Market Newsdesk

ADS Foundation and Brightstorm Introduce a Smarter Way to Manage Stormwater at WEFTEC 2026

NEW ORLEANS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ADS Foundation and The Nature Conservancy’s Brightstorm program are joining efforts at WEFTEC 2026 – the largest water conference in North America, taking place September 26-30 in New Orleans. They will showcase Smart Watershed Network Management (SWNM) and how smart stormwater systems can upgrade legacy infrastructure to better manage stormwater, protect water quality, reduce flooding, and support the nature on which all life depends.

The collaboration reflects the ADS Foundation’s commitment to advancing solutions that protect water and build more resilient communities. By supporting Brightstorm’s research and bringing together ADS’ water management expertise with new technologies and data-driven approaches, the Foundation is helping move innovative stormwater solutions from research and pilot projects toward broader real-world applications.

Most stormwater infrastructure was designed as a series of isolated, passive systems, often focused on flood control rather than water quality, ecosystem health, or climate adaptation. Today, technology can help communities make better use of this existing infrastructure. By combining sensors, real-time data, and adaptive controls, SWNM connects individual sites into a responsive network that can react to changing rainfall and other conditions – helping reduce flooding, improve water quality, and support healthier waterways and ecosystems.

A smart watershed doesn’t replace nature; but it can learn from what it does best. By holding water longer and releasing it more slowly, natural systems help manage rainfall while supporting healthier ecosystems. SWNM uses sensors and active controls to help engineered infrastructure better mimic how the land manages water on its own.

Bringing Smarter Stormwater Management to WEFTEC

ADS Foundation and Brightstorm will join industry partners, Arup and Amazon Web Services, for a panel discussion to introduce SWNM and explore what’s needed to scale smarter infrastructure.

The panel, “What It Takes to Scale Intelligent, Interconnected Stormwater Infrastructure,” will take place Tuesday, September 29, from 1:45–2:15 p.m. CT at the Circular Water Economy Pavilion in Hall D, Booth #2659.

The panel will include updates on the living lab in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL), one of four EPA-designated National Estuary Programs in the state. With more than 11,000 ponds and lakes, 80% of which are privately owned, and receiving more than 50 inches of annual rainfall, the IRL watershed provides a unique environment for testing and scaling smarter stormwater solutions.

Panelists will explore the technology, partnerships, and policy conditions needed to move smarter stormwater management from individual projects to solutions that can be scaled and replicated across communities.

See Smart Watersheds in Action

Throughout the conference, attendees can visit the ADS Foundation and Brightstorm booth in the Circular Water Economy Pavilion in Exhibit Halls A–J, Booth #3062.

The booth will showcase how advances in computing power, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are opening new possibilities for stormwater management. Attendees can also engage with Alluvia, a free open-access gateway designed to build, host, iterate, and scale smart watershed tools. As Alluvia is always evolving, visitors are encouraged to explore, share feedback, and suggest future additions as it grows.

At WEFTEC, ADS Foundation and Brightstorm will dive into what it takes to scale smarter, adaptive infrastructure – connecting with fellow industry professionals to build better stormwater management for thriving communities, healthier ecosystems, and cleaner waterways.

About the ADS Foundation

The ADS Foundation seeks to improve quality of life by building resilient and sustainable communities that inspire social equity in recycling, education, mental health, housing, and water. Established by Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. in 2020, the ADS Foundation is committed to partnering with organizations that improve availability and access in these five areas. The ADS Foundation is funded primarily by Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE: WMS), a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and onsite wastewater industries and one of the largest plastic recyclers in North America. To learn more about the ADS Foundation, go to www.adspipe.com/corp/impact/ads-foundation.

About Advanced Drainage Systems

Advanced Drainage Systems is a leading manufacturer of innovative stormwater and onsite wastewater solutions that manage the world’s most precious resource: water. ADS and its subsidiary, Infiltrator Water Technologies, provide superior stormwater drainage and onsite wastewater products used in a wide variety of markets and applications including commercial, residential, infrastructure and agriculture, while delivering unparalleled customer service. ADS manages the industry’s largest company-owned fleet, an expansive sales team, and a vast manufacturing network of approximately 64 manufacturing plants and 35 distribution centers. The company is one of the largest plastic recycling companies in North America, ensuring over half a billion pounds of plastic is kept out of landfills every year. Founded in 1966, ADS’ water management solutions are designed to last for decades. To learn more, visit the Company’s website at www.adspipe.com.

