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Objectway Acquires Leading German Core Banking Software Specialist Die Software Peter Fitzon

Objectway

Objectway, Global Top 100 fintech leader in the Digital Wealth and Asset Management software, announced today the acquisition of Die Software Peter Fitzon GmbH (DSW), a primary German provider of Core Banking solutions. Founded in 1990, Objectway provides leading financial institutions with state-of-the-art technology to support their digital transformation programs, supplying front-to-back, intelligent and cloud-ready solutions that power up customer engagement, front-office productivity and back-office operational efficiency. Die Software is a leading provider of Core Banking solutions in German-speaking Europe, with more than 35 years of market presence. Its complete, open and modular platform fulfils the needs of prominent private banks, retail banks and central banks in the DACH area and in Luxembourg. With this acquisition, Objectway complements and strengthens its Wealth and Asset Management offerings with a solid and comprehensive Core Banking platform. This creates an open, modular, end-to-end banking suite geared to support the digital transformation of private banks, retail banks, wealth and asset managers, further driving the future expansion in EMEA and globally. As an EMEA leader in digital banking solutions, Objectway will now serve more than 200 clients in the region, boosting revenues in excess of €100 million. “ Die Software-team has done a fantastic job in developing a world-class banking platform with a loyal client base. Objectway places great importance on continuing to develop and evolve core banking platforms of its customers and to build long-term commercial relationships" said Luigi Marciano, Founder and CEO of the Objectway Group. "We aim at creating a unique and complete banking suite that combines Die Software solutions with Objectway's cutting-edge technologies in digital client management, investment advisory and portfolio management, to be deployed through Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) models. We will also promote the global expansion of Die Software solutions by taking advantage of our presence in UK, Italy, Benelux and beyond”. “ We are delighted to be joining the Objectway Group, a solid and highly trusted company with a long-lasting track record in the industry. This will further help to enhance our client coverage and geographical footprint across EMEA " said Peter Fitzon, Die Software Founder. “ With Objectway, we found a perfect new home to continue our growth path, providing our staff and clients peace of mind that our heritage will be in good hands in this ever changing environment". “Our companies have a common DNA rooted in inherent culture of professionalism and drive for dependable perfection. We also believe in strong customer focus, delivering value and service quality in partnership with our clients. This makes our combined business highly promising for both firms, but also for our current and future customers, giving our talented and ambitious teams exciting goals and achievements to aspire for,” said Klaus Friese, Die Software Co-Owner and Managing Director. “ The whole Die Software team is committed to driving forward our new group strategy and with such an established international player we will be able to support our development in the long-term guaranteeing continuity, stability and an exciting future of accelerated growth in new markets ”. [Core banking solutions were built historically on reliability rather than open architectures. Digital banking, APIs and Cloud have created a significant shift in the way banking products are constructed. Financial institutions now need to address the imperatives underpinning next-generation core banking applications (in terms of scale, functionality, integration and the public cloud) to be able to process transactions in real time, release new features frequently and scale up their IT infrastructures. The combined Objectway and Die Software value proposition will respond to these new requirements, with the aim to become the fintech partner of choice for financial institutions.] Objectway was advised by BNP Paribas, Giovannelli e Associati studio legale, Loeschner Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft, Accuracy, Hilex – Avvocati associati, P+P Pöllath + Partners Rechtsanwälte und Steuerberater, Flick Gocke Schaumburg, and Tax Partner AG. Die Software Peter Fitzon was advised by IPontix Corporate Finance and Witzel Erb Backu & Partner Rechtsanwälte. BNL is acting as sole lead manager and bookrunner on the associated financing. Objectway Building on more than 30 years of business expertise, Objectway is a fast-growing international player in the Wealth and Asset Management space empowering clients to embrace their future challenges while providing great performance today. The company is a future-proof technology provider with a well-established track record in the financial services industry. The group is a Global Top 100 fintech provider (IDC ranking), whose clients include 200+ leading Wealth Managers, Banks, Asset Managers, Fund Managers, Insurers and Outsourcing providers in more than 15 countries. Objectway operates from offices in Italy, UK, Ireland and Belgium serving clients in 4 continents, and supporting approximately 100,000 investment professionals to manage more than £1 trillion in assets. Die Software Die Software is one of the leading providers of core banking solutions in German-speaking Europe, with more than 35 years of banking experience. Founded in 1983, Die Software has over 140 staff members working from the company’s locations in Munich and in Zurich. Its modular Core Banking system fits the needs of banks of all sizes and business models. Clients include leading private banks, retail banks and special institutions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as in Luxembourg. Die Software connects all ecosystem players via an open architecture. Through best-practice processes, integrated EU regulation standards and established business logic, Die Software provides clients with a competitive advantage. The Core Banking platform offers a hub for the digitalisation of all business models and drives the banking of the future. Contact Details Objectway Chiara Giudici +39 393 822 9579 chiara.giudici@objectway.com Company Website https://www.objectway.com

August 10, 2021 04:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Hot Wheels x SUPER73 unveil instantly collectible, limited edition e-bike and die-cast

