text:
F5 Networks will pay approximately $1 billion to acquire Shape Security, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based company that sells a fraud prevention platform to banks, airlines, retailers, government agencies, and more.
The acquisition, announced Thursday, will help F5 bolster its application protection services. It’s the largest acquisition to date for Seattle-based F5, which paid $670 million to buy popular web server technology NGINX earlier this year.
“Beyond opening a fast-growing $4 billion adjacent market, Shape’s machine learning and AI-powered capabilities will scale and extend F5’s broad portfolio of application services and expand our ability to optimize and protect customers’ applications in an increasingly complex multi-cloud world,” F5 President and CEO François Locoh-Donou said in a statement.
Shape recently reached a $1 billion valuation after raising a $51 million Series F round in September. The 8-year-old company raised $183 million from backers including C5 Capital, Kleiner Perkins, GV, HPE Growth, Norwest Venture Partners, Wing Venture Partners, and others.
Shape says it mitigates more than 1 billion fake transactions daily. It has $70 million in annual recurring revenue. Customers include nine Fortune 50 customers; eight of the top 12 U.S. banks; five of the top 10 global airlines; and five of the top 10 credit card issuers.
“When you combine F5 and NGINX’s expertise powering over half of the world’s applications across all types of environments, with Shape’s insight from mitigating 1 billion application attacks per day, you have a company that knows how to secure more applications – and more value – than any company in the industry,” Locoh-Donou wrote in an email to employees today. “We believe that makes F5-NGINX-Shape absolutely essential to every digital organization in the world.”
F5 estimates that the acquisition will boost its software revenue growth from 35-to-40 percent to 60-to-70 percent next year. It expects to achieve breakeven non-GAAP EPS within 24 months of closing the acquisition. The company is using cash and a $400 million loan to fund the purchase.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020.
“Since Shape’s inception, we observed a consistent pattern in customer after customer: the use of F5 technology to deliver and enable their applications,” Derek Smith, co-founder and CEO of Shape, said in a statement. “Now, we look forward to the opportunity to deeply integrate into F5’s platform for application delivery and security — F5 provides the optimum traffic flow insertion point for Shape’s industry-leading online fraud and abuse prevention solutions.”
Shape plans to retain its Silicon Valley headquarters as Smith and its 375-person team will join F5, which had 5,325 employees as of Sept. 30.
Smith previously started iEngineer, which was acquired by Oracle, and Oakley Networks, which was acquired by Raytheon. He was a senior advisory for cyber policy at the Department of Defense before launching Shape Security with co-founders Sumit Agarwal and Justin Call.
Founded in Seattle more than 23 years ago, F5 is valued at nearly $9 billion and is one of the region’s major employers but flies under the radar thanks in part to the behind-the-scenes technical nature of its work.
The company is in the midst of years-long transition from making hardware to serve customers running data centers to focusing on software for customers running on public cloud infrastructure from providers like Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
“By laying out our vision to become the leader in Multi-Cloud Application Services back in 2017, we have been taking deliberate and disciplined steps to realize our future identity,” Locoh-Donou wrote in the email. “We know what it will take to win; and make no mistake, we are playing offense.”
Earlier this week F5 said it had taken steps to ensure the security of the master software builds for NGINX after Russian law enforcement officials visited the Moscow offices of NGINX on Dec. 12 with a warrant in connection with an intellectual property dispute.
F5 recently moved into a new 48-story office tower in downtown Seattle. The company’s stock is down slightly this year, trading at $143.69/share on Thursday.
Read Locoh-Donou’s full email to staff below.
From: François Locoh-Donou
To: F5 Staff
Date: December 19, 2019
Subject: F5 to Acquire Shape Security
I could not be more pleased to announce that we have signed an agreement today to acquire Shape Security, a leader in providing application security against fraud and abuse.
Our long-standing belief that applications are the most valuable assets of any organization in the digital age has been the foundation of our strategy to become the leader in Multi-Cloud Application Services. When you combine F5 and NGINX’s expertise powering over half of the world’s applications across all types of environments, with Shape’s insight from mitigating 1 billion application attacks per day, you have a company that knows how to secure more applications – and more value – than any company in the industry. We believe that makes F5-NGINX-Shape absolutely essential to every digital organization in the world.
This defiant stance was borne out of F5’s pioneering approach to application security. The work we have done to protect the world’s largest enterprises, service providers, governments, and consumer brands from application-layer attacks is unparalleled. We are trusted by our customers the world over to deliver the most high-performing and secure digital experiences. And, unlike other companies, we protect their valuable applications across any environment – not tied to a single cloud, not tied to a single vendor’s stack, and not tied to hardware.
But as automation has increased, so too have the application-layer attacks on our customers. Cybercriminals are weaponizing attacks on an unprecedented scale, using automation in everything from cheap, global ‘botnets’ to launching highly sophisticated, targeted strikes. These exploits defraud organizations of billions of dollars with fake accounts, unauthorized fund transfers or chargebacks, credit application fraud, and stolen loyalty points or gift cards. Shape is currently protecting the top Global 2000 banks, retailers and travel companies from 1 billion of such automated attacks against applications a day, as well as protecting 150 million legitimate, human transactions a day with the applications that these companies rely on most to deliver their best customer experience. Shape’s code base includes some of the most sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud-based analytics intellectual property in the business to detect, flag and mitigate unwanted and malicious online traffic, learn from previous attacks and prevent the next ones.
Bringing together F5 and NGINX’s application expertise across multi-cloud environments with Shape’s anti-fraud capabilities for web, mobile and APIs reinforces our ‘code to customer’ promise with a comprehensive, end-to-end application security offer. This has the potential to save customers billions of dollars lost to fraud, reputational damage and costly disruptions to digital transformations.
Over the longer term, through integrating our products with Shape’s large-scale telemetry and analytics capabilities, this acquisition also significantly advances our plans to offer AI-enhanced services to customers for better visibility, management and orchestration across their applications.
Equally important, Shape represents a major bet on expanding our capabilities. By bringing on board over 370 Shape employees led by Shape CEO Derek Smith, we are significantly expanding our expertise in the fields most critical to our next phase of growth: cloud, software and AI/Machine Learning competencies; as well as boosting our collective agility by learning from the customer-obsessed culture Shape has built over the last eight years.
And last, but by no means least, this approximately $1B transaction represents the biggest in our company history, and the second in under a year. That is no accident. By laying out our vision to become the leader in Multi-Cloud Application Services back in 2017, we have been taking deliberate and disciplined steps to realize our future identity. We know what it will take to win; and make no mistake, we are playing offense.
But an acquisition of this magnitude would simply not be possible without the dedicated teamwork and relentless pace you have set to drive F5’s transformation to date. We know from experience that acquisitions are not simple exercises in integration, but rather a belief system and a commitment – to do the work it takes to help unlock more value for a company like NGINX, and now Shape, than they could on their own. I count on this team to rise to the occasion again to make F5-NGINX-Shape the uniquely powerful combination I know it can be.
[Additional information pertaining to an F5 Company Meeting removed, along with minor edits]


text:
Panic castle It is a fantastic board game, especially when it’s time to play with friends who want less intense games. It is a cooperative tower defense game that works well for 1-6 players and is published by Fireside Games. Well, it was recently announced that next month, a Kickstarter will be released for Castle Panic Deluxe. This version of the game features new art for the box and cards, plastic walls and towers, and rotating base minis for monsters! This is absolutely amazing and I really want it.
There is currently no advertised price for Castle Panic DeluxeBut I guess it won’t be cheap. The Kickstarter will officially launch on June 9.

domain: news


text:
IPA president and PHD chief David Pattison urged delegates at the Thinkbox Experience event yesterday (Tuesday) to “speak the language of the boardroom” in order to justify and even increase their television advertising spends.
But in a panel session o demonstrating the accountability and effectiveness of television, Dairy Crest group marketing director for food Richard Tolley admitted that it was “difficult” in a mature market to show the benefit of advertising. However, he said following the introduction of more rigorous measurement benchmarks, Dairy Crest had doubled the amount spent on advertising in the past three years.
In a break- out session later at the event Justin Sampson, director of CRM at ITV Sales, unveiled preliminary findings from the broadcaster’s Fame Metrics survey and said: “TV is the best guarantor of building famous brands.”
The study showed that a ten per cent rise in the fame of a brand will, on average, increase market share by one fifth. TV, he said, was the communication channel which most influenced brand fame, driving additional market share – increasing investment on TV by ten per cent will increase market share by 1.6 per cent.
A study unveiled by the Future Foundation also showed the power of TV as a social point of interaction.
It revealed that 80 per cent of TV viewing among all adults under 65 years old takes place with other people. That is despite there being an average of more than two TV sets per household. Even among those living alone, a fifth of viewing is experienced with others.
Original research conducted on behalf of Thinkbox, also showed that about 80 per cent believe that good TV becomes a talking point with friends, family and colleagues.