About Brightstorm

Brightstorm is a program of The Nature Conservancy. Brightstorm modernizes aging stormwater infrastructure using data, technology, and collaboration to protect clean water, healthy ecosystems, and resilient communities. By applying advanced assessment tools, smart controls, and AI-driven insights, Brightstorm helps stormwater systems function more like nature – capturing more rainfall, filtering pollutants, and reducing flood risk. Through Living Labs such as in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, the collaborative approach transforms passive stormwater ponds into an interconnected, smart network that can be replicated across the U.S. and globally.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928243803/en/

Media Contacts:
ADS Foundation Contact
Margaret Finley
ADS Foundation Board Member
Phone: (614) 570-6304
[email protected]

Advanced Drainage Systems Contact
Heather Schreiber
Phone: (614) 216-3757
[email protected]

The Nature Conservancy Contact
Amalia Grobbel
Browning Environmental Communications
[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Louisiana

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Green Technology Environment Other Philanthropy Thought Leadership Urban Planning Socially Responsible Investing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Building Systems Fund Raising Foundation Other Construction & Property Professional Services Philanthropy Other Natural Resources Construction & Property Natural Disasters Natural Resources Climate Change

MEDIA:

Logo

KNOREX Ltd. Pursues Strategic Carve-Out of AscendX Publisher Monetization Business with External Growth Capital

Proposed Structure Would Eliminate The Need for KNOREX to Fund AscendX’s Future Growth While Allowing KNOREX to Retain an Equity Interest in AscendX

AscendX Has Moved from Product Development into Commercial Deployment, with Live Publishers, Global Demand Integrations and a Growing Pipeline

ALLEN, Texas & SINGAPORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
KNOREX Ltd. (“KNOREX” or the “Company”; NYSE American: KNRX), a leading provider of AI-driven cross-channel programmatic advertising solutions, today announced that it is pursuing a strategic carve-out of AscendX Media Technologies Pte. Ltd. (“AscendX”), its wholly owned publisher monetization subsidiary. Under the proposed structure, AscendX would be separated and independently capitalized with investment from external investors, and KNOREX expects to retain a minority equity interest in AscendX.

The proposed carve-out is expected to enable AscendX’s growth with capital raised directly by AscendX from external investors. If completed, KNOREX expects the transaction to eliminate the need for KNOREX to fund AscendX’s future growth and allow the Company to dedicate its resources to the KNOREX XPO™ platform and other strategic priorities. Through its retained minority equity interest in AscendX, KNOREX would continue to participate in AscendX’s potential future value creation.

A Commercially Deployed Publisher Monetization Platform

AscendX is a publisher monetization platform that helps mobile app and game studios, web publishers and other digital content owners grow advertising revenue through server-side technologies, flexible integrations and real-time yield optimization. Its technology is designed to operate alongside publishers’ existing monetization infrastructure, providing access to additional demand and greater control and transparency over monetization.

Since its formation within KNOREX in June 2025, AscendX has progressed from product development into commercial deployment:

• Live Publisher Deployments: AscendX has been deployed across 10 live publishers and more than 70 app and game bundles. In 2026 year-to-date, AscendX has supported more than 2.0 billion advertising impressions across these publishers and bundles.
• Global Audience Reach: AscendX’s publisher inventory reaches users globally, with the United States representing its largest market and meaningful reach across APAC, Europe and Latin America.
• Global Demand Integrations: AscendX supports integrations with major global advertising demand platforms, including The Trade Desk, Meta Audience Network, Microsoft Monetize, OpenX and Magnite, enabling publishers to access additional demand through AscendX’s monetization infrastructure.
• Growing Commercial Pipeline: AscendX continues to expand its commercial pipeline. Five additional leading publishers are currently in advanced commercial discussions and are expected to onboard in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to the completion of commercial agreements.
• External Investor Interest: AscendX has attracted interest from external investors, and discussions with prospective investors are ongoing.

