Market Newsdesk

SAN DIEGO
, Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The law firm ofRobbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers of Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) Class A common stock between February 26, 2020 and April 30, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”), have until March 18, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Block class action lawsuit.  Captioned Gonsalves v. Block, Inc., No. 25-00642 (N.D. Cal.), the Block class action lawsuit charges Block and certain of Block’s top executive officers with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Block class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-block-class-action-lawsuit-sq.html
 

You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Block is a financial technology conglomerate. Block’s inaugural product is Square, a financial services platform for small and medium-sized businesses.  Block later launched Cash App (f/k/a “Square Cash”), a mobile payment service that allows users to transfer money using a mobile phone.

The Block class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Block had engaged in widespread and years-long compliance lapses at Square and Cash App, including by failing to conduct basic due diligence regarding its customers’ identities or the nature of customer transactions so as to prevent the platforms from being used for illegal or illicit activities; (ii) Block had effectively created a haven for widespread illegal and illicit activities on its Square and Cash App platforms by imposing minimal obligations on customers seeking to open accounts, transact, and deposit or withdraw funds; encouraging the use of bitcoin; and pressuring Block’s banking partners to forgo ordinary know your customer due diligence activities; (iii) thousands of transactions on Square and Cash App were made in connection with a wide variety of illegal and illicit activities, including, inter alia, money laundering, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism financing, contract killings, and illicit payments to entities and persons subject to economic sanctions; (iv) Block allowed its customers to withdraw funds even after the accounts had been flagged for potentially illegal or illicit activities; (v) Block customers could open up multiple accounts using fake identities in order to engage in illegal or illicit activities; (vi) Block’s senior leadership and the Board of Directors had failed to correct identified compliance deficiencies despite numerous red flags, internal employee reports of deficiencies, and customer complaints; (vii) Block’s Cash App user metrics had been artificially inflated through the use of fake accounts and the ability of criminals and other bad actors to open multiple accounts; and (viii) as a result of the above, Block was subject to a material, undisclosed risk of its conduct being exposed, thereby exposing Block to reputational harm, adverse regulatory actions, the loss of business activity, and adverse impacts to Block’s operations and financial results.

On March 23, 2023, Hindenburg Research published a damaging exposé on Block titled: “Block: How Inflated User Metrics and ‘Frictionless’ Fraud Facilitation Enabled Insiders To Cash Out Over $1 Billion.”  On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell nearly 15%.

Then, on August 3, 2023, Block disclosed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice were investigating the allegations against Block and its employees contained in the Hindenburg Research report.  On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell nearly 14%.

Thereafter, on February 16, 2024, NBC News reported that federal regulators were probing allegations by two whistleblowers that Cash App performed inadequate due diligence on its users – including “‘no effective procedure to establish the[ir] identity'” – opening the door to potential money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illegal and illicit activities.  On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell more than 5%.

Finally, on May 1, 2024, NBC News reported that federal prosecutors were investigating Block due to allegations by a former employee that Block had engaged in widespread and years-long compliance lapses at its two main units, Square and Cash App.  Reportedly, the employee had provided prosecutors with internal Block documents demonstrating that Block had failed to conduct basic due diligence on its customers, that Square had processed thousands of transactions involving countries subject to economic sanctions (including Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela), and that Block had processed multiple cryptocurrency transactions for terrorist groups.  On this news, the price of Block Class A common stock fell more than 8%.

The plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller, which has extensive experience in prosecuting investor class actions including actions involving financial fraud.  You can view a copy of the complaint by clicking here.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased Block Class A common stock during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Block class action lawsuit.  A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class.  A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Block class action lawsuit.  The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Block class action lawsuit.  An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery of the Block class action lawsuit is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world’s leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases.  Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors.  We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years.  With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the world and the Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig.  Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. 

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. 

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal
655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
800-449-4900
[email protected] 

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SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

Forecasts converge on freezing precipitation and accumulation across Greater Houston as National Weather Service upgrades advisory to a Winter Storm Warning

Three staging sites set-up and approximately 1,200 additional mutual aid workers set to arrive tomorrow to support potential restoration efforts

CenterPoint to activate its emergency operations center Monday afternoon ahead of the projected start of precipitation

CenterPoint urges customers and the public to be weather alert and have a plan to stay safe and warm through freezing temperatures and precipitation

HOUSTON
, Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CenterPoint Energy continues to execute its cold weather readiness plan and actively monitor the weather for new developments. Weather forecasts continue to converge on a major winter storm, now named Enzo, impacting the Greater Houston area beginning Monday evening, with wintry precipitation and significant accumulation forecasted across the region this week.