SUPER73

SUPER73® – the American lifestyle adventure brand specializing in electric motorbikes – has partnered with Hot Wheels, the global powerhouse leader of vehicle culture, to create the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX. Available in a strictly limited edition of just 24 units, these unique SUPER73-RX e-bikes have been built to allow the biggest SUPER73 fans to celebrate the incredible legacy of Hot Wheels. As the world’s leading vehicle franchise, Hot Wheels is the #1 selling toy globally, engaging fans through immersive live events, digital gaming and is the #1 rated Boys Toy Brand on YouTube. As such, the collaboration is guaranteed to become an instant and highly sought-after collectible for fans of both California-based brands. The project is based on the SUPER73-RX, which is the electric bike company’s flagship model. The RX is equipped with many industry-leading features, such as a powerful 960 watt-hours battery with four riding modes selected via the SUPER73 smartphone app. It also has a powerful four-piston aluminum front brake caliper, an inverted and adjustable coil spring fork with air assist, as well as an adjustable rear mono-shock, all housed in an aluminum-alloy frame. Building on this highly capable platform, the collaboration bikes have been fully customized to celebrate the influence of Hot Wheels on two- and four-wheel culture. It begins with a unique livery, which will be immediately recognizable to Hot Wheels fans, combining the famous logo with distinctive orange and blue graphics. Additionally, the bikes feature a custom embroidered Hot Wheels edition seat and handlebar pad created by motorcycle industry leaders, Saddlemen. Utilizing more specialist suppliers, the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX will be fitted with Ruffian ATV Lock-on grips by ODI, plus Stamp 1 Large pedals by Crankbrothers. Further custom additions from SUPER73 include a unique, slotted stainless steel panel that adds volume between the frame rails. There are also black battery/tank pads, a black chain, yellow-tinted headlight and distinctive SUPER73 BDGR tires with brass rims. “We’re incredibly excited and honored to partner with the iconic Hot Wheels brand for the release of the limited edition Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX. For decades, Hot Wheels has captured the imagination of both the young and the young at heart. And they continue to push the boundaries of creativity, driving towards the future while always remaining true to their roots,” said Aaron P Wong, Co-founder & Chief Brand Officer at SUPER73. “We created the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX to celebrate the incredible legacy of Hot Wheels, but have greater hopes that our collaboration will inspire the next generation of trailblazers.” To complete the collaborative project, every purchase of the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX will include a collectible Hot Wheels diecast of a SUPER73 Ford Bronco adventure vehicle. Designed and manufactured by Hot Wheels, the Bronco graphics match the RX. The Hot Wheels car can also be purchased separately at select Hot Wheels retailers. “For more than 53 years, Hot Wheels has proven its influence in car, motorbike and pop culture with incredible designs, unrivaled performance and world-class collaborations in action sports and beyond,” said Ricardo Briceno, Vice President of Franchise Marketing at Mattel. “Working with the passionate and talented team at SUPER73 has been an extraordinary journey, and we hope that these beautifully designed Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX electric bikes, as well as these premium die-casts, will encourage vehicle fans of all ages to enjoy a piece of true Southern California lifestyle.” The limited edition Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX is available to order starting on August 9, 2021 exclusively from super73.com. The website also has full product details and specifications. EDITOR’S NOTE VIDEO – A video featuring the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX is available to share here: youtu.be/SPBQ1EyUhzI IMAGES – A selection of high-resolution images including the Hot Wheels x SUPER73-RX e-bike and Hot Wheels Bronco die cast is available here: dropbox.com/sh/84ci1vabt0xibs9/AAA3qNZ-hlcPGOh7A6OAfcKja?dl=0 ABOUT MATTEL Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. ABOUT SUPER73®  SUPER73® is an American lifestyle adventure brand based in Orange County, CA that develops products to help fuse motorcycle heritage with youth culture. Founded in 2016, SUPER73 has quickly grown into one of the most recognizable electric vehicle brands in the world with a passionate customer base including A-list celebrities, professional athletes, and many more. For more information, visit  super73.com  or on social media @super73. Contact Details SUPER73 Christiana Mullen +1 714-659-4883 christiana@super73.com ID Agency Greg Emmerson greg@theidagency.com Company Website https://super73.com

August 09, 2021 06:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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British AI tech firm Kortical beats Google as it helps drive revenues for business

Kortical

A British AI tech start-up Kortical, which helps companies use machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, has improved 10x their success rate of generating positive outcomes across their organisations vs the industry average. Companies use ML and AI to help predict demand for their products and services, for pricing and an array of business decisions yet only 9% of these tech implementations are ROI positive. Kortical’s platform is able to quickly absorb the data sets of any company and creates algorithms that offer strategic and commercial insights for them. Saving them time and investment in large scale tech investment, the platform has delivered 92% ROI positive outcomes for business. Last month, Google released its latest offering Vertex AI and Kortical is already outperforming them and has been since they first went head to head in 2019 at the Schroder’s Datathon. Kortical tested both platforms using well known public datasets from Kaggle and another from a real life client. Data was funnelled through both and overall Kortical averaged 2.47% better across all datasets and 10.75% better on the real life customer data. This difference in performance would mean the project that resulted in a £500k saving on Kortical would have not been viable on Vertex due to subhuman performance and would be another failed project statistic. Furthermore, Kortical was also 7 times faster to create the results vs Google’s Vertex AI. Andy Gray, CEO and co-founder at Kortical commented: “At the moment businesses are still in the early days of the machine learning gold rush, where you can crest a hill and stumble upon a nugget. Better ML accelerators are like better metal detectors helping you find those nuggets faster.” Kortical is working with a wide range of customers across industries, from saving 54% on the blood supply chain waste for the NHS, to enabling faster and more impactful ML project delivery for Capita, to “ significant operational efficiencies ” through back office automation of tax processes at Deloitte and hyper-personalised marketing with Hyundai. As well as working with smaller start-ups. “Initially it was really only the big players that were the early adopters, where they had the luxury to experiment with new technology and those experiments have turned into significant business so increasingly we’re seeing smaller businesses that recognise the strategic advantage and huge potential of ML to really distance themselves from their competitors” added Andy Gray. Kortical came into existence because the original founders Andy and Alex were trying to create an AI product but as they engaged different customers, they found that the data was always a little different and they needed to keep building new models but that the process was slow, error prone and repetitive. Kortical is the culmination of 7 years of trying to take the pain out of creating enterprise ready AI and ML solutions, quickly and easily but with enough control that expert users can still create exactly what they want. Looking ahead Andy Gray said: “It’s great to see that the conversation has shifted from do I need a machine learning accelerator platform, to which platform should I use? I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited to deliver on our plan to see what the future holds”. Kortical helps companies that have data sets and a business problem they want to solve. Kortical works with tabular, NLP and time series data and can take you right through to live ML web applications or self learning API based services. Some of the most popular use cases are back office automation, demand prediction and hyper-personalized marketing. All the major commentators are expecting the machine learning platform market to boom, with Gartner estimating that by 2022 75% of all new end-user solutions using AI and ML techniques will be built using commercial solutions rather than open source. Andy Gray concluded “Over the past 12 months businesses have focussed on continuity and their remote work set up but this year we’re seeing signs of growth getting back to 300% year on year and will be looking to raise an investment round by the end of the year as we scale our business”. About Kortical Kortical is a productivity tool for delivering machine learning solutions. It was founded in the UK in October 2016 to help scale the use of machine learning in business. It is the culmination of 7 years of trying to take the pain out of creating enterprise ready AI and ML solutions, quickly and easily but with enough control that expert users can still create exactly what they want. Kortical has a number of F500 customers including Deloitte, NHS, Capita and Hyundai. For further information, please visit: www.kortical.com Contact Details Kortical Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com