text:
How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to Group M MENA’s Chief Executive Officer. How is the Covid-19 crisis reshaping the marketing and advertising industry in MENA? The time has come to ‘re-optimize’ everything from brand purpose, positioning, company structures, processes and growth strategies. Consumers have become far too picky and […]
“The main problem is certainly a lack of education around the subject,” said Yves-Michel Gabay, Managing Director of MEA at programmatic agency Gamned. With people confined to their homes due to the current situation, many professionals have taken time out to learn new skills in various subjects. In response to this growing trend, many firms […]
Weyyak’s Nadine Samra explains how great content is the key to success for OTT platforms during Ramadan. Just like it is for traditional TV, Ramadan always is becoming a critical period for over-the-top (OTT) platforms. These fast-growing digital entertainment providers anticipate this time of year’s high viewership and the advertising boon that comes with it. […]
Johannes Larcher, managing director-digital at MBC, shares a detailed overview of the industry’s regional landscape, its various players and its potential.
Johannes Larcher, managing director-digital at MBC, unveils the strategy behind Shahid Plus’s upcoming acceleration and subscription growth.
By Ziad Issa The last decade showed us many changes in media consumption, where everyone almost accesses the internet, smartphone, and social media. The technology is shifting the use of audio and video-based content. In Saudi Arabia, over the top (OTT) has not yet taken away significant reach from linear TV as it has […]
By Vinod Krishnan Viewers are watching more content than ever before, with expectations for nearly endless content choice anytime, anywhere and on any screen. To innovate and stay ahead of viewer demands requires the adoption of technologies and solutions that accelerate content production and delivery. Today, cloud technology has the power to fundamentally change how media […]
Christos Solomi is the executive director of programmatic at Omnicom Media Group MENA. 1. To a layperson, how would you explain programmatic TV? Most of the ads you see on your TV were planned and purchased weeks and often months in advance of the spot appearing on your screen. Everyone watching the TV channel at […]
With the emergence of subscription video-on-demand services (SVODs) such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, the media has been quick to foretell the demise of TV. But, is there any truth to those words? TV has remained a powerhouse and mainstay in modern life ever since its introduction in the 20th century. Many historical moments broke […]


text:
Tons of AAA blockbusters and the Indie Arcade will also be featured.
Though Sony is rumoured to be revealing the release date for the PlayStation 4 at this year’s Gamescom 2013 taking place on August 21st to 25th, The Gamer Network has recently revealed that the next generation console will be playable at the Eurogamer Expo. With 70,000 attendees expected, this will be consumers’ – those who live in the UK at least – chance to finally play the console.
To top it off, titles like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4, FIFA 14, Batman: Arkham Origins, Dark Souls II and much more are also expected to be in attendance, which can be experienced hands-on. This year’s expo will also mark the return of the Indie Arcade with a tourney and retro area in place thanks to Sega.
Eurogamer Expo 2013 will be taking place in London, at the Earls Court from September 26th to September 29th. Currently, weekend tickets and four day passes are sold out, with tickets available for Thursday and Friday, so act fast if you want to attend.


text:
Martin Lewis gives advice on paying mortgage with savings
House prices rocketed by the most in more than 16 years in June, soaring by 13.4 percent from June 2020. In monthly terms, house prices were 0.7 percent higher than in May. Many homebuyers may have rushed to complete their house purchases before the Stamp Duty holiday starts to taper off this month.
The Stamp Duty holiday was introduced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last year as part of a wide package of COVID-19 support measures.
The first £500,000 of property purchases in England and Northern Ireland were exempt from Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) until the end of June.
A smaller £250,000 tax-free allowance will run until the end of September 2021.
Express.co.uk spoke to property experts about whether house prices will continue to rise later in 2021, following the end of the Stamp Duty holiday and the further easing of lockdown restrictions.
House price BOOM: Will house prices drop in 2021? Experts weigh in on market future
Will house prices drop in 2021?
Based on the current housing trends, experts speculate it is unlikely that there will be a major drop in house prices later this year.
However, one expert said the end of the Stamp Duty holiday and easing of lockdown restrictions could mean the market begins "levelling out slightly".
Steve Jacob, CEO of Fabrik Property Group, told Express.co.uk: "House prices are still rising, but with the Stamp Duty holiday ending I expect there will be less demand in the market.
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
"At the same time, as Covid restrictions ease and people move about more, I think we’ll see supply increase as well.
"So reduced demand and increased supply could lead to the market levelling out slightly in price terms."
If house prices continue to increase in 2021, another expert said it is likely prices will increase at a "less aggressive rate" than has been the case in recent months.
Anna Page, COO of SlothMove, told Express.co.uk: "As we know, house prices have soared in 2021, increasing five percent from March to June.
Rightmove names its ‘most viewed’ properties this month [INSIGHT]
House prices spike by over £10,000 in 12 months [REPORT]
Will there be property market crash at the end of Stamp Duty holiday? [ANALYSIS]
"In the run-up to the Stamp Duty relief [deadline] we are seeing continued growth.
"Looking forward, it's likely that house prices will continue to increase but at a less aggressive rate."
As well as the Stamp Duty holiday, a range of factors are prompting many to move, such as the need for more space as working from home becomes more common.
Ms Page added: “It is important to remember that the Stamp Duty relief is just one of many factors that are contributing to the rise in prices.
"We also have inflation, a decreased need for workers to be based in mega-cities, and due to the amount of time we're spending at home due to the pandemic, we also have a population who are looking for alternative places to buy."
David Westgate, group chief executive of Andrews Property Group, also commented that "the race for more space" could turn out to be a "longer-term trend".
Mr Westgate said: "The end of the full Stamp Duty holiday today may see activity cool a little, but not significantly, as there are plenty of buyers who still have time and the motivation to complete before the tapered relief ends on September 30."
"Even when the tapered relief draws to a close, I don't see prices cooling off dramatically.
"Demand is vastly outstripping supply and will do so for a while, with a race for more space pushing house prices higher, particularly larger properties in more rural areas, as buyers look to make lifestyle changes as a result of the pandemic. This feels like a longer-term trend."
Many people have saved considerably during lockdown with the intention of purchasing property, so this could also contribute to demand later this year.
Ben Gent of property investment platform Assetz Exchange told Express.co.uk: "As we come out of the pandemic there is a huge amount of pent up savings, some of which will find its way into the house market.
"The UK economy is set to bounce back strongly and the Government will continue to support the economy with fiscal and monetary stimulus.
“We predict that house price growth eases back from its current gangbusters double-digit increases and will fall back closer to the longer-term trend of moderate single digits for the remainder of 2021 and this trend will persist in the coming years.”


text:
Equitable Food Initiative has released a free resource to the fresh produce industry to help grower-shippers identify and reduce risk in their foreign recruitment processes and with farm labor contractors.
The documentary offers a rare opportunity to hear the hopes, hardships and a sense of life-purpose in harvesting good berries from three independent family growers, and explores the issues contributing to agriculture’s labor shortage and proposes possible solutions to overcoming these challenges.
While it’s important that Senators and U.S. representatives hear from their constituents in the produce industry, Congress usually reverts to its paralyzed, partisan ways, with little legislation to show for the industry’s efforts. But this year, that may change.
Equitable Food Initiative has received a $1.2 million grant from Walmart Foundation to advance responsible labor practices through workforce development programs on fresh produce farms in Mexico. The grant runs through the end of 2020.


text:
You can find some footage from the Project X Zone demo (available now in North America) after the break.
Project X Zone, a collaborative title between SEGA, Namco Bandai, and Capcom is now available in demo-form via the eShop on the 3DS in North America. Once you’ve played through it, let people know what you think in the comments so they know if it’s worth the time it takes to download.
There’s a new trailer for Project X Zone after the break, along with some demo footage.
We’ve known for a while that Project X Zone (a collaboration between SEGA, Namco Bandai, and Capcom) was set for release outside of Japan, and Namco Bandai has finally confirmed that the game is set for release in North America on the 25th of June. There’s no release date for Europe as of yet though.
Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Capcom’s cross-franchise Project X Zone is coming to North America and the game is now available to preorder at GameStop. You can check out the product page to secure a copy.
Rich George of IGN teased recently that we’d be getting some interesting 3DS news soon, and it turns out the news is that Project X Zone will be released outside of Japan. Namco Bandai announced today that the game will be launching in Europe, Australia and North America sometime this summer. You can check after the break for some screenshots from the game.


text:
Paramount Group on Government’s decision of FDI multi brand retail
Mr. Ashwani Prakash, Executive Director, Paramount Group
“The government’s decision to bring retail FDI to the country is certainly a good news and
brought a smile on the face of the developers who had been developing commercial
properties. After the ruling in of the retail sector into India the retail commercial property
would certainly experience a much needed boost. With famous retail brands entering into
the Indian market the developers can expect fair and attractive prices for their properties. In
totality it can be said that this move has given oxygen to the retail commercial property in
About Paramount Group
Paramount Group is a 16-year-old real estate company set up by Mr. Mukesh Agarwal. An
ISO 9001:2000 certified organization; Paramount has associated with architects from
Singapore for quality control and project management, which has helped the company in
developing some of the artistic and modern buildings of the times.
Paramount Group has a team of highly experienced engineers, renowned architects, and
qualified management professionals. The forte of the Paramount Group lies in offering its
customers unmatched pieces of architecture at unparallel prices and timely possession.
Paramount has many projects under its aegis and has been involved in building the modern
and finest residential and commercial complexes in Delhi and National Capital Region
(NCR). Paramount Group is the member of Indian Green Building Council.
For further information, please contact
Dmas PR Pvt. Ltd


text:
November 18, 2013 - Industry News
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced that the Delaware Supreme Court has granted its request for an expedited hearing of its appeal to a partial ruling rendered by Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III in the case Cooper filed against Apollo Tyres.
Tags: Tires, Litigation
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Rence Oliphant from Hendrickson, will answer your questions
Hold Open Door Keeper Holds Roll-Up Door Open
Premium Seats for Class 7 and 8 Trucks
HD 500 Series Lights Designed to Stand Out
TPMS Tracks Tires Throughout Lifecycle


text:
August marks the month for National Hair Loss Awareness. Now, more than ever, is the time to review some staggering statistics from the American Hair Loss Association:
- Androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is the culprit behind 95 percent of men’s hair loss cases.
- By the age of 32, two-thirds of men will experience some degree of loss.
- By the age of 50, 85 percent of men experience hair loss.
- Twenty-five percent of men who suffer from male pattern baldness exhibit symptoms before the age of 21.
- Women make up 40 percent of hair loss cases.
- Women’s hair loss is more difficult to treat with prescriptions and surgeries.
These statistics paint a dismal picture, but are important to share for individuals who erroneously believe they are suffering alone. What’s more, many hair loss sufferers who come to terms with their condition and actively seek treatment can prevent further loss and even spark regrowth.