The company has secured an additional 1,200 mutual aid workers to support potential restoration efforts. CenterPoint’s emergency operations center will be activated Monday evening ahead of the projected arrival of wintry precipitation and the company is standing up three staging sites and pre-positioning crews across its service territory to respond, if needed, as safely and as quickly as possible.

CenterPoint’s Emergency Preparedness and Response, Meteorology and Operations teams will remain on alert throughout the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend and continue to utilize in-house and third-party weather modeling and historical data from previous weather events to plan for all potential impacts to CenterPoint’s system.

In preparation for the mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain anticipated to impact the region, the National Weather Service has upgraded the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning for Southeast Texas beginning at 6 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

On Friday, ERCOT issued a Weather Watch from Monday to Wednesday due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. At this time, according to ERCOT, grid conditions are expected to be normal, but CenterPoint teams remain ready to respond if that should change.

“As our CenterPoint teams stand up these staging sites and begin onboarding approximately 1,200 mutual assistance workers who’ve answered the call to support potential restoration efforts, we continue to diligently monitor the weather and our systems and prepare for potential impact. We want our customers to be confident in the numerous cold weather preparations CenterPoint has already executed from our winter readiness plan and to know we have plans in place to support their communities during this week’s forecasted severe weather. We also want to urge our customers to stay weather alert, have an emergency plan in place and take steps now to prepare, especially customers who rely on life-sustaining equipment,” said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint’s Electric Business. 

Cold weather preparations
The company has a cold weather readiness plan in place and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its infrastructure across Texas, including inspecting and testing cold-weather critical equipment. In addition to securing an additional 1,200 mutual aid resources to assist with restoration efforts, additional call center resources have been secured in anticipation of call volume rising and support platforms have been load-tested to meet higher demand as customers seek information during and after the storm. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and natural gas infrastructure, coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials and making plans to mobilize emergency response resources.

Stay informed before, during and after the storm with CenterPoint’s Storm Center, Power Alert Service® and the CenterPoint Texas X account
CenterPoint is encouraging all customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during Winter Storm Enzo. Customers can read the latest news on CenterPoint’s preparedness and response efforts, view important safety tips and access the company’s 2025 Winter Energy Guide by visiting CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter.

While CenterPoint continues to provide information around this weather event to its 2.8 million electric customers, including those designated as critical care, the company also encourages all electric customers to enroll in the company’s Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email.

Customers can also follow @CenterPoint_TX to receive the most up-to-date information on the company’s operations in the Greater Houston area and across Texas.

For the latest weather information for the Greater Houston area, see updates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Houston/Galveston at www.weather.gov/hgx.   

Safety reminders
CenterPoint reminds customers to stay safe during and after winter storms:

• Downed power lines: Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and report them to CenterPoint at 713-207-2222. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.
   
• Work crew safety: Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.
   
• Portable generators: Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated area and never run it inside or in a garage to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) fumes, which can be deadly.
   
• Use space heaters safely: Make sure space heaters have an automatic shut-off, and keep children, pets and all items at least three feet away from it. A space heater that uses natural gas, propane or wood should be vented to the outside. Stoves and ovens should never be used for space heating.
   
• Electric system safety: Never connect a portable electric generator directly to a building’s electrical system during a power outage; electricity could back-feed into the power lines, potentially endangering CenterPoint workers.
   
• Preserving food during outages: Avoid opening freezers and refrigerators during outages to preserve food.
   
• Natural gas safety: Natural gas is odorized with a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur. If a natural gas odor is detected inside a home or building, leave immediately on foot. Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), or anything that could cause a spark. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint Energy and 911. Do not use email or the Internet to report the leak and never attempt to repair a natural gas leak yourself—leave all repairs to trained technicians. For leaks outside, leave the area on foot and move in an upwind direction away from the leak or vapor cloud to a location where the smell of gas is no longer present. Warn others to stay away from the leak and abandon any equipment being used in or near the area. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint and 911 to report the leak.
   
• Know the signs of CO poisoning: Early symptoms such as headache and fatigue are similar to the flu, but without a fever. Continued CO exposure can lead to more severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty thinking clearly and fainting. If everyone in a household is experiencing these symptoms, it could be CO poisoning. If symptoms suggest CO poisoning, leave the area immediately, get fresh air and call 911.
   
• Gas meter maintenance: Remove large icicles hanging over meter assemblies and appliance vents. Use a broom – not a shovel – to clear snow from the meter. If the gas meter is encased in ice, do not attempt to melt and/or chip the ice, as this could cause damage to the meter. Allow the ice to melt on its own.
   