August 09, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Malvertising Takes Aim at a New Target:IoT Devices Connected to Smart Home Networks

GeoEdge

Global cybersecurity company GeoEdge revealed it has uncovered a global-scale malvertising attack which is the first ad-based cybercrime aimed specifically at home-network based IoT devices. Working in cooperation with the company’s AdTech partners InMobi and Verve Group, GeoEdge’s security researchers identified both the attack vector as well its origins from bad actors in Slovenia and Ukraine. GeoEdge’s security research team has been investigating the malvertising attack on smart home IoT devices since mid-June 2021. The widely distributed attack vector is the first to use online advertising to silently install apps on home-WiFi-connected IoT devices, and only requires that hackers possess a basic understanding of device API documentation, some JavaScript knowledge and rudimentary online advertising skills. Market research firm IoT Analytics forecasts more than 30 billion IoT device connections worldwide by 2025, making home and industrial IoT an extremely attractive and vulnerable frontier for malvertisers. “GeoEdge’s patented behavioral code analysis technology and advanced malware detection capabilities detected these online ads covertly injecting malware into smart-home IoT devices,” said GeoEdge CEO Amnon Siev. “With the collaboration between InMobi and Verve, we exposed the origin, infrastructure and global scale of these attacks. This joint mission is built on trust and a deep understanding of the threat landscape which has enabled us to create a new standard for user protection.” “Malvertising,” or malicious advertising, spreads malware through the injection of malicious code into online display ads via online advertising networks, exposing user networks and connected devices to the potential risk of infection. Advertising networks are generally unaware they are serving malicious content and in the cases discovered by GeoEdge, users targeted with the attack aren't even required to click on the infected ad or navigate to a malicious page to initiate the attack on home network devices. “Digital advertising continues to capture a larger share of marketing budgets for companies large and small and as with that growth comes potential risks. It is critical that we have the checks and balances to identify and contain potential malicious threats before they can infect users’ devices,” added said Kunal Nagpal, SVP and GM, Publisher Platform and Exchange at InMobi. “Our collaboration with GeoEdge enhances user protection across the advertising ecosystem through advanced real-time detection, ensures the delivery of safe ads to our global partners and helps us maintain quality and user trust.” The impacts of the broad IoT attack revealed in GeoEdge’s research include the ability to manipulate IoT devices, download apps without users’ consent, and risks theft of personal information and monetary instruments as well as tampering with home systems such as smart locks and surveillance cameras. To block such attacks, GeoEdge notes that antivirus apps and even firewalls are not sufficient, making it necessary to continuously block infected ads in real-time to prevent them from being rendered and presented to users. “As we work to maintain a clean and transparent ecosystem, the ad security landscape constantly evolves, introducing new cybersecurity risks which require innovative solutions,” said Pieter de Zwart, VP of Engineering at GeoEdge partner Verve Group. “We are committed to ensuring a safe advertising experience and partnering with key industry players enables us fulfill that mission.” About GeoEdge GeoEdge is the premier provider of ad verification and transparency solutions for the online and mobile advertising ecosystem. The company’s mission is to protect the integrity of the digital advertising ecosystem and to preserve a quality experience for users. It ensures high ad quality and verifies that sites and apps offer a clean, safe, and engaging user experience. GeoEdge guards against non-compliance, malware, inappropriate content, data leakage, operational, and performance issues.‎ Leading publishers, ad platforms, exchanges, and networks rely on GeoEdge’s automated ad verification solutions to ‎monitor and protect their ad inventory – without sacrificing revenue. The company was founded in 2010 by a team with more than two decades of hands-on technical and online media experience. To learn more, visit http://www.geoedge.com About InMobi InMobi drives real connections between brands and consumers by leveraging its technology platforms and exclusive access to mobile intelligence. Its Marketing Cloud creates new paths for brands to understand, identify, engage and acquire connected consumers. As a leading technology company, InMobi has been recognized on both the 2018 and 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50 lists and as one of Fast Company’s 2018 World’s Most Innovative Companies. For more information, visit inmobi.com. About Verve Group Verve Group’s omnichannel ad platform connects advertisers, agencies, brands, and publishers to people in real time. With a privacy-first approach, Verve Group offers advertising innovation at scale with full-stack programmatic solutions in brand-safe environments. The global group is a trusted partner of 5,000+ advertisers and brands with direct connections to 4,000+ publishers and apps globally. Verve Group is part of Media and Games Invest (MGI) and has an international presence with over 200 employees in 20+ offices worldwide, spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Learn more at www.verve.com. Contact Details Rainier Communications (for GeoEdge) Steve Schuster +1 508-868-5892 steve@rainierco.com GeoEdge Michal Nissenson +972 54-395-7779 michal.nissenson@geoedge.com WIT Strategy for Verve Group Mark Naples mnaples@witstrategy.com InMobi Nick Lashinsky PR@inmobi.com

August 09, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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China Tower 5G development gains traction and Two Wings business scales rapidly, Profit attributable to owners of the Company increased by 16.1%

