIT may be as difficult as exploiting Microsoft Edge without it.
Indicators of Compromise
Exploit
B2DC7AEC2C6D2FFA28219AC288E4750C
E5DA4AB6366C5690DFD1BB386C7FE0C78F6ED54F
7353AB9670133468081305BD442F7691CF2F2C1136F09D9508400546C417833AGame
8312E556C4EEC999204368D69BA91BF4
7F28AD5EE9966410B15CA85B7FACB70088A17C5F
59A37D7D2BF4CFFE31407EDD286A811D9600B68FE757829E30DA4394AB65A4CC -
MIL-OSI Banking: Committee on Market Access holds third thematic session on supply chain resilience
Source: WTO
Headline: Committee on Market Access holds third thematic session on supply chain resilience
The moderator of the session, Mr Iain Fifer of the United Kingdom, emphasized the critical role of trade data in analyzing and enhancing the resilience of supply chains. He noted the challenges in gathering reliable, timely and relevant data, and underlined how such information can inform decision-making.
Thailand highlighted logistical challenges related to train freight routes from Thailand to Europe. While rail transport is faster than ocean freight and cheaper than air freight, it faces significant obstacles such as customs clearance issues at multiple borders, a lack of harmonized standards, and higher costs compared to sea freight. Additionally, it stressed how limitations in rail infrastructure add complexity.
China emphasized the importance of multilateral and bilateral trade frameworks, such as those supported by the WTO, in ensuring smooth supply chain operations. It underscored technological advances, particularly in big data and green energy, as key influencers of the development of global supply chains. China also announced the upcoming release of its Global Supply Chain Connectivity Index at the second China International Supply Chain Expo in November 2024. The document will provide a quantitative assessment of the resilience and stability of global supply chains.
India focused on the three fundamental pillars of supply chains — production, logistics and markets. It also underlined the importance of digital infrastructure in bolstering supply chain resilience. Additionally, India discussed initiatives such as the Unified Logistics Interface Platform and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which utilize geospatial data to enhance infrastructure connectivity and logistics efficiency.
The United States introduced its newly established Supply Chain Center within the Department of Commerce, designed to enhance supply chain resilience. The unit’s “Scale” tool assesses risks across sectors of the US economy by evaluating more than 40 indicators of criticality, vulnerability and resiliency in supply chains. The tool provides an in-depth view of current risks to better inform policy decisions, the United States underlined.
Switzerland presented an initiative led by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) aimed at improving the transparency and resilience of medical supply chains. The initiative was prompted by the supply shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Switzerland’s project involves a monitoring mechanism designed to increase visibility in global medical supply chains and address future disruptions through international cooperation and the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
In his conclusion, the moderator emphasized the importance of data design and collection in creating a comprehensive understanding of various supply chains. He stressed that data sharing and collaboration were central themes of the discussion, noting that swift and accurate exchange of information between stakeholders and governments is essential. Additionally, he acknowledged the significant analytical work required after data collection and pointed out that once data analysis is completed, it must be effectively utilized to guide policymaking. The session also featured examples of ongoing policy initiatives shaped by data-driven projects.
The interim Chair of the Market Access Committee, Ms Nicola Waterfield of Canada, expressed appreciation for the presentations and highlighted the importance of the discussions. She also announced that the Committee’s next formal meeting is scheduled for 19-20 November 2024.Share
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MIL-OSI: Roper Technologies announces third quarter financial results
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SARASOTA, Fla., Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Roper Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROP) reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024. The results in this press release are presented on a continuing operations basis.
Third quarter 2024 highlights
- Revenue increased 13% to $1.76 billion; organic revenue increased 4%
- GAAP DEPS increased 6% to $3.40; adjusted DEPS increased 7% to $4.62
- GAAP net earnings increased 6% to $368 million; adjusted net earnings increased 7% to $499 million
- Adjusted EBITDA increased 10% to $717 million
- Operating cash flow was $755 million; adjusted operating cash flow increased 17%
“Our portfolio of market-leading technology businesses delivered another solid quarter, highlighted by 13% total revenue growth, 10% EBITDA growth, and 15% free cash flow growth,” said Neil Hunn, Roper Technologies’ President and CEO. “We are, again, increasing our full year guidance to the high end of the range, supported by our third quarter results, the continued expansion of our recurring revenue base, and improving demand for our businesses’ mission critical solutions.”
“During the third quarter, we completed the acquisition of Transact Campus, which has been combined with our CBORD business. This acquisition adds another high-quality vertical software business to our portfolio with highly compelling value creation opportunities for our shareholders. We remain well positioned to execute our disciplined and process-driven capital deployment strategy, with significant M&A firepower and a robust pipeline of acquisition opportunities,” concluded Mr. Hunn.
Updating 2024 guidance
Roper now expects full year 2024 adjusted DEPS of $18.21 – $18.25, compared to previous guidance of $18.10 – $18.25. The Company increased its full year total revenue growth outlook to 13%+ and continues to expect organic revenue growth of approximately 6%.
For the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company expects adjusted DEPS of $4.70 – $4.74.
The Company’s guidance excludes the impact of unannounced future acquisitions or divestitures.
Conference call to be held at 8:00 AM (ET) today
A conference call to discuss these results has been scheduled for 8:00 AM ET on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. The call can be accessed via webcast or by dialing +1 800-836-8184 (US/Canada) or +1 646-357-8785, using conference call ID 50829. Webcast information and conference call materials will be made available in the Investors section of Roper’s website (http://www.ropertech.com) prior to the start of the call. The webcast can also be accessed directly by using the following URL https://event.webcast. Telephonic replays will be available for up to two weeks and can be accessed by dialing +1 646-517-4150 with access code 50829#.
Use of non-GAAP financial information
The Company supplements its consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis with certain non-GAAP financial information to provide investors with greater insight, increase transparency and allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the information used by management in its financial and operational decision-making. Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in the accompanying financial schedules or tables. The non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by the Company should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, and the financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP and reconciliations from these results should be carefully evaluated.
Minority interests
Following the sale of a majority stake in its industrial businesses to CD&R, Roper holds a minority interest in Indicor. The fair value of Roper’s equity investment in Indicor is updated on a quarterly basis and reported as “equity investments gain, net.” Roper also holds a minority interest in Certinia, a leading provider of professional services automation software. The Company’s investment is accounted for under the equity method and its proportionate share of earnings or loss associated with this investment is reported as “equity investments gain, net.” Roper makes non-GAAP adjustments for the impacts associated with these investments.
Table 1: Revenue and adjusted EBITDA reconciliation ($M)
(from continuing operations)Q3 2023 Q3 2024 V % GAAP revenue $ 1,563 $ 1,765 13 % Components of revenue growth Organic 4 % Acquisitions 9 % Foreign exchange — % Revenue growth 13 % Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation GAAP net earnings $ 346 $ 368 Taxes 97 99 Interest expense 42 68 Depreciation 9 9 Amortization 182 197 EBITDA $ 676 $ 741 10 % Restructuring-related expenses associated with the
Syntellis (’23) and Transact (’24) acquisitions9 9 Transaction-related expenses for completed
acquisitions5 5 Financial impacts associated with the minority
investments in Indicor & Certinia A(34 ) (37 ) Gain on sale of non-operating assets (3 ) — Adjusted EBITDA $ 652 $ 717 10 % % of revenue 41.7 % 40.7 % (100 bps) Table 2: Adjusted net earnings reconciliation ($M)
(from continuing operations)Q3 2023 Q3 2024 V % GAAP net earnings $ 346 $ 368 6 % Restructuring-related expenses associated with the
Syntellis (’23) and Transact (’24) acquisitions7 7 Transaction-related expenses for completed
acquisitions4 4 Financial impacts associated with the minority
investments in Indicor & Certinia A(28 ) (29 ) Gain on sale of non-operating assets (3 ) — Amortization of acquisition-related intangible
assets B140 149 Adjusted net earnings $ 465 $ 499 7 % Table 3: Adjusted DEPS reconciliation
(from continuing operations)Q3 2023 Q3 2024 V % GAAP DEPS $ 3.21 $ 3.40 6 % Restructuring-related expenses associated with the
Syntellis (’23) and Transact (’24) acquisitions0.06 0.07 Transaction-related expenses for completed
acquisitions0.03 0.03 Financial impacts associated with the minority
investments in Indicor & Certinia A(0.26 ) (0.27 ) Gain on sale of non-operating assets (0.02 ) — Amortization of acquisition-related intangible
assets B1.30 1.38 Adjusted DEPS $ 4.32 $ 4.62 7 % Table 4: Adjusted cash flow reconciliation ($M)
(from continuing operations)Q3 2023 Q3 2024 V % Operating cash flow $ 631 $ 755 20 % Taxes paid in period related to divestiture 16 — Adjusted operating cash flow $ 647 $ 755 17 % Capital expenditures (13 ) (23 ) Capitalized software expenditures (9 ) (13 ) Adjusted free cash flow $ 625 $ 719 15 % Table 5: Forecasted adjusted DEPS reconciliation
(from continuing operations)Q4 2024 FY 2024 Low end High end Low end High end GAAP DEPS C $ 3.29 $ 3.33 $ 12.64 $ 12.68 Restructuring-related expenses associated
with the Transact acquisition— — 0.07 0.07 Transaction-related expenses for
completed acquisitions— — 0.05 0.05 Financial impacts associated with the
minority investments in Indicor & Certinia ATBD TBD TBD TBD Amortization of acquisition-related
intangible assets B1.41 1.41 5.45 5.45 Adjusted DEPS $ 4.70 $ 4.74 $ 18.21 $ 18.25 Footnotes:
A. Adjustments related to the financial impacts associated with the minority investments in Indicor & Certinia as shown below ($M, except per share data). Forecasted results do not include any potential impacts associated with our minority investments in Indicor or Certinia, as these potential impacts cannot be reasonably predicted. These impacts will be excluded from all non-GAAP results in future periods. Q3 2023A Q3 2024A Q4 2024E FY 2024E Pretax $ (34 ) $ (37 ) TBD TBD After-tax $ (28 ) $ (29 ) TBD TBD Per share $ (0.26 ) $ (0.27 ) TBD TBD B. Actual results and forecast of estimated amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets as shown below ($M, except per share data). These adjustments are taxed at 21%. Q3 2023A Q3 2024A Q4 2024E FY 2024E Pretax $ 177 $ 189 $ 193 $ 745 After-tax $ 140 $ 149 $ 153 $ 588 Per share $ 1.30 $ 1.38 $ 1.41 $ 5.45 C. Forecasted GAAP DEPS do not include any potential impacts associated with our minority investments in Indicor or Certinia. These impacts will be excluded from all non-GAAP results in future periods. Note: Numbers may not foot due to rounding.
About Roper Technologies
Roper Technologies is a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000. Roper has a proven, long-term track record of compounding cash flow and shareholder value. The Company operates market leading businesses that design and develop vertical software and technology enabled products for a variety of defensible niche markets. Roper utilizes a disciplined, analytical, and process-driven approach to redeploy its excess capital toward high-quality acquisitions. Additional information about Roper is available on the Company’s website at http://www.ropertech.com.
Contact information:
Investor Relations
941-556-2601
investor-relations@ropertech.comThe information provided in this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements may include, among others, statements regarding operating results, the success of our internal operating plans, and the prospects for newly acquired businesses to be integrated and contribute to future growth, profit and cash flow expectations. Forward-looking statements may be indicated by words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plans,” “expects,” “projects,” “should,” “will,” “believes,” “intends” and similar words and phrases. These statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are not guarantees of future performance. They involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include our ability to identify and complete acquisitions consistent with our business strategies, integrate acquisitions that have been completed, realize expected benefits and synergies from, and manage other risks associated with, acquired businesses, including obtaining any required regulatory approvals with respect thereto. We also face other general risks, including our ability to realize cost savings from our operating initiatives, general economic conditions and the conditions of the specific markets in which we operate, including risks related to labor shortages and rising interest rates, changes in foreign exchange rates, difficulties associated with exports, risks associated with our international operations, cybersecurity and data privacy risks, including litigation resulting therefrom, risks related to political instability, armed hostilities, incidents of terrorism, public health crises (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) or natural disasters, increased product liability and insurance costs, increased warranty exposure, future competition, changes in the supply of, or price for, parts and components, including as a result of the current inflationary environment and ongoing supply chain constraints, environmental compliance costs and liabilities, risks and cost associated with litigation, potential write-offs of our substantial intangible assets, and risks associated with obtaining governmental approvals and maintaining regulatory compliance for new and existing products. Important risks may be discussed in current and subsequent filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events.