Strategic Rationale for Carve-Out

KNOREX believes the proposed carve-out has the potential to support strategic priorities of both AscendX and KNOREX in three key areas:

1. Growth Capital for AscendX and Elimination of Funding Needs for KNOREX: External investment is expected to fund AscendX’s next stage of growth, including the expansion of its publisher base and demand integrations, eliminating the need for KNOREX to fund AscendX’s future growth.
2. Continued Participation in AscendX’s Growth: Through its expected retained minority equity interest, KNOREX would continue to participate in AscendX’s potential future value creation.
3. Greater Focus on the Core Business: The carve-out would allow KNOREX to direct its capital, management attention and resources to its core strategic priorities, including the KNOREX XPO™ platform, its KAIROS AI engine and its Agentic AI initiatives.

“We are seeing growing commercial momentum across our publisher relationships, demand integrations and pipeline, together with increasing interest from external investors,” said Phu Le, CEO and Co-founder of AscendX. “With dedicated capital and resources, AscendX would be able to focus fully on expanding our publisher base, deepening our demand and platform integrations, and accelerating the commercial development of our technology.”

Under the currently contemplated structure, AscendX would be independently capitalized through investment by external investors, and KNOREX is expected to hold a minority equity interest in AscendX following completion. No definitive agreements have been executed, and the structure and terms of the proposed transaction remain subject to negotiation, due diligence, the execution of definitive agreements and applicable corporate, regulatory, third-party and other approvals.

Because Mr. Le also serves as a director and Vice President of Operations of KNOREX, the proposed transaction will be reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, which is responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed as contemplated or at all. The Company intends to provide further updates regarding the proposed carve-out, including the terms of any definitive agreements, as appropriate and in accordance with applicable disclosure requirements.

About KNOREX Ltd.

Founded in 2009, KNOREX Ltd. (NYSE American: KNRX) is a B2B technology company that provides AI-driven cross-channel programmatic advertising products and solutions. The Company’s flagship platform, KNOREX XPO™, is an AI-powered, cloud-based programmatic advertising technology platform that enables marketers to efficiently plan, execute, and optimize cross-channel advertising campaigns across a diverse range of digital media, including social media, search, CTV/OTT, video, audio, display, native, and digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising.

About AscendX Media Technologies

AscendX Media Technologies Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based publisher monetization technology company that enables mobile app and game studios, web publishers and cross-platform content owners to grow advertising revenue through server-side technologies, flexible integrations and dynamic real-time yield optimization. AscendX provides publishers with a complementary server-side monetization path designed to operate alongside their existing mediation infrastructure, enabling access to additional global demand while providing greater transparency and control over pricing and monetization. Its technology includes customized mobile SDKs, a fully managed server-to-server bidding backend, real-time reporting and insights, and monetization APIs and integration support. AscendX is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of KNOREX Ltd. For more information, visit the AscendX website (https://ascendxnow.com).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the proposed carve-out, the expected structure, terms and timing of the proposed transaction, KNOREX’s expected retained interest in AscendX, the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction for KNOREX and AscendX, including any reduction in KNOREX’s funding requirements, KNOREX’s focus on the KNOREX XPO platform, AscendX’s commercial pipeline, including the potential onboarding of additional publishers, and AscendX’s business prospects.

These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks that AscendX does not obtain external investment on acceptable terms, that definitive agreements are not entered into, that required approvals or consents are not obtained, that the structure or terms of the proposed transaction change, that potential publisher onboarding does not occur as anticipated, and that the anticipated benefits are not realized.

There can be no assurance that a definitive agreement will be entered into or that the proposed transaction will be consummated. Readers should also review the risk factors described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928990321/en/

Crescendo Communications, LLC

212-671-1020

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: North America United States Asia Pacific Singapore Southeast Asia Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Advertising Communications Media Technology Artificial Intelligence

MEDIA:

Logo

FLNC Stock Drop Alert: Fluence Stock Drops 34% Triggering Securities Fraud Investigation by BFA Law After Manufacturing Issues Disclosed

BFA Law is investigating whether Fluence Energy, Inc. committed securities fraud relating to statements about the status of its manufacturing operations and ability to achieve its revenue and EBITDA guidance.

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces an investigation into Fluence Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLNC) for potential securities fraud after its significant stock drops.