China Tower Corporation Limited

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 9 August 2021 - The world’s largest telecommunications infrastructure service provider China Tower Corporation Limited (“China Tower”, or the “Company”) (Stock Code: 0788.HK) is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2021. Performance Highlights Our total revenue maintained steady growth in the first half of 2021 while profitability continued to improve. Our operating revenue recorded a year-on-year increase of 7.2% to RMB42,673 million; our EBITDA 1 amounted to RMB31,184 million, representing growth of 7.2% year-on-year with an EBITDA margin 2 of 73.1%. Profit attributable to owners of the Company totaled RMB3,457 million, up by 16.1% year-on-year, with a net profit margin of 8.1%. Our cash flow remained sound and ample. In the first half of 2021, net cash generated from operating activities amounted to RMB24,238 million. Capital expenditures amounted to RMB10,360 million, a reduction of 27.6% year-on-year, which resulted in our free cash flow 3 reaching RMB13,878 million, an increase of 8.6% year-on-year. Our debt leverage ratio was contained at a reasonable and manageable level and our financial position remained healthy. As of 30 June 2021, our total assets were RMB333,195 million and our interest-bearing liabilities stood at RMB114,191 million, representing a gearing ratio 4 of 37.0%. In the first half of 2021, centered around our “One Core and Two Wings” strategy, we continued to leverage the benefits of effective resource coordination and sharing to achieve higher efficiency in our asset operations, and as a result further reinforced our competitiveness. Building on the stable development of our TSP business, our TSSAI and energy businesses continued to increase in scale and grow rapidly. Maintaining stable and healthy growth in our TSP business, cementing industry leadership Given the growth in 5G networks deployments during the first half of 2021, we used our market-oriented approach to focus on customer demands as well as the new features of 5G network construction. In this context, we utilized our ability to coordinate and share resources, making full use of our existing and social resources. We have also focused on construction and service model innovation, in view of improving our asset operating efficiency and meeting our customer’s network coverage demands in a cost-effective, intensive and high-performing manner. As a result, our TSP business maintained stable growth, further cementing our leadership in the telecommunication infrastructure construction and operation sector. We completed the infrastructure of approximately 256,000 5G projects in the first half of 2021, of which 97% were completed by utilizing existing resources. This underscored our strength in sharing resources to support the large-scale construction of 5G networks in a cost-effective manner. At the same time, the impact of 5G on improving our revenue has begun to show its effects, with 5G becoming the key growth driver of our TSP business. As of the end of June 2021, we were managing a total of 2.035 million tower sites, a net cumulative addition of 12,000 sites from the end of 2020. During the same period, we gained 53,000 new TSP tenants, bringing the total number to 3.228 million. Our TSP tenancy ratio also increased from 1.57 at the end of 2020 to 1.59. Our DAS business cumulatively covered buildings with a total area of 4.41 billion square meters, up by 41.3% year-on-year. We also covered a total of 14,431 kilometers of high-speed railway tunnels and subways, an increase of 31.8% year-on-year. In the first half of 2021, our TSP business revenue amounted to RMB39,808 million, an increase of 4.5% year-on-year, of which our tower business revenue accounted for RMB37,722 million while our DAS business revenue accounted for RMB2,086 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 3.7% and 21.3% respectively. Rapidly scaling our Two Wings business, gaining new momentum for further development Leveraging our unique advantages in resources and capabilities, we focused on product innovation and the optimization of our platform operations, to maximize the benefits of our sharing model. As a result, our Two Wings business continued to expand rapidly while gaining new momentum for sustainable development. The Two Wings business has shown potential in supporting and reinforcing the Company’s multi-pillar development plan. In the first half of 2021, Two Wings business recorded revenue of RMB2,737 million, an increase of 73.3% year-on-year. TSSAI business: The Company seized opportunities arising from the further digitalization and informatization in China, fully leveraged our competitive advantages in mid-and high-point monitoring and proactively promoted the transformation of “Telecommunications Towers” into “Digital Towers”. Focusing on our video surveillance services, we enhanced our innovative business model and implemented unified technology and service standards, platform support and operations management. We integrated algorithms, terminals, transmission and data management as well as extended our collaboration with industry partners to expand our ecosystem. We have officially launched our “Tower Monitoring” business to serve a wide range of customers across sectors relating to the national economy and people’s livelihoods, including environmental remediation, disaster relief, eco-conservation and village governance. Our integrated information service capabilities were further enhanced, providing a strong basis for the rapid expansion of our TSSAI business. As of 30 June 2021, we had 195,000 TSSAI tenants and TSSAI revenue for the first half of 2021 was RMB1,853 million, an increase of 46.6% year-on-year. Energy business: We captured opportunities related to the push toward a low-carbon economy and the thriving new energy industry. Focusing on our core business segments of battery exchange and power backup, we expanded the scale of our operations and improved our delicate management approach. By standardizing our product platform and putting in place operating and management systems, we strove to enhance our core competitive advantages as the “largest industry player with best-in-class services”, creating smart energy applications with “China Tower characteristics”. As of 30 June 2021, we had cumulatively provided around 460,000 users with battery exchange services, a net increase of 160,000 compared with the end of 2020, making us the largest supplier of battery exchange services for light electric vehicles in China. We also cumulatively built 17,000 power backup sites, a net increase of 5,000 compared with the end of last year. In the first half of 2021, our energy business recorded revenue of RMB884 million, an increase of 180.6% year-on-year. Mr Tong Jilu, Chairman of China Tower said, “Looking forward in the second half of 2021, we will continue to capture opportunities brought about by the development of 5G new infrastructure, the digital economy and the new energy industry. Adhering to our goal of building an enterprise with the best potential for growth and value creation, we will continue to leverage our advantages in resource sharing and further implement our ‘One Core and Two Wings’ strategy. In doing so, we will be in the best position to maintain stable revenue growth, enhance the value of our Company and provide better returns to our shareholders.” Note 1: EBITDA is calculated by operating profit plus depreciation and amortization. Note 2: EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing EBITDA by operating revenue, and multiplying the resulting value by 100%. Note 3: Free cash flow is the net cash generated from operating activities minus the capital expenditures. Note 4: Gearing ratio is calculated as net debt divided by the sum of total equity and net debt, then multiplied by 100%. Net debt is calculated as the amount of interest-bearing liabilities minus the amount of cash and cash equivalents. About China Tower Since its incorporation on 15 July 2014, China Tower Corporation Limited (“China Tower”) has developed into the world’s largest telecommunications tower infrastructure service provider with compelling market advantage under the national strategy of Cyberpower. China Tower was listed on the Main Board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 8 August 2018 (Stock Code: 0788.HK), raising approximately HK$58.8 billion. The Company implements the strategy of “One Core and Two Wings”. “One core” refers to the traditional tower business and indoor Distributed Antenna System (DAS) business, which provide services to the TSPs based on site resources; while “Two Wings” refers to the Trans-sector Site Application and Information (TSSAI) business which mainly provides tower site resources and data information services to different industries, as well as energy business to satisfy the growing demands on energy services in the society, such as power backup and generation, charging, battery exchange and echelon use of batteries. China Tower adheres to the “sharing” philosophy for business development. It promotes site co-location and provides a wide range of services to fulfill the specific needs of its customers. As of the end of June 2021, the Company’s total assets amounted to RMB333,195 million. China Tower operated and managed 2.035 million tower sites across 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the PRC, and served over 3.423 million tenants with the tenancy ratio of 1.68. Contact Details iPR Ogilvy Ltd. Callis Lau +852 2136 6952 chinatower@iprogilvy.com iPR Ogilvy Ltd. Gary Li +852 3170 6753 chinatower@iprogilvy.com iPR Ogilvy Ltd. Emily Chiu +852 3920 7659 chinatower@iprogilvy.com iPR Ogilvy Ltd. Charmaine Siu +852 3920 7646 chinatower@iprogilvy.com

