InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN) Announces CryptoCurrencyWire Audio Production Featuring Award-Winning Author John Truman Wolfe

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via — InvestorWire — InvestorBrandNetwork (“IBN”), a multifaceted communications organization engaged in connecting public companies to the investment community, is pleased to announce the release of the latest CryptoCurrencyWire Audio Production as part of its sustained effort to provide specialized content distribution via widespread syndication channels.

CryptoCurrencyWire’s latest audio production features John Truman Wolfe, No. 1 bestselling and international award-winning author of “The Coming Financial Crisis: A Look Behind the Wizard’s Curtain” and “The 99 Strongest Banks in America.” Wolfe is also the editor and publisher of Strategic Financial Intelligence, a monthly newsletter dealing with investing, politics and the economy.

Wolfe kicked off the podcast by examining the continued rise in mainstream appeal of decentralized cryptocurrencies following the launch of Bitcoin in January 2009.

“[Digital currency] is at the doorstep of mainstream, very much so, particularly the last 18 months. A very profound announcement taking it mainstream was that PayPal agreed to accept it as payment and settlement for its 430-some-odd million users and its 20 million vendors. That’s Bitcoin, and, when PayPal opens the door for it in that way, it really steps into the mainstream,” he said in the interview. “Today, there are some 7,000 cryptocurrencies. … The cryptocurrency market today is around $335 billion. So, mainstream, yes.”

Wolfe then turned his attention toward the efforts of central banks around the world to implement centralized digital currencies of their own.

“There are cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple; those are decentralized cryptocurrencies. In other words, there’s no central authority. Those trade outside of the range of banks and governments, with Bitcoin being the leading one,” he continued. “There is also a massive movement right now by the central banks of the world to roll out digital currencies into the bank accounts of me and thee to replace cash with zeros and ones. … China is the leading industrial nation in digital currencies. They are now operating digital currencies in four states in China. People are being paid in digital currencies in these four provinces. China’s kind of leading this, but it’s coming.”

Wolfe concluded the interview by providing some insight into the potential impact of recent stimulus initiatives on the economy in the coming months and years.

“Regardless of who wins the election, the Fed has put an additional $3 trillion-plus into the economy. That’s a lot of money. With that amount of money and the GDP where it is, which is not good, we’ll have inflation,” he noted. “Inflation is basically defined as the amount of money in circulation relative to the goods and services. We have, in the U.S., a dramatic increase in money and a slight decline in products and services. One thing I expect after the election and into 2021 will be inflation.”

Join InvestorBrandNetwork’s Stuart Smith and Strategic Financial Intelligence editor John Truman Wolfe in exploring the continuing evolution and adoption of decentralized currencies, the impending rise of centralized digital currencies and the long-term effects of recent economic policy decisions in the U.S.

To hear the entire episode please visit: https://www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com/CryptoNewsAudio

The latest audio production from CryptoCurrencyWire continues to reinforce InvestorBrandNetwork’s commitment to the expansion of its robust network of brands, client partners, followers and the growing IBN Podcast Series. For more than 15 years, IBN has leveraged this commitment to provide unparalleled distribution and corporate messaging solutions to 500+ public and private companies.

To learn more about IBN’s achievements and milestones via a visual timeline, visit: https://IBN.fm/TimeLine

About CryptoCurrencyWire


CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW)
is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3); enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via the InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers; and (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CCW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CCW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CRYPTO to 77948 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only).

For more information, please visit https://www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com.

About InvestorBrandNetwork

The InvestorBrandNetwork (“IBN”) consists of financial brands introduced to the investment public over the course of 15+ years. With IBN, we have amassed a collective audience of millions of social media followers. These distinctive investor brands aim to fulfill the unique needs of a growing base of client-partners. IBN will continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients.

Through NetworkNewsWire (“NNW”) and its affiliate brands, IBN provides: (1) access to a network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets; (3) enhanced press release solutions to ensure maximum impact; (4) full-scale distribution to a growing social media audience; (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions; and (6) a total news coverage solution.

For more information on IBN, visit https://www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com.

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the InvestorBrandNetwork website, applicable to all content provided by IBN, wherever published or re-published: https://IBN.fm/Disclaimer

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company’s SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

Corporate Communications

InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN)
Los Angeles, California
www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
310.299.1717 Office
[email protected]

Wipro’s Annual State of Cybersecurity Report Finds Increasing Adoption of AI in Cybersecurity to Tackle Advanced Adversaries

Wipro’s Annual State of Cybersecurity Report Finds Increasing Adoption of AI in Cybersecurity to Tackle Advanced Adversaries

Nearly half (49%) of organizations plan to extend Cognitive and AI capabilities for security to detect and respond to attacks faster

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. & BANGALORE, India–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today released its annual State of Cybersecurity Report (SOCR) that presents changing perspectives of cybersecurity globally.

The report provides fresh insights on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be leveraged as part of defender stratagems as more organizations lock horns with sophisticated cyberattacks and become more resilient. There has been an increase in R&D with 49% of the worldwide cybersecurity related patents filed in the last four years being focussed on AI and Machine Learning (ML) application. Nearly half the organisations are expanding cognitive detection capabilities to tackle unknown attacks in their Security Operations Center (SOC).

The report also illustrates a paradigm shift towards cyber resilience amid the rise in global remote work. It considers the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cybersecurity landscape around the globe and provides a path for organizations to adapt with this new normal.

The fourth edition of the SOCR saw a global participation of 194 organizations and 21 partner academic, institutional and technology organizations over four months of research.

Additional highlights from State of Cybersecurity Report, include:

Global macro trends in cyber security

  • Nation State Attacks Target Private Sector: 86% of all nation-state attacks fall under espionage category, and 46% of them are targeted towards private companies.
  • Evolving threat patterns have emerged in the Consumer and Retail Sectors: 47% of suspicious social media profiles and domains were detected active in 2019 in these sectors.