text:
How to use upscale in a sentence
It has a semi-industrial vibe with the most upscale shopping and dining in the city.Berkeley: A City That Fights for the Rights of All|LGBTQ-Editor|November 20, 2020|No Straight News
Known for its beaches and boating canals, there’s everything from upscale restaurants and boutiques to luxury hotels and housing.
There has been a lot of revitalization projects in downtown, new walking areas, new restaurants and — how do I put it — a little upscale bohemian vibe that is coming to the city.Lynchburg goes blue for president for the first time since Harry Truman in 1948|Laura Vozzella, Susan Svrluga|November 8, 2020|Washington Post
Other options are limited, so if you want to upscale, resize, re-render with a different color, etc, you’re out of luck.Kaleido’s Unscreen is dead simple drag-and-drop background removal for video|Devin Coldewey|October 2, 2020|TechCrunch
Typically, restaurants served by waitstaff are larger and more upscale, with higher price points.The Stages of Gentrification, as Told by Restaurant Openings|Vince Dixon|September 30, 2020|Eater


text:
The Sky Soldier
NIS America, subsidiary of Nippon Ichi Software, Inc., has released a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Wii U/3DS game Rodea: The Sky Soldier.
The game takes place in Garuda, a kingdom that lies in the sky, 1,000 years after an Emperor by the name of Geardo of the Naga Empire sent an army of machine soldiers to invade. Princess Cecilia and Rodea, a machine soldier who promised to protect Garuda, defeated Emperor Geardo’s assault and saved their kingdom.
In the present timeline a young female inventor named Ion discovers Rodea, abandoned and in need of repairs, in the heart of a scorching desert. Upon completing her repairs Rodea boots back up is stunned to find himself in the future and learns that the Naga Empire is no more and that Garuda has known peace for 1,000 years.
Soon the forces of Naga emerges once again to wage war against Garuda. Remembering the promise he made 1,000 years ago, Rodea takes to the skies to defend Garuda from the Naga Empire once again.
Rodea the Sky Soldier is set to release in North America on October 13, 2015 and Europe on October 16, 2015 for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. First print copies of the Wii U version will also come packaged with the Wii version of the game.


text:
Maruti Suzuki India remains "vulnerable to supply side bottlenecks" this fiscal even as it looks to source electronic components through multiple sources, according to a senior company official.
The country's largest carmaker, which could not produce around 1.7 lakh units last fiscal due to semiconductor shortage, is also coming up with measures to reduce the usage of certain kinds of chips in its cars.
"The problem (chip shortage) is a global one..it could affect different models, different companies, different modules differently..all our efforts are to organise supplies through multiple sources," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Executive Officer (Corporate Affairs) Rahul Bharti said in an analyst call.
He noted that the company is working to do away with certain chips in some models/trims where the requirement is superfluous.
"If there is a particular semiconductor in a particular variant of a model which is superfluous and not required..so we are removing all such needs so that our consumption is minimum. All such efforts are going on including negotiations at global scale. Having said that we are still vulnerable to supply side bottlenecks," Bharti noted.
When asked about the company position in the ongoing fiscal, he said: "We do not have full year visibility but at least Q1 will be tough and broadly the uncertainty continues."
Semiconductors are silicon chips that cater to control and memory functions in products ranging from automobiles, computers and cellphones to various other electronic items.
Maruti Suzuki launches new compact SUV Fronx at Rs 7.46 lakh in India
Maruti Suzuki sales dip marginally in March; highest ever sales in FY23
Maruti upgrades entire model range to conform to stricter emission norms
Maruti Suzuki recalls 17,362 units to fix faulty airbag controller
Maruti Suzuki hikes vehicle prices by 1.1% across models, 2nd rise in FY23
'Mann ki Baat' to be broadcast live at 1000 locations across Pune: BJP
Kapil Sibal raises question of pliant investigation amid wrestlers' protest
Mann Ki Baat's popularity indicates people have appreciated it: Nadda
UP IAS association appeals Bihar govt to reconsider Anand Mohan's release
Chapatis, khichdi made of bajra may soon be on mid-day meal menu in UP
The usage of semiconductors in the auto industry has gone up globally in recent times with new models coming with more and more electronic features such as bluetooth connectivity and driver-assist, navigation and hybrid-electric systems.
Replying to a query, Bharti confirmed that the strong hybrid technology introduced in Grand Vitara could be launched in more models.
"We have got a very positive response..we plan to bring it (strong hybrid) in more models also," he stated.
On sales growth outlook for this fiscal, Bharti said industry body SIAM estimates the passenger vehicle industry to grow between 5-7 per cent.
"Maruti Suzuki should grow well beyond this. So we would be better than the industry," he noted.
MSI CFO Ajay Seth noted that the company has lined up Rs 8,000 crore capex in the current fiscal with capital set to go into the construction of the Sonipat plant, development of new models and annual maintenance of existing infrastructure.
He noted that the company has strengthened its presence in the sports utility vehicle segment with Brezza and Grand Vitara thereby increasing its market share in the vertical.
"Moving forward with Jimny and Fronx, the SUV portfolio of the company will be further strengthened. With this the company aims to secure a leadership position in the SUV segment," Seth said.
He noted that the company believes in offering products and technologies which are relevant to the Indian market context.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


text:
(NBC) - Thursday is National Beer Day -- an unofficial holiday recognized among beer enthusiasts to celebrate the end of prohibition.
It was 83 years ago that the Cullen-Harrison Act took effect and allowed Americans to legally buy beer again for the first time in 13 years.
Beer is now a multi-billion dollar industry.
A new survey from Wakefield Research, on behalf of the site Let's Grab A Beer, asked beer drinkers with whom they'd most like to have a beer.
Americans said they would like to have a cold brew with Tina Fey, who narrowly beat out last year's choice of Jimmy Fallon.
Courtesy NBC News Channel


text:
SOUTH ORANGE — Heat exhaustion isn't reserved for the living, your car might also be feeling the effects. As much of New Jersey remained in the upper 90s and low 100s Saturday, mechanics worked overtime on overheating vehicles.
Pierre Telusma, 31, wiped sweat from his forehead as he worked on the engine of a silver-blue Honda Civic. The car’s owner brought it to the Delta auto repair shop in South Orange because it overheated the day before.
“Today I have four cars that overheated,” Telusma said. “Yesterday was worse.”
Vehicles can overheat for a number of different reasons — insufficient coolant, a defective water pump, a dirty or blocked radiator grille, a thermostat problem or broken fan blades. Record-breaking temperatures don't help, either.
For the driver, dashboard warnings, gauges in the red, smoke coming from the hood or an engine that shuts itself off are good indicators of an overheating problem, said Telusma who's been working in auto repair for 12 years since he moved to the U.S. from Haiti.
The other popular auto request this week has been AC replacements and repair. Those fixes are booked through the middle of next week.
“Everybody’s trying to stay cool,” Telusma said.
That's a difficult goal for Telusma, who worked a 10-hour shift Saturday in 100-degree heat. “We put the fans on but they don’t do much. It really does feel like an oven in here,” he said.
Sgt. Stephen Jones of the New Jersey State Police said the agency added a dozen troopers to highway patrol this weekend anticipating a mass exodus of people headed to the shore and the potential car troubles they might encounter along the way.
“We’re telling people to check out their cars before they travel, especially coolant levels, and carry a small cooler with drinks in case they get stuck in traffic or break down,” he said.


text:
Although more limited than their PC counterparts thanks to the inability to install mods, the console editions of sandbox classic Minecraft have proven to be very popular in their own right.
According to Mojang's Owen Hill, writing in the comments of a recent PlayStation Blog post, PlayStation 4 and Vita versions of the game can be expected in the second or third quarter of this year. And those who have already been playing the PlayStation 3 version -- which is set to be released in physical format next month, much like its Xbox 360 counterpart -- will be able to transfer their world and creations into at least the PlayStation 4 version and possibly the Vita version, too.
"The plan is to enable users to transfer from PS3 to PS4," he said. "We’re still working out how it’ll work with the Vita version." It sounds as if the Vita version will have a few limitations enforced on it compared to the console editions -- a smaller maximum world size could potentially cause difficulty when importing a particularly sprawling save from the PS3 version, for example.
Hill noted that news on cross-buy or upgrade options for the game would be revealed "soon" because the details were still being worked out and he didn't want to make false promises to the community. It sounds as if there will be something in place, though whether it's as generous as giving owners of the PS3 version the PS4 and Vita versions for free remains to be seen as yet.
The retail PS3 version of Minecraft, meanwhile, will be fully up to date with all the content from the digital version, including the new material from the recent Update 14, including emeralds, Ender Chests and potatoes. Watch out for it early next month.


text:
Indian textiles Minister Smriti Irani last week tabled a bill in parliament for adding two new lower house (Lok Sabha) members in the National Jute Board. Lok Sabha member from West Bengal’s Berhampore Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury requested the speaker to raise that number to four as West Bengal, Odisha and Assam states fall under the jute belt.
“That in pursuance of clause (b) of sub-section (4) of section 3 of the National Jute Board Act, 2008, the members of this House do proceed to elect, in such manner as the Speaker may direct, two members from amongst themselves to serve as members of the National Jute Board, subject to the other provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder,” Irani said.
- News & InsightsSeptember 25, 2023ITALIAN TEXTILE MACHINERY COMPANIES AT UPCOMING TITAS TAIPEI 2023
- COTTON PRICESeptember 25, 2023U.S. FUTURES DAILY COTTON MARKET – 20TH SEPTEMBER 2023
- News & InsightsSeptember 25, 2023Textiles Need Demand Uptick
- Apparel, Fashion & RetailSeptember 25, 2023Mensa Brands’ Dennis Lingo Expands into New Horizons with ‘DL Woman’ Women’s Fashion & LTA Categories


text:
It has the same level of protection as N95 respirator masks.
Masks are now a daily necessity for all of us. Over the past few months, we’ve seen multiple companies launching their own brands of face masks that adhere to the current guidelines. But for the researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), they’ve just made a new silicone mask that can be safely reused without the risk of contamination.
Developed along with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the iMASC offers a level of protection that is similar to the expensive N95 mask since it uses the same N95 filter. But the difference is that it doesn’t catch other particles that may potentially contaminate the mask, allowing you to use it multiple times.
Shaped much like a normal face mask, the iMASC comes with a silicone rubber that can be sterilized before usage. From the image above, you can see that there are dual filters placed just in front of the mouth and are also replaceable.
CNN reports that the iMASC was 3D-printed and was tested on nurses and physicians who were then asked to rate its breathability and fit. It was also said that the iMASC was developed because of the increasing shortages of personal protective equipment for frontline workers, who have been battling the disease now for months.
N95 masks are considered the most effective face masks that they say can catch 95 percent of particles. The only problem is that it can only be used for one time since it wasn’t designed to be sanitized. Hopefully, the iMASC can help health workers battle COVID-19 in the midst of a shortage of PPEs.
Read more about the iMASC here.