Roper Technologies, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) (Amounts in millions) September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 ASSETS: Cash and cash equivalents $ 269.6 $ 214.3 Accounts receivable, net 821.2 829.9 Inventories, net 129.0 118.6 Income taxes receivable 43.0 47.7 Unbilled receivables 130.3 106.4 Other current assets 199.2 164.5 Total current assets 1,592.3 1,481.4 Property, plant and equipment, net 132.8 119.6 Goodwill 19,267.2 17,118.8 Other intangible assets, net 9,212.7 8,212.1 Deferred taxes 35.9 32.2 Equity investments 878.6 795.7 Other assets 433.2 407.7 Total assets $ 31,552.7 $ 28,167.5 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY: Accounts payable $ 155.8 $ 143.0 Accrued compensation 248.5 250.0 Deferred revenue 1,671.0 1,583.8 Other accrued liabilities 468.4 446.5 Income taxes payable 47.0 40.4 Current portion of long-term debt, net 699.0 499.5 Total current liabilities 3,289.7 2,963.2 Long-term debt, net of current portion 7,677.6 5,830.6 Deferred taxes 1,649.9 1,513.1 Other liabilities 420.0 415.8 Total liabilities 13,037.2 10,722.7 Common stock 1.1 1.1 Additional paid-in capital 2,976.9 2,767.0 Retained earnings 15,661.4 14,816.3 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (107.4 ) (122.8 ) Treasury stock (16.5 ) (16.8 ) Total stockholders’ equity 18,515.5 17,444.8 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 31,552.7 $ 28,167.5 Roper Technologies, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (unaudited) (Amounts in millions, except per share data) Three months ended
September 30,Nine months ended
September 30,2024 2023 2024 2023 Net revenues $ 1,764.6 $ 1,563.4 $ 5,162.1 $ 4,564.3 Cost of sales 542.9 467.1 1,566.1 1,382.3 Gross profit 1,221.7 1,096.3 3,596.0 3,182.0 Selling, general and administrative expenses 725.1 650.2 2,123.9 1,899.6 Income from operations 496.6 446.1 1,472.1 1,282.4 Interest expense, net 67.7 42.4 188.4 114.6 Equity investments gain, net (37.4 ) (33.9 ) (93.6 ) (98.7 ) Other (income) expense, net (0.9 ) (5.0 ) 0.9 0.1 Earnings before income taxes 467.2 442.6 1,376.4 1,266.4 Income taxes 99.3 97.0 289.4 275.5 Net earnings from continuing operations 367.9 345.6 1,087.0 990.9 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax — (2.9 ) — (4.1 ) Gain on disposition of discontinued operations,
net of tax— 4.5 — 8.4 Net earnings from discontinued operations — 1.6 — 4.3 Net earnings $ 367.9 $ 347.2 $ 1,087.0 $ 995.2 Net earnings per share from continuing
operations:Basic $ 3.43 $ 3.23 $ 10.15 $ 9.30 Diluted $ 3.40 $ 3.21 $ 10.06 $ 9.23 Net earnings per share from discontinued
operations:Basic $ — $ 0.02 $ — $ 0.04 Diluted $ — $ 0.02 $ — $ 0.04 Net earnings per share: Basic $ 3.43 $ 3.25 $ 10.15 $ 9.34 Diluted $ 3.40 $ 3.23 $ 10.06 $ 9.27 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 107.2 106.7 107.1 106.5 Diluted 108.1 107.6 108.0 107.3 Roper Technologies, Inc. Selected Segment Financial Data (unaudited) (Amounts in millions; percentages of net revenues) Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Amount % Amount % Amount % Amount % Net revenues: Application Software $ 984.4 $ 803.4 $ 2,811.4 $ 2,335.1 Network Software 367.1 364.1 1,102.1 1,076.7 Technology Enabled
Products413.1 395.9 1,248.6 1,152.5 Total $ 1,764.6 $ 1,563.4 $ 5,162.1 $ 4,564.3 Gross profit: Application Software $ 672.8 68.3 % $ 557.7 69.4 % $ 1,939.6 69.0 % $ 1,609.2 68.9 % Network Software 311.8 84.9 % 310.7 85.3 % 935.9 84.9 % 914.0 84.9 % Technology Enabled
Products237.1 57.4 % 227.9 57.6 % 720.5 57.7 % 658.8 57.2 % Total $ 1,221.7 69.2 % $ 1,096.3 70.1 % $ 3,596.0 69.7 % $ 3,182.0 69.7 % Operating profit*: Application Software $ 259.8 26.4 % $ 206.9 25.8 % $ 750.5 26.7 % $ 601.3 25.8 % Network Software 166.0 45.2 % 164.4 45.2 % 492.1 44.7 % 465.0 43.2 % Technology Enabled
Products141.1 34.2 % 137.1 34.6 % 424.0 34.0 % 391.7 34.0 % Total $ 566.9 32.1 % $ 508.4 32.5 % $ 1,666.6 32.3 % $ 1,458.0 31.9 % * Segment operating profit is before unallocated corporate general and administrative expenses and enterprise-wide stock-based compensation. These expenses were $70.3 and $62.3 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and $194.5 and $175.6 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Roper Technologies, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) (Amounts in millions) Nine months ended
September 30,2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net earnings from continuing operations $ 1,087.0 $ 990.9 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings from continuing operations to cash flows from operating activities: Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment 27.9 26.3 Amortization of intangible assets 573.8 532.8 Amortization of deferred financing costs 7.0 7.7 Non-cash stock compensation 112.9 99.2 Equity investments gain, net (93.6 ) (98.7 ) Income tax provision 289.4 275.5 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquired businesses: Accounts receivable 82.8 25.8 Unbilled receivables (17.1 ) (15.3 ) Inventories (8.3 ) (11.2 ) Accounts payable (7.2 ) 12.1 Other accrued liabilities (1.7 ) (72.0 ) Deferred revenue 24.5 18.6 Cash taxes paid for gain on disposal of business — (16.4 ) Cash income taxes paid, excluding tax associated with gain on disposal of
business(383.1 ) (335.6 ) Other, net (23.3 ) (24.0 ) Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations 1,671.0 1,415.7 Cash used in operating activities from discontinued operations — (2.4 ) Cash provided by operating activities 1,671.0 1,413.3 Cash flows from (used in) investing activities: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (3,464.1 ) (1,970.1 ) Capital expenditures (39.2 ) (37.8 ) Capitalized software expenditures (33.4 ) (28.7 ) Distributions from equity investment 9.5 25.3 Other, net (1.0 ) 0.6 Cash used in investing activities from continuing operations (3,528.2 ) (2,010.7 ) Cash provided by disposition of discontinued operations — 2.0 Cash used in investing activities (3,528.2 ) (2,008.7 ) Cash flows from (used in) financing activities: Proceeds from senior notes 2,000.0 — Payments of senior notes (500.0 ) (700.0 ) Borrowings under revolving line of credit, net 565.0 910.0 Debt issuance costs (24.7 ) — Cash dividends to stockholders (241.1 ) (217.5 ) Proceeds from stock-based compensation, net 88.1 99.3 Treasury stock sales 14.5 11.6 Other (0.1 ) (0.1 ) Cash provided by financing activities 1,901.7 103.3 (Continued) Roper Technologies, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) – Continued (Amounts in millions) Nine months ended
September 30,2024 2023 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 10.8 (1.2 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 55.3 (493.3 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 214.3 792.8 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 269.6 $ 299.5 -
MIL-OSI: YieldMax™ ETFs Announces Distributions on MSTY (175.64%), AIYY (100.45%), SQY (70.37%), YMAX (67.11%), YMAG (14.96%) and Others
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax™ today announced distributions for the YieldMax™ ETFs listed in the table below.
ETF
Ticker1ETF Name Reference Asset Distribution
per ShareDistribution Frequency Distribution Rate2,4,5 30-Day
SEC
Yield3Ex-Date &
Record DatePayment
DateYMAX YieldMax™ Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Multiple $0.2268 Weekly 67.11% 62.93% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 YMAG YieldMax™ Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Multiple $0.0545 Weekly 14.96% 50.85% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 MSTY YieldMax™ MSTR Option Income Strategy ETF MSTR $4.1981 Every 4 Weeks 175.64% 0.00% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 YQQQ YieldMax™ Short N100 Option Income Strategy ETF N100 $0.3550 Every 4 Weeks 24.82% 3.63% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 AMZY YieldMax™ AMZN Option Income Strategy ETF AMZN $0.7632 Every 4 Weeks 50.32% 3.27% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 APLY YieldMax™ AAPL Option Income Strategy ETF AAPL $0.3428 Every 4 Weeks 24.35% 3.17% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 AIYY YieldMax™ AI Option Income Strategy ETF AI $0.7241 Every 4 Weeks 100.45% 3.76% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 DISO YieldMax™ DIS Option Income Strategy ETF DIS $0.5146 Every 4 Weeks 40.88% 3.41% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 SQY YieldMax™ SQ Option Income Strategy ETF SQ $1.0201 Every 4 Weeks 70.37% 3.44% 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 SMCY YieldMax™ SMCI Option Income Strategy ETF SMCI $5.3541 Every 4 Weeks _ _ 10/24/2024 10/25/2024 Scheduled for next week: TSLY CRSH GOOY YBIT OARK XOMO SNOY TSMY
The performance data quoted above represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (833) 378-0717.Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH and YQQQ are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs”.
Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.
Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).
1 All YieldMax™ ETFs (except YMAX, YMAG and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX and YMAG have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax™ ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio of 1.24% but the investment adviser has agreed to a 0.10% fee waiver through at least February 28, 2025.
2 The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on October 22, 2024. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.
3 The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended September 30. 2024, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period. As of such date, the ULTY subsidized and unsubsidized 30-Day SEC Yields were 0.00% and 0.00%, respectively. The subsidized yield reflects fee waivers in effect while the unsubsidized yield does not adjust for any fee waivers in effect.
4 Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.
5 As of the date hereof, distributions for the following ETFs have included return of investor capital: TSLY, OARK, APLY, AMZY, NVDY, GOOY, JPMO, XOMO, PYPY, CONY, DISO, FBY, MSFO, NFLY, SQY, AMDY, MRNY, AIYY, MSTY, ULTY, YMAX, YMAG, YBIT, SNOY, CRSH, GDXY and FIAT. For additional information, please visit http://www.YieldMaxETFs.com/TaxInfo.
Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.
Standardized Performance
For YMAX, click here. For YMAG, click here. For TSLY, click here. For OARK, click here. For APLY, click here. For NVDY, click here. For AMZY, click here. For FBY, click here. For GOOY, click here. For NFLY, click here. For CONY, click here. For MSFO, click here. For DISO, click here. For XOMO, click here. For JPMO, click here. For AMDY, click here. For PYPY, click here. For SQY, click here. For MRNY, click here. For AIYY, click here. For MSTY, click here. For ULTY, click here. For YBIT, click here. For CRSH, click here. For GDXY, click here. For SNOY, click here. For ABNY, click here. For FIAT, click here. For DIPS, click here. For BABO, click here. For YQQQ, click here. For TSMY, click here. For SMCY, click here. For PLTY, click here
Prospectuses
Click here.
Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information are in the prospectus. Please read the prospectuses carefully before you invest.
There is no guarantee that any Fund’s investment strategy will be properly implemented, and an investor may lose some or all of its investment in any such Fund.
Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax™ ETFs and ZEGA Financial is their sub-adviser.
THE FUND, TRUST, AND SUB-ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERNCE ASSET.
Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)
YMAX and YMAG generally invest in other YieldMax™ ETFs. As such, these two Funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax™ ETFs they may hold from time to time.
Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.
Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer time periods.
Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.
Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.
Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.
Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.
Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.
Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.
New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.
Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.
Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.
Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.
Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)
Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.
Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.
Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.
Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)
Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.
Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.
The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.
Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)
YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.
Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.
Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.
Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.
Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)
Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.
Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.
Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer time periods.
Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.
Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.
Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.
Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.
Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.
Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.
Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.
New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.
Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.
Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.
Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.
Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)
Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.
Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.
Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given time period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.
YieldMax™ ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, YieldMax™ ETFs or ZEGA Financial.
© 2024 YieldMax™ ETFs
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MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to MHRA and NICE news on donanemab for Alzheimer’s disease
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on MHRA saying ‘Donanemab licensed for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in some adults’, and NICE draft guidance saying ‘Donanemab does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS’.
Prof Andrew Doig, Professor of Biochemistry, University of Manchester, said
“Donanemab is a new drug for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) which tackles the build-up of a form of amyloid-β in the brain, the likely root cause of AD. It is an antibody that is administered through a needle inserted into a vein. Donanemab was tested with a clinical trial on about 2000 people with early-stage AD, run over 18 months.