Cyber Trends sparked by COVID-19 Global Pandemic

  • Cyber Hygiene proven difficult during remote work enablement: 70% of the organizations faced challenges in maintaining endpoint cyber hygiene and 57% in mitigating Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) risks.
  • Emerging post-COVID Cybersecurity priorities: 87% of the surveyed organizations are keen on implementing zero trust architecture and 87% are planning to scale up secure cloud migration.

Micro Trends: An inside-out enterprise view

  • Low Confidence in Cyber Resilience: 59% of the organizations understand their cyber risks but only 23% of them are highly confident about preventing cyberattacks.
  • Strong Cybersecurity spend due to Board Oversight & Regulations: 14% of organizations have a security budget of more than 12% of their overall IT budgets.

Micro Trends: Best Cyber practices to emulate

  • Laying the foundation for a Cognitive SOC: 49% of organizations are adding cognitive detection capabilities to their SOC to tackle unknown attacks.
  • Concerns about OT Infrastructure attacks increasing: 65% of organizations are performing log monitoring of Operation Technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices as a control to mitigate increased OT Risks.

Meso Trends: An overview on Collaboration

  • Fighting cyber-attacks demands stronger collaboration: 57% of organizations are willing to share only Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and 64% consider reputational risks to be a barrier to information sharing.
  • Cyber-attack simulation exercises serve as a strong wakeup call: 60% participate in cyber simulation exercises coordinated by Industry regulators, National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTs) and third-party service providers and 79% organizations have dedicated cyber insurance policy in place.

Future of Cybersecurity

  • 5G security is the emerging area for patent filing: 7% of the worldwide patents filed in the cyber domain in the last four years have been related to 5G security.

Vertical insights by industry

  • Banking, Financial Services & Insurance: 70% of financial services enterprises said that new regulations are fuelling increase in security budgets, with 54% attributing higher budgets to board intervention.
  • Communications: 71% of organizations consider cloud-hosting risk as a top risk.
  • Consumer: 86% of consumer businesses said email phishing is a top risk and 75% enterprises said a bad cyber event will lead to damaged band reputation in the marketplace.
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences: 83% of healthcare organizations have highlighted maintaining endpoint cyber hygiene as a challenge, 71% have highlighted that breaches reported by peers has led to increased security budget allocation.
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Utilities: 71% organizations reported that OT/IT Integration would bring new risks.
  • Manufacturing: 58% said that they are not confident about preventing risks from supply chain providers.

Bhanumurthy B.M, President and Chief Operating Officer, Wipro Limited said, “There is a significant shift in global trends like rapid innovation to mitigate evolving threats, strict data privacy regulations and rising concern about breaches. Security is ever changing and the report brings more focus, enablement, and accountability on executive management to stay updated. Our research not only focuses on what happened during the pandemic but also provides foresight toward future cyber strategies in a post-COVID world.”

To access the full report, click here.

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 180,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro’s beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro’s control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro’s growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers’ ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers’ purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

Media Contact:

Nisha Chandrasekaran

Wipro Limited

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: New Jersey United States India North America Asia Pacific

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Mobile/Wireless Networks Internet Professional Services Hardware Data Management Technology Security Other Professional Services Other Technology Consulting

MEDIA:

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Bang Energy Terminates Distributor Partnership With PepsiCo

WESTON, Fla., Nov. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bang Energy has terminated its exclusive distribution partnership with PepsiCo, which is no longer the exclusive distributor of BANG® or any other beverage brands recently launched by the makers of BANG®, including NOO FUZION™, MELTDOWN®, REDLINE® COGNITIVE CANDY™ and BANG® SHOTS (the world’s 1st carbonated energy shot).

Bang Energy gave PepsiCo notice of termination as its exclusive distributor on October 23, 2020, citing multiple issues and concerns regarding PepsiCo’s performance since the parties’ distribution partnership began in April 2020.

“Bang Energy has had, and continues to have, a remarkable 11-year relationship with many of its prior distribution partners, including the independent Pepsi bottlers.  Therefore, we sincerely expected PepsiCo to execute at an even higher level based on their enormous resources and promises.  Unfortunately, we were wrong.  PepsiCo, you’re fired,” says Jack Owoc, CEO of Bang Energy.

For more information about this release, please contact [email protected].

To see the Notice of Termination Letter, visit: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/f644e4e3-3585-4f4c-89fe-e0e08331d0cf


About Bang Energy

Jack Owoc is the CEO, CSO (Chief Scientific Officer), and founder of Bang Energy and its extensive portfolio of allied brands. Bang Energy was founded in 1993 with one goal in mind:  to produce the highest grade, university-proven sports supplements and performance beverages in the world. Bang Energy has funded roughly 30 landmark, human-subject studies on its products, including BANG® and REDLINE® energy drinks, at UCLA, University of South Alabama, Florida State University, Baylor, University of Southern Maine, Memphis University, College of New Jersey, FIU, and other top universities in the country. Jack Owoc and this team continue to update and release new nutrition products, proudly maintaining his distinction as the “Frontrunner in Sports Nutrition.” For more information and daily trendsetting updates, workout tips, and supplement research, stay connected by following Jack Owoc on Instagram, @BangEnergy.CEO, visit Bang Energy’s website, www.bangenergy.com, and follow Bang Energy on Instagram, @BangEnergy.



Perrigo To Present At The Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference

PR Newswire

DUBLIN, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Perrigo Company plc (NYSE; TASE: PRGO), today announced that CEO and President, Murray S. Kessler and CFO, Ray Silcock, will present at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference at 1:00 PM EST on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.  Interested parties can access the presentation webcasts at http://perrigo.investorroom.com/events-webcasts.