text:
In an attempt to clear up the television maker's troubled financial picture, Zenith Electronics Corp.'s new CEO, Peter Willmott, is trimming 25% of the company's U.S. workforce.
FOR THE RECORD; ZENITH'S STATIC CONTINUES, CUTTING JOBS 25%
Nearly 1,200 workers, most of them at the company's plant in west suburban Melrose Park, will lose their jobs next year. (Zenith, which hasn't had a profitable year since 1988, years ago moved the bulk of its TV manufacturing operations to Mexico, where it employs 12,000.)
Mr. Willmott also postponed plans to build a $100-million large-screen TV factory in west suburban Woodridge.
The moves are designed to reduce fixed costs, which the CEO said are "simply too high" to allow the Glenview-based company to compete effectively against its overseas rivals.
Zenith, which is 55%-owned by LG Electronics of South Korea, expects the layoffs to save $20 million next year. Meanwhile, the company announced plans for its first national advertising campaign in five years, which will be handled by Chicago advertising agency Bagby & Co.


text:
Dutch tourists walk on the beach in Miami Beach, Florida on Oct. 25.
荷蘭遊客們十月二十五日在佛羅里達州邁阿密海灘行走。Nov 08, 2012
This photo has been viewed 355 times.
Listing from 2015-01-25 to 2015-02-01
- Most read
- Most e-mailed
1Asus to push new ZenFone range
2Box stock skyrockets 66% during IPO
3‘Taiwanese’ identity hits record level
4Ko challenges woman after Falun Gong incident
5PRC’s new air routes merit tough response


text:
You have searched for "profits"
Showing 1-10 of 1444
Major US multinationals are pushing the Trump administration to deepen the tax break it has already tentatively proposed on US$2.6tril (RM11.21tril) in corporate profits being held offshore, a key piece in Washington's intricate tax reform puzzle.
Maker of iPhones, Apple, has dominated the profit charts from smartphone sales with 91% share of profits from all smartphones sold in the third quarter of 2016.
Japanese videogame giant Nintendo on Wednesday said it would release its new games console next year, after the success of its foray into smartphone gaming, but added sales had slipped and a resurgent yen hammered profits.
Amazon delivered record profits for the first quarter, fuelled by gains in Cloud computing and new business segments for the US technology colossus.
Pope Francis told executives of leading internet companies on Friday to use "their great profits" to defend children from sexual exploitation and other dangers lurking online.
Chinese search engine Baidu Inc has launched an augmented reality lab in Beijing as part of an effort to revitalise the company's shrinking profits with cutting edge technology.
India's all-singing, all-dancing movie hits capture the attention of hundreds of millions of fans but they generate precious little in box office profits for the world's largest cinema industry.


text:
Distributel has crafted an infographic that delves into popular online businesses with a proven track-record for success. Check it out.
Even some of the biggest names in the world had a rocky road to success.
Continue reading 6 Bad*ss Entrepreneurs Who Didn’t Take ‘No’ For An Answer
Uber isn’t required to report its finances publicly, but the privately held company has decided to forgo that luxury for the first time. Bloomberg’s Ramy Inocencio reports on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia.”
Continue reading Uber Says Growth Outpaces Losses
The Calgary startup community received a funding boost from investors today. GE Canada (NYSE: GE), GE Ventures, BDC Capital and Ryerson Futures Inc. announced the ZSC Seed Accelerator Fund during BDC’s Canadian Corporate Innovation Summit. The fund will help companies in Zone Startups Calgary (ZSC), an accelerator that drives growth of startups in the industrial internet of things, cybersecurity and energy sectors, on their paths to commercialization.
JobBliss, a platform that enables companies to manage and find freelance talent, announced that the company has raised a round of angel funding. The funding was provided by a Toronto angel investor, and the round also includes a Smart Start grant from the Ontario Centres of Excellence, an innovation commercialization hub. JobBliss is a female founded tech startup and was a finalist for the Women 2.0 Pitch competition, TechCrunch Disrupt Toronto, and BNN Disruptors Pitch.
The 2017 CFA Awards of Excellence in Franchising winners are:
Financing to fund investments in SaaS technology serving enterprise teams to control and drive brand domain identity performance improvements and innovation.
Ever on the lookout for innovative solutions to support its Digital, Educational and Francophone mission, Groupe Média TFO is proud Continue reading Digital Accelerator, Groupe Média TFO, Enters Unique New Agreement with Start-up Vubble
Timeless advice from highly successful entrepreneurs on how to build a business and personal habits that will lead to making a big impact.
The Vancouver-based company, GoFetch, launched its dog-sitting platform this month, where dog owners looking for someone to take care of their dog can connect with dog-sitters on the website.
OBI’s unique ONtrepreneurs (Ontario Neurotech Entrepreneurs) Program offers up to 10 early-stage entrepreneurs the opportunity to build a start-up company and develop a technology applicable to brain disorders or brain health:
On Monday, January 16, Facebook’s Boost Your Business will take place in Regina, Saskatchewan, a session dedicated to teaching small business owners how to optimize their presence on the world’s largest social network. The event will be co-hosted by the Regina Chamber of Commerce, with special guests Ralph Goodale, MP for Regina-Wascana, and Brent Homan, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.


text:
Nov 16, 2012 6:30pm EST
permission. as diane eastabrook reports the move follows months of financial problems and labor un-rest. >> reporter: hostess brands says it decided to liquidate after a strike by members of the bakery, confectionery, tobacco workers, and grain millers international union crippled production at several plants. the workers walked off their jobs a week ago protesting pay cuts and benefit concessions the company demanded in order to exit bankruptcy reorganization. >> it's a shock for a lot of us. we are actually people who want to work, but we are tired of this company's way of constantly lying to us. >> reporter: hostess had already reached a deal with the teamsters union. the irving, texas company filed for chapter eleven in january-- the second time in less than three years. hostess operates nearly 1,200 bakeries, distribution centers, and outlet stores in the u.s. the 82-year old company employs about 18,000 people. many iconic hostess brands could continue to live on after the company's demise. it says it wants to sell as much of its infrastructure as possible. diane eastabrook, "n.b.
Nov 15, 2012 6:30pm EST
>> the chinese currency that is going to be accelerating the un-pegging versus the u.s. dollar, which will create more uncertainty about the dollar versus china, and therefore the value of what business companies are doing in china. >> tom: we spoke with william nobrega, managing partner at the conrad group, an emerging markets investment advisor about what the new leaders need to do. one of the things that they need to do is taking the reform and building the institution so they need a robust healthcare system and education system. therthere is a growing inequaliy between rich and poor in china and that is a grave concern for the new leadership. >> the outgoing president 'senet corruptions that you haven't heard from a chinese leader. saying "combatting corruption is a major political issue" how big of an economic issue is it. they are going to lose faith in the government and you can see some wide scale issues coming about. the question is can they tackle corruption and they have not been successful yet. $120 billion has left the country in graft. it filters through to the pr


text:
Samsung’s Upcoming Galaxy S24 Smartphone Appears on the IMDA Certification Platform
Samsung is soon expected to conduct its Galaxy Unpacked 2024 next month as per its revealed teaser image, and the next Galaxy S24 series consisting of the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra models are going to be unveiled at the event along with other latest devices.
Ahead of its debut, the vanilla Galaxy S24 smartphone has made its way to the IMDA certification platform of Singapore, pointing that the launch is nearing as suggested.
Here’s more about it.
Samsung Galaxy S24 – IMDA Certification
The Galaxy S24 device has been listed on the IMDA database with the model number – “SM-S921B/DS”, and the device has been categorized as a 5G phone supporting NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Apart from these information, nothing in particular has been shared via the certification platform.
Previously, the device was also spotted on the NBTC database of Thailand with this same model number of “SM-S921B/DS”, and before which, was also certified by China’s 3C certification authority (but the device was listed with model number – “SM-S9210”). It’s recent trademark also mentions that Samsung might call the Galaxy S24 an “AI Phone”.
The spec sheet of the entire Galaxy S24 series was shared online by a tipster last week, and the complete specs of the Galaxy S24 smartphone is now known. Check it out below.
Samsung Galaxy S24 – Revealed Key Specs
The Galaxy S24 device will likely be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and might have a 6.2″ Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a FHD+ resolution. It is also revealed to have storage options with RAM of 8GB and internal storage of 128GB and 256GB. At the rear, the smartphone is said to sport a 50MP main camera, and the device could be packing a 4000 mAh battery supporting 25W fast charging.
Stay tuned for more updates.


text:
» View Pengumuman Ujian Ulang Plpg Tahun 2013 Rayon 104 Unsri
View Pengumuman Ujian Ulang Plpg Tahun 2013 Rayon 104 Unsri
We are sorry, article about "View Pengumuman Ujian Ulang Plpg Tahun 2013 Rayon 104 Unsri" is not found or may be has been deleted. You may read other articles below or searching by type keyword in search form above!
Apacer Technologi Inc., as one of the manufacturers of SSD products, digital consumer products and memory modules, Thursday (10/04) launches a USB 3.0 flash drive AH450.
One thing that most enjoy is the speed of data transmission is very high up to 140 [...]
Women eighteen origin Saratoga, California, Eesha Khare managed to make a supercapacitor that can charge a cell phone in just between 20 to 30 seconds.
Through this work, Eesha also won about 500 million dollars from Intel in the Intel International [...]
The use of female anime characters are cute.
On Monday (10/29), Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said that since its launch last week, the rate of sales of Windows 8 exceeds the rate of sales of Windows 7, which is the top-selling version [...]
Search many information about the bombings in the Boston Marathon Monday, the utilized scammers (fraudsters on the internet) to steal data.
According to the company’s anti-virus research the origin of Rome, Bitdefender, malware tragedy into a campaign.
The news about the release of Windows Phone 7.8 update for the Nokia Lumia line of smartphones from the old series yesterday NaviFirm seem right. Nokia Lumia 800 is the first smartphone that will get the updated Windows Phone 7.8 and will soon be followed [...]
Three of the four phones sold in the world-system Android
Every day the number and types of smartphones is increasing. Choose the one that suits the needs of each person, require adequate information about the technology, features, and operating system. [...]
Without compromising on quality and technology.
Lenovo finally decided to enter the smartphone market with the signing of five champion Indonesia in the launch event which took place on Tuesday night (16/10). Fifth smartphone is Lenovo Ideaphone A60 [...]
Samsung reportedly ready to release a mini version of the Galaxy S4 in June or July 2013.
Quoted from Techradar, Saturday (11/5), which is often the source of SamMobile divulge everything about Samsung once again be the party that has this information [...]
New milestone in historical research.
Rover U.S. space agency (NASA) who was conducting research on the surface of Mars have scooped soil samples on the Red Planet for analysis. Lab science runs that find colored object which experts believed to be man-made [...]
If you have been around in the Tablet models then this Samsung’s latest tablet shouldn’t be missed. In fact, with the number of choices tech enthusiasts can choose these days, it has become a lot easier for us as a customer to choose our favorite [...]
The wait is over, this month, the new Bluetooth device is finally released, so what can we expect from this new device ? Well, as for the design, the new Divoom Voombox outdoor as the name suggests is specifically designed for outdoor uses. It also comes [...]