“Donanemab shows real benefit to patients with mild AD by slowing down cognitive decline. The benefits are small, however, and there are concerns with the drug. Firstly, donanemab is not a cure for AD and it does not reverse, or even halt, the disease. All it does is to slow down the rate at which the disease progresses, as measured by loss of memory and other cognitive skills. In effect, patients who take donanemab see a delay to their loss of brain function by around six months. Secondly, carrying out a diagnosis to see who is eligible to take donanemab can only be carried out by a PET scan, similar an MRI scan, or by analysing cerebrospinal fluid, carried out by a lumbar puncture. These diagnosis methods are expensive and can be unpleasant for patients, so are not routinely available. Genetic tests to check that a patient is eligible for the drug are also useful. Thirdly, there is a small, but real risk, that donanemab can cause swelling or bleeding in the brain. About a quarter of patients in the trial showed evidence of this. Finally, the cost of the drug is very high, as is the cost of administering the drugs, as it requires regular MRI scans. Given the small benefits and high costs of the drug, NICE has not approved donanemab. NHS resources are limited (e.g. MRI machines) and are better spent elsewhere.
“This decision will be disappointing for patients and carers who are living with the burden of this horrible disease that has no cure. Nevertheless, there is hope. Better diagnostic methods are in development, such as a simple blood test, which would mean that PET scans or lumbar punctures are not needed. Donanemab has not been ruled out forever and this decision could change. We will continue to track how well it works over longer time periods. Costs may also come down. In addition, many other AD therapies, such as other antibodies are on the way. Some of them are likely to work better than donanemab and could be approved.
“Donanemab and other related drugs have shown that it is possible to slow cognitive decline caused by AD. They therefore point the way to a future where AD can be treated, bringing benefit to millions of people.”
Prof B. Paul Morgan, UK Dementia Research Institute Cardiff, Cardiff University, said:
“NICE has reached the decision that the Alzheimer’s drug Donanemab, despite having a modest effect on rate of disease progression, does not clear the clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness hurdles for approval for use in the NHS. The drug requires monthly infusions and carries significant risk of side effects, necessitating very close monitoring using imaging and other expensive tests.
“The decision is not surprising in that it closely mirrors that made for another Alzheimer’s drug, Lecanemab, in August. Both drugs are monoclonal antibodies that target amyloid, the main component of the plaques that develop in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease. They differ subtly in that Lecanemab targets the soluble form of amyloid to prevent plaque formation while Donanemab targets amyloid aggregates in plaques. Nevertheless, both efficiently clear amyloid and have a similar slowing effect on progression of cognitive decline in patients. Both also share the same risks, notably an increase in inflammation in brain blood vessels that can lead to bleeding in the brain.
“The decision will be a disappointment to Alzheimer’s sufferers and their carers. It means that there are no disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s currently approved in the UK. The decision also highlights the problems with the amyloid-targeting drugs – eye-wateringly expensive, difficult to administer and potentially harmful. Balancing these against a modest impact on the disease, the decision made by NICE is understandable. These drugs are already in use in the US and elsewhere, albeit at lower than predicted uptake, and more will be learned from their wider use. In particular, improvements in patient selection and monitoring may tip the balance in the future.
“The final lesson from these disappointments is that we need better drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, moving beyond the focus on amyloid clearance and targeting other aspects of the disease that may provide better, safer and affordable routes to effective therapy of this awful disease.”
Prof Rob Howard, Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, University College London (UCL), said:
“NICE have made the correct and responsible decision that donanemab treatment within the NHS cannot be considered to represent a cost-effective use of resources. Importantly, the estimated potential value-based benefits of donanemab to patients with dementia and their families were between only a fifth and a sixth of the actual costs of buying and administering the treatment.
“Although there is considerable uncertainty about both the meaningfulness of the very small benefits seen with treatment and any longer term effects beyond the 18 months of data collected in the pivotal trials, NHS access to these new drugs would not have made an appreciable difference to the experience of patients and families affected by dementia.
We have well-established drug treatments and psychosocial interventions for Alzheimer’s disease that are already available to people with dementia within the NHS but are not universally accessed. Our priority now should be to ensure that everyone with dementia who might benefit from these cost-effective interventions and adequately resourced adult social care services is able to access them. It would be unhelpful if the conversation about how we adequately fund NHS and social care for people with dementia was distracted by the issue of these new drugs. We should thank NICE for their leadership and clarity in this regard.”
Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said:
“These first drugs are just the opening chapter for Alzheimer’s treatments. Today’s MHRA approval of donanemab is another step towards a future where we can begin to offer treatments to people affected by dementia. In this case, NICE’s initial recommendation is that the benefits of the drug are not significant enough to make it cost effective, which means it will not be available to patients on the NHS. This will be disappointing to many. However, I do believe we are at a pivotal moment in our research mission to develop better, safer treatments.
“This is a long journey and is only possible because of long-term investment in research that underpins the identification and development of new treatments. The MRC-funded UK Dementia Research Institute is at the forefront of research into dementias, and working together with our many partners from patient charities, leading UK universities, the NHS and industry we are hopeful that major advances in diagnostics and treatments are ahead of us.”
Prof Charles Marshall, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neurologist, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:
“This will be very disappointing news for people affected by Alzheimer’s who are desperate for something that can slow the course of the disease. Hopefully, future developments will allow the introduction of treatments like this in the NHS. For this we will need investment in modernised dementia clinics that can deliver diagnosis and treatment appropriately, as well as evidence that Donanemab continues to slow Alzheimer’s disease over a longer time period, which could make it cost effective. We need NHS patients to be involved in generating this evidence so that we can see how effective Donanemab might be if used widely in the UK.”
Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and President of the British Neuroscience Association said:
“While people living with dementia and their loved ones will undoubtedly be disappointed by the decision not to fund this new treatment on the NHS, the good news that new treatments can slow disease even a small amount is hopeful. New research is bringing us closer to treatments that should be safer and more effective. This decision on the amyloid targeting drug donanemab is not a surprise as it is consistent with the recent recommendations for lecanemab, a very similar drug. Donanemab is an antibody that removes amyloid pathology from the brain. This is not a cure. The treatment slows disease progression modestly but does not stop or reverse symptoms. The treatment also comes with potentially serious side effects of brain swelling and brain bleeding.”
Prof Tom Dening, Professor of Dementia Research, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, said:
“Given the MHRA and NICE positions previously stated on lecanemab, these decisions in relation to donanemab are hardly surprising. My personal position stands more with NICE, because I think that we don’t do enough to support people with dementia after they get a diagnosis, and the expensive monoclonal antibodies are a bit of a distraction from the main issue, which is to help people live the best lives they can with the diagnosis.”
Professor Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“Disease-modifying therapies like donanemab and lecanemab offer a new horizon of hope in the fight against dementia. MHRA’s approval of donanemab marks another milestone in this journey, but it comes alongside a draft NICE decision not to recommend donanemab for use on the NHS. While this is disheartening, we respect the decision of the regulator.
“In other diseases like cancer, treatments have become more effective, safer and cheaper over time and we hope to see similar progress in dementia.
“With around 20 Alzheimer’s disease drugs in late-stage clinical trials, more drugs will be submitted for approval within the next few years.
“New treatments are an important catalyst for change, but they are only one piece of the puzzle. While preparing for the future, we must not lose sight of the million people living with dementia in the UK today – a third of whom don’t have a diagnosis.
“We need to see significant government investment to bring about radical change so that everyone with dementia in the UK can get an early and accurate diagnosis. Without this, people won’t be able to access existing treatments and interventions to help manage their symptoms today or be ready for the disease slowing treatments of tomorrow.”
Hilary Evans-Newton, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Today’s announcement marks another frustrating setback for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. We finally have two new treatments licensed in Britain for Alzheimer’s, but it’s incredibly disappointing that NHS patients in England and Wales won’t receive them. While these drugs are not cures and come with risk of side effects, trials show they are the first treatments to slow the decline in memory and thinking skills linked to Alzheimer’s, rather than just alleviating symptoms.
“NICE’s recent interim decisions on lecanemab and donanemab highlight uncertainty about their benefits compared to the significant costs of delivering them in the NHS. Yet dementia remains the UK’s leading cause of death, and without action, an ageing population means more families will be affected, driving up NHS costs through emergency admissions and care.
“NHS England has identified nearly 30 other dementia treatments that could be available by 2030, giving the government and NHS a crucial opportunity to transform how dementia is treated – just as Labour pledged in their manifesto. But we still haven’t heard from Health Secretary Wes Streeting on how he plans to break the deadlock we’re facing, where research is delivering new treatments but they remain out of reach for NHS patients. We’ve written to the Health Secretary again, calling for his leadership to bring together NICE, NHS England and industry so that people with dementia in the UK aren’t left behind.
“Today’s decision also risks signalling that the UK is no longer a good place to launch new dementia treatments. Although the UK has a strong history in dementia research, it currently hosts just 7% of global dementia trials and under 3% of participants in phase 3 trials for dementia worldwide live here. How the government tackles these challenges will show if they’re serious about bringing innovation to the NHS and cutting the red tape that is limiting people’s access to research and innovative medicines.”
MHRA decision and NICE draft guidance on donanemab for Alzheimer’s disease was published at 10:00am UK time Wednesday 22nd October 2024.
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11221
Declared interests
Prof Andrew Doig: Andrew Doig is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Manchester. He is a founder and director of PharmaKure, a spin-out company working on diagnostics and drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Prof Rob Howard: I don’t have any relevant CoIs.
Prof Charles Marshall: I have no relevant conflicts to declare.
Prof Siddharthan Chandran: Siddharthan is the academic lead of Neurii, a £5M partnership to deliver patient focused digital health solutions for dementia, part funded by Eisai. The UK Dementia Research Institute holds partnerships with charities (BHF, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and LifeArc), and industry (Lilly, Eisai, Astex, SPARC and Ono).
Hilary Evans-Newton No COI.
Prof Tom Dening: No COI.
Professor Fiona Carragher: No conflicts of interest.
Prof Tara Spires-Jones: I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai. I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
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MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Traders see almost £10,000 worth of fake Paddington Bear goods seized ahead of half-term film release | Westminster City Council
Source: City of Westminster
Almost £10,000 worth of counterfeit Paddington Bear merchandise was seized by Westminster City Council’s Trading Standards during raids along Oxford Street.
Just days away from the release of the latest film in the Paddington series, officers targeted nine shops along Oxford Street and Central London seizing £9,500 worth of unofficial merchandise. Some of the items seized included t-shirts, tote bags, fridge magnets and even shot glasses – all emblazoned with the image of Westminster’s famous furry character.
Supporting the council’s officers were representatives from Surelock, acting on behalf of Paddington & Co. They helped to identify products that displayed trademarks and copyrighted material without the permission of the owner. This represented criminal breaches of the Trade Marks Act 1994 and Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
When it comes to protecting Westminster’s consumers the council provides more than the bear necessities. This latest sting is part of a wider operation by the council targeting unscrupulous businesses on Europe’s premier shopping destination that continue to sell counterfeit goods or American candy or snacks containing banned ingredients.
Ron Harrison, Managing Director of Surelock said:
We are extremely grateful to the team, carrying out enforcement action at so many premises in one day, it was unprecedented, everyone worked very hard.”
Leader of Westminster City Council, Cllr Adam Hug said:
Trying to con shoppers in Westminster with fake Paddington goods is bear-faced cheek we won’t stand for.
“Our job is to ensure shoppers get what they pay for. Big retail names are making a welcome return to Oxford Street and rogue traders have been a blemish on the area for too long.
“People trying to fleece Paddington fans have felt the long-arm of the paw, and so will anyone who tries to rip off customers in Westminster.”
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mindful Money – Use your KiwiSaver for climate action
Source: Mindful Money
On International Day of Climate Action 2024, New Zealand charity Mindful Money is calling on Kiwis to drive climate action with their investments’. Most of us want to do our bit to help avoid climate chaos. A crucial – and easy – step that Kiwis can take is to reduce the emissions that result from their KiwiSaver and other investments.
Mindful Money is highlighting three actions that Kiwis can take to reduce the emissions financed by their investments.
Climate action 1: Avoid funding the fossil fools
Everyone with a KiwiSaver fund has the power to ensure their money doesn’t fuel climate change. There is over a billion dollars of KiwiSaver funds invested in hard core climate polluters that are still increasing their emissions, instead of transitioning to renewable energy.
Mindful Money Co-CEO Barry Coates explained: “This year’s Climate Action Day comes at a time when floods, fires, lethal heat and cyclones are devastating the lives of millions of vulnerable people, and wreaking havoc on our oceans, glaciers, forests and species. Kiwis can reduce their own contribution by choosing not to invest in the companies causing the most damage.”
The highest emissions are from the major coal, oil and gas companies that have made billions of dollars in profits while denying the problem and delaying and obstructing climate policy. A mere 57 oil, gas, coal and cement producers are directly linked to 80% of the world’s global fossil CO2 emissions since the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
The public companies, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and TotalEnergies were the five largest emitters between 2016 and 2022.