If you invested in Fluence securities, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/fluence-class-action-lawsuit.

Key Details of the Fluence ($FLNC) Class Action Investigation:

• Investigation Overview: Securities fraud relating to Fluence’s statements about the status of its manufacturing operations and ability to achieve its revenue and EBITDA guidance.
• Stock Decline:
  • February 5, 2026 – 34.4% Stock Drop

  • August 6, 2026 – 7.2% Stock Drop

  • September 17, 2026 – 15.4% Stock Drop

• Action: Contact BFA Law to discuss your rights

Why is Fluence Being Investigated for Securities Fraud?

Fluence is a provider of energy storage systems and optimization software for the renewable energy and energy storage industries.

BFA is investigating whether Fluence misled investors about the status of its manufacturing operations and ability to achieve its revenue and EBITDA guidance.

Why did Fluence’s Stock Drop?

On February 4, 2026, Fluence reported an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $52.1 million due to increased costs associated with two projects located outside the U.S. Following that announcement, Fluence’s shares fell 34.4% on February 5, 2026.

On August 5, 2026, Fluence reported an Adjusted EBITDA loss of $29.3 million and missed revenue expectations due to production delays at two of its contract manufacturing facilities. Following that announcement, Fluence’s shares fell 7.2% on August 6, 2026.

On September 16, 2026, Fluence slashed revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance because of delays in the ramp-up of its contract manufacturing facility. Following that announcement, Fluence’s shares fell 15.4% on September 17, 2026.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/fluence-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Fluence securities, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis; there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/fluence-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:

Adam McCall

[email protected]

212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters.

Most recently, The Legal 500 awarded BFA the most client satisfaction accolades of any plaintiff’s securities litigation law firm, with clients noting: “[t]here is no better service provider in the practice area,” “[t]he interest of the client is always front and center,” and “[t]here isn’t a better firm in this space.” One testimonial described the firm as “nimble and entrepreneurial,” with a “relentless focus on adding value for clients.”

Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/fluence-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928865692/en/

Adam McCall

[email protected]

212.789.3619

KEYWORDS: United States North America New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Class Action Lawsuit Professional Services Legal

MEDIA:

Logo

SLB Announces Date for Third-Quarter 2026 Results Conference Call

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
SLB (NYSE: SLB) will hold a conference call on October 23, 2026, to discuss the results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2026.

The conference call is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern time and a press release regarding the results will be issued at 7:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.

To access the conference call, listeners should contact the Conference Call Operator at +1 (800) 715-9871 within North America or +1 (646) 307-1963 outside of North America approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call and the access code is 3440360.

A webcast of the conference call will be broadcast simultaneously at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/293449855 on a listen-only basis. Listeners should log in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to test their browsers and register for the webcast. Following the end of the conference call, a replay will be available at www.slb.com/irwebcast until October 30, 2026, and can be accessed by dialing +1 (800) 770-2030 within North America or +1 (609) 800-9909 outside of North America and giving the access code 3440360.

About SLB

SLB (NYSE: SLB) is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global footprint in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition. Find out more at slb.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928220582/en/

Investors

James R. McDonald – SVP of Investor Relations & Industry Affairs

Joy V. Domingo – Director of Investor Relations

SLB

Tel: +1 (713) 375-3535

[email protected]

Media

Josh Byerly – SVP of Communications

Moira Duff – Director of External Communications

SLB

Tel: +1 (713) 375-3407

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Alternative Energy Energy Other Energy Oil/Gas

MEDIA:

Logo

Complementary Transaction Supports Local Journalism in Arizona, Montana and South Dakota

USA TODAY Co. and Lee Enterprises Realign Local Newspaper Portfolios

Complementary Transaction Supports Local Journalism in Arizona, Montana and South Dakota

NEW YORK, NY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–USA TODAY Co., Inc. (NYSE: TDAY) and Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NASDAQ: LEE) announced today strategic agreements that signal an exciting next chapter for both organizations, effective immediately. The agreements conclude TNI Partners, the joint venture involving the Arizona Daily Star, where Lee Enterprises led the Arizona Daily Star’s newsroom, production and related technology operations, while USA TODAY Co. managed advertising and sales, accounting and finance functions. USA TODAY Co. will assume full ownership and operations of the Arizona Daily Star. This marks the beginning of a new chapter for local journalism and community engagement across Arizona where USA TODAY Co. owns TheArizona Republic.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928771743/en/

At the same time, Lee Enterprises will acquire publications in South Dakota and Montana respectively to include the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, the Aberdeen American News (including the Farm Forum), the Watertown Public Opinion and the Great Falls Tribune. Lee Enterprises maintains a strong footprint across Montana through the Billings Gazette, Independent Record, Missoulian, The Montana Standard and Ravalli Republic, as well asthe Rapid City Journal in South Dakota.