text:
|Saigon Co.op recently opened Co.opmart Tháp Mười in Đồng Tháp Province, its 128th store. Việt Nam’s retail market was worth US$172 billion last year. — VNS Photo Trương Vị
HCM CITY — The HCM City market grew by 11.9 per cent to VNĐ759.7 trillion ($32.84 billion).
Considering the impacts of the pandemic, the growth was surprising, Huỳnh Văn Hùng, head of the city Statistics Office, said.
Data from a number of large retailers showed that the market began to bustle again in the second half of 2020 after an initial slump.
It was partly due to trade promotion activities undertaken toward the end of the year and a recovery in consumer demand due to the Government’s efficient containment of the disease.
Mobile World JSC, for instance, reported double-digit growth in both revenues and profits in the first 11 months.
Phú Nhuận Jewelry Joint Stock Company reported 21.7 per cent growth in sales.
The food and beverages sector reported a 15.9 per cent rise in earnings before interest and tax.
The pandemic caused a boom in e-commerce as shopping behaviours changed.
According to several market research companies, retail chains have to restructure since brick-and-mortar stores face shrinking profit margins because of fewer customers and soaring costs.
This year the market grew by 6.8 per cent last year to $172.8 billion despite the debilitating economic effect of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the General Statistics Office. Until 2019 Việt Nam's retail market always grew in double digits. — VNS


text:
Mexico and China foster friendly and academic relations through the “Chinese Bridge” Contest for elementary school students
The 3rd “Puente Chino” Contest for Elementary School Students, themed “Chino Alegre y Divertido” (Happy and Fun Chinese), was successfully held in Mexico City. This contest, organized by the Embassy of China in Mexico, is designed to enhance cultural and academic ties between Mexico and China. Eighteen participants between the ages of 10 and 12 showcased their Chinese language skills and participated in artistic activities such as singing, dancing, and calligraphy.The 3rd “Puente Chino” Contest for Elementary School Students, themed “Chino Alegre y Divertido” (Happy and Fun Chinese), was successfully held in Mexico City. This contest, organized by the Embassy of China in Mexico, is designed to enhance cultural and academic ties between Mexico and China. Eighteen participants between the ages of 10 and 12 showcased their Chinese language skills and participated in artistic activities such as singing, dancing, and calligraphy.
AMLO seeks agreement with China and South Korea to stop fentanyl entering Mexico
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has stated that his government is currently in negotiations with China and South Korea to reach an agreement aimed at preventing the entry of fentanyl into the country. Recognizing the need for collaboration, he emphasized that there is a willingness from both China and South Korea to provide support in this matter.
The Chinese Embassy accuses the Shen Yun show of being a political tool of the Falun Gong sect
The spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Mexico, Ma Zhen, stated that the Shen Yun performance, which took place in Mexico from May 4th to 6th, is considered a political tool against China and a façade for the Falun Gong sect. According to the embassy, Falun Gong seeks to survive overseas and uses the performance to obtain financial resources.
The sophisticated China-Mexico route for fentanyl
The Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, described the Sinaloa Cartel, based in Mexico, as “the largest, most violent, and prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world” in a statement accompanying extensive charges involving hitmen, cartel leaders, and suppliers such as Rubio and Wu.
Mexico surpasses China as the largest supplier of goods to the United States
China was surpassed by Mexico as the largest supplier of goods to the United States in the first three months of 2023. According to the United States Census Bureau, the country imported goods from Mexico worth $115.5 billion in the period from January to March, representing 15.4% of its total imports, a figure that marked a historical record.
López Obrador highlights the trafficking of fentanyl originating from China
In response to the accusations made by the United States against China for being a supplier of fentanyl, the Chinese Ambassador to Mexico, Zhang Run, stated before Mexican senators that “no problems related to fentanyl smuggling have ever been detected between the countries.”
Mexico increases the export of medical devices to China
Mexico ranked as the second largest external supplier of medical instruments and devices to China in 2022, recording $2.037 billion, a year-on-year increase of 7%, according to data from the General Administration of Customs of China. As a result, Mexico displaced Germany to the third position ($1.731 billion) and is only surpassed by the United States ($3.253 billion).
Mexico requests China’s help in the fight against fentanyl
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has reached out to Chinese President Xi Jinping through a letter, seeking assistance in curtailing the flow of fentanyl shipments from China to Mexico. Lopez Obrador explains in the letter that U.S. lawmakers have been holding Mexico responsible for the fentanyl crisis in the United States, even going as far as threatening invasion of Mexican territory.
Chinese automaker prepares vehicle plant in Mexico
n April 2023, Jetour will market two gasoline-powered SUVs imported from China. By the end of the year, it will introduce a hybrid unit and in 2024 it will invest in the plant for combustion and electric vehicles. The brand is currently lobbying with different governments – among them Aguascalientes and Guanajuato – to define an investment that could reach 1 billion dollars.


text:
Sterling bank, on Thursday, disclosed plans to increase its footprint in retail banking through investments in technology and other initiatives.
The Group Head, Branding and Communications, Mr. Henry Bassey disclosed this during a courtesy visit to THISDAY’s head office in Lagos.
Bassey said: “We have come from an amalgamation of five investment banks and the reality is that we need to start playing actively in retail. Our retail journey started a couple of years ago so one of our clear objectives for 2017 is to be big on retail.”
He added: “On our branding and marketing, we have identified that we would hold on to three key pillars – football, fashion and film – and we are going to use this pillar to connect with our customer. Our marketing strategy, we want to be thought leaders in the space of agriculture, education, transportation. We are already doing quite a bit in that space. So the idea is to really look at how we can explore the opportunities.”
Furthermore he spoke on the plan to attract the unbanked by leveraging on technology as well as the focus of the bank through the eyes of the branding and perception.
Bassey added: “Because we have come from five investment banks, with retail, if you look at Nigeria’s population today, you can arguably say that 70percent is below age 35 so the plan is then to also look at the unbanked.
“Beyond the unbanked is where we would see solutions that are tied to mobile and beyond just looking at mobile is where you would see solutions that literally have to do with data or no data.
“We are saying that if we are going to win the war on retail, we are going to have to appeal to a younger demographic and in appealing to this demographic the pillars I mentioned become extremely critical. Export is also another area we are looking at and also forging strategic alliances and partners in this area.”
Furthermore, he said: “To this drive, technology is very critical; about a year ago we invested in one of the very best technologies that exist in the world, it’s called T24. T24 is used by the very best in a global scale and there are only two banks in Nigeria with this technology. The reason we have paid a premium to invest in T24 is because of the scalability opportunity. So it has opportunity to scale and so we are currently using it and as we scale we would maximise its other features.” – Thisday.


text:
Now that Volkswagen and Porsche have nearly come to a merger deal, it seems Qatar wants to get in the mix as well. Porsche announced that 10% of its shares have gone to Qatar Holdings, in order to straighten their financial position. Porshce also sold a 42% stake in Porsche AG for about $4.7 billion, and sold a package of cash-settled options on VW shares (Porsche owns 50% stake in VW) to Qatar, which they say will free up approximately 1 billion euros in cash.
While that its such a complex deal, it is also not easy to know who will be controlling Porsche and VW. Because when Porsche started buying shares off VW, they now ended-up with more shares than they could afford. It's still not entirely clear who will own what when the whole deal is done in 2011, but it appears that Qatar may end up as one of the biggest shareholders of the merged Porsche-VW company.
Source : [Porsche via Reuters]


text:
Game company Sony Interactive Entertainment just dropped the newest cinematic intro video of upcoming video game Godfall.
The newest video features the story of Macros and how he betrayed his comrades. He made the same people who were allies once and now they are at war. He has now in the brink of Godhood while the Aperion civilization lies in ruins.
Players will take on the role as one of the last Valorian knights that are equipped with Valorplates. They will help save Aperion and restore order.
Godfall will be coming to PlayStation 5 this coming holiday 2020.