New Zealanders still invest large amounts in these fossil fools. Analysis by Mindful Money across all 376 KiwiSaver funds shows that $3.75 billion was invested in fossil fuel companies at end March 2024. More than a third of that was invested in the companies that are still expanding their production, instead of transitioning to renewable energy.
Investors in fossil fuel expanders are also taking financial risks from future declines in demand for fossil fuels and stranded assets – the reserves and production infrastructure that will become worthless as renewable energy replaces fossil fuels.
Barry Coates commented: “Surveys show that 71% of Kiwis want to avoid fossil fuels companies in their investment funds. But most KiwiSaver funds invest in fossil fuels, including those the companies that are still expanding their production. Everyone with a KiwiSaver or some kind of investment can play their part in cutting off investment into the worst climate polluters.”
ACTION (estimated 15 minutes): Members of the public can go to Mindful Money’s website to find out if their KiwiSaver fund is invested in these companies. It’s quick, easy and free to check your fund, and then find a fund that is better for the climate. https://mindfulmoney.nz/kiwisaver/checker/
Climate action 2: Don’t fall for the greenwashing
Over half of Kiwis surveyed are concerned about greenwashing – misleading claims that companies or funds are ‘climate friendly’ or ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’. There has been growing international pressure on companies and funds that make empty promises in order to boost their profits, but little action in New Zealand.
The EU, UK and other governments are introducing rules on green claims by companies and funds to prevent greenwashing, and regulators are taking action. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has taken 47 regulatory actions against greenwashing over the past 15 months.
There have been three court cases including a fine of $14 million for global fund manager, Vanguard. New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has repeatedly warned they will take action against misleading claims but has yet to take action. Meanwhile KiwiSaver and investment funds are still claiming green credentials while investing in the fossil fools.Barry Coates commented: “It is not surprising the New Zealand public is concerned about greenwashing. Most funds in New Zealand claim to use some form of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) management in their investment. But these ESG claims are not consistent with investment portfolios that contain companies destroying the world’s climate and facing huge financial risks.”
“The New Zealand government is still failing to tackle greenwashing by the providers of KiwiSaver and other funds whose claims are not backed up by their actual investments. Investors need to take action themselves to ensure that their investments are not adding fuel to the climate fire.”
Without government action in New Zealand, the responsibility for avoiding greenwash falls on individual investors. It is now easy for members of the public to get free information about the reality of where their money goes. Mindful Money’s website not only shows the fossil fuel investments for all KiwiSaver and investment funds, but identifies those that are still expanding their production.
ACTION: Those with KiwiSaver and investment funds should call on their fund providers to provide evidence of their ESG or sustainability claims, including specifics about the companies they invest in. Information provided by the fund providers can be checked out with the investment listing on Mindful Money. http://www.mindfulmoney.nz/kiwisaver/checker/
Climate Action 3: Add your voice for change
International cooperation in the form of a Fossil Fuel Treaty is needed to stop the major fossil fuel companies from blocking progress towards investment in renewable energy. International treaties have been developed to phase out other forms of harmful products, including landmines and nuclear weapons. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is being proposed to manage a global transition to a safe and affordable energy future for all. It has been endorsed by 14 governments (not including New Zealand) and thousands of leaders from across civil society and local government, including Wellington City Council and Kāpiti Coast District Council.
ACTION: Members of the public are encouraged to work with organisations, networks, faiths, academic institutions and Councils to support the treaty, and to sign the treaty themselves. https://fossilfueltreaty.org/
Barry Coates concluded: “The Treaty is important to focus government attention on the fossil fuel industry. For the third year in a row, the next climate summit in December 2024 will be held in a country producing oil and gas (Azerbaijan). Fossil fuel lobbyists will again be given privileged access. The Fossil Fuel Treaty is a way to bring the issues of fossil fuel phaseout into the climate negotiations.”
Notes:
International Climate Day of Action is on Thursday 24th October. It is a time for citizens around the world to consider the actions they can take to help avoid the worsening climate crisis.
Mindful Money’s Fund Checker enables members of the public to check the investments in their KiwiSaver and investment funds. It is quick, easy and free.https://mindfulmoney.nz/kiwisaver/checker/The research report ‘In Transition or in denial’ explains the categorisation of fossil fuel companies into those transitioning to renewable energy and those still expanding their oil and gas production.
https://mindfulmoney.nz/learn/fossil-fuel-investment-in-transition-or-in-denial/The Mindful Money Fund Finder helps members of the public to find a fund that aligns with their values. https://mindfulmoney.nz/kiwisaver/finder/
The website provides a list of funds that do not invest in fossil fuel companieshttps://mindfulmoney.nz/invest-climate-action/fossil-free-funds/
Research on capital expenditure by the major coal, oil and gas companies is published by the international research institute, InfluenceMap.
This week, a greenwashing action has been launched against the world’s largest fund manager, BlackRock.The complaint to the French financial regulator shows the US investment giant’s so-called “sustainable” funds have poured over a billion dollars into fossil fuel expanders, including ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron and BP.International research shows the large passive funds that are claiming to invest sustainably are still investing in the oil and gas companies that are expanding their production. 70% of the 430 ‘sustainable’ passive funds analysed by international researcher Reclaim Finance were exposed to companies expanding their fossil fuels. These included big oil and gas developers (e.g. ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Shell) and big coal developers (e.g. Adani, Mitsubishi, Glencore).Greenwash can take different forms. Some funds claim to be green by investing in the fossil fuel companies and then influencing them towards sustainability.But the latest progress report from the umbrella engagement forum, Climate Action 100+, shows continued empty promises and little action. Only one of 37 major oil and gas companies subject to engagement is making adequate progress towards net zero. Seven years after Climate Action 100+ was formed, most of the coal, oil and gas companies are still expanding their oil and gas production instead of transitioning to renewable energy.The only New Zealand case on greenwashing has been a civil case. Consumer NZ, the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) and Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand Inc (LCANZI) are seeking declarations from the High Court that Z Energy has breached the Fair Trading Act by misleading New Zealanders with its public messaging that it is“getting out of the petrol business” and it is “well on track to achieving [its] carbon reduction targets” when in fact its emissions have been increasing. -
MIL-OSI: Envoy Medical to Present at the LD Micro Main Event XVII
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minnesota, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Envoy Medical®, Inc. (“Envoy Medical”) (NASDAQ: “COCH”), a hearing health company focused on fully implanted hearing systems, today announced that David R. Wells, Chief Financial Officer, will present a corporate overview at the LD Micro Main Event XVII. The conference is being held on October 28 – 30, 2024 at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles.
Event: LD Micro Main Event XVII
Presentation Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Time: 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Register to watch presentation: https://me24.sequireevents.com/
Mr. Wells will be available for one-on-one meetings with registered investors of the conference.
About the Esteem® Fully Implanted Active Middle Ear Implant (FI-AMEI)
The Esteem fully implanted active middle ear implant (FI-AMEI) is the only FDA-approved, fully implanted* hearing device for adults diagnosed with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss allowing for 24/7 hearing capability using the ear’s natural anatomy. The Esteem FI-AMEI hearing implant is invisible and requires no externally worn components and nothing is placed in the ear canal for it to function. Unlike hearing aids, you never put it on or take it off. You can’t lose it. You don’t clean it. The Esteem FI-AMEI hearing implant offers true 24/7 hearing.
*Once activated, the external Esteem FI-AMEI Personal Programmer is not required for daily use.
Important safety information for the Esteem FI-AMEI can be found at: https://www.envoymedical.com/safety-information.
About the Fully Implanted Acclaim® Cochlear Implant
We believe the fully implanted Acclaim Cochlear Implant (“Acclaim CI”) will be a first-of-its-kind fully implanted cochlear implant. Envoy Medical’s fully implanted technology includes a sensor designed to leverage the natural anatomy of the ear instead of a microphone to capture sound.
The Acclaim CI is designed to address severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss that is not adequately addressed by hearing aids. The Acclaim CI is expected to be indicated for adults who have been deemed adequate candidates by a qualified physician.
The Acclaim Cochlear Implant received the Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019. We believe the Acclaim CI was the first hearing-focused device to receive Breakthrough Device Designation.
CAUTION The fully implanted Acclaim Cochlear Implant is an investigational device. Limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
Copies of the documents filed by Envoy Medical with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations of Envoy Medical concerning the outlook for its business, productivity, plans and goals for future operational improvements and capital investments; the future market trading performance of our Class A Common Stock; the future size of the market for our products; the performance and benefits of our products in comparison to competitor products; the benefits of intellectual property developed by Envoy; the potential for passage of legislation related to reimbursement for active middle ear hearing devices; the impact that such proposed legislation might have on the hearing health market, reimbursement for the Esteem FI-AMEI device, and the Envoy Medical business; and future market conditions or economic performance, as well as any information concerning possible or assumed future operations of Envoy Medical. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Envoy Medical’s current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause its actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Envoy Medical does not guarantee that the events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all). These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to changes in the market price of shares of Envoy Medical’s Class A Common Stock; changes in or removal of Envoy Medical’s shares inclusion in any index; Envoy Medical’s success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, its officers, key employees or directors; unpredictability in the medical device industry, the regulatory process to approve medical devices, and the clinical development process of Envoy Medical products; competition in the medical device industry, and the failure to introduce new products and services in a timely manner or at competitive prices to compete successfully against competitors; disruptions in relationships with Envoy Medical’s suppliers, or disruptions in Envoy Medical’s own production capabilities for some of the key components and materials of its products; changes in the need for capital and the availability of financing and capital to fund these needs; changes in interest rates or rates of inflation; legal, regulatory and other proceedings could be costly and time-consuming to defend; changes in applicable laws or regulations, or the application thereof on Envoy Medical; a loss of any of Envoy Medical’s key intellectual property rights or failure to adequately protect intellectual property rights; the effects of catastrophic events, including war, terrorism and other international conflicts; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by Envoy Medical on April 1, 2024, and in other reports Envoy Medical files, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or Envoy Medical’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. While forward-looking statements reflect Envoy Medical’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. Envoy Medical disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes after the date of this press release, except as required by applicable law. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to Envoy Medical.
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Investor Contact:
CORE IR
516-222-2560
investorrelations@envoymedical.com -
MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank Signs term Sheet for US$3Million Facility for Mediwood Studios’ Expansion
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ALGIERS, Algeria, October 23, 2024/APO Group/ —
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) and Mediwood Studios in Tunisia have signed a Term Sheet for a US$3 million facility aimed to Strengthen Mediwood’s position as a key contributor to the growth of the Tunisian film industry.
As part of the agreement, signed on 19 October 2024 on the sidelines of the just concluded Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2024, Mediwood Studios will use the proceeds of the term loan facility for the expansion of its studio facilities so as to showcase Tunisia as a filmmaking destination and provide world class facilities for both domestic and international productions in the Middle East and North Africa.
Signing the Term Sheet on behalf of Afreximbank was Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, and Mr. Mehdi Ajroudi, Chief Executive Officer of Mediwood Studios, on behalf of his company.
Commenting on the deal, Mrs. Awani stated that Afreximbank was committed to ensuring that Africa’s creative economy remained relevant on the global stage while enhancing economic integration, job creation and bridging of cultural divides.
“By enhancing Tunisia’s filmmaking infrastructure, we hope to attract international productions, foster local talent and promote authentic regional narratives, thereby reinforcing Africa’s cultural influence globally. This is part of our mandate to support Africa’s creative industries through the CANEX Programme. The expansion of Mediwood Tunisia’s studio facilities will position Tunisia as an attractive hub for domestic and international film productions, enhancing the country’s visibility and appeal to global filmmakers and support the promotion of Africa’s narratives and talent.”
Mr. Ajroudi, on his part, said that the expanded studio facilities would foster job creation and skills development across pre-production, production and post-production activities as the world-class infrastructure would accommodate large-scale productions capable of stimulating economic activity in Tunisia’s creative sector.
“At Mediwood Studios, we believe it’s time for Africa to become the storyteller – sharing our heritage, dreams, and voices with the world,” he said.
The four-day CANEX WKND 2024, organised by Afreximbank was held from October 16 to 19 under the theme “One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World” and was attended by almost 4,000 participants — representing a diversity of creative sectors from across Africa.
It featured live performances, speeches by industry leaders and experts, masterclass sessions, fashion shows, sporting events, high energy music concerts and gastronomical showcases alongside a vibrant market and exhibition.
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MIL-OSI Global: What’s in a pantsuit? Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s fashion choices say a lot about their personalities − and vision for the future
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Therèsa M. Winge, Fashion Professor, Michigan State University
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have very different policy positions and political approaches − as well as fashion choices. Jacquelyn Martin/pool/AFP via Getty Images and Win McNamee/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump could not be more different – and this split between them extends far beyond politics and into their fashion choices.
While Harris tends to wear form-fitting pantsuits and feminine tops, Trump opts for ill-fitting, boxy, navy suits and long red ties.