• Call before digging: Call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on a property.

For more information, contact


Communications



[email protected]

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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

NEW YORK
, Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ —

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) of Rentokil Initial plc (NYSE: RTO) between December 1, 2023 and September 10, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important January 27, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

So what: If you purchased Rentokil ADSs during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

What to do next: To join the Rentokil class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31778 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 27, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Rentokil experienced levels of disruption in the early pilots of the Terminix integration; (2) Rentokil experienced significant, ongoing, self-inflicted execution challenges integrating Terminix; (3) the disruption and execution challenges imperiled Rentokil’s integration plan for Terminix; (4) Rentokil and Terminix were still two separate businesses that were not yet integrated; (5) Rentokil’s failure to integrate Terminix negatively impacted the Rentokil’s business and operations, particularly organic revenue growth in North America; and (6) as a result of the above, defendants’ positive statements about the Rentokil’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Rentokil class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31778 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40^th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com

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SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

LONDON
, Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Industrial display panel shipments are projected to reach 167.9 million units, marking a significant 10.9% YoY growth for 2024 according to analysis from Omdia’s “Industrial and Public Display & OEM Intelligence Service”. Among 12 industrial display applications, the smart home and office application segments, among 50 industrial display sub-applications, topped first place with 46% shipment share.  Within this category, multi-function printers accounted for 22% shipment share totaling 8.6million units with panel sizes under 3-inches and 5million units with sizes ranging 3.1 to 7-inches, driven largely by AUO Display Plus.

While most of the industrial display demand is expected to remain stable or decline slightly due to inventory challenges, the double-digit shipment growth will mainly be fueled by specific sectors, including 0.96-inch AMOLED panels for e-cigarettes and 8-inch LTPS gaming consoles, with Truly driving much of this growth. In 2025, industrial display shipments are expected to rise further to 178 million units, reflecting 6% YoY growth. Omdia forecasts a rebound in factory automation demand, while the e-cigarettes and gaming console markets are expected to maintain their strong performance.

From the perspective of the industrial panel makers which includes the major industrial display panel makers such as AUO Display Plus, BOE, Innolux, Tianma and Truly, revenue is estimated to reach USD 2.1 billion for 2024, reflecting a slight decline of 3.5% YoY. However, this is expected to rebound to USD 2.4 billion in 2025, marking a robust YoY growth of 13.6%.

From 2024 to 2025, industrial display supply chain participants operate with varying business models, balancing cooperation and competition to diversify product portfolios and drive revenue. Panel makers like AUO Display Plus, BOE and Truly are increasing efforts in set and open frame business, some panel makers need to have revenue first, while some prefer to choose set and open-frame businesses, which are expected to account for 4.8% of total panel revenue in 2024.

Geopolitical risks and tariff impact in 2025 pose challenges, prompting the supply chain to shift production to Southeast Asia and India. Fortunately, many participants, including touch panel suppliers, panel module houses, ODMs, and some industrial brands have already established mass production in Southeast Asia enabling a smoother transition.

“Higher revenue growth is expected in 2025, driven by e-cigarettes, game consoles and new applications, such as two-wheeled vehicles with a-Si display technology,” said TzuHu Huang.  

“These vehicles require displays that withstand direct sunlight and rain leading more stringent specifications.”

Additionally, mini LEDs backlight products, planned for slot machines, marine and professional medical display and drones, are expected to enter mass production further boosting revenue.

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of Informa TechTarget, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets combined with our actionable insights empower organizations to make smart growth decisions.

Contact

Fasiha Khan: [email protected]

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SOURCE Omdia

NEW YORK
, Jan. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ —

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGPI) between May 4, 2023 and October 30, 2024 (the “Class Period”), of the important February 14, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

So what: If you purchased MGPI common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

What to do next: To join the MGPI class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9167 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 14, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about MGPI’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants repeatedly touted a strong demand and “normal” inventory levels in brown goods (i.e., American whiskies and tequila), when in fact there had been a slowdown in consumption and oversupply in their products. Worse, defendants had assured investors that they were positioned differently than their competitors, and that this was a non-issue, because MGPI had already taken steps to mitigate the risk, when in fact it had not. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the MGPI class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9167 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

      Laurence Rosen, Esq.
      Phillip Kim, Esq.
      The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
      275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
      New York, NY 10016
      Tel: (212) 686-1060
      Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
      Fax: (212) 202-3827
      [email protected]
      www.rosenlegal.com

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SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.