text:
« News index »
BETFAIR APPOINTS NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
24th April, 2013 at 03:26:34
Foreign exchange exec joins the board
The UK online gambling group Betfair
plc has appointed Peter Jackson as a non-executive director and a member of its audit committee with immediate effect.
Jackson is currently the CEO of Travelex, having joined the foreign exchange provider in March 2010. Before Travelex, he was managing director of consumer banking for the Lloyds Banking Group, having previously held a number of senior roles within the retail arm of HBOS plc before its merger with Lloyds. He started his career at McKinsey and Co.
Commenting on the appointment, Betfair chairman Gerald Corbett said: "He brings a wealth of commercial experience and insight and will be a valuable addition to Betfair as we focus on our new strategy announced in December 2012."
Related News Tags: Betfair
SPORTECH FULL YEAR 2016 RESULTS
29th March, 2017 at 15:16:22
Results fail to impress but transformational period positions company for growth, Board believes.
NEW TELEVISION ADVERT FROM ONLINE CASINO
28th March, 2017 at 19:47:54
PlayOJO.com begins major marketing push in UK.
HABANERO HAILS STRONG START TO 2017
28th March, 2017 at 11:21:29
Future looks bright, developer says.
PARIPLAY LAUNCH BLOODSHOT (Update)
27th March, 2017 at 20:04:48
Based on iconic comic book series.
ULTRAPLAY DOUBLE DEAL
27th March, 2017 at 13:46:09
With Mbitcasino and Arcanebet


text:
In May, inflation in the United States reached 8.6%, the highest level since 1981, which is why the Federal Reserve (Fed) raised the reference interest rate by 75 basis points, to leave it between 1.5% and 1.75%.
The US central bank contemplates another increase of 75 basis points in the interest rate to bring the consumer price index to the target of 2% average. In addition, the process to reduce the balance sheet has already begun.
The IMF estimates that inflation in the United States will close 2022 at 6.6%.
The international organization pointed to the rapid recovery of US demand as inflationary pressures, as well as the increase in energy prices and disruptions in supply chains.
In forecasts for next year, the International Monetary Fund expects the US economy to slow sharply to 1% and inflation to drop to 1.9%.


text:
You have searched for "slovakia"
Showing 1-10 of 113
LONDON: Dave Lewis steps down on Wednesday after six years as Tesco chief executive, during which he got Britain's biggest retailer back on track after an accounting crisis, leaving new challenges for his successor Ken Murphy.
Rome: Italy reopens to travellers from Europe on Wednesday, three months after the country went into coronavirus lockdown, with all hopes pinned on reviving the key tourism industry as the summer season begins.
GENEVA: When Indonesia looked for new ways to fund government spending on coronavirus relief last month, the world’s fourth most-populous nation homed in on a driver of the economy that was still healthy: the internet.
LONDON: Britain's biggest retailer Tesco, which is reviewing its operations in Malaysia and Thailand, has completed its exit from China with the 275 million pound (US$357 million) sale of its joint venture stake to state-run partner China Resources Holdings (CRH).
IN a steamy foundry behind a century-old Czech brewery, a mechanical arm pours molten aluminium into a two-story robotic mould. Within seconds, gleaming pump covers for diesel engines roll out for inspection.
MUNICH: Germany’s car industry built its world-class reputation on sedans like the Audi A4, the BMW 5-Series and the Volkswagen Passat, reliable models that look good in the family driveway or company lot. But a shift in consumer taste to more hulking vehicles is coming at the worst possible time.
LONDON: Stores are closing across Europe as consumers shift to e-commerce and discounters barge in. Yet a pair of investors is making an audacious takeover bid for Metro AG, valuing the German chain that sells food and other staples from nondescript warehouses at US$6.6bil.
PARIS: U.S. arms makers say European demand for fighter jets, missile defenses and other weapons is growing fast amid heightened concerns about Russia and Iran.
WASHINGTON: The U.S. State Department allowed at least seven foreign governments to rent luxury condominiums in New York's Trump World Tower in 2017 without approval from Congress, according to documents and people familiar with the leases, a potential violation of the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause


text:
(AP)—Crown Castle International says it has agreed to buy the rights to about 7,200 T-Mobile towers for $2.4 billion in cash.
Under the agreement, Crown Castle will have the right to lease and operate the T-Mobile towers for an average of about 28 years.
The company also will have the option to buy the towers at the end of the lease terms for payments totaling about $2.4 billion. The deal is expected to close in fourth quarter.
Houston-based Crown Castle International Corp. owns, operates and leases wireless towers and antennas. It says that many of the towers are located in top markets across the U.S. and will help the company grow.
T-Mobile, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom AG, says the cash generated from the deal will pay for upgrades to its network.
Explore further: AT&T: T-Mobile 3G phones will need to be replaced


text:
Free phones for British hauliers
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
UK-BASED haulage and freight firms now have easier access to France and the Netherlands following an extension of the toll-free International 0800 phone service last month, according to British Telecom International.
For the first time, customers in these countries can make a direct call to a UKbased firm to make transport arrangements at no cost to themselves, with the UK company paying for the call.
BTI says that Denmark, Germany and Sweden will probably join the service soon and that the service is already available between the UK and the USA.
BTI says that the special toll-free number, prefixed 05 in France and 06 in the Netherlands, can feature in advertisements, brochures or direct mail from UK haulage and freight firms. Hauliers can test overseas markets without appointing overseas agents, it says.
Each International 0800 number costs £50 per month rental, plusa user charge of 48p a minute from France, and 45p from the Netherlands. The average charge reduces with volume use.
BTI claims that in the USA up to 30 per cent more orders arc generated by advertisements carrying toll free numbers.
More information is available from International 0800, British Telecom International, Holborn Centre, 120 Holborn, London EC1N 5TE or by ringing 0800 8908(X).


text:
Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry Article
Join 62,000+ members. Yes, it's completely free.
April 6, 2018
Garfield licensor Paws held a “Garfield Licensing Summit” hosted by its licensing agent, Hong Kong-based Medialink at Xi Yuan Hotel in Beijing.
More than 100 guests and 30 media outlets attended the daylong event aimed at expanding the property's presence in China.
Paws unveiled a new look for Garfield created for the Asian market based on popular trends and colors, a departure from the classic look established for Garfield 30 years ago.
The company awarded Medialink Far East “Agent of the Year." Paws also recognized Paclantic, Sky Unicorn and Industrial Bank for their efforts to bring the brand to China’s consumers at retail. Kid’s apparel maker Paclantic has produced Garfield apparel since 1998 for 110 stores and corner-stores in China that carry the Garfield brand. Industrial Bank has issued over 2 million Garfield credit cards since 2005; and Sky Unicorn, a licensee since 1992, has developed a full line of plush dolls for the market.
Garfield merchandise can also be found in 300 Baleno stores, specializing in adult apparel; 36 6ixty 8ight stores carrying women’s lingerie and at Garfield Coffee Cafes operated by Jin Feng Cheng Xiang Food are in five locations in China.
New deals have been inked for direct-to-retail, promotions, house wares, plush, stationery, redemption programs, domestics, publishing and gift.
CCTV Channel 14 picked up “The Garfield Show” in February and Wuhan Jiang Toon Toys launched a new website based on the CGI animated show, now in production for its third season.
“We’ve turned over a new page for Garfield in China," says Medialink’s vice president Noletta Chiu. "There is great interest in this classic character who is known to entertain people of all ages. I believe Garfield will be a shining star in character licensing.”
“Our program in China is stronger than ever under the leadership of Noletta Chiu and the Medialink Far East team. In just one year our Garfield business has grown 20 percent," says Karen Blank, vice president, international for Paws.
You May Also Like
Hasbro Announces ‘Monopoly’ Film with Lionsgate and LuckyChapApril 12, 2024
Pringles and Crocs Announce Footwear CollabApril 12, 2024
Kinder Joy Launches Harry Potter Line with 16 Funko ToysApril 12, 2024
PUMA Hoops and Breanna Stewart Unveil Stewie 3April 12, 2024
Apr 10, 2024


text:
Digital TV News: Skyworth
Irdeto, Amlogic and Skyworth launch Android TV hybrid STB reference design
Nov 12, 2019 – Irdeto has partnered with Amlogic and Skyworth Digital to launch a production-ready hybrid STB reference design under Google’s Android TV program. The solution provides operators with a pre-certified platform that reduces launch time by up to six months.
News categories: Irdeto, Amlogic, Skyworth, Steeve Huin, James Xie, Charlie Zheng, Android TV, Content Protection, Digital TV, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide
Skyworth partners with SERAPHIC to launch Android HbbTV smart TVs
Sep 14, 2019 – Skyworth has expanded its partnership with SERAPHIC by adopting SERAPHIC’s Sraf Android HbbTV solution to launch Android TV based smart TVs in Europe. Sraf Android HbbTV meets HbbTV 2 specification requirements across the region.
News categories: SERAPHIC, Skyworth, Xinwen Xue, Zhilong Hou, Android TV, Digital TV, Europe, HbbTV, Smart TV
Synaptics to show Smart Edge AI media streamer solutions at IBC 2019
Sep 9, 2019 – Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) has announced that at IBC 2019 it will show edge computing demonstrations featuring its Smart Edge AI AudioSmart and VideoSmart SoCs with machine learning AI capabilities that target a new generation of emerging smart home devices.
News categories: Synaptics, Saleel Awsare, Digital TV, IBC2019, ICs, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide
Synaptics, Skyworth to offer turnkey Android TV streaming for pay TV operators
Sep 9, 2019 – Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) and Skyworth are partnering in the development of a turnkey platform, in hybrid, OTT and IPTV flavors, designed to enable TV service providers to deploy Pay TV services for the rapidly expanding Android TV market.
News categories: Synaptics, Skyworth, Saleel Awsare, Charlie Zheng, Android TV, Digital TV, IBC2019, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Worldwide
Amazon brings more Fire TV Edition devices to Europe and North America
Sep 4, 2019 – Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has announced a lineup of more than 15 new Fire TV Edition products, including the world’s first Fire TV Edition smart TV with built-in far-field voice control and the first OLED Fire TV Edition smart TV.
News categories: Amazon, Marc Whitten, Canada, Digital TV, Germany, Smart TV, UK, USA, UX
China TV brands shrug off headwinds in 1Q, says WitsView
May 27, 2019 – According to WitsView, shipments of TV brands worldwide were 49.87 million units in 1Q19, a QoQ slide of 24.6% and a YoY bump of 0.5%. First and second place in the rankings were Korean brands, while China brands filled up third to sixth.
News categories: TrendForce, WitsView, Jeff Yang, China, Digital TV, Korea, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide
SKYWORTH brings the smart home to the big-screen
Mar 30, 2019 – SKYWORTH has announced a strategy to drive Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) to the big-screen and revolutionize smart home technology. SKYWORTH's AIoT ecosystem combines its Swaiot device interaction system and Q80 series TVs.
News categories: SKYWORTH, Tony Wang, China, Digital TV, Smart Home, Smart TV, Worldwide
Skyworth and SURE Universal collaborate on IoT and voice assistance
Mar 26, 2019 – Skyworth Digital and SURE Universal have announced an R&D collaboration working to develop IoT and voice assistant capabilities. Once a proof of concept has been completed, the technologies will be applied to Skyworth's set-top box products.
News categories: Skyworth, SURE Universal, Steve Long, Dr. Viktor Ariel, China, Digital TV, Israel, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide
SKYWORTH TV ranked 1st in China market for first two months of 2019
Mar 25, 2019 – According to an Aowei Cloud Network report on China's colour TV Market, SKYWORTH's retail sales amounted to 1.35 million units in the first two months of 2019, making it the best-seller in China among both domestic and international TV brands.
News categories: Skyworth, Tony Wang, China, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV
- Minerva to power Dhiraagu's TV services in the Maldives
- BritBox chooses Deltatre as front-end and UX design partner
- ADB builds satellite STB platform with MediaTek
- GatesAir TV transmission deal with Doordarshan expanded to Northern India
- Live video streaming to have 91 million subscribers by 2024
- Amobee to integrate LiveRamp IdentityLink to enhance targeting
- Telia Carrier offers direct connectivity for MOBITV streaming TV apps
- Ocean Blue Software releases CI Plus 2.0 Host software stack
- FPT Play selects ATEME for OTT headend in Vietnam
- VIZIO SmartCast TVs to get Chromecast built-in update with Disney+ support
- Edgeware and ENENSYS form alliance
- US telecom and pay-TV service revenue to rise to $419.4bn by 2024
- Swisscom IPTV media streaming box powered by Synaptics
- Mirada interim results for the six months to 30 September 2019
- Kantar and VTION roll out OTT Audience Measurement for India
- iQIYI's watermarking system passes ChinaDRM Lab evaluation test
- Rakuten Viki selects BuyDRM's KeyOS MultiKey Service
- Dish TV India adds 42,000 subscribers in 3Q 2019
- Wurl powers the delivery of Hollywire to Samsung TV Plus
- U.S. traditional video subscribers down nearly 1.9 million in 3Q 2019