These transactions allow each company to be better positioned to focus resources where they can have the greatest local impact. Aligning these trusted brands in these markets enables both companies to invest in growth, serve local audiences and support the future of community journalism.

“These thoughtful transactions reflects a strategic decision to best serve these communities and support the future of local journalism,” said Michael A. Anastasi, Senior Vice President of Local News, USA TODAY Network. “As leaders in the industry, we have a responsibility to ensure local news organizations are positioned for long-term success. We are proud to welcome the Arizona Daily Star and its talented team to the USA TODAY Network and look forward to building on its longstanding tradition of trusted local journalism.”

“We’re honored to deepen our commitment to the communities of Montana and South Dakota,” said Nathan Bekke, Lee’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Across the 193 brands we serve in 28 states, our focus is the same: providing trusted local news and information that helps people stay informed, connected and engaged in their communities.”

ABOUT USA TODAY CO., INC.

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. Our mission is to inspire, inform, and connect audiences. As a media and digital marketing solutions company we are focused on sustainable growth. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver trusted unbiased journalism when and where consumers want it. LocaliQ, our digital marketing solutions brand, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions.

ABOUT LEE ENTERPRISES, INC.

Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of local news and information and a major subscription and advertising platform, with 193 owned and managed brands across 28 states. Lee’s markets include St. Louis, MO; Buffalo, NY; Omaha, NE; Richmond, VA; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; and Davenport, IA. Lee Common Stock is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol LEE. For more information about Lee, please visit www.lee.net.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements relating to whether this transaction will enable USA TODAY Co. to increase sales or revenues, beliefs, intentions, estimates or strategies regarding the future, which may not be realized. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “ongoing,” “future” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are based largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies, changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially and/or significantly different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations, see the risks and other factors detailed in “Item 3. Key Information – Risk Factors” in USA TODAY Co.’s (fka Gannett Co., Inc.) 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and USA TODAY Co.’s (fka Gannett Co., Inc.) quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and USA TODAY Co.’s (fka Gannett Co., Inc.) other filings with the SEC, in each case as such factors may be updated from time to time. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. USA TODAY Co. disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928771743/en/

MEDIA CONTACTS
USA TODAY Co.
[email protected]

Lee Enterprises
[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Arizona Virginia Montana South Dakota New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Digital Marketing Media Communications

MEDIA:

Logo

Logo

U.S. Bank Launches New Credit Cards for Small Business Owners with Jessica Alba as Spokesperson

Introducing U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Visa® Card and U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Plus Visa Signature® Card, two new small business credit cards designed for simplicity with unlimited 2% cash back on everyday business purchases and benefits that make it easier and more rewarding to manage your business with U.S. Bank.

Key Takeaways:

• Simple, Unlimited Cash Back: U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Visa® Card and U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Plus Visa Signature® Card offer 2% unlimited cash back on eligible purchases.
• Accelerated Earn: Unlock up to 2.5% total cash back with Business Essentials^TM and up to 3.5% total cash back with Business Essentials^TM Plus when you pair qualifying balances in a qualified business checking account. Additionally with the Business Essentials^TM Plus Card, automatically earn 5% cash back on your top spend category (up to $200,000 annually).
• Welcome Offer: New Business Essentials^TM cardholders can earn $500 after spending $5,000 in the first 150 days of account opening, plus 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles. Business Essentials^TM Plus cardholders can earn $1,000 after spending $15,000 in the first 150 days of account opening.
• Annual Fees: Business Essentials^TM offers straightforward value with no annual fee. Business Essentials^TM Plus offers enhanced rewards with $295 annual fee.
• Jessica Alba will showcase the Business Essentials^TM card offerings as U.S. Bank’s new small business card spokesperson.