All American politicians often wear American flag pins on their lapels, as well as red, white and blue clothing. But my research shows how fashion plays an important, symbolic role in politics that goes far beyond patriotism. A person’s appearance reflects their identity and how they want others to perceive them.
It makes sense that political campaigns often work with professional stylists to dress and style their top candidates, as a way to define and reflect politicians’ different personalities, identities and policy positions.
Kamala Harris arrives to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, wearing a dark blue pantsuit.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesHarris’ professional, feminine look
Harris typically wears an updated version of Hillary Clinton’s famous power pantsuits.
While Clinton’s pantsuits during the 2016 presidential campaign had rigid silhouettes that did not show the shape of her body, Harris’ pantsuits are more relaxed and less formal.
As a senator, Harris, alongside other Democratic female politicians, wore a white pantsuit to commemorate and celebrate the suffragettes.
Harris now typically wears dark, bold hues, almost monochromatic ensembles, with either dark high heels or sneakers.
At the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Harris accepted the presidential nomination wearing a perhaps unsurprising navy blue pantsuit with the standard politician’s American flag pin on the lapel. She topped off the look with medium-heel dress shoes and a dark blue pussycat bow blouse, sometimes also called a lavallière. The pussycat bow blouse, which was popularized in the 1970s among professional women, is a feminine version of a traditional tie.
This type of tie has a soft, floppy bow at the neck that can be tied in numerous ways.
Harris’ decision to regularly wear pussycat bow blouses shows that she has a feminine flair, and it’s also a nod to past feminist icons who wore that type of bow.
When Harris wears sneakers – which are often Chuck Taylors – with a pantsuit, it reminds me of how the actress Helen Hunt’s character wore practical commuter sneakers with business clothing in the 1990s and 2000s “Mad About You” TV series.
The unlikely combination of a pantsuit with sneakers shows that Harris is a busy, professional woman – who is also youthful, energetic and relatable to other women.
Walz’s American dad style
Tim Walz speaks at a campaign rally in Volant, Pa., on Oct. 15, 2024, wearing one of his signature flannel shirts.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesHarris’ running mate, Tim Walz, has also received public attention for his clothing choices.
At the Democratic National Convention in August, former President Barack Obama remarked about Walz regularly wearing plaid, flannel shirts. “You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some political consultant. They come from his closet, and they have been through some stuff,” Obama said.
Walz’s typical outfits, including plaid shirts, jeans and a well-worn suit with the shirt collar unbuttoned and no tie, signals that he is authentic and relatable to the average American.
This unofficial uniform also helps cement the public perception of Walz as an archetypal American coach and dad.
The Harris-Walz campaign has capitalized on Walz’s image by selling merchandise that seems like something out of his closet.
The campaign’s camouflage hat, which spells out “HARRIS WALZ” in a bold, orange font, has become an extremely popular item – selling out and resulting in the manufacturer scrambling to find materials and sewing machines to make more hats.
Donald Trump and JD Vance attend a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the World Trade Center at Ground Zero in New York City on Sept. 11, 2024.
Adam Gray/AFP via Getty ImagesVance’s and Trump’s aesthetics
Republican politicians also show who they are, or who they want to be, through their fashion choices. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance, for example, has noticeably changed his appearance from when he first became involved in politics a few years ago to when he became a senator in 2023.
In 2017, Vance often wore jeans, a button-down, open-collar shirt and an unbuttoned blazer during his book tour. When he was elected as a senator in 2023, he began wearing suits and ties.
More recently, Vance began dressing in the unofficial Make America Great Again uniform, consisting of a tailored dark blue suit, red tie and white shirt with dark shoes. With this outfit choice, Vance is wrapping himself in red, white and blue, referencing the American flag and signaling his patriotism.
Trump wears a nearly identical political uniform that has become instantly recognizable and closely associated with conservative politicians.
When Trump selected Vance as his running mate in July 2024, Vance also dyed his gray hair to brown to possibly appear more youthful. Perhaps it became more important for Vance to appear younger after 81-year-old President Joe Biden stepped down from the Democratic ticket and 60-year-old Harris became the presidential candidate.
Beyond the campaign, in February 2024, Trump released 1,000 pairs of limited edition high-top sneakers called “Never Surrender.” These shoes, which quickly sold out, were covered in gaudy, gold lamé and had an American flag printed around the collar of the sneakers.
I recently found several examples of pairs of Trump sneakers for sale on eBay and other online shops for thousands of dollars.
People at a Trump rally in Las Vegas hold a pair of his gold sneakers on Sept. 13, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty ImagesFashion on both sides
Harris’ monochromatic blouses and pantsuit with sneakers combination, alongside Walz’s Midwestern dad outfits, will likely help the campaign’s effort for its candidates to appear as relatable to many working class voters and women.
Likewise, Trump’s classic MAGA red hat and tie, in addition to Vance’s similar uniform of navy blue suit, white button-down shirt and red tie, evoke their focus on masculine conservatism.
The candidates’ styles don’t tell voters any details about campaign promises or political policies, but they do give an idea of who the candidates think they are.
Therèsa M. Winge does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. What’s in a pantsuit? Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s fashion choices say a lot about their personalities − and vision for the future – https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-pantsuit-kamala-harris-and-donald-trumps-fashion-choices-say-a-lot-about-their-personalities-and-vision-for-the-future-240084
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MIL-OSI: Hanmi Reports 2024 Third Quarter Results
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hanmi Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: HAFC, or “Hanmi”), the parent company of Hanmi Bank (the “Bank”), today reported financial results for the third quarter of 2024.
Net income for the third quarter of 2024 was $14.9 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, compared with $14.5 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2024. The return on average assets for the third quarter of 2024 was 0.79% and the return on average equity was 7.55%, compared with a return on average assets of 0.77% and the return on average equity of 7.50% for the second quarter of 2024.
CEO Commentary
“Our third quarter results were strong, with solid performance across all key operating metrics in the third quarter,” said Bonnie Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi. “Net interest margin increased five basis points to 2.74% driven by higher yields on interest-earning assets and lower funding costs. Loans grew by 2% driven by a 27% increase in loan production and total deposits were up led by 5% growth in noninterest-bearing demand deposits. These results reflect the continued success of our relationship banking model and our portfolio diversification strategy.”“During the quarter, we remained focused on our disciplined credit administration practices and are pleased to report that we resolved several criticized and nonaccrual loans and recognized a recovery on a previously charged-off loan. We also proactively moved three loans to the special mention category to monitor them more closely. These loans are current, and we are confident they are well protected.”
“Hanmi is well-positioned for a strong close to 2024 with a robust balance sheet, ample liquidity, healthy capital ratios, and a solid loan pipeline. Our team remains committed to delivering the solutions our customers need and results our shareholders expect,” concluded Lee.
Third Quarter 2024 Highlights:
- Third quarter net income was $14.9 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, compared with $14.5 million, or $0.48 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2024. The increase reflects a $2.0 million, or 9.4%, increase in pretax, preprovision income, propelled by a 2.9% increase in net interest income.
- Loans receivable were $6.26 billion at September 30, 2024, up 1.3% from the end of the second quarter of 2024, driven by a 27% increase in loan production to $347.8 million with a weighted average interest rate of 7.92%.
- Deposits were $6.40 billion at September 30, 2024, up 1.2% from the end of the second quarter of 2024; noninterest-bearing demand deposits were 32.0% of total deposits. During the quarter, noninterest bearing demand deposits grew 4.7%, while time deposits declined 3.2% from the prior quarter.
- Net interest income for the third quarter was $50.1 million, up 2.9% from the second quarter of 2024, driven by strong operational performance. Net interest margin (taxable equivalent) expanded five basis points to 2.74%, as the average yield on loans increased to 6.00%, while the cost of interest-bearing deposits remained unchanged at 4.27%.
- Noninterest expense was $35.1 million for the third quarter, down 0.6% from the second quarter of 2024, primarily reflecting the absence of the second quarter $0.3 million branch consolidation charge.
- Credit loss expense for the third quarter was $2.3 million, compared with $1.0 million for the prior quarter. The allowance for credit losses increased $1.4 million to $69.2 million at September 30, 2024, or 1.11% of loans. For the third quarter, net loan charge-offs of $0.9 million included a $1.1 million charge-off on a nonaccrual loan transferred to held-for-sale and a $1.7 million recovery of a nonaccrual loan.
- Asset quality included several notable actions: nonaccrual loans fell 18.8% to $15.2 million and included pay-offs of $6.8 million while criticized assets increased, with downgrades to special mention of three loans totaling $129.8 million, offset by the move to the held-for-sale nonaccrual loan category of the previously identified $28.3 million completed construction loan, upgrades of $6.1 million, and additional loan pay-offs of $1.3 million. Subsequent to the end of the third quarter, the Bank completed the sale of the nonaccrual loan.
For more information about Hanmi, please see the Q3 2024 Investor Update (and Supplemental Financial Information), which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.hanmi.com and via a current report on Form 8-K on the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov. Also, please refer to “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” herein for further details of the presentation of certain non-GAAP financial measures.
Quarterly Highlights
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)As of or for the Three Months Ended Amount Change September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Net income $ 14,892 $ 14,451 $ 15,164 $ 18,633 $ 18,796 $ 441 $ (3,904 ) Net income per diluted common share $ 0.49 $ 0.48 $ 0.50 $ 0.61 $ 0.62 $ 0.01 $ (0.13 ) Assets $ 7,712,299 $ 7,586,347 $ 7,512,046 $ 7,570,341 $ 7,350,140 $ 125,952 $ 362,159 Loans receivable $ 6,257,744 $ 6,176,359 $ 6,177,840 $ 6,182,434 $ 6,020,785 $ 81,385 $ 236,959 Deposits $ 6,403,221 $ 6,329,340 $ 6,376,060 $ 6,280,574 $ 6,260,072 $ 73,881 $ 143,149 Return on average assets 0.79 % 0.77 % 0.81 % 0.99 % 1.00 % 0.02 -0.21 Return on average stockholders’ equity 7.55 % 7.50 % 7.90 % 9.70 % 9.88 % 0.06 -2.33 Net interest margin 2.74 % 2.69 % 2.78 % 2.92 % 3.03 % 0.05 -0.29 Efficiency ratio (1) 59.98 % 62.24 % 62.42 % 58.86 % 51.82 % -2.26 8.16 Tangible common equity to tangible assets (2) 9.42 % 9.19 % 9.23 % 9.14 % 8.89 % 0.23 0.53 Tangible common equity per common share (2) $ 24.03 $ 22.99 $ 22.86 $ 22.75 $ 21.45 1.04 2.58 (1) Noninterest expense divided by net interest income plus noninterest income. (2) Refer to “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for further details.