August 09, 2021 01:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Osmo’s Back To School Sale Starts Now: From August 8 to 14, Save 25% Off Select Kits, Games, Bundles and More

Osmo

STEAM brand Osmo ’s Back to School sale starts now. From Aug. 8 to 14, Osmo offers 25% off select kits, games, bundles and more. View Back to School deals at PlayOsmo.com, Target.com, and Amazon.com. Save 25% on these items at PlayOsmo.com: Kits: Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure, Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night, Genius Starter Kit, Coding Starter Kit and Creative Starter Kit Games: Math Wizard Bundle, Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop, Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons, Monster Other items: Coding Family Bundle, Math Wizard Kit (features all 4 Math Wizard titles + base included), Essential Math Bundle, Early Literacy Bundle, Super Studio Artist Bundle, Pretend Play Bundle, Explorer Starter Kit, Super Osmonaut Starter Kit, Preschool Starter Kit, Elementary School Starter Kit, Ultimate Expansion Bundle Save 25% on these kits and games at Target and Target.com: Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Creative Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons (base excluded) Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop (base excluded) Save 25% on these Osmo kits, games, and bundles at Amazon.com: Genius Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night for iPad (base included) Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night for Fire (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure for iPad (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure for Fire (base included) Creative Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for iPad (base included) Coding Starter Kit for Fire Tablet (base included) Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Coding Family Bundle for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Pizza Co. for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Detective Agency for iPad & Fire Tablet (base required) Math Wizard and The Enchanted World Games for iPad Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and the Enchanted World Games for Fire Tablet Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and The Amazing Airships for iPad Bundle (base included) Math Wizard and The Amazing Airships for Fire Tablet Bundle (base included) Little Genius Sticks & Rings for iPad or Fire Tablet (base required) Little Genius Costume Pieces for iPad or Fire Tablet (base required) About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand with more than 2.5 million learners worldwide. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and is part of BYJU’S, a global leader in online learning. Learn more at playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii PR Carolyn Kamii carolynkpr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

August 08, 2021 06:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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As wildfires rage across the Western U.S., a New Zesty.ai Survey Finds Majority of Residents Don’t Know if They Live in a High-Risk Area

Zesty.ai

Zesty.ai, a leader in property risk analytics powered by artificial intelligence (AI), today released the results of a new survey exploring how prepared residents of Western states are for wildfire season. They polled residents of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, and found that the majority of all respondents (55%) don’t know if they live in a high-risk area, despite 87% saying they are either concerned or very concerned about this year’s wildfire season. While 89% of all respondents said they believe mitigation efforts like clearing vegetation and installing screens on windows to keep embers out can make a real impact in protecting property from wildfires, only two-thirds (66%) are reporting that they are taking steps on these efforts. For those that are, over a quarter (27%) take action all-year round. “It’s encouraging that the vast majority of residents in the Western states understand the impact of mitigation efforts, but it’s important that the number of homeowners actually taking action increase in order to maximize protection of properties and communities in these regions,” said Attila Toth, CEO of Zesty.ai. “We know mitigation efforts can have a profound impact with regards to protecting homes and communities, as evidenced by the findings of a recent study we conducted with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). We studied more than 71,000 properties involved in wildfires between 2016 and 2019 and found property owners who clear vegetation from the perimeter of their home or building can double their structure’s likelihood of surviving a wildfire.” Zesty.ai’s Z-FIRE™ is an AI model trained on more than 1,400 wildfire events across more than 20 years of historical loss data. It considers property-level features that influence risk, such as topography, historical climate data, and critically, factors extracted from high-resolution imagery like, building materials and surrounding vegetation in multiple defensible spaces. This empowers insurers with a much more precise risk score to inform underwriting and rating while recognizing mitigation efforts by homeowners and their respective communities. In terms of communicating the benefits of mitigation efforts, 51% of survey respondents said the best way to get that information would be through a letter from local fire officials, followed by 40% who think it’d be best to get this information when renewing or applying for homeowners insurance, and 9% who would like to get this information from a real estate website like Zillow. Despite the fact that 40% of respondents would like to get this information through their insurance provider, 58% have never spoken to their carrier about wildfire risk. Additional key findings from the survey include: 87% of all respondents are confident or very confident in their local fire departments to contain and manage fire-related emergencies Despite wildfires starting earlier and the extreme drought impacting the Western U.S., 35% of all respondents think this year’s wildfire season will be about the same as last year Oregonians are most proactive in protecting their property, with 73% of Oregon respondents saying they are making mitigation efforts compared to 66% of all respondents Californians are most proactive when it comes to discussing wildfire risk with their insurance provider, with 39% of California respondents saying they’ve had that discussion compared to 34% of all respondents 36% of all respondents believe mitigation efforts by homeowners is the most important factor for saving properties during wildfire season For more information on Zesty.ai and its wildfire risk model, Z-FIRE™, please visit https://www.zesty.ai/wildfire-risk. About Zesty.ai Zesty.ai offers access to precise intelligence about every property in North America for insurance and real estate customers. The company uses aerial imagery, building permit, transaction and weather data, combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to turn more than 200 billion data points into comprehensive digital records. Zesty.ai provides a constantly updated database of property information that impacts a property’s value and associated risks and also accounts for the potential impact of catastrophic events like wildfires, hail storms and floods by combining its vast property knowledge and predictive AI models into property-specific risk scores. In an increasingly digital world, Zesty.ai brings properties into a new digital age that enables real time transactions and powerful predictive analytics. Visit https://zesty.ai for more information. Contact Details Abby Schiller +1 216-870-1835 abby@clarity.pr