About Perrigo

 

Perrigo Company plc (NYSE; TASE: PRGO) is a leading provider of Quality, Affordable Self-Care Products and over-the-counter (OTC) health and wellness solutions that enhance individual well-being by empowering consumers to proactively prevent or treat conditions that can be self-managed. Led by its consumer self-care strategy, Perrigo is the largest store brand OTC player in the U.S. in the categories in which it competes through more than 9,000 SKUs under customer ‘own brand’ labels. Additionally, Perrigo is a Top 5 OTC company by revenue in Europe, where it markets more than 200 branded OTC products throughout 28 countries. The Company also commercializes and manufactures generic prescription products in the U.S. Visit Perrigo online at www.perrigo.com


Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements.” These statements relate to future events or the Company’s future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of the Company or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “forecast,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Company believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, including: the effect of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the associated economic downturn and supply chain impacts on the Company’s business; general economic, credit, and market conditions; future impairment charges; customer acceptance of new products; competition from other industry participants, some of whom have greater marketing resources or larger market shares in certain product categories than the Company does; pricing pressures from customers and consumers; resolution of uncertain tax positions, including the Company’s appeal of the Notice of Assessment (the “NoA”) issued by the Irish tax authority and the draft and final Notices of Proposed Assessment (“NOPAs”) issued by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the impact that an adverse result in any such proceedings would have on operating results, cash flows, and liquidity; pending and potential third-party claims and litigation, including litigation relating to the Company’s restatement of previously-filed financial information and litigation relating to uncertain tax positions, including the NoA and the NOPAs; potential impacts of ongoing or future government investigations and regulatory initiatives; potential costs and reputational impact of product recalls or sales halts; the impact of tax reform legislation and healthcare policy; the timing, amount and cost of any share repurchases; fluctuations in currency exchange rates and interest rates; the consummation of announced acquisitions or dispositions and the success of such transactions, and the Company’s ability to realize the desired benefits thereof; and the Company’s ability to execute and achieve the desired benefits of announced cost-reduction efforts and strategic and other initiatives. An adverse result with respect to our appeal of any material outstanding tax assessments or pending litigation, including securities or drug pricing matters, could ultimately require the use of corporate assets to pay such assessments, damages from third-party claims, and related interest and/or penalties, and any such use of corporate assets would limit the assets available for other corporate purposes. Statements regarding the separation of the Rx business, including the expected benefits, anticipated timing, form of any such separation and whether the separation ultimately occurs, are all subject to various risks and uncertainties, including future financial and operating results, our ability to separate the business, the effect of existing interdependencies with our manufacturing and shared service operations, and the tax consequences of the planned separation to the Company or its shareholders. These and other important factors, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as well as the Company’s subsequent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/perrigo-to-present-at-the-morgan-stanley-global-consumer–retail-conference-301174760.html

SOURCE Perrigo Company plc

Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial and Operating Results

Midland, TX, Nov. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (“NGS” or the “Company”) (NYSE:NGS), a leading provider of natural gas compression equipment and services to the energy industry, today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Third Quarter 2020 Highlights

  • Company generated exceptional cash flow and steady utilization despite market turmoil    
    • Cash balance increased 78% to $27.6 million in Q3 from $15.5 million in Q2 due to strong operating cash flow, reduced CAPEX, and a federal income tax refund of $3.9 million.
    • Cash flows from operating activities increased 31% to $27.9 million during the first nine months of 2020 compared to $21.3 million during the same period in 2019.   
    • Utilization remained steady on both a horsepower (63.8% in Q3 vs. 63.6% in Q2) and a unit (54.6% in Q3 vs. 54.5% in Q2) basis.
  • Rental revenue of  $14.9 million, an increase of 3.0% when compared to the third quarter of 2019.
  • Net loss of $562,000 ($0.04 loss per diluted share).
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $5.6 million.  Please see Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted EBITDA, below. 
  • Planned capital expenditures of $7-$9 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 backed by attractive contracts.  

Additional Discussion of the Quarter

Revenue: Total revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2020 decreased to $15.8 million from $20.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. This decrease was primarily due to a drop in sales revenue resulting from a lack of compressor sales offset by an increase in rental revenue. Rental revenue increased 3.0% to $14.9 million in the third quarter of 2020 from $14.4 million in the third quarter of 2019 due to a greater number of large horsepower units being rented.  Total revenue decreased 9.4% to $15.8 million in the third quarter of 2020 compared to $17.4 million in the second quarter of 2020 resulting from a lack of compressor sales along with a 1.8% decrease in rental revenue during the third quarter of 2020.  This sequential decrease in rental revenue was due to some continuing equipment shut-ins, rate reductions and unit returns in the third quarter.

Gross Margins:  Total gross margins decreased to $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $3.8 million for the same period in 2019.  Total adjusted gross margin, exclusive of depreciation, for the three months ended September 30, 2020, decreased $1.7 million to $7.9 million from $9.6 million for the same period ended September 30, 2019. This decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in sales revenue and higher unabsorbed fabrication costs partially offset by higher rental revenue and slightly higher rental margins.  Sequentially, total gross margin decreased to $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020. Excluding depreciation, total adjusted gross margin decreased 10.7% to $7.9 million during the third quarter of 2020 compared to $8.8 million during the second quarter of 2020. This sequential decrease was primarily due to a reduction in sales revenue as well as slightly lower rental revenue and rental margins. The small decrease in rental margin was impacted by an increase in our bad debt allowance and higher payroll costs mostly offset by lower maintenance and repair costs during the third quarter.  Please see discussions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Gross Margin, below.