Results of Operations
Net interest income for the third quarter was $50.1 million, up 2.9% from $48.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in loan interest income. The increase in loan interest income was a result of increases in loan yields and average balances. The yield on average loans for the third quarter increased slightly to 6.00% from 5.99% for the second quarter of 2024. Average loans were $6.11 billion for the third quarter of 2024, up 0.4% from $6.09 billion for the second quarter. The cost of interest-bearing deposits was 4.27% for the third quarter of 2024, unchanged from the prior quarter. Average interest-bearing deposits were $4.40 billion for the third quarter, up 0.3%, from $4.38 billion for the prior quarter. Net interest margin (taxable equivalent) for the third quarter was 2.74%, compared with 2.69% for the second quarter of 2024.For the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Percentage Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 Net Interest Income 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Interest and fees on loans receivable(1) $ 92,182 $ 90,752 $ 91,674 $ 89,922 $ 85,398 1.6 % 7.9 % Interest on securities 5,523 5,238 4,955 4,583 4,204 5.4 % 31.4 % Dividends on FHLB stock 356 357 361 341 317 -0.3 % 12.3 % Interest on deposits in other banks 2,356 2,313 2,604 2,337 4,153 1.9 % -43.3 % Total interest and dividend income $ 100,417 $ 98,660 $ 99,594 $ 97,183 $ 94,072 1.8 % 6.7 % Interest on deposits 47,153 46,495 45,638 40,277 36,818 1.4 % 28.1 % Interest on borrowings 1,561 1,896 1,655 2,112 753 -17.7 % 107.3 % Interest on subordinated debentures 1,652 1,649 1,646 1,654 1,646 0.2 % 0.4 % Total interest expense 50,366 50,040 48,939 44,043 39,217 0.7 % 28.4 % Net interest income $ 50,051 $ 48,620 $ 50,655 $ 53,140 $ 54,855 2.9 % -8.8 % (1) Includes loans held for sale. For the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Percentage Change Average Earning Assets and Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 Interest-bearing Liabilities 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Loans receivable (1) $ 6,112,324 $ 6,089,440 $ 6,137,888 $ 6,071,644 $ 5,915,423 0.4 % 3.3 % Securities 986,041 979,671 969,520 961,551 955,473 0.7 % 3.2 % FHLB stock 16,385 16,385 16,385 16,385 16,385 0.0 % 0.0 % Interest-bearing deposits in other banks 183,027 180,177 201,724 181,140 317,498 1.6 % -42.4 % Average interest-earning assets $ 7,297,777 $ 7,265,673 $ 7,325,517 $ 7,230,720 $ 7,204,779 0.4 % 1.3 % Demand: interest-bearing $ 83,647 $ 85,443 $ 86,401 $ 86,679 $ 94,703 -2.1 % -11.7 % Money market and savings 1,885,799 1,845,870 1,815,085 1,669,973 1,601,826 2.2 % 17.7 % Time deposits 2,427,737 2,453,154 2,507,830 2,417,803 2,438,112 -1.0 % -0.4 % Average interest-bearing deposits 4,397,183 4,384,467 4,409,316 4,174,455 4,134,641 0.3 % 6.3 % Borrowings 143,479 169,525 162,418 205,951 120,381 -15.4 % 19.2 % Subordinated debentures 130,403 130,239 130,088 129,933 129,780 0.1 % 0.5 % Average interest-bearing liabilities $ 4,671,065 $ 4,684,231 $ 4,701,822 $ 4,510,339 $ 4,384,802 -0.3 % 6.5 % Average Noninterest Bearing Deposits Demand deposits – noninterest bearing $ 1,908,833 $ 1,883,765 $ 1,921,189 $ 2,025,212 $ 2,136,156 1.3 % -10.6 % (1) Includes loans held for sale. For the Three Months Ended Yield/Rate Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 Average Yields and Rates 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Loans receivable(1) 6.00 % 5.99 % 6.00 % 5.88 % 5.73 % 0.01 0.27 Securities (2) 2.27 % 2.17 % 2.07 % 1.93 % 1.79 % 0.10 0.48 FHLB stock 8.65 % 8.77 % 8.87 % 8.25 % 7.67 % -0.12 0.98 Interest-bearing deposits in other banks 5.12 % 5.16 % 5.19 % 5.12 % 5.19 % -0.04 -0.07 Interest-earning assets 5.48 % 5.46 % 5.47 % 5.34 % 5.19 % 0.02 0.29 Interest-bearing deposits 4.27 % 4.27 % 4.16 % 3.83 % 3.53 % 0.00 0.74 Borrowings 4.33 % 4.50 % 4.10 % 4.07 % 2.48 % -0.17 1.85 Subordinated debentures 5.07 % 5.07 % 5.06 % 5.09 % 5.07 % 0.00 0.00 Interest-bearing liabilities 4.29 % 4.30 % 4.19 % 3.88 % 3.55 % -0.01 0.74 Net interest margin (taxable equivalent basis) 2.74 % 2.69 % 2.78 % 2.92 % 3.03 % 0.05 -0.29 Cost of deposits 2.97 % 2.98 % 2.90 % 2.58 % 2.33 % -0.01 0.64 (1) Includes loans held for sale. (2) Amounts calculated on a fully taxable equivalent basis using the federal tax rate in effect for the periods presented. Credit loss expense for the third quarter was $2.3 million, compared with $1.0 million for the second quarter of 2024. Third quarter credit loss expense included a $2.3 million credit loss expense for loan losses. Third quarter net loan charge-offs were $0.9 million, compared with second quarter net loan charge-offs of $1.8 million. Third quarter net loan charge-offs included a $1.1 million charge-off on a nonaccrual loan transferred to held-for-sale and a $1.7 million recovery on a nonaccrual loan.
Noninterest income for the third quarter increased $0.3 million to $8.4 million, or 4.7%, from $8.1 million for the second quarter of 2024. Third quarter noninterest income included a $0.9 million gain from the sale and leaseback of a branch property, while second quarter noninterest income included a $0.3 million death benefit on bank-owned life insurance. Gains on sales of SBA loans were $1.5 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared with $1.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. The volume of SBA loans sold in the third quarter decreased to $23.0 million, from $23.5 million for the second quarter of 2024, while trade premiums were 8.54% for the third quarter of 2024, unchanged from the second quarter. Mortgage loans sold in the third quarter were $20.9 million, with a premium of 2.32%, compared with $19.5 million and 2.00% for the second quarter, resulting in income of $0.3 million for the third quarter, compared with $0.4 million for the prior quarter.
For the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Percentage Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 Noninterest Income 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Service charges on deposit accounts $ 2,311 $ 2,429 $ 2,450 $ 2,391 $ 2,605 -4.9 % -11.3 % Trade finance and other service charges and fees 1,254 1,277 1,414 1,245 1,155 -1.8 % 8.6 % Servicing income 817 796 712 772 838 2.6 % -2.5 % Bank-owned life insurance income (expense) 320 638 304 (29 ) 280 -49.8 % 14.3 % All other operating income 1,008 908 928 853 1,178 11.0 % -14.4 % Service charges, fees & other 5,710 6,048 5,808 5,232 6,056 -5.6 % -5.7 % Gain on sale of SBA loans 1,544 1,644 1,482 1,448 1,172 -6.1 % 31.7 % Gain on sale of mortgage loans 324 365 443 – – -11.2 % 100.0 % Gain on sale of bank premises 860 – – – 4,000 100.0 % -78.5 % Total noninterest income $ 8,438 $ 8,057 $ 7,733 $ 6,680 $ 11,228 4.7 % -24.8 % Noninterest expense for the third quarter decreased by $0.2 million to $35.1 million from $35.3 million for the second quarter of 2024. The decrease reflects primarily the absence of the $0.3 million branch consolidation expense recognized in the second quarter of 2024. The efficiency ratio for the third quarter was 60.0%, compared with 62.2% for the second quarter of 2024.
For the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Percentage Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Noninterest Expense Salaries and employee benefits $ 20,851 $ 20,434 $ 21,585 $ 20,062 $ 20,361 2.0 % 2.4 % Occupancy and equipment 4,499 4,348 4,537 4,604 4,825 3.5 % -6.8 % Data processing 3,839 3,686 3,551 3,487 3,490 4.2 % 10.0 % Professional fees 1,492 1,749 1,893 1,977 1,568 -14.7 % -4.8 % Supplies and communication 538 570 601 613 552 -5.6 % -2.5 % Advertising and promotion 631 669 907 990 534 -5.7 % 18.2 % All other operating expenses 2,875 3,251 3,160 3,252 2,852 -11.6 % 0.8 % Subtotal 34,725 34,707 36,234 34,985 34,182 0.1 % 1.6 % Branch consolidation expense – 301 – – – -100.0 % 0.0 % Other real estate owned expense 77 6 22 15 16 1183.3 % 381.3 % Repossessed personal property expense 278 262 189 211 47 6.1 % 491.5 % Total noninterest expense $ 35,080 $ 35,276 $ 36,445 $ 35,211 $ 34,245 -0.6 % 2.4 % Hanmi recorded a provision for income taxes of $6.2 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared with $6.0 million for the second quarter of 2024, representing an effective tax rate of 29.5% and 29.3%, respectively.
Financial Position
Total assets at September 30, 2024 increased 1.7%, or $126.0 million, to $7.71 billion from $7.59 billion at June 30, 2024. The sequential quarter increase was due to a $125.3 million increase in loans and loans held-for-sale, and a $31.3 million increase in securities, offset partially by a $25.3 million decrease in cash and due from banks.Loans receivable, before allowance for credit losses, were $6.26 billion at September 30, 2024, up from $6.18 billion at June 30, 2024.
Loans held-for-sale were $54.3 million at September 30, 2024, up from $10.5 million at June 30, 2024. At the end of the third quarter, loans held-for-sale consisted of $8.8 million of the guaranteed portion of SBA 7(a) loans, $18.3 million of residential mortgage loans and the $27.2 million nonaccrual loan. Subsequent to the end of the third quarter, the Bank completed the sale of this nonaccrual loan.
As of (in thousands) Percentage Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Loan Portfolio Commercial real estate loans $ 3,932,088 $ 3,888,505 $ 3,878,677 $ 3,889,739 $ 3,773,015 1.1 % 4.2 % Residential/consumer loans 939,285 954,209 970,362 962,661 926,326 -1.6 % 1.4 % Commercial and industrial loans 879,092 802,372 774,851 747,819 728,792 9.6 % 20.6 % Equipment finance 507,279 531,273 553,950 582,215 592,652 -4.5 % -14.4 % Loans receivable 6,257,744 6,176,359 6,177,840 6,182,434 6,020,785 1.3 % 3.9 % Loans held for sale 54,336 10,467 3,999 12,013 11,767 419.1 % 361.8 % Total $ 6,312,080 $ 6,186,826 $ 6,181,839 $ 6,194,447 $ 6,032,552 2.0 % 4.6 % As of Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 Composition of Loan Portfolio Commercial real estate loans 62.3 % 62.9 % 62.7 % 62.8 % 62.5 % Residential/consumer loans 14.9 % 15.4 % 15.7 % 15.5 % 15.4 % Commercial and industrial loans 13.9 % 13.0 % 12.5 % 12.1 % 12.1 % Equipment finance 8.0 % 8.5 % 9.0 % 9.4 % 9.8 % Loans receivable 99.1 % 99.8 % 99.9 % 99.8 % 99.8 % Loans held for sale 0.9 % 0.2 % 0.1 % 0.2 % 0.2 % Total 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % New loan production was $347.8 million for the third quarter of 2024 at an average rate of 7.92%, while payoffs were $77.6 million during the quarter at an average rate of 6.63%.
Commercial real estate loan production for the third quarter of 2024 was $110.2 million. Commercial and industrial loan production was $105.1 million, SBA loan production was $51.6 million, equipment finance production was $40.1 million, and residential mortgage loan production was $40.8 million.
For the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 New Loan Production Commercial real estate loans $ 110,246 $ 87,632 $ 60,085 $ 178,157 $ 106,151 Commercial and industrial loans 105,086 59,007 50,789 52,079 67,907 SBA loans 51,616 54,486 30,817 48,432 36,109 Equipment finance 40,066 42,594 39,155 57,334 71,075 Residential/consumer loans 40,758 30,194 53,115 53,465 55,026 Subtotal 347,772 273,913 233,961 389,467 336,268 Payoffs (77,603 ) (148,400 ) (86,250 ) (77,961 ) (62,140 ) Amortization (151,674 ) (83,640 ) (90,711 ) (106,610 ) (116,411 ) Loan sales (43,868 ) (42,945 ) (55,321 ) (29,861 ) (22,496 ) Net line utilization 9,426 1,929 (4,150 ) (11,609 ) (70,238 ) Charge-offs & OREO (2,668 ) (2,338 ) (2,123 ) (1,777 ) (9,369 ) Loans receivable-beginning balance 6,176,359 6,177,840 6,182,434 6,020,785 5,965,171 Loans receivable-ending balance $ 6,257,744 $ 6,176,359 $ 6,177,840 $ 6,182,434 $ 6,020,785 Deposits were $6.40 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2024, up $73.9 million, or 1.2%, from $6.33 billion at the end of the prior quarter. Driving the change was a $91.8 million increase in noninterest-bearing demand deposits and a $64.0 million increase in money market and savings deposits, partially offset by a $78.3 million decrease in time deposits. Noninterest-bearing demand deposits represented 32.0% of total deposits at September 30, 2024 and the loan-to-deposit ratio was 97.7%.
As of (in thousands) Percentage Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Deposit Portfolio Demand: noninterest-bearing $ 2,051,790 $ 1,959,963 $ 1,933,060 $ 2,003,596 $ 2,161,238 4.7 % -5.1 % Demand: interest-bearing 79,287 82,981 87,374 87,452 88,133 -4.5 % -10.0 % Money market and savings 1,898,834 1,834,797 1,859,865 1,734,658 1,576,006 3.5 % 20.5 % Time deposits 2,373,310 2,451,599 2,495,761 2,454,868 2,434,695 -3.2 % -2.5 % Total deposits $ 6,403,221 $ 6,329,340 $ 6,376,060 $ 6,280,574 $ 6,260,072 1.2 % 2.3 % As of Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 Composition of Deposit Portfolio Demand: noninterest-bearing 32.0 % 31.0 % 30.3 % 31.9 % 34.5 % Demand: interest-bearing 1.2 % 1.3 % 1.4 % 1.4 % 1.4 % Money market and savings 29.7 % 29.0 % 29.2 % 27.6 % 25.2 % Time deposits 37.1 % 38.7 % 39.1 % 39.1 % 38.9 % Total deposits 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % Stockholders’ equity at September 30, 2024 was $736.7 million, up $29.6 million from $707.1 million at June 30, 2024. The increase was due to third quarter net income, net of dividends paid, adding $7.3 million to stockholders’ equity for the period. Additionally, there was a $20.7 million decrease in unrealized after-tax losses on securities available for sale and a $2.2 million decrease in unrealized after-tax losses on cash flow hedges, all due to changes in interest rates during the third quarter of 2024. Hanmi also repurchased 75,000 shares of common stock, or $1.4 million, during the quarter at an average share price of $19.10. At September 30, 2024, 1,255,000 shares remain under Hanmi’s share repurchase program. Tangible common stockholders’ equity was $725.7 million, or 9.42% of tangible assets, at September 30, 2024, compared with $696.0 million, or 9.19% of tangible assets at the end of the prior quarter. Please refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below for more information.