text:
Ross Martin, Barclays’ head of digital safety, has warned ticket-buyers about touts ahead of the festival season, following new research from the financial services firm.
The research found that victims are at risk of losing £179 (€207/$231) on average from scammers taking advantage of music fans searching for tickets to sold-out events by setting up fake ticketing websites and social media personas, which is more than the average European festival ticket of £153.
Twenty seven per cent of festival-goers believe purchasing a ticket seen on an advert on social media carries a scam risk yet 29 per cent admitted they would purchase a ticket via this method.
The Barclays research also found that millennials appear most at risk from fraudsters, with a quarter, 26 per cent, admitting they had fallen for ticket scams.
Those people are also more likely to be targeted by criminals multiple times, with 37 per cent falling for at least three different ticketing scams in the last two years.
In addition, 40 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds admitted they would be prepared to use social media groups to purchase a ticket, despite knowing the dangers.
Martin said: “As we enter the festival season, it is easy to forget our online safety as people look to secure their must-have tickets. Yet, we should all be aware of the risks when purchasing tickets and make sure we are carrying out proper safety checks, to ensure our festival experience is not ruined by fraudsters.”
Martin and Barclays is urging fans to do research before purchasing a ticket and ensuring it’s a legitimate source. He reminds people that they can check whether a website or agent is legitimate by making sure they are of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), and that they are listed as an approved ticket seller on the event or festival’s official website.
The also warned people to avoid bank transfers, look for a padlock symbol in the web address, and be wary of heavily discounted prices for sought-after events.
Image: Veld Music Festival


text:
Sony Files Lawsuit against Imation Corporation
Sony Corp. and others have filed a lawsuit against Imation for its illegal use of the Blu-Ray logo on its blank discs products. Sony Corporation is the leader of Blu-Ray movie discs. The company and three others invented the high definition discs that would increase viewing pleasure for the audience and people have put up with the high prices because of that. But now, Imation Corporation has issued blank Blu-Ray discs that can be used to record movies; and Sony and the others are not happy about that.
Because companies are free to sell what they wish, Sonys attorneys were forced to get clever to find proper grounds for suing regarding rivaroxaban. They have now filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in Delaware that claims that Imation is illegally using the Blu-Ray official logo, which is copyrighted.
By selling this merchandise without Sonys permission, Imations products are violating the patents. They are also promoting illegal acquisition of the films in Blu-Ray format for the customers who purchase them.Sony, Panasonic Corporation,Pioneer Corporation and Koninklijke Philips NV combined their Blu-Raytechnology patents together in a holding company, One-Blue, LLC in 2009. From this company, the four inventors oversee Blu-Ray licensing.
According to the complaint filed,Imation is aware that its products are for the sole purpose of illegally owning a film and they are in violation of the patents. Imation has not made a comment on the situation at this time.This case will bring to light many issues about copyright infringement, pirating and abuse of technology. Imation may choose to fight for its rights to sell the products, or the companies will reach a settlement out of court and Imation will need to halt its manufacturing and sales of the blank discs.


text:
On August 24, in a press release shared with The Chain Bulletin, Chainalysis, a leading blockchain analysis company providing compliance and investigation software, announced its partnership with Australia-based payments provider Assembly Payments and cryptocurrency exchanges CoinSpot and CoinJar.
According to the announcement, the exchange platforms will use Chainalysis KYT (Know Your Transaction) and Chainalysis Reactor for transaction monitoring and enhanced due diligence to protect customers from dishonest actors and create a safe environment for trading.
“By leveraging the same dataset and suite of solutions trusted by regulators, law enforcement and payments providers in Australia, we feel confident that we are providing our customers with the best and safest possible platform to transact,” said Asher Tan, CEO of CoinJar.
CoinJar is the longest-running digital currency exchange in Australia, while CoinSpot is a trade platform that allows users to buy and sell more than 100 cryptocurrencies. As reported by Chainalysis, cryptocurrency trading volume in Australia is now hovering around the $1 billion monthly mark, reinforcing the increasing importance of proper compliance.
“Ensuring we have as many measures in place to protect CoinSpot customers from bad actors in the industry is a top priority for our business. We are strongly in support of promoting trust and compliance across the eco-system. Access to these data facilities is yet another instrument that enables CoinSpot to provide industry leading customer service and security as Australia’s most trusted exchange.” said Russell Wilson, CEO of CoinSpot.
In addition to the two exchanges, and after expanding their AML services and proving their reliability on the international cryptocurrency scene, Chainalysis will also aid Assembly Payments, a major Australian payments provider and leader in setting compliance standards. The help will be provided by Chainalysis Kryptos, the industry’s reference directory for cryptocurrency services and their on-chain activity. Using the directory, Assembly Payments will be able to safely monitor risky activities and ensure that other blockchain businesses they work with enable proper compliance.
“We work closely with international cryptocurrency exchanges that are targeting growth markets such as Australia”, said Rimal Gokani, Co-CEO of Assembly Payments. “We are committed to helping them uphold coin provenance requirements and to working with regulators and industry participants that strive for cryptocurrency mainstream adoption.”


text:
The Potential China-Uruguay Trade Deal Risks Fracturing Mercosur
By Igor Patrick
Montevideo is pushing ahead with FTA talks with China – ignoring warnings from neighbors about possible legal and trade action if Uruguay negotiates outside the bloc.
Ignacio Bartesaghi on Mercosur’s Approach to the Asia-Pacific
By Juan Manuel Harán
From a new free trade deal with Singapore to Uruguay’s agenda with China, Bartesaghi discusses the economic implications of recent moves.
China and the ‘Asia-South America Digital Door’
By Lauren Ashmore
Chile’s project promoting digital connectivity to Asia has implications for the China-U.S. competition.


text:
Glendale, CA (December 14, 2012)—Through its South Korean partner, Sion Media, patchbay manufacturer Bittree is supplying Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) with more than 400 Bittree video and audio patchbays.
The Bittree patchbays are for the broadcaster’s new facility, the SBS Prism Tower. SBS, one of South Korea’s largest broadcasters, purchased more than 400 Bittree video and audio patchbays for two of its channels, SBS Plus and SBS Golf. The SBS Prism Tower will support a total of six new HD channels.
For its facility upgrade, SBS Plus is currently installing 313 Bittree E-series HD-SDI video patch panels and 80 additional TT (Bantam) audio patchbays.


text:
The company has just announced financial results for fourth quarter and financial 2015 and it appears to have had a record financial Q4 2015 revenue of $1.25 billion, up nine percent from $1.14 billion a year earlier. THis beats Nvidia's previous record of $4.68 billion in 2015.
GAAP diluted EPS in Q4 of $0.35, up 40 percent from $0.25 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS in Q4 of $0.43, up 34 percent from $0.32 a year earlier.
GAAP earnings per diluted share for fiscal 2015 were $1.12, up 51 percent from $0.74 a year earlier. Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share were $1.42, up 43 percent from $0.99 a year earlier. Investors got to love that year to year Nvidia increase earnings per share for as much as 40 percent.
Nvidia improved its gross margin to 55.9 per cent, a healthy increase from last years 54.1 per cent it slightly increased its operating expenses from $452 to $468 but the net income grew from $147 in Q4 FY14 to $193 in Q4 FY15 financial forth quarter of 2015.
Jen Hsun Huang president and CEO of Nvidia said that his company's ,omentum was accelerating in each of its "market-specialized platforms, driving record revenue in the quarter and full year".
He said that Geforce and SHIELD were working well in the gaming market, GRID was reaching enterprises to virtualise graphics-intensive applications and Tesla was helping the "computer learning revolution" and super computing. Nvidia just introduced DRIVE auto-computing platform and it hopes to become a leading player in automotive compute industry.
Nvidia points out some important events of Q4 2014 including the launch of GeForce GTX 960 GPU, hte new version of VMware virtualizatio suite, VMware Horizon 6, virtualized 3D graphics enabled by NVIDIA GRID vGPU. Nvidia GRID is a big thing for the future and with good internet connection you can access and rent a lot of 3D power owning it.
Tesla is inside of the next generation US Department of Energy's supercomputer. Based on IBM Servers and Tesla GPUs with NVlink high speed GPU interconnect technology, it is expected to deliver at least three-times greater performance than today's most powerful system. Nvidia launched Tesla K80 dual-GPU acceleration for wide range of machine learning, data-analytics and high performance computing applications.
Nvidia introduced Tegra X1 mobile processor with 256-core Mawell arhicture that offers one teraflops of computing power for consoles, tablets and Chromebooks of 2015.
Nvidia launched Nvidia DRIVE a low power computer that goes inside of the car that should move the industry closer to the era of auto-piloted cars and run next-generation infotainment systems.
The company has issued a quidance for its financial Q2 2015 and it expects revenue to be $1.16 billion, plus or minus two percent, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins are expected to be 56.2 percent and 56.5 percent, respectively, plus or minus 50 basis points. GAAP operating expenses are expected to be approximately $478 million.