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
U.S. Bank doubles down on its commitment to support small business owners with the launch of its U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Visa® Card and U.S. Bank Business Essentials^TM Plus Visa Signature® Card. The cards are designed for small business owners looking for straight-forward rewards on their everyday business purchases. Both offer unlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases, plus the ability to earn higher cash back when paired with qualifying balances in a qualified business checking account. The card launch also debuts Jessica Alba, an experienced small business owner and actress, as the bank’s new small business spokesperson.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260927514978/en/

Business Essentials^TM and Business Essentials^TM Plus help small business owners increase their financial flexibility by offering expanded purchasing capacity to manage day-to-day expenses and improve cash flow management. Plus, by connecting their banking relationship, owners benefit from seamless cash back reward redemption into their qualifying business checking account or as a statement credit on their card. This allows owners to lower their operating costs by reinvesting back into their business.

Knowing small business owners want to spend more time growing their business than managing it, the cards allow them to centralize business expenses, protect against fraud and access spend management tools. The goal is to provide peace of mind when making business purchases and to make these purchases even more rewarding when owners manage both payments and banking with U.S. Bank.

“Small business owners employ over 61 million Americans and contribute to nearly half of our nation’s GDP; they deserve financial products that reward their ambition and empower them to succeed,” said Courtney Kelso, senior executive vice president of Payments, Consumer and Small Business. “Our new Business Essentials^TM cards offer small business owners straightforward, easy-to-use benefits that help simplify their spending, banking and expense management.”

Key features include:

Business EssentialsTM	Business EssentialsTM Plus
Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase
Up to 2.5% total cash back with qualifying balances in a qualified business checking account.	Up to 3.5% total cash back with qualifying balances in a qualified business checking account.   5% cash back on your top spend category automatically.
No annual fee	$295 annual fee
$500 cash back bonus after spending $5,000 in the first 150 days of account opening, 0% APR on purchases for first the 12 billing cycles for qualifying new cardholders.	$1,000 cash back bonus after spending $15,000 in the first 150 days of account opening.
Spend Management
ExtendPay
Visa Business benefits	Visa Signature Business benefits

“Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with small business owners through integrated solutions, not simply give them a card,” Kelso said. “The Business Essentials^TM and Business Essentials^TM Plus cards reward the strength of small businesses that build deeper connections with U.S. Bank.”

The cards also integrate key capabilities from U.S. Bank’s broader small-business banking services. The award-winning Spend Management platform comes with both the Business Essentials^TM and Business Essentials^TM Plus cards. With Spend Management, small business owners can easily capture receipts, track card spend, set card controls and integrate with existing accounting software. Also included is U.S. Bank Extend Pay, providing a convenient fixed-fee payment plan for large purchases.

Jessica Alba Campaign Launch

The Business Essentials^TM cards launch includes a new advertising and marketing campaign featuring U.S. Bank’s new small business card spokesperson, Jessica Alba.

Alba rose to public prominence as an actress in the early 2000s, but she is equally famous for her work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. She will appear in digital and television ads for U.S. Bank’s Business Essentials^TM and Business Essentials^TM Plus credit cards.

“Jessica is an ideal representative for our Business Essentials^TM cardholders as she embodies many of the traits we celebrate among small business owners, including a tireless work ethic and the knowledge of what it takes to grow a business,” Kelso said.

About U.S. Bancorp

Headquartered in Minneapolis, U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. Our three major business lines serve 15 million clients throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, and our team of nearly 70,000 people invest our hearts and minds to power human potential every day. Ranked 105th on the Fortune 500, we are deeply respected for our culture and long-term stewardship and admired for our diversified business mix and product capabilities.

Disclosures:

Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC. The creditor and issuer of this card is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc., and the card is available to United States residents only.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260927514978/en/

Joe Rauch, Public Affairs & Communications

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Minnesota

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Personal Finance Finance Banking Small Business Professional Services Celebrity Fintech Entertainment

MEDIA:

Photo

U.S. Bank Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature credit card.

Photo

U.S. Bank Business Essentials Visa card.

Photo

Jessica Alba, U.S. Bank spokesperson, with the Business Essentials Visa card.

Logo