Hanmi and the Bank exceeded minimum regulatory capital requirements, and the Bank continues to exceed the minimum for the “well capitalized” category. At September 30, 2024, Hanmi’s preliminary common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 11.95% and its total risk-based capital ratio was 15.04%, compared with 12.11% and 15.24%, respectively, at the end of the prior quarter.
As of Ratio Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Regulatory Capital ratios (1) Hanmi Financial Total risk-based capital 15.04 % 15.24 % 15.20 % 14.95 % 15.07 % -0.20 -0.03 Tier 1 risk-based capital 12.29 % 12.46 % 12.40 % 12.20 % 12.30 % -0.17 -0.01 Common equity tier 1 capital 11.95 % 12.11 % 12.05 % 11.86 % 11.95 % -0.16 0.00 Tier 1 leverage capital ratio 10.56 % 10.51 % 10.36 % 10.37 % 10.27 % 0.05 0.29 Hanmi Bank Total risk-based capital 14.28 % 14.51 % 14.50 % 14.27 % 14.42 % -0.23 -0.14 Tier 1 risk-based capital 13.24 % 13.47 % 13.44 % 13.26 % 13.42 % -0.23 -0.18 Common equity tier 1 capital 13.24 % 13.47 % 13.44 % 13.26 % 13.42 % -0.23 -0.18 Tier 1 leverage capital ratio 11.43 % 11.41 % 11.29 % 11.32 % 11.25 % 0.02 0.18 (1) Preliminary ratios for September 30, 2024
Asset Quality
Loans 30 to 89 days past due and still accruing were 0.24% of loans at the end of the third quarter of 2024, compared with 0.22% at the end of the prior quarter.Criticized loans totaled $160.0 million at September 30, 2024, up from $70.9 million at the end of the second quarter of 2024.
During the third quarter, the Bank moved the previously identified $28.3 million completed construction loan for a memory-care and assisted-living facility from the special mention category to the held-for-sale nonaccrual category. In addition, the Bank recognized a $1.1 million charge-off on this loan. Subsequent to the end of the third quarter, the Bank completed the sale of this nonaccrual loan.
Also, during the third quarter, the Bank downgraded to special mention two commercial real estate loans in the hospitality industry for $109.7 million and a commercial and industrial loan in the health care industry for $20.1 million. Pay-offs of $8.1 million decreased criticized loans (and classified loans), while upgrades of $6.1 million also decreased criticized loans (and special mention loans). Offsetting the decrease in classified loans were additions of $2.5 million.
Nonperforming loans were $15.5 million at September 30, 2024, down from $19.2 million at the end of the prior quarter. The decrease primarily reflects pay-offs of $6.8 million, where the pay-off of a previously identified $3.9 million nonperforming loan resulted in a $1.7 million recovery. Offsetting the decrease were additions of $3.1 million.
Nonperforming assets were $16.3 million at the end of the third quarter of 2024, down from $20.0 million at the end of the prior quarter. As a percentage of total assets, nonperforming assets were 0.21% at September 30, 2024, and 0.26% at the end of the prior quarter.
Gross charge-offs for the third quarter of 2024 were $3.8 million, compared with $2.3 million for the preceding quarter. Charge-offs included $1.1 million on the previously identified $28.3 million completed construction loan. Recoveries of previously charged-off loans were $2.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, and included a $1.7 million recovery on a previously identified $3.9 million commercial loan in the health care industry. As a result, net charge-offs were $0.9 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared with net charge-offs of $1.8 million for the prior quarter.
The allowance for credit losses was $69.2 million at September 30, 2024, compared with $67.7 million at June 30, 2024. Specific allowances for loans decreased $1.6 million, while the allowance for quantitative and qualitative considerations increased $3.1 million. The ratio of the allowance for credit losses to loans was 1.11% at September 30, 2024 and 1.10% at June 30, 2024.
As of or for the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Amount Change Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, Q3-24 Q3-24 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 vs. Q2-24 vs. Q3-23 Asset Quality Data and Ratios Delinquent loans: Loans, 30 to 89 days past due and still accruing $ 15,027 $ 13,844 $ 15,839 $ 10,263 $ 9,545 $ 1,183 $ 5,482 Delinquent loans to total loans 0.24 % 0.22 % 0.26 % 0.17 % 0.16 % 0.02 0.08 Criticized loans: Special mention $ 131,575 $ 36,921 $ 62,317 $ 65,314 $ 76,473 $ 94,654 $ 55,102 Classified 28,377 33,945 23,670 31,367 33,134 (5,568 ) (4,757 ) Total criticized loans $ 159,952 $ 70,866 $ 85,987 $ 96,681 $ 109,607 $ 89,086 $ 50,345 Nonperforming assets: Nonaccrual loans $ 15,248 $ 19,245 $ 14,025 $ 15,474 $ 15,783 $ (3,997 ) $ (535 ) Loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing 242 – – – – 242 242 Nonperforming loans* 15,490 19,245 14,025 15,474 15,783 (3,755 ) (293 ) Other real estate owned, net 772 772 117 117 117 – 655 Nonperforming assets** $ 16,262 $ 20,017 $ 14,142 $ 15,591 $ 15,900 $ (3,755 ) $ 362 Nonperforming assets to assets* 0.21 % 0.26 % 0.19 % 0.21 % 0.22 % -0.05 -0.01 Nonperforming loans to total loans 0.25 % 0.31 % 0.23 % 0.25 % 0.26 % -0.06 -0.01 * Excludes a $27.2 million nonperforming loan held-for-sale. ** Excludes repossessed personal property of $1.2 million, $1.2 million, $1.3 million, $1.3 million, and $1.3 million as of Q3-24, Q2-24, Q1-24, Q4-23, and Q3-23, respectively As of or for the Three Months Ended (in thousands) Sep 30, Jun 30, Mar 31, Dec 31, Sep 30, 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 Allowance for credit losses related to loans: Balance at beginning of period $ 67,729 $ 68,270 $ 69,462 $ 67,313 $ 71,024 Credit loss expense (recovery) on loans 2,312 1,248 404 (2,880 ) 5,167 Net loan (charge-offs) recoveries (878 ) (1,789 ) (1,596 ) 5,029 (8,878 ) Balance at end of period $ 69,163 $ 67,729 $ 68,270 $ 69,462 $ 67,313 Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) to average loans (1) 0.06 % 0.12 % 0.10 % -0.33 % 0.60 % Allowance for credit losses to loans 1.11 % 1.10 % 1.11 % 1.12 % 1.12 % Allowance for credit losses related to off-balance sheet items: Balance at beginning of period $ 2,010 $ 2,297 $ 2,474 $ 2,463 $ 2,476 Credit loss expense (recovery) on off-balance sheet items (26 ) (287 ) (177 ) 11 (13 ) Balance at end of period $ 1,984 $ 2,010 $ 2,297 $ 2,474 $ 2,463 Unused commitments to extend credit $ 739,975 $ 795,391 $ 792,769 $ 813,960 $ 848,886 (1) Annualized
Corporate Developments
On July 25, 2024, Hanmi’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend on its common stock for the 2024 third quarter of $0.25 per share. Hanmi paid the dividend on August 21, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 5, 2024.Earnings Conference Call
Hanmi Bank will host its third quarter 2024 earnings conference call today, October 22, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) to discuss these results. This call will also be webcast. To access the call, please dial 1-877-407-9039 before 2:00 p.m. PT, using access code Hanmi Bank. To listen to the call online, either live or archived, please visit Hanmi’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.hanmi.com/ where it will also be available for replay approximately one hour following the call.About Hanmi Financial Corporation
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Hanmi Financial Corporation owns Hanmi Bank, which serves multi-ethnic communities through its network of 32 full-service branches and eight loan production offices in California, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Washington and Georgia. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses. Additional information is available at http://www.hanmi.com.Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements about our anticipated future operating and financial performance, financial position and liquidity, business strategies, regulatory and competitive outlook, investment and expenditure plans, capital and financing needs and availability, plans and objectives of management for future operations, developments regarding our capital and strategic plans, and other similar forecasts and statements of expectation and statements of assumption underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. Although we believe that our forward-looking statements to be reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These factors include the following:
- a failure to maintain adequate levels of capital and liquidity to support our operations;
- general economic and business conditions internationally, nationally and in those areas in which we operate, including any potential recessionary conditions;
- volatility and deterioration in the credit and equity markets;
- changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits;
- availability of capital from private and government sources;
- demographic changes;
- competition for loans and deposits and failure to attract or retain loans and deposits;
- inflation and fluctuations in interest rates that reduce our margins and yields, the fair value of financial instruments, the level of loan originations or prepayments on loans we have made and make, the level of loan sales and the cost we pay to retain and attract deposits and secure other types of funding;
- our ability to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth opportunities;
- the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events;
- the effect of potential future supervisory action against us or Hanmi Bank and our ability to address any issues raised in our regulatory exams;
- risks of natural disasters;
- legal proceedings and litigation brought against us;
- a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, including cyberattacks;
- the failure to maintain current technologies;
- risks associated with Small Business Administration loans;
- failure to attract or retain key employees;
- our ability to access cost-effective funding;
- changes in liquidity, including the size and composition of our deposit portfolio and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio;
- fluctuations in real estate values;
- changes in accounting policies and practices;
- changes in governmental regulation, including, but not limited to, any increase in FDIC insurance premiums and changes in the monetary policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
- the ability of Hanmi Bank to make distributions to Hanmi Financial Corporation, which is restricted by certain factors, including Hanmi Bank’s retained earnings, net income, prior distributions made, and certain other financial tests;
- strategic transactions we may enter into;
- the adequacy of and changes in the methodology for computing our allowance for credit losses;
- our credit quality and the effect of credit quality on our credit losses expense and allowance for credit losses;
- changes in the financial performance and/or condition of our borrowers and the ability of our borrowers to perform under the terms of their loans and other terms of credit agreements;
- our ability to control expenses; and
- cyber security and fraud risks against our information technology and those of our third-party providers and vendors.
In addition, we set forth certain risks in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K that we will file hereafter, which could cause actual results to differ from those projected. We undertake no obligation to update such forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Investor Contacts:
Romolo (Ron) Santarosa
Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
213-427-5636Lisa Fortuna
Investor Relations
Financial Profiles, Inc.