text:
Pollution affects big cities all across America. That’s why Ethan Tucker and Pat Boone want to manufacture a car that runs on compressed air, making it a zero pollution solution. Will their product idea earn them a deal on
Shark Tank Zero Pollution Motors Update
- Entrepreneurs: Ethan Tucker, Pat Boone
- Business: Air-powered vehicles
- Ask: $5,000,000 for 50% equity
- Result: $5,000,000 for 50% equity, contingent on USA wide licensing
- Sharks: Robert Herjavec
Pat may have sold over 40 million hit records, but this time he’s selling environmentally friendly cars along with his business partner Ethan. They claim that their company Zero Pollution Motors produces the greenest car imaginable. Some of its selling features include its low cost, and that unlike electric vehicles, their car doesn’t need an expensive battery. According to them, air is the most environmentally perfect fuel there is.
The sharks were curious as to how the car worked. Ethan explained that the Air-Pod can be plugged into any outlet, which charges the motor and will give a range of about 100 miles. The vehicle can hit a top speed of 50 miles per hour, making this zero-pollution car perfect for commuters who travel short distances. Each vehicle costs just $10,000, and is produced with fiberglass and specialized resin which is not only cost-efficient, but also safe.
One major issue for the sharks came up when Ethan and Pat explained that their licensing deal restricted their manufacturing and distribution to Hawaii only. As an investor, Mark Cuban wasn’t interested because of the early-stages of the company. Daymond John felt that the company was too early in its stages to invest, so he went out. Lori Greiner went out due to the licensing agreement, and Kevin O’Leary went out because he just wasn’t interested.
Robert Herjavec was the final shark, and he offered $5,000,000 in exchange for 50% equity. His offer was contingent on them securing a negotiated deal with the company who owned the rights to the cars, allowing for vehicle distribution all across America. Ethan and Pat gladly accepted Robert’s deal. What happened next for their company? Keep reading our Zero Pollution Motors update to find out!
We have mixed news to report in our Zero Pollution Motors update. The contingency that Robert required for his deal to be finalized didn’t happen, which forced him to withdraw his offer. However, the company is still in business and seems to be taking order for their AirPod cars. The Zero Pollution Motors website states that they will be producing the first compressed air-powered car for sale in the United States by mid-2024.
Would you like to learn about the other companies featured on Season 6 Episode 27? Follow the links below for our other company updates from the episode.
For even more on companies and products, be sure to stop by our Season 6 Products Page!
Jennifer is an avid Shark Tank fan that has been watching the show for years. She serves as Senior Editor at Shark Tank Recap and ensures that all our information is accurate and that our posts are up to date. Her favorite Shark Tank products are Le-Glue and Ring!


text:
For a month in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average regularly set new highs and closed in on the 21,000 level, February also featured a surprising number of stocks whose performance downright stunk.
I ran a screen to identify the worst stocks from the S&P 500 in February. The bottom three performers were Southwestern Energy (NYSE:SWN), Fossil Group (NASDAQ:FOSL), and Under Armour (NYSE:UA) (NYSE:UAA). Let's see why they sucked as bad as they did, and consider what it would take to turn those declines around in the near term -- if they can.
Southwestern Energy: Down 22.3%
Sure, a few parts of the country were hit with winter storms that dumped some snow accumulation on them, but large swathes of the U.S. were basking in unseasonably warm temperatures last month. The mild weather has depressed natural gas prices; the Energy Information Administration said Henry Hub spot pricing fell from $2.92 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to $2.53 per MMBtu in the most current weekly report. And though net withdrawals are some 7% above the five-year average for this time of year, they remain 10% below the year-ago average.
That makes it difficult for a natural gas and oil driller like Southwestern Energy to profitably produce energy, and the company's fourth quarter earnings results last week justify why its share prices have largely been trending down since October. Even though it was able to turn a loss a year ago into a profit of $0.08 per share this time around, it widely missed analysts' consensus expectation of $0.12 per share.
Despite the depressed pricing environment, Southwestern and other drillers insist they will keep on pumping out more supply. Indeed, the EIA expected total production from the seven shale regions of the U.S. to reach an all-time high of 48.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in February, to be followed by a new record of 49.1 Bcf/d in March.
That doesn't bode well for profitable pricing in the future, but Southwestern Energy has improved its balance sheet since last year, putting it in better shape financially. It still might be difficult, though, for it to shake off its troubles anytime soon, considering the spring fever that now looks likely to consume the rest of this winter.
Fossil Group: Down 23%
The weather map might be showing warmer temps, but it's been downright chilly for watchmaker Fossil Group, which has lost nearly a quarter of its value in February alone, and is down by more than 60% from the highs it hit back in November. The problem is not so many people wear traditional timepieces anymore, so sales in that segment are falling at a faster rate than could be compensated for by any potential pickup in new, so-called smart watches.
Though it beat analysts' expectations for the fourth quarter, its outlook for the coming year was brutal -- hence the frosty reception its report got from the market. It's anticipating its sales in 2017 will at best be flat compared to 2016, but warns they could fall as much as 6.5%. Worse, Fossil at the bottom of its forecast range could produce a loss of as much as $0.50 per share, though if its most optimistic scenario plays out, it might be able to earn a profit of $0.20 a share. That kind of a wide forecast -- big enough to drive a truck through -- indicates that not even management understands its industry all that well.
These are changing times, and Fossil's choice to hitch its wagon to the smartwatch horse may not pay off as expected. According to the market researchers at IDC, total smartwatch sales volumes plunged 51.6% in 2016's third quarter, falling to 2.7 million units shipped from the 5.6 million units shipped in the prior year. While many people may have held off on buying smartwatches while waiting for the 2.0 version of the Apple Watch -- which was only available for the last two weeks of the quarter -- those numbers still suggest weak demand.
Moreover, others like Fitbit are expanding into the full-feature smartwatch niche too, meaning the space will only get more crowded, and any growth Fossil gains from it could be very disappointing.
Under Armour: Down 24.4%
Talk about catching a chill: Under Armour's stock has lost a quarter of its value in February. Beyond that, it's also been cut in half over the past year, and is down 60% from its 52-week high. It's stumbling so much these days, it's almost as if someone tied the apparel maker's shoelaces together.
Sales are slowing, its new designs have been mocked, and management alienated investors, first by splitting its stock to dilute shareholder voting rights, then when its CEO publicly praised President Trump. Reaction to that latter transgression was apparently so severe the company took out a full-page newspaper ad to apologize for it.
Yet despite all that, Under Armour stock still trades at 43 times trailing earnings and 36 times estimates, meaning it still has a long, long way to fall before it hits bottom, or before investors think it's due for a recovery. Considering Under Armour has traded at relative nosebleed valuations all along, the market may be wrong about its chances for a quick rebound.
Increasingly, Under Armour is placing its bets on footwear to drag it back to growth. Last year, that segment generated more than a fifth of its revenues, but its plan to expand market share there is going to put it on a collision course with industry leader Nike, which -- despite fumbling its own recent moves forward -- still owns the lion's share of the footwear market, and a newly resurgent Skechers, which has surprised everyone recently with its strength.
Although the stock does trade at a fraction of its sales, Under Armour is also priced like a premium company that's been putting its best foot forward. But it's actually been maneuvering like it has two left feet, and it may trip over itself yet again before it finally picks itself up.


text:
Zara owner Inditex SA is struggling to reverse an earnings decline at its formal-wear chain Massimo Dutti as mid-range officewear is hit particularly hard by the cost-of-living crisis.
Earnings from the brand dropped 9.6% in the past fiscal year, Inditex reported. Revenue stood at â‚¬1.6 billion ($1.7 billion), 16% below the level of 2019, making Massimo Dutti the only Inditex chain that hasnâ€™t yet recovered from the pandemic.
Inditex, which is accustomed to healthy growth across its six formats, is facing the unusual position of a brand thatâ€™s shrinking. Mid-priced formal wear is suffering as office workers don more casual clothing and either gravitate to the high-end fashion brands or cut spending except on budget items.
Chief Executive Officer Oscar Garcia Maceiras said Massimo Dutti was particularly dependent on Russia, where the retailer shut all its stores last March. â€œIn any case, we have the absolute confidence in Massimo Dutti as a commercial format,â€ he said. â€œThey are making tremendous progress on the fashion proposition.â€
Almost one in ten of Massimo Duttiâ€™s shops were in Russia, according to Bestinver
Securities analyst Patricia Cifuentes. Thatâ€™s however in line with other chains such as Pull & Bear and Bershka, which are growing.
The chain had 548 stores worldwide at the end of January, compared to 766 at the start of 2019. Inditex has been pruning underperforming shops across all its formats, including many at Massimo Dutti.
German suitmaker Hugo Boss AG last week gave an earnings forecast that disappointed investors and said that inventory started to build up. Online clothing retailer Zalando SE has been changing its offerings to emphasize brands at both extremes of the price range.
â€œItâ€™s a strange one, Massimo, they should be pretty well-positioned for a lot of the drivers that weâ€™ve seen over the last year,â€ Credit Suisse analyst Simon Irwin said.
AlphaValue analyst Jie Zhang said Massimo Dutti could benefit from this polarisation in fashion if it managed to attract wealthy customers while adapting to the â€œrelaxationâ€ of formal wear.
Massimo Dutti is planning to add a linen collection that will be available this year, Inditex said.