August 05, 2021 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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BEE Launches New Features to BEE Pro to Further its Mission to Democratize Content Design

BEE

BEE, a business unit of Growens and premier digital content design platform, released two new features to its BEE Pro product, a no-code email & landing page design suite currently being used by designers, email marketers, e-commerce, higher education, business owners, agencies and entrepreneurs. These updates come at a time when BEE is seeing substantial growth with its BEE Pro paid subscription, forecasting upwards of 9k paid users. The latest BEE Pro features include: Increased collaboration through “ Mentions” feature. Users can now use a mention (@mention) to alert any team member of updates collaborating on a design project. Improved processes through the new “ Notification Center. ” This update keeps the user informed on mentions, exports or publishing of active design projects. These new features further BEE’s mission to democratize content design. Users can now initiate mentions to their teammates through the comment section while working directly in BEE Pro, eliminating the need to work across multiple platforms. They are able to invite their teammates to review a design, assign tasks and collaborate on all work completed in their specific brand, helping to keep the design process aligned. The notification center helps keep everyone up to speed with changes and edits for a faster collaborative process. These updates assure a faster collaborative process. “We are excited to see these new features go live in BEE Pro. It’s a big deal for teams to be able to collaborate in real-time on any project in one place” said Mariela Towers, Head of Marketing at BEE. “The design process for some teams often involves a lot of collaborators — BEE Pro is continuing to make it easier for team members to work together. Our internal team is excited to see the expanded features. We use BEE Pro for all of our email communications and have been able to cut 3 days out of our workflow. The new features have improved our collaboration processes allowing us to work that much faster.” These updates from BEE Pro are the latest following previously announced landing page capabilities, mobile design mode and co-editing tools earlier this year. Since launching in 2016 as an email editor tool, BEE continues to invest in feature developments for BEE Pro bringing maximum value to users, including multiple integrations built specifically for email server providers. About BEE: BEE provides no-code design tools that empower everyone to quickly create content that resonates. BEE’s visual builders are used to design emails, landing pages, one-page sites and more. They deliver fantastic design flexibility and a great user experience, combining granular control on design elements with handy features like editing content directly in mobile view. BEE is building on its vision to help democratize content design, with millions of monthly users in over 20 languages and from over 150 countries. BEE’s design tools are available online at beefree.io and embedded in 600+ SaaS applications. Contact Details Angelina Kaliszak angelina@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://beefree.io/

August 05, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CSG Systems International Reports Second Quarter 2021 Results