Operating (Loss) Income: Operating loss for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $941,000 compared to an operating loss of $14.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Operating loss during the third quarter of 2019 included a full impairment of goodwill, an increase to inventory allowance, and retirement of rental equipment that totaled $14.9 million (“Impairment and Other Non-Cash Charges”). Excluding Impairment and Other Non-Cash Charges, adjusted operating income was $880,000 in the third quarter of 2019. The larger adjusted operating loss in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter of 2019 was mainly due to lower sales revenue, higher unabsorbed fabrication costs, and higher depreciation expense partially offset by higher rental revenues, slightly higher rental margins, and lower selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses. Operating loss in the third quarter of 2020 was $941,000 compared to an operating loss of $148,000 during the second quarter of 2020. This sequential decrease was primarily due to lower compressor and other sales as well as slight decreases in both rental revenue and rental margins that were partially offset by lower SG&A expenses during the third quarter. SG&A decreased by $169,000 sequentially primarily due to a decrease in unrealized loss on deferred compensation between quarters. Please see Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Net Income (Loss), below.

Net (Loss) Income: Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $562,000 compared to a net loss of $12.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019. Excluding Impairment and Other Non-Cash Charges, adjusted net income was $967,000 in the third quarter of 2019. The decrease in adjusted net income during the third quarter of 2020 was mainly due to lower sales revenue, higher unabsorbed fabrication costs, and higher depreciation expense partially offset by higher rental revenues, slightly higher rental margins, lower selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses, and higher other income.  Sequentially, net loss during the third quarter of 2020 of $562,000 compares to net income of $165,000 during the second quarter of 2020.  This sequential decrease was primarily due to lower compressor and other sales, slight decreases in both rental revenue and rental margins, and lower other income that were partially offset by lower SG&A expenses during the third quarter.  The sequential decrease in other income was primarily due to lower unrealized gains on company-owned life insurance (related to deferred compensation) during the third quarter and a gain on disposal of assets during the second quarter.  These factors were partially offset by interest income related to income tax refunds received during the third quarter.  Please see discussions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Net Income (Loss), below.

(Loss) Earnings per share: For the third quarter of 2020, the Company reported a loss per diluted share of $0.04 compared to loss per diluted share of $0.96 in the third quarter of 2019. Excluding Impairment and Other Non-Cash Charges, the company’s adjusted earnings per diluted share was $0.07 in the third quarter of 2019. Sequentially, the Company reported a loss per diluted share of $0.04 compared to earnings per diluted share of $0.01 in the second quarter of 2020. Please see discussions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Net Income (Loss), below.

Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA decreased to $5.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $6.9 million for the same period in 2019. This decrease was attributable to lower sales revenue and higher unabsorbed fabrication costs partially offset by higher rental revenue, slightly higher rental margins, lower G&A expenses and higher other income during the third quarter of 2020. Sequentially, adjusted EBITDA decreased to $5.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to $6.5 million in the previous quarter.  This decrease was attributable to lower sales revenue, slightly lower rental revenue, slightly lower rental margins, and lower other income partially offset by lower SG&A expenses during the third quarter.  Please see discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted EBITDA, below.

Cash flow: At September 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents were approximately $27.6 million, while working capital was $59.2 million and total debt was $417,000. For the nine months of 2020, cash flow from operating activities was $27.9 million, while cash flow used in investing activities was $11.8 million. Cash flow used in investing activities included $12.0 million in capital expenditures, of which $10.3 million was dedicated to rental capital expenditures.



Commenting on Third Quarter 2020 results, Stephen C. Taylor, President and CEO, said:

“NGS posted solid operating results during this third quarter of 2020. Although our total revenue in both comparative quarters was down, which was driven primarily by our compressor sales business, our rental revenues continue to be solid. We continue to focus on our costs and to pursue work that prompts good returns. Accordingly, total gross margins came in at 50% of revenue and Adjusted EBITDA was 35% of revenue.

“Importantly, we continued to strengthen our balance sheet and liquidity position, even in this very challenging market environment. During the third quarter, NGS delivered positive net cash flow from operating activities of $13.1 million and reduced capital expenditures to $1.0 million, which resulted in our cash balance increasing to $27.6 million. This is up significantly from $15.5 million at the end of the second quarter. NGS continues to maintain one of the best balance sheets in the industry.
“NGS is fortunate to have been well positioned entering this period of extraordinary pain for the energy industry. Our ability to react rapidly in this environment and respond to our customers’ needs have resulted in less impact on our financial condition compared to many of our peers.”

Selected data: The tables below show, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, revenues and percentage of total revenues, along with our gross margin and adjusted gross margin (exclusive of depreciation and amortization), as well as, related percentages of revenue for each of our product lines. Adjusted gross margin is the difference between revenue and cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation.

  Revenue
  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,
  2020   2019   2020   2019
  (in thousands)
Rental $ 14,861      94  %   $ 14,434      69  %   $ 46,092      90  %   $ 41,393      70  %
Sales 536      %   5,877      28  %   3,994      %   15,816      27  %
Service & Maintenance 368      %   541      %   974      %   1,529      %
Total $ 15,765          $ 20,852          $ 51,060          $ 58,738       

  Gross Margin
  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,
  2020   2019     2020   2019  
  (in thousands)
Rental $ 2,019        14    %   1,987      14 %   $ 6,648        14    %   $ 5,076      12 %
Sales $ (530 )     (99 ) %   1,415      24 %   $ (813 )     (20 ) %   $ 3,104      20 %
Service & Maintenance $ 219        60    %   367      68 %   $ 585        60    %   $ 1,031      67 %
Total $ 1,708        11    %   3,769      18 %   $ 6,420        13    %   $ 9,211      16 %

  Adjusted Gross Margin (1)
  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,
  2020   2019   2020   2019
  (in thousands)
Rental $ 8,101        55    %   $ 7,727      54  %   24,806        54    %   $ 21,853      53  %
Sales (461 )     (86 ) %   1,487      25  %   (602 )     (15 ) %   3,308      21  %
Service & Maintenance 230        63    %   377      70  %   611        63    %   1,059      69  %
Total $ 7,870        50    %   $ 9,591      46  %   $ 24,815        49    %   $ 26,220      45  %

(1) For a reconciliation of adjusted gross margin to its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, please read “Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Gross Margin” below.