lfortuna@finprofiles.com
310-622-8251Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands)September 30, June 30, Percentage September 30, Percentage 2024 2024 Change 2023 Change Assets Cash and due from banks $ 287,767 $ 313,079 -8.1 % $ 289,006 -0.4 % Securities available for sale, at fair value 908,921 877,638 3.6 % 817,242 11.2 % Loans held for sale, at the lower of cost or fair value 54,336 10,467 419.1 % 11,767 361.8 % Loans receivable, net of allowance for credit losses 6,188,581 6,108,630 1.3 % 5,953,472 3.9 % Accrued interest receivable 21,955 23,958 -8.4 % 20,715 6.0 % Premises and equipment, net 21,371 21,955 -2.7 % 20,707 3.2 % Customers’ liability on acceptances 67 551 -87.8 % 1,386 -95.2 % Servicing assets 6,683 6,836 -2.2 % 7,156 -6.6 % Goodwill and other intangible assets, net 11,031 11,048 -0.2 % 11,131 -0.9 % Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) stock, at cost 16,385 16,385 0.0 % 16,385 0.0 % Bank-owned life insurance 56,851 56,534 0.6 % 56,364 0.9 % Prepaid expenses and other assets 138,351 139,266 -0.7 % 144,809 -4.5 % Total assets $ 7,712,299 $ 7,586,347 1.7 % $ 7,350,140 4.9 % Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Liabilities: Deposits: Noninterest-bearing $ 2,051,790 $ 1,959,963 4.7 % $ 2,161,238 -5.1 % Interest-bearing 4,351,431 4,369,377 -0.4 % 4,098,834 6.2 % Total deposits 6,403,221 6,329,340 1.2 % 6,260,072 2.3 % Accrued interest payable 52,613 47,699 10.3 % 50,286 4.6 % Bank’s liability on acceptances 67 551 -87.8 % 1,386 -95.2 % Borrowings 300,000 292,500 2.6 % 162,500 84.6 % Subordinated debentures 130,478 130,318 0.1 % 129,860 0.5 % Accrued expenses and other liabilities 89,211 78,880 13.1 % 82,677 7.9 % Total liabilities 6,975,590 6,879,288 1.4 % 6,686,781 4.3 % Stockholders’ equity: Common stock 34 34 0.0 % 34 0.0 % Additional paid-in capital 589,567 588,647 0.2 % 586,169 0.6 % Accumulated other comprehensive income (55,140 ) (78,000 ) 29.3 % (99,422 ) 44.5 % Retained earnings 340,718 333,392 2.2 % 308,007 10.6 % Less treasury stock (138,470 ) (137,014 ) -1.1 % (131,429 ) -5.4 % Total stockholders’ equity 736,709 707,059 4.2 % 663,359 11.1 % Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 7,712,299 $ 7,586,347 1.7 % $ 7,350,140 4.9 %
Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)Three Months Ended September 30, June 30, Percentage September 30, Percentage 2024 2024 Change 2023 Change Interest and dividend income: Interest and fees on loans receivable $ 92,182 $ 90,752 1.6 % $ 85,398 7.9 % Interest on securities 5,523 5,238 5.4 % 4,204 31.4 % Dividends on FHLB stock 356 357 -0.3 % 317 12.3 % Interest on deposits in other banks 2,356 2,313 1.9 % 4,153 -43.3 % Total interest and dividend income 100,417 98,660 1.8 % 94,072 6.7 % Interest expense: Interest on deposits 47,153 46,495 1.4 % 36,818 28.1 % Interest on borrowings 1,561 1,896 -17.7 % 753 107.3 % Interest on subordinated debentures 1,652 1,649 0.2 % 1,646 0.4 % Total interest expense 50,366 50,040 0.7 % 39,217 28.4 % Net interest income before credit loss expense 50,051 48,620 2.9 % 54,855 -8.8 % Credit loss expense 2,286 961 137.9 % 5,154 -55.6 % Net interest income after credit loss expense 47,765 47,659 0.2 % 49,701 -3.9 % Noninterest income: Service charges on deposit accounts 2,311 2,429 -4.9 % 2,605 -11.3 % Trade finance and other service charges and fees 1,254 1,277 -1.8 % 1,155 8.6 % Gain on sale of Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans 1,544 1,644 -6.1 % 1,172 31.7 % Other operating income 3,329 2,707 23.0 % 6,296 -47.1 % Total noninterest income 8,438 8,057 4.7 % 11,228 -24.8 % Noninterest expense: Salaries and employee benefits 20,851 20,434 2.0 % 20,361 2.4 % Occupancy and equipment 4,499 4,607 -2.3 % 4,825 -6.8 % Data processing 3,839 3,686 4.2 % 3,490 10.0 % Professional fees 1,492 1,749 -14.7 % 1,568 -4.8 % Supplies and communications 538 570 -5.6 % 552 -2.5 % Advertising and promotion 631 669 -5.7 % 534 18.2 % Other operating expenses 3,230 3,561 -9.3 % 2,915 10.8 % Total noninterest expense 35,080 35,276 -0.6 % 34,245 2.4 % Income before tax 21,123 20,440 3.3 % 26,684 -20.8 % Income tax expense 6,231 5,989 4.0 % 7,888 -21.0 % Net income $ 14,892 $ 14,451 3.1 % $ 18,796 -20.8 % Basic earnings per share: $ 0.49 $ 0.48 $ 0.62 Diluted earnings per share: $ 0.49 $ 0.48 $ 0.62 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 29,968,004 30,055,913 30,251,961 Diluted 30,033,679 30,133,646 30,292,872 Common shares outstanding 30,196,755 30,272,110 30,410,582
Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, Percentage 2024 2023 Change Interest and dividend income: Interest and fees on loans receivable $ 274,608 $ 249,888 9.9 % Interest on securities 15,717 12,356 27.2 % Dividends on FHLB stock 1,075 888 21.1 % Interest on deposits in other banks 7,270 9,012 -19.3 % Total interest and dividend income 298,670 272,144 9.7 % Interest expense: Interest on deposits 139,286 94,431 47.5 % Interest on borrowings 5,112 4,755 7.5 % Interest on subordinated debentures 4,948 4,828 2.5 % Total interest expense 149,346 104,014 43.6 % Net interest income before credit loss expense 149,324 168,130 -11.2 % Credit loss expense 3,474 7,210 -51.8 % Net interest income after credit loss expense 145,850 160,920 -9.4 % Noninterest income: Service charges on deposit accounts 7,189 7,756 -7.3 % Trade finance and other service charges and fees 3,945 3,586 10.0 % Gain on sale of Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans 4,669 4,253 9.8 % Other operating income 8,425 11,904 -29.2 % Total noninterest income 24,228 27,499 -11.9 % Noninterest expense: Salaries and employee benefits 62,870 61,336 2.5 % Occupancy and equipment 13,643 13,737 -0.7 % Data processing 11,076 10,208 8.5 % Professional fees 5,134 4,278 20.0 % Supplies and communications 1,710 1,866 -8.4 % Advertising and promotion 2,207 2,114 4.4 % Other operating expenses 10,160 7,777 30.6 % Total noninterest expense 106,800 101,316 5.4 % Income before tax 63,278 87,103 -27.4 % Income tax expense 18,772 25,695 -26.9 % Net income $ 44,506 $ 61,408 -27.5 % Basic earnings per share: $ 1.47 $ 2.01 Diluted earnings per share: $ 1.47 $ 2.01 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 30,048,748 30,296,991 Diluted 30,117,269 30,338,678 Common shares outstanding 30,196,755 30,410,582
Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
Average Balance, Average Yield Earned, and Average Rate Paid (Unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands)Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 June 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 Interest Average Interest Average Interest Average Average Income / Yield / Average Income / Yield / Average Income / Yield / Balance Expense Rate Balance Expense Rate Balance Expense Rate Assets Interest-earning assets: Loans receivable (1) $ 6,112,324 $ 92,182 6.00 % $ 6,089,440 $ 90,752 5.99 % $ 5,915,423 $ 85,398 5.73 % Securities (2) 986,041 5,523 2.27 % 979,671 5,238 2.17 % 955,473 4,204 1.79 % FHLB stock 16,385 356 8.65 % 16,385 357 8.77 % 16,385 317 7.67 % Interest-bearing deposits in other banks 183,027 2,356 5.12 % 180,177 2,313 5.16 % 317,498 4,153 5.19 % Total interest-earning assets 7,297,777 100,417 5.48 % 7,265,673 98,660 5.46 % 7,204,779 94,072 5.19 % Noninterest-earning assets: Cash and due from banks 54,843 55,442 59,994 Allowance for credit losses (67,906 ) (67,908 ) (70,173 ) Other assets 251,421 252,410 240,145 Total assets $ 7,536,135 $ 7,505,617 $ 7,434,745 Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Interest-bearing liabilities: Deposits: Demand: interest-bearing $ 83,647 $ 31 0.15 % $ 85,443 $ 32 0.15 % $ 94,703 $ 32 0.13 % Money market and savings 1,885,799 17,863 3.77 % 1,845,870 17,324 3.77 % 1,601,826 12,485 3.09 % Time deposits 2,427,737 29,259 4.79 % 2,453,154 29,139 4.78 % 2,438,112 24,301 3.95 % Total interest-bearing deposits 4,397,183 47,153 4.27 % 4,384,467 46,495 4.27 % 4,134,641 36,818 3.53 % Borrowings 143,479 1,561 4.33 % 169,525 1,896 4.50 % 120,381 753 2.48 % Subordinated debentures 130,403 1,652 5.07 % 130,239 1,649 5.07 % 129,780 1,646 5.07 % Total interest-bearing liabilities 4,671,065 50,366 4.29 % 4,684,231 50,040 4.30 % 4,384,802 39,217 3.55 % Noninterest-bearing liabilities and equity: Demand deposits: noninterest-bearing 1,908,833 1,883,765 2,136,156 Other liabilities 171,987 162,543 159,127 Stockholders’ equity 784,250 775,078 754,660 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 7,536,135 $ 7,505,617 $ 7,434,745 Net interest income $ 50,051 $ 48,620 $ 54,855 Cost of deposits 2.97 % 2.98 % 2.33 % Net interest spread (taxable equivalent basis) 1.19 % 1.16 % 1.64 % Net interest margin (taxable equivalent basis) 2.74 % 2.69 % 3.03 % (1) Includes average loans held for sale (2) Income calculated on a fully taxable equivalent basis using the federal tax rate in effect for the periods presented.
Hanmi Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries
Average Balance, Average Yield Earned, and Average Rate Paid (Unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands)Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 Interest Average Interest Average Average Income / Yield / Average Income / Yield / Balance Expense Rate Balance Expense Rate Assets Interest-earning assets: Loans receivable (1) $ 6,113,214 $ 274,608 6.00 % $ 5,933,525 $ 249,888 5.63 % Securities (2) 978,439 15,717 2.17 % 969,146 12,356 1.73 % FHLB stock 16,385 1,076 8.77 % 16,385 888 7.25 % Interest-bearing deposits in other banks 188,290 7,269 5.16 % 247,581 9,012 4.87 % Total interest-earning assets 7,296,328 298,670 5.47 % 7,166,637 272,144 5.08 % Noninterest-earning assets: Cash and due from banks 56,217 62,354 Allowance for credit losses (68,305 ) (71,236 ) Other assets 249,517 237,111 Total assets $ 7,533,757 $ 7,394,866 Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Interest-bearing liabilities: Deposits: Demand: interest-bearing $ 85,158 $ 92 0.14 % $ 100,997 $ 88 0.12 % Money market and savings 1,849,053 51,740 3.74 % 1,506,776 29,687 2.63 % Time deposits 2,462,779 87,454 4.74 % 2,355,923 64,656 3.67 % Total interest-bearing deposits 4,396,990 139,286 4.23 % 3,963,696 94,431 3.19 % Borrowings 158,419 5,112 4.31 % 194,530 4,755 3.27 % Subordinated debentures 130,244 4,948 5.06 % 129,632 4,828 4.97 % Total interest-bearing liabilities 4,685,653 149,346 4.26 % 4,287,858 104,014 3.24 % Noninterest-bearing liabilities and equity: Demand deposits: noninterest-bearing 1,904,611 2,223,891 Other liabilities 166,372 140,070 Stockholders’ equity 777,121 743,047 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 7,533,757 $ 7,394,866 Net interest income $ 149,324 $ 168,130 Cost of deposits 2.95 % 2.04 % Net interest spread (taxable equivalent basis) 1.21 % 1.84 % Net interest margin (taxable equivalent basis) 2.74 % 3.14 % (1) Includes average loans held for sale (2) Amounts calculated on a fully taxable equivalent basis using the federal tax rate in effect for the periods presented.
Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresTangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets Ratio
Tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio is supplemental financial information determined by a method other than in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). This non-GAAP measure is used by management in the analysis of Hanmi’s capital strength. Tangible common equity is calculated by subtracting goodwill and other intangible assets from stockholders’ equity. Banking and financial institution regulators also exclude goodwill and other intangible assets from stockholders’ equity when assessing the capital adequacy of a financial institution. Management believes the presentation of this financial measure excluding the impact of these items provides useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the capital strength of Hanmi. This disclosure should not be viewed as a substitute for results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor is it necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies.
The following table reconciles this non-GAAP performance measure to the GAAP performance measure for the periods indicated:
Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets Ratio (Unaudited)
(In thousands, except share, per share data and ratios)September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30, Hanmi Financial Corporation 2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 Assets $ 7,712,299 $ 7,586,347 $ 7,512,046 $ 7,570,341 $ 7,350,140 Less goodwill and other intangible assets (11,031 ) (11,048 ) (11,074 ) (11,099 ) (11,131 ) Tangible assets $ 7,701,268 $ 7,575,299 $ 7,500,972 $ 7,559,242 $ 7,339,009 Stockholders’ equity (1) $ 736,709 $ 707,059 $ 703,100 $ 701,891 $ 663,359 Less goodwill and other intangible assets (11,031 ) (11,048 ) (11,074 ) (11,099 ) (11,131 ) Tangible stockholders’ equity (1) $ 725,678 $ 696,011 $ 692,026 $ 690,792 $ 652,228 Stockholders’ equity to assets 9.55 % 9.32 % 9.36 % 9.27 % 9.03 % Tangible common equity to tangible assets (1) 9.42 % 9.19 % 9.23 % 9.14 % 8.89 % Common shares outstanding 30,196,755 30,272,110 30,276,358 30,368,655 30,410,582 Tangible common equity per common share $ 24.03 $ 22.99 $ 22.86 $ 22.75 $ 21.45 (1) There were no preferred shares outstanding at the periods indicated.