CSG

Raising All 2021 Financial Guidance Targets on the Back of Strong H1 2021 Result Robust Q2 2021 Revenue & Adjusted Revenue Growth; Each up 6.2% Year-Over-Year Successful Conversion of ~300,000 Charter Communications Customers in Kansas City CSG (NASDAQ: CSGS) today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. Financial Results: Second quarter 2021 financial results: Total revenue was $255.1 million and total non-GAAP adjusted revenue was $238.5 million. GAAP operating income was $32.2 million, or 12.6% of total revenue, and non-GAAP operating income was $39.8 million, or 16.7% of non-GAAP adjusted revenue. GAAP earnings per diluted share (EPS) was $0.60 and non-GAAP EPS was $0.82. Cash flows used in operations were $44.5 million, with a non-GAAP free cash flow of $37.5 million. Shareholder Returns: In May 2021, CSG declared its quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock, or a total of approximately $8 million, to shareholders. During the second quarter of 2021, CSG repurchased under its stock repurchase program, approximately 153,000 shares of its common stock for approximately $7 million. “CSG continued to build off our Q1 momentum and delivered 6.2% year-over-year revenue and adjusted revenue growth in Q2, which was predominantly all organic growth,” said Brian Shepherd, President and Chief Executive Officer of CSG. “On the back of our strong first half performance, we are boosting all 2021 financial guidance targets, including revenue, adjusted operating margin and EPS. Additionally, we are thrilled to expand our relationship with Charter Communications as we successfully converted approximately 300,000 of their Kansas City market subscribers from a competitor’s billing platform to CSG during the quarter. Looking ahead, we remain well positioned to lengthen and strengthen our relationships with existing customers, accelerate our organic revenue growth, close good new strategic acquisitions, and diversify into higher growth industry verticals.” Financial Overview (unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages): For additional information and reconciliations regarding CSG’s use of non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the attached Exhibit 2 and the Investor Relations section of CSG’s website at csgi.com. Results of Operations GAAP Results: Total revenue for the second quarter of 2021 was $255.1 million, a 6.2% increase when compared to revenue of $240.3 million for the second quarter of 2020, and a 0.8% increase when compared to revenue of $253.1 million for the first quarter of 2021. The year-over-year increase in revenue can be primarily attributed to continued growth of CSG’s revenue management solutions, favorable foreign currency movements, and to a lesser extent, the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on CSG’s second quarter of 2020 revenue. The sequential quarterly increase is mainly due to the continued growth of CSG’s revenue management solutions. GAAP operating income for the second quarter of 2021 was $32.2 million, or 12.6% of total revenue, compared to $19.8 million, or 8.2% of total revenue, for the second quarter of 2020, and $31.4 million, or 12.4% of total revenue, for the first quarter of 2021. The increase in operating income can be primarily attributed to the revenue growth in 2021 and an approximately $10 million impairment charge for the write-off of capitalized customer contract costs related to a discontinued project implementation in the second quarter of 2020. GAAP EPS for the second quarter of 2021 was $0.60, as compared to $0.32 for the second quarter of 2020, and $0.61 for the first quarter of 2021. The year-over-year increase in GAAP EPS is mainly due to the increase in operating results, discussed above. Non-GAAP Results: Non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the second quarter of 2021 was $238.5 million, a 6.2% increase when compared to non-GAAP adjusted revenue of $224.6 million for the second quarter of 2020, and a 0.8% increase when compared to $236.7 million for the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP operating income for the second quarter of 2021 was $39.8 million, or 16.7% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue, compared to $30.6 million, or 13.6% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the second quarter of 2020, and $40.2 million, or 17.0% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP EPS for the second quarter of 2021 was $0.82 compared to $0.59 for the second quarter of 2020, and $0.82 for the first quarter of 2021. The changes in non-GAAP adjusted revenue, non-GAAP operating income, and non-GAAP EPS between quarters are primarily due to the factors discussed above. Balance Sheet and Cash Flows Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of June 30, 2021 were $212.1 million compared to $205.1 million as of March 31, 2021 and $240.3 million as of December 31, 2020. CSG had net cash flows from operations for the second quarters ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 of $44.5 million and $57.8 million, respectively, and had non-GAAP free cash flow of $37.5 million and $48.3 million, respectively. Summary of 2021 Financial Guidance CSG is updating its financial guidance for the full year 2021, as follows: For additional information and reconciliations regarding CSG’s use of non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the attached Exhibit 2 and the Investor Relations section of CSG’s website at csgi.com. Conference Call CSG will host a conference call on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EDT, to discuss CSG’s second quarter results for 2021. The call will be carried live and archived on the Internet. A link to the conference call is available at http://ir.csgi.com. In addition, to reach the conference by phone, call 1-833-921-1665 and use the passcode 4290448. Additional Information For information about CSG, please visit CSG’s web site at csgi.com. Additional information can be found in the Investor Relations section of the website. About CSG For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted partner for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Eastlink, Formula One, Maximus, MTN and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that are based on assumptions about a number of important factors and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what appears in this news release. Some of these key factors include, but are not limited to the following items: CSG’s business may be disrupted, and its results of operations and cash flows adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; CSG derives over forty percent of its revenue from its two largest customers; Continued market acceptance of CSG’s products and services; CSG’s ability to continuously develop and enhance products in a timely, cost-effective, technically advanced and competitive manner: CSG’s ability to deliver its solutions in a timely fashion within budget, particularly large and complex software implementations; CSG’s dependency on the global telecommunications industry, and in particular, the North American telecommunications industry; CSG’s ability to meet its financial expectations; Increasing competition in CSG’s market from companies of greater size and with broader presence; CSG’s ability to successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses or assets to achieve expected strategic, operating and financial goals; CSG’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; CSG’s ability to maintain a reliable, secure computing environment; CSG’s ability to conduct business in the international marketplace; CSG’s ability to comply with applicable U.S. and International laws and regulations; and Fluctuations in credit market conditions, general global economic and political conditions, and foreign currency exchange rates. This list is not exhaustive, and readers are encouraged to review the additional risks and important factors described in CSG’s reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and other filings made with the SEC. CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS-UNAUDITED (in thousands, except per share amounts) CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME-UNAUDITED (in thousands, except per share amounts) CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS-UNAUDITED (in thousands) Beginning with the second quarter of 2021, CSG reclassified certain cash flows related to settlement and merchant reserve assets and liabilities from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from financing activities within the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. EXHIBIT 1 CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE ANALYSIS Revenue by Significant Customers: 10% or more of Revenue Revenue by Vertical Revenue by Geography EXHIBIT 2 CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. DISCLOSURES FOR NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Limitations To supplement its condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), CSG uses non-GAAP adjusted revenue, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP adjusted operating margin percentage, non-GAAP EPS, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, and non-GAAP free cash flow. CSG believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when reviewed in conjunction with its GAAP financial measures, provide investors with greater transparency to the information used by CSG’s management in its financial and operational decision making. CSG uses these non-GAAP financial measures for the following purposes: Certain internal financial planning, reporting, and analysis; Forecasting and budgeting; Certain management compensation incentives; and Communications with CSG’s Board of Directors, stockholders, financial analysts, and investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided with the intent of providing investors with the following information: A more complete understanding of CSG’s underlying operational results, trends, and cash generating capabilities; Consistency and comparability with CSG’s historical financial results; and Comparability to similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. Non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of performance under GAAP, and therefore should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financial information. Limitations with the use of non-GAAP financial measures include the following items: Non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles; The way in which CSG calculates non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the way in which other companies calculate similar non-GAAP financial