Non-GAAP Financial Measure – Adjusted Gross Margin: “Adjusted Gross Margin” is defined as total revenue less cost of sales (excluding depreciation expense). Adjusted gross margin is included as a supplemental disclosure because it is a primary measure used by management as it represents the results of revenue and cost of sales (excluding depreciation expense), which are key operating components. Adjusted gross margin differs from gross margin in that gross margin includes depreciation expense.  We believe adjusted gross margin is important because it focuses on the current operating performance of our operations and excludes the impact of the prior historical costs of the assets acquired or constructed that are utilized in those operations. Depreciation expense reflects the systematic allocation of historical property and equipment values over the estimated useful lives.

Adjusted gross margin has certain material limitations associated with its use as compared to gross margin.  Depreciation expense is a necessary element of our costs and our ability to generate revenue.  Management uses this non-GAAP measure as a supplemental measure to other GAAP results to provide a more complete understanding of the company’s performance. As an indicator of operating performance, adjusted gross margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, gross margin as determined in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Gross margin may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure of another company because other entities may not calculate adjusted gross margin in the same manner.

The following table calculates gross margin, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, and reconciles it to adjusted gross margin:

  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,
  (in thousands)   (in thousands)
2020   2019   2020   2019
Total revenue $ 15,765        $ 20,852        $ 51,060        58,738     
Costs of revenue, exclusive of depreciation (7,895 )     (11,261 )     (26,245 )     (32,518 )  
Depreciation allocable to costs of revenue (6,162 )     (5,822 )     (18,395 )     (17,009 )  
Gross margin 1,708        3,769        6,420        9,211     
Depreciation allocable to costs of revenue 6,162        5,822        18,395        17,009     
Adjusted Gross Margin $ 7,870        $ 9,591        $ 24,815        $ 26,220     

Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted EBITDA: “Adjusted EBITDA” reflects net income or loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, impairment of goodwill, increases in inventory allowance and retirement of rental equipment. Adjusted EBITDA is a measure used by management, analysts and investors as an indicator of operating cash flow since it excludes the impact of movements in working capital items, non-cash charges and financing costs. Therefore, Adjusted EBITDA gives the investor information as to the cash generated from the operations of a business. However, Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under accounting principles GAAP, and should not be considered a substitute for other financial measures of performance. Adjusted EBITDA as calculated by NGS may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA as calculated and reported by other companies. The most comparable GAAP measure to Adjusted EBITDA is net income (loss).

The following table reconciles our net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, to Adjusted EBITDA:

  Three months ended September 30,   Nine months ended September 30,
  (in thousands)   (in thousands)
  2020   2019   2020   2019
Net (loss) income $ (562 )     $ (12,579 )     $ 3,685        $ (12,154 )  
Interest expense             13        12     
Income tax benefit (167 )     (1,353 )     (4,653 )     (1,143 )  
Depreciation and amortization 6,318        5,920        18,859        17,217     
Inventory allowance —        3,350        —        3,350     
Impairment of goodwill —        10,039        —        10,039     
Retirement of rental equipment —        1,512        —        1,512     
Adjusted EBITDA $ 5,591        $ 6,893        $ 17,904        $ 18,833     

Non GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Net Income (Loss): From time to time, management may publicly disclose certain “non-GAAP financial measures”, such as adjusted operating income and adjusted net income (loss), below, in our earnings releases, financial presentations or earnings conference calls. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with the Company’s results of operations that would be reflected in measures determined in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted operating income and adjusted net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 exclude goodwill impairment, an increase in inventory allowance, and retirement of rental equipment taken in the third quarter of 2019.  Adjusted net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 excludes an income tax benefit related to a recent tax law change.

The reconciliation of operating loss to adjusted operating income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 is as follows:

  (in thousands)
  Three months ended   Nine months ended
  September 30, 2019
Operating loss $ (14,021 )     $ (13,864 )  
Impairment of goodwill 10,039        10,039     
Inventory allowance 3,350        3,350     
Retirement of rental equipment 1,512        1,512     
Adjusted operating income $ 880        $ 1,037     

The reconciliation of net loss to adjusted net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 is as follows:

  Three months ended September 30, 2019   Nine months ended September 30, 2019
  (in thousands)   per diluted share(1)   (in thousands)   per diluted share(1)
Reported net loss $ (12,579 )     $ (0.96 )     $ (12,154 )     $ (0.93 )  
Impairment of goodwill 10,039        0.76        10,039        0.77     
Inventory allowance 3,350        0.26        3,350        0.26     
Retirement of rental equipment 1,512        0.12        1,512        0.12     
Income tax adjustment related to the exclusion of these non-cash charges (1,355 )     (0.10 )     (1,355 )     (0.10 )  
Change in diluted shares     (0.01 )         (0.02 )  
Adjusted net income $ 967        $ 0.07        $ 1,392        $ 0.10     

Note:

(1) For the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2019, restricted stock and options were not included in the computation of reported loss per diluted share due to their antidilutive effect.  A weighted average of approximately 322,900 and 286,400 shares of restricted stock and options were included in the computation of adjusted earnings per diluted share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

The reconciliation of net income to adjusted net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 is as follows:

  Nine months ended September 30, 2020
  (in thousands)   per diluted share(1)
Reported net income $ 3,685        $ 0.27     
Income tax benefit related to recent tax law change (4,890 )     (0.36 )  
Adjusted net loss $ (1,205 )     $ (0.09 )  

Note:

(1) For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, options to purchase 171,900 weighted average shares of common stock with exercise prices ranging from $14.89 to $33.36 were not included in the computation of reported earnings per diluted share due to their antidilutive effect.  Restricted stock and stock options were not included in the computation of adjusted loss per diluted share due to their antidilutive effect.

Conference Call Details:

Teleconference: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Central (11:00 a.m. Eastern).  Live via phone by dialing 877-358-7306, pass code “Natural Gas Services”.  All attendees and participants to the conference call should arrange to call in at least 5 minutes prior to the start time.

Live Webcast: The webcast will be available in listen only mode via our website www.ngsgi.com, investor relations section.

Webcast Reply: For those unable to attend or participate, a replay of the conference call will be available within 24 hours on the NGS website at www.ngsgi.com.

Stephen C. Taylor, President and CEO of Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. will be leading the call and discussing the financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020.

About Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (NGS): NGS is a leading provider of gas compression equipment and services to the energy industry. The Company manufactures, fabricates, rents, sells and maintains natural gas compressors and flare systems for oil and natural gas production and plant facilities. NGS is headquartered in Midland, Texas, with fabrication facilities located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Midland, Texas, and service facilities located in major oil and natural gas producing basins in the U.S. Additional information can be found at www.ngsgi.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause NGS’s actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Those risks include, among other things: the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business; a prolonged, substantial reduction in oil and natural gas prices which could cause a decline in the demand for NGS’s products and services; the loss of market share through competition or otherwise; the introduction of competing technologies by other companies; and new governmental safety, health and environmental regulations which could require NGS to make significant capital expenditures. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and NGS undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. A discussion of these factors is included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For More Information, Contact: Alicia Dada, Investor Relations
   
  (432) 262-2700
[email protected]
  www.ngsgi.com

 NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
       
  September 30,
2020
  December 31, 2019
ASSETS      
Current Assets:      
Cash and cash equivalents $ 27,559        $ 11,592     
Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,119 and $918,  respectively 10,384        9,106     
Inventory 17,125        21,080     
Federal income tax receivable 11,083        —     
Prepaid income taxes 127        40     
Prepaid expenses and other 596        597     
Total current assets 66,874        42,415     
Long-term inventory, net of allowance for obsolescence of $37 and $24, respectively 1,230        1,068     
Rental equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $179,160 and $162,348, respectively 210,876        217,742     
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $13,327 and $12,847, respectively 21,824        21,869     
Right of use assets – operating leases, net of accumulated amortization of $306 and $158, respectively 509        604     
Intangibles, net of accumulated amortization of $1,977 and $1,883, respectively 1,182        1,276     
Other assets 1,818        1,603     
Total assets $ 304,313        $ 286,577     
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
Current Liabilities:      
Accounts payable $ 2,045        $ 1,975     
Accrued liabilities 4,391        2,287     
Line of credit 417        417     
Current operating leases 203        189     
Deferred income 583        640     
Total current liabilities 7,639        5,508     
Deferred income tax liability 41,579        31,243     
Long-term operating leases 306        415     
Other long-term liabilities 1,931        1,718     
Total liabilities 51,455        38,884     
Commitments and contingencies      
Stockholders’ Equity:      
Preferred stock, 5,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding —        —     
Common stock, 30,000 shares authorized, par value $0.01; 13,290 and 13,178 shares issued, respectively 133        132     
Additional paid-in capital 112,052        110,573     
Retained earnings 141,163        137,478     
Treasury Shares, at cost, 38 shares (490 )     (490 )  
Total stockholders’ equity 252,858        247,693     
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 304,313        $ 286,577     

NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except earnings per share)

(unaudited)
       
  Three months ended   Nine months ended
  September 30,   September 30,
  2020   2019   2020   2019
Revenue:              
Rental income $ 14,861        $ 14,434        $ 46,092        $ 41,393     
Sales 536        5,877        3,994        15,816     
Service and maintenance income 368        541        974        1,529     
Total revenue 15,765        20,852        51,060        58,738     
Operating costs and expenses:              
Cost of rentals, exclusive of depreciation stated separately below 6,760        6,707        21,286        19,540     
Cost of sales, exclusive of depreciation stated separately below 997        4,390        4,596        12,508     
Cost of service and maintenance, exclusive of depreciation stated separately below 138        164        363        470     
Selling, general and administrative expenses 2,493        2,791        7,318        7,966     
Depreciation and amortization 6,318        5,920        18,859        17,217     
Impairment of goodwill —        10,039        —        10,039     
Inventory allowance —        3,350        —        3,350     
Retirement of rental equipment —        1,512        —        1,512     
Total operating costs and expenses 16,706        34,873        52,422        72,602     
Operating loss (941 )     (14,021 )     (1,362 )     (13,864 )  
Other income (expense):              
Interest expense (2 )     (4 )     (13 )     (12 )  
Other income, net 214        93        407        579     
Total other income, net 212        89        394        567     
Loss before provision for income taxes (729 )     (13,932 )     (968 )     (13,297 )  
Income tax benefit 167        1,353        4,653        1,143     
Net (loss) income $ (562 )     $ (12,579 )     $ 3,685        $ (12,154 )  
(Loss) earnings per share:              
Basic $ (0.04 )     $ (0.96 )     $ 0.28        $ (0.93 )  
Diluted $ (0.04 )     $ (0.96 )     $ 0.27        $ (0.93 )  
Weighted average shares outstanding:              
Basic 13,248        13,137        13,214        13,112     
Diluted 13,248        13,137        13,471        13,112     

NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)
  Nine months ended
  September 30,
  2020   2019
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:      
Net income (loss) $ 3,685        $ (12,154 )  
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:      
Depreciation and amortization 18,859        17,217     
Deferred income taxes 233        (1,177 )  
Stock-based compensation 1,628        1,780     
Bad debt allowance 287        55     
Inventory allowance —        3,350     
Impairment of goodwill —        10,039     
Gain on sale of assets (284 )     (37 )  
Retirement of rental equipment —        1,512     
Loss (gain) on company owned life insurance 19        (145 )  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:      
Trade accounts receivables (1,565 )     (4,060 )  
Inventory 3,793        3,798     
Federal income tax receivable (11,083 )     —     
Prepaid expenses and prepaid income taxes (86 )     (72 )  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 2,174        1,054     
Deferred income (57 )     —     
Deferred tax liability increase due to tax law change 10,103        —     
Other 226        125     
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES 27,932        21,285     
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:      
Purchase of rental equipment, property and other equipment (11,964 )     (54,077 )  
Purchase of company owned life insurance (254 )     (207 )  
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 394        26     
Proceeds from sale of deferred compensation mutual fund 10        —     
Proceeds from insurance claims of property and equipment —        11     
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES (11,814 )     (54,247 )  
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:      
Proceeds from loan 4,601        —     
Repayment of loan (4,601 )     —     
Payments of other long-term liabilities, net (2 )     (16 )  
Proceeds from exercise of stock options —        505     
Purchase of treasury shares —        (490 )  
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (149 )     (183 )  
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES (151 )     (184 )  
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 15,967        (33,146 )  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 11,592        52,628     
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD $ 27,559        $ 19,482     
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:      
Interest paid $ 13        $ 43     
Income taxes paid $ 95        $ 254     
NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS      
Transfer of rental equipment components to inventory $ —        $ 746     
Transfer of prepaids to rental equipment and inventory $ —        $ 958     
Right of use asset acquired through an operating lease $ 52        $ 126     



The MetroHealth System In Cleveland Adds Sectra Digital Pathology To Enterprise

PR Newswire

SHELTON, Conn., Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) will add its digital pathology module to the Sectra enterprise imaging solution located throughout MetroHealth. This will enable pathologists to read cases from any location, including their homes, and allow for streamlined tumor board meetings and improved cancer care for patients.

Sectra logo


“By offering integration of whole scanned slides and radiology images on one platform, Sectra represents a huge step forward in patient care,” says Dr. Agnes Loeffler, Department Chair of Pathology at The MetroHealth System.

The initial implementation will focus on the development of workflows around quality assurance within pathology, seamless integration of pathology with tumor boards, and a teaching and research database for the 13 pathologists and 9 residents at MetroHealth. Efficiencies in these workflows will improve the ability of pathologists to actively participate in patient management teams. The contract was signed in October 2020.

MetroHealth’s staff of 7,800 employees provides care at 4 hospitals, 20 health centers, and 40 additional sites in Northeast Ohio. Each active physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Sectra’s pathology module received FDA approval in the US in March 2020 and is part of Sectra’s enterprise imaging offering. It provides a unified strategy for all imaging needs while lowering operational costs. The scalable and modular solution, with a VNA at its core, allows healthcare providers to grow from ology to ology and from enterprise to enterprise.

About Sectra
With more than 30 years of innovation and approaching 2,000 installations worldwide, Sectra is a leading global provider of imaging IT solutions that support healthcare in achieving patient-centric care. Sectra offers an enterprise imaging solution comprising PACS for imaging-intense departments (radiology, pathology, cardiology, orthopedics), VNA, and share and collaborate solutions. Sectra is leading the way in digital pathology with multiple, fully digital installations throughout the world. Read more about Sectra and why Sectra PACS is “Best in KLAS” at https://medical.sectra.com/.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628684/Sectra_Logo.jpg

Contact:
Andrea Sowitch, Vice President of Marketing
Sectra, Inc.
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 203 925 0899 ext. 268

Torbjörn Kronander, President and CEO
Sectra AB
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +46 705 23 5227

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-metrohealth-system-in-cleveland-adds-sectra-digital-pathology-to-enterprise-301174713.html

SOURCE Sectra, Inc

Rockwell Automation Acquires Fiix Inc., Cloud Software Company for Leading Edge Maintenance Solutions

Rockwell Automation Acquires Fiix Inc., Cloud Software Company for Leading Edge Maintenance Solutions

AI-Enabled Computerized Maintenance Management System Modernizes Operations Planning, Management, and Equipment Failure Prediction

MILWAUKEE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Fiix Inc., a privately-held, AI-enabled computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) company. Fiix, founded in 2008, is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

As the number of industrial connected assets multiplies, the ability to gain insights from maintenance operations is becoming increasingly important to a manufacturer’s ability to gain competitive advantage. This insight enables another level of productivity in addition to the core automation.

Fiix’s cloud-native CMMS creates workflows for the scheduling, organizing, and tracking of equipment maintenance. It connects seamlessly to business systems and drives data-driven decisions. The company’s revenue grew 70% in 2019 with more than 85% recurring revenue. Fiix has more than 2 million assets under management and creates more than 6 million work orders a year.

“We believe that the future of industrial asset management is performance-based,” said Tessa Myers, vice president, product management, Software & Control, for Rockwell Automation. “With the addition of the Fiix platform and expertise, our customers will benefit from a 360-degree view of integrated data across automation, production, and maintenance, helping them to monitor and improve the performance of their assets and optimize how maintenance work is done.”

James Novak, Fiix CEO, said, “From the beginning, Fiix has been on a mission to connect maintenance and operations teams to the tools, resources, and technology they need to modernize and join the future of maintenance. Joining Rockwell Automation will allow us to help even more companies modernize maintenance and increase asset performance by connecting to industry-leading data, automation, and production systems.”

The addition of Fiix directly aligns with Rockwell Automation’s software strategy. It also enhances Rockwell Automation’s capabilities in its Lifecycle Services business, which provides a full range of industrial automation services to help customers maximize the value of their production assets, systems, plants, and processes. Additionally, it illustrates Rockwell Automation’s focus on helping customers be more sustainable. Through a CMMS, businesses can operate more efficiently, reducing waste and energy use while also saving money.

Fiix will be reported as part of Rockwell Automation’s Software & Control operating segment. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the 2020 calendar year, subject to customary approvals and conditions.