measures; Non-GAAP financial measures do not include all items of income and expense that affect CSG’s operations and that are required by GAAP to be included in financial statements; Certain adjustments to CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures result in the exclusion of items that are recurring and will be reflected in CSG’s financial statements in future periods; and Certain charges excluded from CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures are cash expenses, and therefore do impact CSG’s cash position. CSG compensates for these limitations by relying primarily on its GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures as a supplement only. Additionally, CSG provides specific information regarding the treatment of GAAP amounts considered in preparing the non-GAAP financial measures and reconciles each n on-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Basis of Presentation The table below outlines the exclusions from CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures: CSG believes that excluding certain items in calculating its non-GAAP financial measures provides meaningful supplemental information regarding CSG’s performance and these items are excluded for the following reasons: Transaction fees are primarily comprised of interchange and other payment-related fees paid, in conjunction with the delivery of service to customers under CSG’s payment services contracts, to third-party payment processors and financial institutions by CSG. Because CSG controls the integrated service provided under its payment services customer contracts, these transaction fees are presented gross, and not netted against revenue; however, other payments companies who do not provide and/or control an integrated service present their revenue net of transaction fees. The exclusion of these fees in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP adjusted revenue provides management and investors an additional means to use to compare CSG’s current revenue with historical and future periods, as well as with other payments companies. Restructuring and reorganization charges are expenses that result from cost reduction initiatives and/or significant changes to CSG’s business, to include such things as involuntary employee terminations, changes in management structure, divestitures of businesses, facility consolidations and abandonments, and fundamental reorganizations impacting operational focus and direction. These charges are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The exclusion of these items in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. Executive transition costs include expenses incurred related to the departure of CSG’s former CEO under the terms of his separation agreement. These costs were primarily recognized during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 (the CEO’s remaining term) and were not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The exclusion of these costs in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. Acquisition-related expenses include amortization of acquired intangible assets, earn-out compensation, and transaction-related costs. Transaction-related costs, which typically include expenses related to legal, accounting, and other professional services, are direct and incremental expenses related to business acquisitions, and thus, are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The total amount of acquisition-related expenses can vary significantly between periods based on the number and size of acquisition activities, previously acquired intangible assets becoming fully amortized, and ultimate realization of earn-out compensation. In addition, the timing of these expenses may not directly correlate with underlying performance of the CSG’s operations. Therefore, the exclusion of acquisition-related expenses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. Stock-based compensation results from CSG’s issuance of equity awards to its employees under incentive compensation programs. The amount of this incentive compensation in any period is not generally linked to the level of performance by employees or CSG. The exclusion of these expenses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to evaluate the non-cash expense related to compensation included in CSG’s results of operations, and therefore, the exclusion of this item allows investors to further evaluate the cash generating capabilities of CSG’s business. The convertible notes OID is the result of allocating a portion of the principal balance of the debt at issuance to the equity component of the instrument, as required under current accounting rules. This OID is then amortized to interest expense over the life of the respective convertible debt instrument. The interest expense related to the amortization of the OID is a non-cash expense, and therefore, the exclusion of this item allows investors to further evaluate the cash interest costs of CSG’s convertible notes for cash flow, liquidity, and debt service purposes. Gains and losses related to the extinguishment of debt are a result of the refinancing of CSG’s credit agreement and/or repurchase of CSG’s convertible notes. These activities are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. Any resulting gain or loss is generally non-cash income or expense, and therefore, the exclusion of this item allows investors to further evaluate the cash impact of these repurchases for cash flow and liquidity purposes. In addition, the exclusion of these gains and losses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP EPS allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current operating results with historical and future periods. Unusual items within CSG’s quarterly and/or annual income tax expense can occur from such things as income tax accounting timing matters, income taxes related to unusual events, or as a result of different treatment of certain items for book accounting and income tax purposes. Consideration of such items in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. CSG also reports non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP free cash flow. Management believes non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA is a useful measure to investors in evaluating CSG’s operating performance, debt servicing capabilities, and enterprise valuation. CSG defines non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA as income before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, foreign currency transaction adjustments, acquisition-related expenses, and unusual items, such as restructuring and reorganization charges, executive transition costs, and gains and losses related to the extinguishment of debt, as discussed above. Additionally, management uses non-GAAP free cash flow, among other measures, to assess its financial performance and cash generating capabilities, and believes that it is useful to investors because it shows CSG’s cash available to service debt, make strategic acquisitions and investments, repurchase its common stock, pay cash dividends, and fund ongoing operations. CSG defines non-GAAP free cash flow as net cash flows from operating activities less the purchases of software, property and equipment. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Non-GAAP Adjusted Revenue: The reconciliations of GAAP revenue to non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands): Non-GAAP Operating Income: The reconciliations of GAAP operating income to non-GAAP operating income for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands, except percentages): (1) Stock-based compensation included in the tables above and following excludes amounts that have been recorded in restructuring and reorganization charges. Non-GAAP EPS: The reconciliations of GAAP EPS to non-GAAP EPS for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts): (2) For the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021 the GAAP effective income tax rates were approximately 30% and 28%, respectively, and the non-GAAP effective income tax rates were approximately 27% for both periods. For the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020 the GAAP effective income tax rates were approximately 27% and 26%, respectively, and the non-GAAP effective income tax rates were approximately 27% for both periods. (3) The outstanding diluted shares for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021 were 32.0 million and 32.1 million, respectively, and for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2020 were 32.3 million for both periods. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA measure to GAAP net income is provided below for the indicated periods (in thousands, except percentages): (4) Interest expense includes amortization of deferred financing costs as provided in Note 5 below. (5) Amortization on the statement of cash flows is made up of the following items for the indicated periods (in thousands): Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP free cash flow and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP free cash flow measure to cash flows from operating activities are provided below for the indicated periods (in thousands): Non-GAAP Financial Measures – 2021 Financial Guidance Non-GAAP Adjusted Revenue: The reconciliation of GAAP revenue to non-GAAP adjusted revenue, as included in CSG’s 2021 full year financial guidance, is as follows: Non-GAAP Operating Income: The reconciliation of GAAP operating income to non-GAAP operating income, as included in CSG’s 2021 full year financial guidance, is as follows (in thousands, except percentages): Non-GAAP EPS: The reconciliation of GAAP EPS to non-GAAP EPS as included in CSG’s 2021 full year financial guidance is as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts): (6) For 2021, the estimated effective income tax rate for GAAP and non-GAAP purposes is expected to be approximately 28% and approximately 27%, respectively. (7) The weighted-average diluted shares outstanding are expected to be approximately 32 million. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA measure to GAAP net income is provided below for CSG’s 2021 full year financial guidance (in thousands, except percentages): Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP free cash flow and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP free cash flow measure to cash flows from operating activities is provided below for the indicated period (in thousands): Contact Details John Rea +1 210-687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

August 04, 2021 02:01 PM Mountain Daylight Time

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