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK) is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 23,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing The Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

About Fiix

Fiix is the software-as-a-service (SaaS) maintenance management platform that combines mobile asset management, work order, and parts management and supercharges it with the most open integration network and AI-driven insights. With Fiix, you can connect shop floor IoT solutions, parts suppliers, contractors, and corporate IT systems quickly and easily to improve the way physical assets and people interact and drive better business outcomes.

There are over 2600 maintenance teams across the world with a strong presence in North America using Fiix to improve communication, asset health, and even sustainability. Learn more at www.fiixsoftware.com.

Marci Pelzer

Director, External Communications

+1 414-382-5679

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Wisconsin United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Electronic Design Automation Engineering Technology Manufacturing Other Manufacturing Hardware

MEDIA:

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QAD Adaptive ERP 2020.1 Achieves Veracode Verified Standard Status

QAD Adaptive ERP 2020.1 Achieves Veracode Verified Standard Status

Being part of Veracode Verified demonstrates a commitment to producing secure software

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–QAD Inc. (Nasdaq: QADA) (Nasdaq: QADB), a leading provider of adaptive, cloud-based enterprise software and services for global manufacturing companies, today announced its continued participation in Veracode Verified, a program that validates a company’s secure software development processes, and that QAD Adaptive ERP 2020.1 has achieved Veracode Verified Standard Status.

This achievement demonstrates QAD’s commitment to creating secure software and that QAD Adaptive ERP undergoes rigorous security testing as part of the development practice. Additionally, participating in the Veracode Verified program ensures that QAD software meets a high standard of application security, reducing risk for the customer.

Organizations whose secure development practice has been validated and their application accepted into the Standard Tier, have demonstrated that the following security steps have been implemented into their software development practice:

  • Assesses first-party code with static analysis
  • Documents that the application does not allow Very High flaws in first-party code
  • Provides developers with remediation guidance when new flaws are introduced

“QAD is committed to delivering secure code to help organizations reduce the risk of a security breach. Companies that invest in secure coding processes and follow our protocol for a mature application security program are able to deliver more confidence to customers who deploy their software,” said Asha May, director of customer engagement, Veracode.

QAD Adaptive ERP combines deep manufacturing ERP and supply chain capabilities with a modern platform and user experience delivered in the cloud to help manufacturers effectively respond to change in their industry.

“It is paramount for our customers that their data is secure,” said QAD Chief Technology Officer Tony Winter. “QAD takes data security very seriously. Partnering with a company like Veracode, which helps us reduce the risks associated with application vulnerabilities, is just one of the many ways that QAD protects its customers’ data.”

About QAD – Enabling the Adaptive Manufacturing Enterprise

QAD Inc. is a leading provider of adaptive, cloud-based enterprise software and services for global manufacturing companies. Global manufacturers face ever-increasing disruption caused by technology-driven innovation and changing consumer preferences. In order to survive and thrive, manufacturers must be able to innovate and change business models at unprecedented rates of speed. QAD calls these companies Adaptive Manufacturing Enterprises. QAD solutions help customers in the automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food and beverage, high tech and industrial manufacturing industries rapidly adapt to change and innovate for competitive advantage.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, QAD has 30 offices globally. Over 2,000 manufacturing companies have deployed QAD solutions including enterprise resource planning (ERP), demand and supply chain planning (DSCP), global trade and transportation execution (GTTE) and quality management system (QMS) to become an Adaptive Manufacturing Enterprise. To learn more, visit www.qad.com or call +1 805-566-6100.Find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

“QAD” is a registered trademark of QAD Inc. All other products or company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to Investors: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding projections of revenue, income and loss, capital expenditures, plans and objectives of management regarding the company’s business, future economic performance or any of the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current expectations. Words such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “could,” “will likely result,” “estimates,” “intends,” “may,” “projects,” “should,” “would,” “might,” “plan” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic or other catastrophic events that may harm our business; adverse economic, market or geo-political conditions that may disrupt our business; our cloud service offerings, such as defects and disruptions in our services, our ability to properly manage our cloud service offerings, our reliance on third-party hosting and other service providers, and our exposure to liability and loss from security breaches; demand for the company’s products, including cloud service, licenses, services and maintenance; pressure to make concessions on our pricing and changes in our pricing models; protection of our intellectual property; dependence on third-party suppliers and other third-party relationships, such as sales, services and marketing channels; changes in our revenue, earnings, operating expenses and margins; the reliability of our financial forecasts and estimates of the costs and benefits of transactions; the ability to leverage changes in technology; defects in our software products and services; third-party opinions about the company; competition in our industry; the ability to recruit and retain key personnel; delays in sales; timely and effective integration of newly acquired businesses; economic conditions in our vertical markets and worldwide; exchange rate fluctuations; and the global political environment. For a more detailed description of the risk factors associated with the company and factors that may affect our forward-looking statements, please refer to the company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and, in particular, the section entitled “Risk Factors” therein, and in other periodic reports the company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission thereafter. Management does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

QAD Inc.

Scott Matulis

Public Relations

818-451-8918

[email protected]

or

Evan Quinn

Analyst Relations

617-869-7335

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Software Technology Data Management

MEDIA:

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IIROC Trading Halt – BRU.H

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 17, 2020 /CNW/ – The following issues have been halted by IIROC:

Company: Brunswick Resources Inc.

TSX-Venture Symbol: BRU.H

All Issues: Yes

Reason: At the Request of the Company Pending News

Halt Time (ET): 7:55 AM

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

IIROC Trading Halt – VMX

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 17, 2020 /CNW/ – The following issues have been halted by IIROC:

Company: Victory Metals Inc.

TSX-Venture Symbol: VMX

All Issues: Yes

Reason: At the Request of the Company Pending News

Halt Time (ET): 7:55 AM

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions