Neptune Provides Sprout Organics Distribution Update

PR Newswire


Sprout up 40% in the latest four weeks of Nielsen data – outperforming the baby food category across the board for all time periods measured


Exploring potentially expanding into new product categories beyond the Baby Food Aisle

LAVAL, QC and MONTVALE, N.J., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Today Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (“Neptune” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT), a diversified and fully integrated health and wellness company focused on plant-based, sustainable and purpose-driven lifestyle brands, is providing a distribution update for Sprout Organics (“Sprout”), an organic plant-based baby food and toddler snack company, highlighting strong growth in the latest four weeks of Nielsen data and discussing its potential expansion into new product categories beyond the baby food aisle. 

Certain information in this news release has been historically provided by Neptune in its quarterly and annual earnings calls. Due to the timing of Neptune’s most recent call, the availability of such information and certain other matters in which Neptune was engaged at the time of such call, such information was not available or could not be properly or fully shared at that time. As a result, this information is being provided now to investors in Neptune in a supplemental news release to ensure that investors have such information available to them related to the business and operations of Sprout.


Distribution Gains

  • Distribution: Now available in 90% of the organic baby food market, up from only 50% a year-ago
  • SKU Count: 92 SKUs available vs 74 SKUs a year-ago
  • Store Count: Products are now in 27,000 doors vs 18,500 doors a year-ago, a 45% increase
  • Added Distribution: In the last year, Sprout has established several distribution gains with leading retailers, including Target, Walmart, major supermarket chains and the largest national pharmacy chain in the United States (in 5,000 of their 9,900 doors), and is now shipping direct-to-consumers via the Sprout Organics website
  • Geographic presence: Now available in all 50 states, as well as in Canada


Market Share & Growth

  • Sales Growth: Sprout grew 40%, vs 15% for the overall category, in the latest four weeks of Nielsen data for the period ending June 18, 2022, outperforming the product category in all time periods measured1
  • Market Share by Category
    2:
    • Toddler Meals: Sprout has a 19% share of the $14 million Toddler Meals category, with velocities (how quickly a product is sold) outperforming the category by 5%
    • Snacks: Sprout has a 5% share of the $199 million Snacks category, with velocities slightly underperforming the category (sales of newly launched Sprout Snack Bars are not yet reflected in the data)
    • Pouches: Sprout has a 5% share of the $410 million Pouch category, with velocities outperforming the category by 33%


Supply Chain Simplification

  • Sprout has streamlined its supply chain to focus on fewer strategic partnerships, reducing the overall number of vendors it works with from 55 down to 22. This has allowed Sprout to improve supply chain efficiency and reduce costs, while maintaining fill rates.


Category Expansion

  • According to Nielsen data, Sprout’s sales in the organic toddler meal category have grown at an accelerated rate since September 2020, outpacing growth for the Organic Baby Food category as a whole.
  • The prepared foods category represents a $3.6 billion market size (according to Nielsen data), which is more than double the size of the baby food market and where data shows gross margins in the 30% range.
  • New Up-Age meal products – Mealz™, a Sprout line of organic heat-and-serve bowls for children, which are a convenient option for busy parents who want to ensure their children get a full serving of vegetables – should be available as early as Fall 2022.
  • Sprout is also exploring further category expansion, including Cereal, an estimated $21 billion market size; Vitamins, an estimated $7 billion market size; and Beverages, an estimated $124 billion market size (in each case, according to Nielsen data).

Statement from Sprout Management:
“We believe that our expansion efforts, in parallel with our cost-management strategy, will allow our products to disrupt the organic food market at a higher level. We intend to release new products into categories where we see potential for Sprout to capture sales demand in high-growth markets. By leveraging our expertise and unique partnerships, we seek to continue to strengthen our position and brand as a leader in the organic food sector and beyond.”

About Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc.
Headquartered in Laval, Quebec, Neptune is a diversified health and wellness company with a mission to redefine health and wellness.  Neptune is focused on building a portfolio of high quality, affordable consumer products in response to long-term secular trends and market demand for natural, plant-based, sustainable and purpose-driven lifestyle brands. The Company utilizes a highly flexible, cost-efficient manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure that can be scaled to quickly adapt to consumer demand and bring new products to market through its mass retail partners and e-commerce channels. For additional information, please visit: https://neptunewellness.com/.

About Sprout Organics
Sprout Organics is an organic baby food brand that strives to make mealtime easy and fun for parents and babies through delicious snacks and meals made with fresh, organic ingredients. The company aims to make life less complicated, give children a head start in life, and explore new foods with excitement with three simple promises: Keep it real, keep it simple and keep it fun. Sprout uses only the best, real and organic ingredients in everything it makes which means certified organic foods in every bite straight from nature, no GMOs. To learn more, please visit www.sproutorganics.com.

Disclaimer – Safe Harbor Forward–Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements with respect to the potential growth and market opportunities for Sprout, the success of Sprout’s products, the operational efficiencies achieved by Sprout and the ability of Sprout to maintain and improve upon such operational efficiencies, the development and timing of new products and product launches and the expansion of Sprout into new product categories generally. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and estimates of management at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors including, principally, risks relating to supply chain disruptions and regulatory and litigation risks, as well as the other risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2022 of Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (“Neptune”) filed on July 8, 2022, as well as other factors described from time to time in Neptune’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Sprout and Neptune undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Neither NASDAQ nor the Toronto Stock Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

______________________


1 Source: Nielsen xAOC and Total US Food, W/E 06-18-22


2 Source: Nielsen xAOC and Total US Food, W/E 06-18-22

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SOURCE Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc.

Protiviti Named One of the 2022 Best Workplaces for Millennials by Fortune and Great Place to Work

PR Newswire

Consulting firm commended by its millennial employees for offering a rewarding career


MENLO PARK, Calif.
, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Global consulting firm Protiviti has been named to the 2022 list of Best Workplaces for MillennialsTM by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work. The annual list, which is based on anonymous survey responses from more than 413,000 U.S.-based millennial employees, recognizes companies that create the most consistently positive experience for millennials. Protiviti is in the large company category (1,000 or more employees) and has been recognized on this list on four previous occasions.

Our people are empowered to advance their careers within a highly supportive and inclusive workplace.

“Our people are empowered to advance their careers within a highly supportive and inclusive workplace,” said Jessica Harrison, senior director, people and culture, Protiviti. “We offer interesting and impactful client work, extensive on- and off-the-job training, deep mentoring relationships, and numerous benefits designed to support our people at all stages of their careers with Protiviti and help them realize their full potential.”

The Best Workplaces for MillennialsTM list is highly competitive. Great Place to Work selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback. Companies are only considered for the Best Workplaces list if they are a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organization.

“These companies value their millennial workers by showing genuine care, flexibility and purpose in ways that matter to this generation,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. “They expect company values to be lived by their leaders, which, in turn, elicits their loyalty and trust. Congratulations to the Best Workplaces for Millennials for their hard work.”

Protiviti was ranked #15 on the latest Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, its eighth consecutive year on this list, and ranked #6 among large companies on the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area® 2022 list. In 2021, Protiviti was named by Fortune as a Best Workplace for Diversity™, Working Parents™, Millennials™ and Women™ and was ranked #14 on Great Place to Work’s list of Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services™. Protiviti was also named to the 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care® list.

About Protiviti
Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, governance, risk and internal audit through its network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries.

Named to the 2022 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor’s note: Protiviti photo available upon request.

 

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SOURCE Protiviti

Discover Financial Services Reports Second Quarter 2022 Net Income of $1.1 Billion or $3.96 Per Diluted Share

Discover Financial Services Reports Second Quarter 2022 Net Income of $1.1 Billion or $3.96 Per Diluted Share

Board of Directors Declares Semi-Annual Dividend for Preferred Stock and Quarterly Dividend for Common Stock

RIVERWOODS, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS):

Second Quarter 2022 Results

 

2022

2021

YOY Change

Total loans, end of period (in billions)

$99.3

$87.7

13%

Total revenue net of interest expense (in millions)

$3,224

$3,579

(10%)

Total net charge-off rate

1.80%

2.12%

(32) bps

Net income/(loss) (in millions)

$1,111

$1,698

(35)%

Diluted EPS

$3.96

$5.55

(29%)

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) today reported net income of $1.1 billion or $3.96 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2022, as compared to a net income of $1.7 billion or $5.55 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2021.

“Our solid second quarter results reflected robust revenue growth, characterized by strong sales, increased receivables growth and margin expansion,” said Roger Hochschild, CEO and President of Discover. “Amidst evolving macroeconomic conditions, credit performance remains particularly strong, as delinquencies are stable and losses are rising modestly, reflecting slower than expected credit normalization. The health of our customers and the strength of our integrated digital banking and payments model gives us confidence that we remain well positioned to generate substantial shareholder value through a range of economic environments.”

Segment Results:

Digital Banking

Digital Banking pretax income of $1.4 billion for the quarter was $98 million lower than the prior year period reflecting a higher provision for credit losses and higher operating expenses, mostly offset by increased revenue net of interest expense.

Total loans ended the quarter at $99.3 billion, up 13% year-over-year, and up 6% sequentially. Credit card loans ended the quarter at $79.2 billion, up 15% year-over-year. Personal loans increased $280 million, or 4%, and private student loans increased $210 million, or 2%, year-over-year. The organic student loan portfolio, which excludes purchased loans, increased $391 million, or 4% from the prior year period.

Net interest income for the quarter increased $311 million, or 14% driven by higher average receivables and net interest margin expansion. Net interest margin was 10.94%, up 26 basis points versus the prior year. Card yield was 12.81%, up 29 basis points from the prior year primarily driven by higher market rates and lower interest charge-offs partially offset by a higher mix of receivables at a promotional rate. Interest expense as a percent of total loans decreased 7 basis points from the prior year period, primarily driven by the maturity of high coupon consumer CDs and a favorable shift in the funding mix.

Non-interest income increased $99 million, or 22%, from the prior year period, mainly driven by higher discount/interchange revenue and loan fee income partially offset by higher rewards cost driven by elevated sales volumes.

The total net charge-off rate of 1.80% was 32 basis points lower versus the prior year period reflecting strong credit performance across the portfolio. The credit card net charge-off rate was 2.01%, down 44 basis points from the prior year period and up 17 basis points from the prior quarter. The 30+ day delinquency rate for credit card loans was 1.76%, up 33 basis points year-over year and down 1 basis point from the prior quarter. The student loan net charge-off rate was 1.08%, up 55 basis points from the prior year and up 39 basis points from the prior quarter. Personal loans net charge-off rate of 1.21% was down 59 basis points from the prior year and up 9 basis points from the prior quarter.

Provision for credit losses of $549 million increased $414 million from the prior year driven by a $110 million reserve build in the current quarter compared to a $321 million reserve release in the prior year quarter, partially offset by lower net charge-offs. Net charge-offs of $429 million were $27 million lower than the prior year period.

Total operating expenses were up $94 million year-over year, or 9%, driven by higher expenses for marketing and employee compensation partially offset by lower information processing. Marketing increased primarily due to investments in Card acquisition and Consumer Banking. Employee compensation increase was driven by higher headcount and higher average salaries and benefits. Information processing decreased primarily due to software write-offs in the prior year quarter.

Payment Services

Payment Services pretax income of $20 million was down $672 million year-over-year. Lower revenue was driven by a $729 million gain on an equity investment in the prior year compared to $42 million net losses on equity investments in the current year quarter. This was partially offset by higher PULSE and Network Partners revenue.

Payment Services volume was $82.9 billion, up 6% year-over-year. PULSE dollar volume was flat year-over-year primarily driven by receding spend on debit products related to the end of federal stimulus programs. Diners Club volume was up 37% year-over-year reflecting an improvement in global travel and entertainment spending. Network Partners volume increased 22% from the prior year primarily reflecting higher AribaPay volume.

Share Repurchase

During the second quarter of 2022, the company repurchased approximately 5.8 million shares of common stock for $601 million. Shares of common stock outstanding declined by 2.0% from the prior quarter. The company is suspending until further notice its existing share repurchase program because of an internal investigation relating to its student loan servicing practices and related compliance matters. The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by a board-appointed independent special committee.

Dividend Declaration

The Board of Directors of Discover Financial Services declared a semi-annual cash dividend on its Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C, in the amount of $2,750 per share. The dividend equals $27.50 per depositary share, each representing 1/100th interest in a share of the Series C Preferred Stock. The dividend will be payable on October 31, 2022, to the holders of record at the close of business on October 14, 2022.

The Board of Directors of Discover Financial Services declared a semi-annual cash dividend on its Fixed Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D, in the amount of $3,062.50 per share. The dividend equals $30.625 per depositary share, each representing 1/100th interest in a share of the Series D Preferred Stock. The dividend will be payable on September 23, 2022, to the holders of record at the close of business on September 8, 2022.

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.60 per share of common stock payable on September 8, 2022, to holders of record at the close of business on August 25, 2022.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

The company will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter results on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at 7:00 a.m. Central Time. Interested parties can listen to the conference call via a live audio webcast at https://investorrelations.discover.com.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a digital banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover® card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its banking business. It operates the Discover Global Network® comprised of Discover Network, with millions of merchants and cash access locations; PULSE®, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance around the world. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.

A financial summary follows. Financial, statistical, and business related information, as well as information regarding business and segment trends, is included in the financial supplement filed as Exhibit 99.2 to the company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Both the earnings release and the financial supplement are available online at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) and the company’s website (https://investorrelations.discover.com).

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements, which speak to our expected business and financial performance, among other matters, contain words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” and similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and there is no undertaking to update or revise them as more information becomes available.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and measures taken to mitigate the pandemic, including their impact on our credit quality and business operations as well as their impact on general economic and financial markets; changes in economic variables, such as the availability of consumer credit, the housing market, energy costs, the number and size of personal bankruptcy filings, the rate of unemployment, the levels of consumer confidence and consumer debt, and investor sentiment; the impact of current, pending and future legislation, regulation, supervisory guidance, and regulatory and legal actions, including, but not limited to, those related to accounting guidance, tax reform, financial regulatory reform, consumer financial services practices, anti-corruption and funding, capital and liquidity; the actions and initiatives of current and potential competitors; the company’s ability to manage its expenses; the company’s ability to successfully achieve card acceptance across its networks and maintain relationships with network participants and merchants; the company’s ability to sustain its card, private student loan and personal loan growth; the company’s ability to increase or sustain Discover card usage or attract new customers; difficulty obtaining regulatory approval for, financing, closing, transitioning, integrating or managing the expenses of acquisitions of or investments in new businesses, products or technologies; the company’s ability to manage its credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, operational risk, compliance and legal risk, and strategic risk; the availability and cost of funding and capital; access to deposit, securitization, equity, debt and credit markets; the impact of rating agency actions; the level and volatility of equity prices, commodity prices and interest rates, currency values, investments, other market fluctuations and other market indices; losses in the company’s investment portfolio; limits on the company’s ability to pay dividends and repurchase its common stock; limits on the company’s ability to receive payments from its subsidiaries; fraudulent activities or material security breaches of its or others’ key systems; the company’s ability to remain organizationally effective; the effect of political, economic and market conditions, geopolitical events, climate change and unforeseen or catastrophic events; the company’s ability to introduce new products or services; the company’s ability to manage its relationships with third-party vendors, as well as those which we have no direct relationship such as our employees’ internet service providers; the company’s ability to maintain current technology and integrate new and acquired systems and technology; the company’s ability to collect amounts for disputed transactions from merchants and merchant acquirers; the company’s ability to attract and retain employees; the company’s ability to protect its reputation and its intellectual property; the company’s ability to comply with regulatory requirements; and new lawsuits, investigations or similar matters or unanticipated developments related to current matters. The company routinely evaluates and may pursue acquisitions of or investments in businesses, products, technologies, loan portfolios or deposits, which may involve payment in cash or the company’s debt or equity securities.

Additional factors that could cause the company’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found under “Risk Factors,” “Business – Competition,” “Business – Supervision and Regulation” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion & Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 which is filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov) and subsequent reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q, including the company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed today with the SEC.

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
(unaudited, in millions, except per share statistics)
Quarter Ended
June 30,
2022
March 31,
2022
June 30,
2021
EARNINGS SUMMARY
Interest Income

$2,915

$2,736

$2,589

Interest Expense

305

257

290

Net Interest Income

2,610

2,479

2,299

 
Discount/Interchange Revenue

1,133

955

937

Rewards Cost

743

635

598

Discount and Interchange Revenue, net

390

320

339

Protection Products Revenue

42

44

43

Loan Fee Income

142

140

105

Transaction Processing Revenue

61

57

58

Unrealized Gains/(Losses) on Equity Investments

(169)

(188)

729

Realized Gains/(Losses) on Equity Investments

127

26

0

Other Income

21

24

6

Total Non-Interest Income

614

423

1,280

 
Revenue Net of Interest Expense

3,224

2,902

3,579

 
Provision for Credit Losses

549

154

135

 
Employee Compensation and Benefits

515

500

498

Marketing and Business Development

254

192

175

Information Processing & Communications

121

125

145

Professional Fees

189

177

187

Premises and Equipment

24

24

22

Other Expense

120

112

195

Total Operating Expense

1,223

1,130

1,222

 
Income/(Loss) Before Income Taxes

1,452

1,618

2,222

Tax Expense

341

376

524

Net Income/(Loss)

$1,111

$1,242

$1,698

 
Net Income/(Loss) Allocated to Common Stockholders

$1,105

$1,205

$1,688

 
 
PER SHARE STATISTICS
Basic EPS

$3.96

$4.23

$5.56

Diluted EPS

$3.96

$4.22

$5.55

Common Stock Price (period end)

$94.58

$110.19

$118.29

Book Value per share

$50.00

$47.81

$43.72

 
BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY
Total Assets

$114,600

$107,412

$110,985

Total Liabilities

100,836

93,979

97,814

Total Equity

13,764

13,433

13,171

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

$114,600

$107,412

$110,985

 
TOTAL LOAN RECEIVABLES
Ending Loans 1

$99,301

$93,471

$87,674

Average Loans 1

$95,736

$92,691

$86,296

 
Interest Yield

12.00%

11.80%

11.79%

Gross Principal Charge-off Rate

2.76%

2.64%

3.20%

Net Principal Charge-off Rate

1.80%

1.61%

2.12%

Delinquency Rate (30 or more days)

1.63%

1.64%

1.34%

Delinquency Rate (90 or more days)

0.70%

0.72%

0.63%

Gross Principal Charge-off Dollars

$659

$603

$688

Net Principal Charge-off Dollars

$429

$368

$456

Net Interest and Fee Charge-off Dollars

$92

$87

$101

Loans Delinquent 30 or more days

$1,621

$1,537

$1,172

Loans Delinquent 90 or more days

$694

$678

$550

 
Allowance for Credit Losses (period end)

$6,757

$6,647

$7,026

Reserve Change Build/(Release) 2

$110

($175)

($321)

Reserve Rate

6.80%

7.11%

8.01%

 
CREDIT CARD LOANS
Ending Loans

$79,237

$73,783

$68,886

Average Loans

$75,917

$73,042

$67,420

 
Interest Yield

12.81%

12.59%

12.52%

Gross Principal Charge-off Rate

3.10%

3.00%

3.69%

Net Principal Charge-off Rate

2.01%

1.84%

2.45%

Delinquency Rate (30 or more days)

1.76%

1.77%

1.43%

Delinquency Rate (90 or more days)

0.80%

0.83%

0.73%

Gross Principal Charge-off Dollars

$587

$541

$620

Net Principal Charge-off Dollars

$381

$331

$412

Loans Delinquent 30 or more days

$1,392

$1,305

$983

Loans Delinquent 90 or more days

$633

$613

$504

 
Allowance for Credit Losses (period end)

$5,307

$5,120

$5,409

Reserve Change Build/(Release) 2

$187

($153)

($231)

Reserve Rate

6.70%

6.94%

7.85%

 
Total Discover Card Volume

$57,384

$49,379

$48,049

Discover Card Sales Volume

$53,860

$46,329

$45,460

Rewards Rate

1.37%

1.36%

1.31%

 
SEGMENT- INCOME/(LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES
Digital Banking

$1,432

$1,719

$1,530

Payment Services

20

(101)

692

Total

$1,452

$1,618

$2,222

 
NETWORK VOLUME
PULSE Network

$62,992

$59,836

$62,855

Network Partners

11,532

10,683

9,468

Diners Club International 3

8,381

7,176

6,126

Total Payment Services

82,905

77,695

78,449

Discover Network – Proprietary

55,838

48,129

47,201

Total

$138,743

$125,824

$125,650

 
 
1 Total Loans includes Home Equity and other loans.
 
2 Excludes any build/release of the liability for expected credit losses on unfunded commitments as the offset is recorded in accrued expenses and other liabilities in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of financial condition
 
3 Volume is derived from data provided by licencees for Diners Club branded cards issued outside of North America and is subject to subsequent revision or amendment
 
Note: See Glossary for definitions of financial terms in the financial supplement which is available online at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) and the Company’s website (http://investorrelations.discoverfinancial.com).

 

Investors:

Eric Wasserstrom, 224-405-4555

[email protected]

Media:

Robert Weiss, 224-405-6304

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: United States North America Illinois

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Banking Professional Services Finance

MEDIA:

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ZyVersa Therapeutics to Become a Publicly Traded Biopharma Company via Merger with Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp.

PR Newswire

  • ZyVersa is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class product candidates to address significant unmet medical needs of patients with renal and inflammatory diseases
  • Lead renal product candidate, phase 2a-ready VAR 200,
    mediates removal of excess intracellular lipids that contribute to kidney damage leading to end-stage renal disease
  • Lead anti-inflammatory product candidate, inflammasome ASC inhibitor (IC 100), blocks initiation and perpetuation of damaging inflammation that’s pathogenic in a multitude of inflammatory diseases
  • Transaction proceeds will advance clinical evaluation of VAR 200 and progress IC 100 into the clinic
  • Combined company to have an implied initial enterprise value of approximately $108.92 Million, and the transaction is expected to deliver cash proceeds of around $83.12 Million to ZyVersa (assuming no redemptions) to fund ZyVersa’s clinical development programs
  • Transaction expected to be completed in fourth quarter of 2022; combined company expected to be listed on NASDAQ under ticker “ZVSA”


WESTON, Fla. and BRIDGEWATER, N.J.
, July 20, 2022/PRNewswire/ — ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc. (“ZyVersa“), a clinical stage specialty biopharmaceutical company leveraging advanced, proprietary technologies to develop product candidates that address unmet medical needs in the areas of renal and inflammatory diseases, and Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: LSPR or “Larkspur”), a blank-check special purpose acquisition company, announced today that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”). The business combination transaction is expected to provide ZyVersa with access to the public equity market, which the parties believe will escalate development of ZyVersa’s renal and inflammasome product candidate pipelines. Upon the business combination transaction closing, which is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2022, the combined company is expected to be named ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc., which will continue to operate under the ZyVersa management team, led by Stephen C. Glover, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman. The combined company’s common stock is anticipated to be listed on NASDAQ under ticker symbol “ZVSA.”

ZyVersa Therapeutics to Become a Publicly Traded Biopharma Company via Merger with Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp.

“We are delighted to partner with Larkspur in this business combination. Their management and board have vast experience as investors and operating executives in the biopharmaceutical industry,” stated Mr. Glover. “This merger and entry into the public markets will enable us to escalate development of our pipeline drug candidates for targeted patients with renal and inflammatory diseases, who have the need for disease-modifying drugs that are well tolerated and safe. We believe our drug candidates in development for these patients have potential to meet these needs and help drive improved health outcomes,” added Mr. Glover.

“ZyVersa’s management team has deep scientific and operational experience, and the company has two exciting assets, IC 100 for inflammatory diseases and VAR 200 for renal diseases,” said Daniel J. O’Connor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Larkspur. “IC 100, an inflammasome ASC inhibitor, blocks upstream intracellular initiation of the inflammatory cascade and extracellular perpetuation of inflammation, leading to potential for application in numerous, diverse inflammatory conditions. VAR 200, 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, is a cholesterol efflux mediator intended to reduce renal lipid accumulation that contributes to glomerular diseases and their progression. VAR 200’s lead indication is orphan focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. It also has potential to treat orphan Alport syndrome and diabetic kidney disease. ZyVersa’s CEO, Mr. Glover has co-founded and led multiple biopharma companies. Prior to co-founding ZyVersa, he was Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Coherus BioSciences, a late-stage commercial biologics platform company focused on delivering biosimilar therapeutics which went public in 2014. Previously, Mr. Glover was President of Insmed Therapeutic Proteins and EVP and Chief Business Officer of Insmed Incorporated, where he was responsible for creating the company’s biosimilar business unit and divestiture of that business to Merck. He also led the strategic review process that resulted in the merger of Insmed and Transave,” added Mr. O’Connor. “Mr. Glover clearly excels in licensing, M&A, raising capital, and taking companies public. His current management team consists of successful leaders in drug development, manufacturing, and commercialization from his prior companies. We believe that ZyVersa is well positioned to create significant value for stockholders,” concluded Mr. O’Connor.

Transaction Overview 

The combined company will have an estimated pro forma enterprise valuation of approximately $108.92 million. Cash proceeds from the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement (the “Transactions”) are expected to consist of up to approximately $77.67 million of cash held in Larkspur’s trust account (before any redemptions by Larkspur’s public stockholders and the payment of certain expenses) and approximately $7.00 million attributable to a private investment anchored by new institutional investors (the “PIPE Investment”). Proceeds from the PIPE Investment are expected to be used as working capital and to advance the clinical evaluation of VAR 200 and progress IC 100 into the clinic. The PIPE Investment expected to close in connection with the business combination is conditioned upon ZyVersa obtaining an additional interim financing, and also subject to the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions and a NASDAQ listing. After the closing of the Transactions and assuming no redemptions by Larkspur’s public stockholders, existing ZyVersa shareholders will retain 100% of their equity ownership and will own approximately 44.20% of the pro forma combined company.

The Transactions, which have been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both ZyVersa and Larkspur, are subject to, among other customary closing conditions, approval by shareholders of Larkspur, and shareholders of ZyVersa.

A more detailed description of the transaction terms and a copy of the Business Combination Agreement and the definitive documents governing the PIPE Investment will be included in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by Larkspur. Larkspur will also file a registration statement (which will be a combined proxy statement and prospectus) with the SEC in connection with the Transactions.

Advisors

The Benchmark Company LLC and Noble Capital Markets, Inc. are serving as financial advisors to ZyVersa, and Lowenstein Sandler LLP is serving as legal advisor to ZyVersa. A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, to which Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is serving as legal advisor, is serving as the exclusive financial advisor to Larkspur. Alston & Bird LLP is serving as legal advisor to Larkspur.

About ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.

ZyVersa is a clinical stage specialty biopharmaceutical company leveraging advanced, proprietary technologies to develop product candidates that address unmet medical needs in the areas of renal and inflammatory diseases. ZyVersa’s development pipeline includes phase 2a ready VAR 200, a cholesterol efflux mediator for treatment of rare kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. ZyVersa believes VAR 200 has the potential to treat other glomerular diseases, including Alport Syndrome and Diabetic Kidney Disease. ZyVersa’s development pipeline also includes IC 100, a novel inflammasome ASC inhibitor being developed to treat a multitude of inflammatory diseases. For more information, please visit www.zyversa.com.

About Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp.

Larkspur is a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) formed to identify a biopharmaceutical company that can develop and thrive as a newly formed public company and benefit from Larkspur’s operational expertise and a significant infusion of capital. Each of Larkspur’s management team and board of directors have been former management and executive leadership of private and public biopharmaceutical companies and have over 50+ years of aggregate investment and operational experiences. The team strongly believes in the growth opportunities in the biotechnology industry. They are experienced operators who seek to partner with top innovators and thinkers in the biopharmaceutical field. As operators, their entrepreneurial approach enables support for management teams in making impactful decisions with an eye toward growth and operational excellence. For more information, please visit www.lsprhealth.com.

Important Information for Investors and Stockholders and Where to Find It

In connection with the transactions described herein, Larkspur intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement with respect to the stockholder meeting of Larkspur and a prospectus with respect to securities of the combined company. After the registration statement is declared effective by the SEC, the proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Larkspur and ZyVersa stockholders. Larkspur will also file other documents regarding the proposed business combination with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITIES HOLDERS OF LARKSPUR AND ZYVERSA ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE SINCE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION. 

Investors and securities holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Larkspur through the website maintained by the SEC at https://sec.gov/. In addition, the documents filed by Larkspur may be obtained free of charge from Larkspur’s website at www.lsprhealth.com or by written request to [email protected]. Additional information about the proposed transaction, including a copy of the business combination agreement and investor presentation, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Larkspur with the SEC which can be accessed at www.sec.gov as well as online at www.lsprhealth.com.

Participants in the Solicitation

Larkspur, ZyVersa, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Larkspur’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about Larkspur’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Larkspur’s securities is set forth in Larkspur’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC, as modified or supplemented by any Form 3 or Form 4 filed with the SEC since the date of such filing. Other information regarding the interests of the participants in the proxy solicitation will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus pertaining to the proposed Transactions when it becomes available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such other jurisdiction.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp. (“Larkspur”), and ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc (“ZyVersa”). All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding Larkspur or ZyVersa’s future results of operations and financial position, the amount of cash expected to be available to ZyVersa after the closing and giving effect to any redemptions by Larkspur’s stockholders, ZyVersa’s business strategy, prospective product candidates, product approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, future results of current and anticipated product candidates, and expected use of proceeds, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, the following risks relating to the proposed transaction: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of Larkspur’s securities; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the inability to complete the Transactions, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of Larkspur or other conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement; the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of Larkspur’s common stock on NASDAQ following the Transactions; the risk that the Transactions disrupt current plans and operations of ZyVersa as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Transactions; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Transactions, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth economically and hire and retain key employees; the risks that ZyVersa’s product candidates in development fail clinical trials or are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other applicable authorities; costs related to the Transactions; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Larkspur or ZyVersa may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties to be identified in the proxy statement/prospectus (when available) relating to the Transactions, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and in other filings with the SEC made by Larkspur.. Moreover, ZyVersa operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond Larkspur’s and ZyVersa’s control, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and except as required by law. Larkspur and ZyVersa assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Larkspur nor ZyVersa gives any assurance that either Larkspur or ZyVersa or the combined company will achieve its expectations.

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zyversa-therapeutics-to-become-a-publicly-traded-biopharma-company-via-merger-with-larkspur-health-acquisition-corp-301590525.html

SOURCE ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.; Larkspur Health Acquisition Corp.

Berry Global Group, Inc. to Report Third Fiscal Quarter 2022 Results and Host Conference Call

Berry Global Group, Inc. to Report Third Fiscal Quarter 2022 Results and Host Conference Call

EVANSVILLE, Ind.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), will report its third fiscal quarter 2022 results on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, before trading begins on the New York Stock Exchange. At 10 a.m. Eastern Time on that day, Berry will hold its quarterly conference call on the Company’s results and performance.

The telephone numbers to access the conference call are (800) 715-9871 (U.S. & Canada), or (646) 307-1963 (International), and use the conference ID 1096997. A live webcast of the conference call and a supplemental presentation can be accessed through the investor relations section of the Company’s internet site www.berryglobal.com. A taped replay of the call will be available beginning August 3, 2022, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, to August 17, 2022, by calling (800) 770-2030 (U.S. & Canada), or (609) 800-9909 (International), access code 1096997.

About Berry

At Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), we create innovative packaging and engineered products that we believe make life better for people and the planet. We do this every day by leveraging our unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to serve customers of all sizes around the world. Harnessing the strength in our diversity and industry leading talent of 47,000 global employees across more than 300 locations, we partner with customers to develop, design, and manufacture innovative products with an eye toward the circular economy. The challenges we solve and the innovations we pioneer benefit our customers at every stage of their journey. For more information, visit our website at www.berryglobal.com. (BERY-F)

Investor Contact:

Dustin Stilwell

1+812.306.2964

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Eva Schmitz

1+812.306.2424

[email protected]

 

KEYWORDS: United States North America Indiana

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Manufacturing Other Manufacturing Packaging Engineering Chemicals/Plastics

MEDIA:

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MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION TO REPORT SECOND QUARTER RESULTS ON AUGUST 2, 2022

PR Newswire


LOS ANGELES
, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) reported today that after the markets close on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, the Company will issue an earnings press release reporting its results for the second quarter of 2022, and will also file its quarterly report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The earnings press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

Mercury General Corporation and its subsidiaries are a multiple line insurance organization offering predominantly personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent producers and direct-to-consumer sales in many states.  For more information, visit the Company’s website at http://www.mercuryinsurance.com.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by the Company. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of
the Company) and are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the following risks and uncertainties: changes in the demand for the Company’s insurance products, inflation and general economic conditions, including general market risks associated with the Company’s investment portfolio; the accuracy and adequacy of the Company’s pricing methodologies; catastrophes in the markets served by the Company; uncertainties related to estimates, assumptions and projections generally; the possibility that actual loss experience may vary adversely from the actuarial estimates made to determine the Company’s loss reserves in general; the Company’s ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of premium rate changes for insurance policies issued in the states where it operates; legislation adverse to the automobile insurance industry or business generally that may be enacted in the states where the Company operates; the Company’s success in managing its business in non-California states; the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing and marketing efforts; the Company’s ability to successfully manage its claims organization outside of California; the Company’s ability to successfully allocate the resources used in the states with reduced or exited operations to its operations in other states; changes in driving patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; pandemics, epidemics, widespread health emergencies, or outbreaks of infectious diseases; court decisions and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs; and legal, cybersecurity, regulatory and litigation risks. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed discussion of some of the foregoing risks and uncertainties, see the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mercury-general-corporation-to-report-second-quarter-results-on-august-2-2022-301590540.html

SOURCE Mercury General Corporation

Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC Expands Voluntary Recall of Select Bakery Products Due to Potential Presence of Foreign Material 

CHICAGO, July 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enjoy Life Natural Brands LLC announced today, out of an abundance of caution, an expansion of its June 30th voluntary recall, to add one product and add additional Best By dates for four products to the list of recalled products.  This recall is due to the potential presence of hard plastic pieces in the products.  This voluntary recall is not related to an allergen and no other Enjoy Life products are affected by this voluntary recall.  The company became aware of the additional items as a result of its internal investigation.

The complete list of products covered by this voluntary recall is provided below; newly added items are marked with an asterisk (*).  This voluntary recall is limited exclusively to the products and Best By dates listed in the grid below which are sold in retail stores and online in the United States.  No other products are affected by this voluntary recall. 

The products being recalled are available at: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/2ef7c9a7-1267-47e8-8ebc-54f20bef1112

Consumers who have one of the recalled products should not eat it and should discard any product they may have but should keep any available packaging and contact the company at 1-855-543-5335 to get more information about the recall and how to receive a refund.  Consumer Relations specialists are available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.  

This expanded recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Note:  Best By Dates marked with * represent additional items in the expanded voluntary recall.

Contact:

Laurie Guzzinati
847-943-5678
[email protected]



Chase Corporation Appoints Ellen Rubin to its Board of Directors

Chase Corporation Appoints Ellen Rubin to its Board of Directors

WESTWOOD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Chase Corporation (NYSE American: CCF), a global specialty chemicals company that is a leading manufacturer of protective materials for high-reliability applications across diverse market sectors, announced on July 14, 2022 that the Board of Directors elected Ellen Rubin to the Board, as an independent director, effective immediately. Additionally, she will serve as a member of Chase’s Audit Committee.

Peter Chase, Chairman of the Board, commented “We are thrilled to be adding Ellen Rubin’s leadership, industry knowledge, and expertise to our Board of Directors as we continue to expand our business, drive scale, and deliver against our proven growth strategy. Ms. Rubin brings to our Board an extensive leadership background and CEO experience which she gained while scaling startups, including ClearSky Data and CloudSwitch, and as a General Manager at Amazon Web Services, which operate within the growing area of cloud computing. Ms. Rubin’s proven leadership and knowledge within the information technology space render success, and we look forward to her contribution within our Board of Directors.”

Dana Mohler-Faria, Independent Director and Chair of the Nominating Governance Committee, commented, “Ms. Rubin’s unique experience serving as CEO and Founder across multiple innovation-based organizations and hands-on capital markets activity and acquisition experience are well-aligned with Chase’s strategy and will strengthen our Board’s perspective and acumen. We look forward to working alongside Ms. Rubin on our Board of Directors.”

“I’m excited to join the Chase Corporation brand during its time of growth and expansion, especially with the recent NuCera acquisition,” Ms. Rubin said, “Chase’s market-leading products are at the core of many global industries emerging technologies, and I share the Company’s commitment to make a material difference for our customers and partners.”

Ms. Rubin brings 20 plus years of experience as a technology CEO and founder in building and scaling companies and expertise working with enterprise and global customers in manufacturing, financial services, healthcare and other industries. Ellen Rubin was CEO and Founder of ClearSky Data (acquired by Amazon), and later served as General Manager at Amazon Web Services for several hybrid cloud services. Previously, Ellen Rubin was CEO and Founder of CloudSwitch (acquired by Verizon). Earlier in her career she was VP Marketing at Netezza, a leader in the data warehousing market, that went public in 2007 and was subsequently acquired by IBM. Ellen Rubin has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Women in the Cloud by CloudNOW, and currently serves as an independent Board Director at Corvus Insurance. Ellen Rubin has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

About Chase Corporation

Chase Corporation, a global specialty chemicals company that was founded in 1946, is a leading manufacturer of protective materials for high-reliability applications throughout the world. More information can be found on our website https://chasecorp.com/

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in our press releases are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases including, but not limited to, “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated”, “growth”, “expansion” and “potential.” The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for such forward-looking statements. To comply with the terms of the safe harbor, the Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by the Company are not guarantees of future performance and that a variety of factors could cause the Company’s actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the Company’s forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties which may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Company’s business include, but are not limited to, the following: uncertainties relating to the timing of the acquisition and receipt of required regulatory approvals; the risk that the businesses involved in the acquisition will not be integrated successfully or that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the risk that expected revenue synergies and cost savings from the transaction may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; the risk that revenues following the acquisition may be lower than expected; uncertainties relating to operating costs, potential customer loss and business disruption following the transaction, including, without limitation, the risk that difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than expected; uncertainties relating to economic conditions including inflation; uncertainties relating to customer plans and commitments; the pricing and availability of equipment, materials and inventories; technological developments; performance issues with suppliers and subcontractors; economic growth; delays in testing of new products; the effectiveness of cost-reduction plans; rapid technology changes; the highly competitive environment in which the Company operates; as well as expected impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the Company’s businesses. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement made in this release or that may from time to time be made by or on behalf of the Company. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks and uncertainties identified in Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2021.

Investor & Media Contact:

Michael Cummings or Jackie Marcus

Alpha IR Group

Phone: (617) 982-0475

E-mail: [email protected]

or

Shareholder & Investor Relations Department

Phone: (781) 332-0700

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.chasecorp.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America Massachusetts

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Manufacturing Consumer Electronics Other Technology Technology Chemicals/Plastics

MEDIA:

ALFA reports 2Q22 EBITDA of US $706 million, highest second quarter result in its history

PR Newswire


MONTERREY, Mexico
, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — ALFA, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ALFAA) (“ALFA”), a company that has developed a diversified portfolio of leading businesses with global operations, announced today its unaudited results for the second quarter of 2022 (“2Q22”). All figures have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).

2Q22 HIGHLIGHTS


ALFA

–  2022 EBITDA Guidance adjusted slightly to US $2.280 billion as higher Alpek guidance is offset by Sigma reduction and Axtel exclusion

– 
Process to spin-off Axtel moving forward as approved by ALFA shareholders on July 12; ALFA simplifying further its corporate structure to continue unlocking value

– 
Second quarter EBITDA surged 42% versus 2Q21 driven mainly by Alpek

– 
Consolidated net leverage ratio of 2.3 times, down 9% year over year; six consecutive quarters posting improvement

– 
Repurchased 62 million ALFA shares in 2Q22 (~US $43 million)


Alpek

– 
2022 EBITDA Guidance revised up 17% to US $1.600 billion supported by strong performance, a solid margin outlook and the OCTAL acquisition

– 
Closed OCTAL acquisition ahead of plan and assumed control on June 1st

– 
First ALFA subsidiary to obtain approval from SBTi for its emissions reduction target


Sigma

– 
2022 EBITDA Guidance revised down 8% to US $700 million reflecting subpar performance in Europe and sequential recovery in 2H22

– 
Record quarterly revenue of US $1.870 billion, driven by double-digit growth in Mexico, the U.S. and Latam

– 
Europe EBITDA up 20% versus 1Q22 driven by initiatives to mitigate the recent rise in energy prices and other input costs


Axtel

– 
Axtel’s Board of Directors appointed Armando de la Peña as CEO, effective May 1, 2022.

– 
ALFA’s process to spin-off Axtel does not involve changes in Axtel’s Board of Directors or Top Management

– 
Actively engaged to refinance 2024 bond more than 2 years ahead of maturity; process focused on bank loan alternatives

– 
2022 EBITDA Guidance lowered 11% to US $158 million primarily due to Government segment results, semiconductor shortage causing delays and reduced contribution from large wholesale customer

Message from ALFA’s President

“We hope you and your families are remaining safe and healthy. The second quarter was marked by exciting developments on the strategic front, including the announcement of the Axtel spin-off and Alpek´s closing on the previously announced OCTAL acquisition. We are also pleased to report strong consolidated performance with quarterly EBITDA of US $706 million and six consecutive quarters of year-over-year improvement in the net leverage ratio.

ALFA’s 2Q22 revenue increased 30% year-over-year and EBITDA surged 42% driven once again by a better-than-expected performance at Alpek. The petrochemical business continued to capitalize on strong reference margins in its core products plus solid demand. In addition, Alpek’s results benefitted from the integration of the OCTAL acquisition in June.

Sigma was negatively impacted by the ongoing headwinds in its European operations, primarily higher energy prices and input costs as well as lower pork exports. Noteworthy, Sigma Europe EBITDA was up 20% quarter-on-quarter as operating efficiencies and pricing actions have been implemented to mitigate inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, lower sales from the Government segment, project delays caused by the global semiconductor shortage, and lower revenues from a large wholesale customer continued to weigh on Axtel’s results. It is important to note that the large wholesale customer´s “concurso mercantil” process reached a financing agreement which provides certainty going forward to its creditors and suppliers like Axtel.

ALFA is fully committed to continue transferring value to its shareholders through a balanced approach which includes dividends, share repurchases, improvement in credit metrics and the transformational efforts underway to address the conglomerate discount.

We took a decisive step forward during the quarter when we announced the plan to spin-off Axtel to the ALFA shareholders. As approved by ALFA’s shareholders on July 12th, we are following virtually the same structure and process implemented when we spun off Nemak in 2020. ALFA will transfer its entire stake in Axtel to ALFA’s shareholders via a new, Bolsa-listed entity named Controladora Axtel.

By spinning-off Axtel, ALFA further simplifies its corporate structure and enhances its financial position as the two remaining subsidiaries, Alpek and Sigma, have investment grade credit ratings. In addition, ALFA’s shareholders gain autonomy as we advance, holding separate stakes in ALFA, Nemak and soon in Axtel. Also, as an independent business, Axtel will drive strategic initiatives to boost growth without the influence of ALFA’s transformational process.

Another key value-enhancing event during the quarter was Alpek closing the OCTAL acquisition ahead of plan. For 2022, Alpek is projecting an EBITDA contribution of US $120 million from OCTAL supported by better-than-expected reference margins and overall favorable industry conditions. In turn, Alpek increased its 2022 EBITDA guidance to US $1.600 billion, up from US $1.365 billion announced in 1Q22.

ALFA has also adjusted its 2022 guidance to reflect three significant items. First, the accounting effect resulting from Axtel being presented as a discontinued operation beginning in 3Q22. Second, Alpek raising guidance driven by the integration of OCTAL plus a solid reference margin outlook. Third, lower guidance from Sigma due to subpar performance from its European operations partially offset by solid results in Mexico, U.S. and Latam. The net result is ALFA’s 2022 Consolidated EBITDA Guidance adjusted slightly to US $2.280 billion, compared with US $2.283 billion announced in 1Q22.

On the ESG front, Alpek became the first ALFA subsidiary to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. Alpek is committed to reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 27.5% versus a 2019 baseline by 2030, which is in line with the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. Transitioning to renewable sources of electricity, improving energy usage, and producing emission-free steam are some of the initiatives Alpek will implement to meet its targets and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Looking to the remainder of the year, ALFA will prioritize the successful execution of the Axtel spin-off. Sigma will continue driving growth initiatives and mitigating inflationary pressures through operating efficiencies and revenue management. Alpek will focus on effectively integrating OCTAL to capture the full potential of this transformational acquisition and continue capitalizing on favorable industry dynamics.

In closing, we would also like to extend our condolences to the family of José Calderón Rojas who recently passed away. Mr. Calderón was a member of ALFA’s Board of Directors since 2005 and dear friend with a long family legacy as an ALFA shareholder. We are grateful for his many years of dedicated service and valuable insight. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. ALFA will be undertaking a search for a new Board member in due course.”

Keep well/Stay safe,  

Álvaro Fernández

 


SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (US $ MILLION)

2Q22

1Q22

2Q21

Ch.%
vs.
1Q22

Ch.%
vs.
2Q21

YTD ’22

YTD ’21

Ch. %


ALFA Revenues


4,835


4,191


3,731


15


30


9,026


7,119


27

    Alpek

2,815

2,332

1,849

21

52

5,147

3,463

49

    Sigma

1,870

1,711

1,707

9

10

3,582

3,320

8

    Axtel

127

124

149

2

(15)

251

288

(13)


ALFA EBITDA1


706


644


496


10


42


1,350


1,031


31

    Alpek

507

456

273

11

86

964

597

61

    Sigma

172

161

182

7

(5)

333

363

(8)

    Axtel

35

35

57

(39)

70

102

(31)


ALFA Comparable EBITDA2


568


520


449


9


27


1,088


863


26

    Alpek

369

333

225

11

64

702

429

64

    Sigma

172

161

182

7

(5)

333

363

(8)

    Axtel

35

35

57

(39)

70

102

(31)


Majority Net Income


243


210


99


15


144


453


253


79


CAPEX & Acquisitions


763


92


183


729


317


855


262


226


ALFA Net Debt


5,406


4,906


4,811


10


12


5,406


4,811


12

    Alpek

1,776

1,310

1,247

36

42

1,776

1,247

42

    Sigma

1,772

1,795

1,728

(1)

3

1,772

1,728

3

    Axtel

570

585

625

(3)

(9)

570

625

(9)

ALFA Net Debt/LTM* EBITDA

2.3

2.3

2.6

ALFA LTM* Interest Coverage

6.9

6.4

5.0

* Times LTM = Last 12 months.

1 EBITDA = Operating Income + depreciation and amortization + impairment of assets.

2 Excludes extraordinary items.

 

2Q22 EARNINGS CALL INFORMATION

Date:

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Time:

1:00 p.m. EDT (NY) / 12:00 p.m. CDT (CDMX)

By Phone:

United States:

+1-877-451-6152

International:

+1-201-389-0879

Mexico:

800-522-0034

Conference ID:

13731248

Webcast:


https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1558494&tp_key=52759fc818

Replay:


https://www.alfa.com.mx/RI/conference.htm

About ALFA

ALFA manages a diversified portfolio of leading businesses with global operations: Sigma, a leading multinational food company, focused on the production, marketing and distribution of quality foods through recognized brands in Mexico, Europe, United States and Latin America. Alpek, one of the world’s leading producers of polyester (PTA, PET, rPET and fibers), and the leader in the Mexican market for polypropylene and expandable polystyrene (EPS). Axtel, a provider of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) services for the enterprise and government segments in Mexico. In 2021, ALFA reported revenues of Ps. 308,060 million (US $15.2 billion), and EBITDA of Ps. 41,050 million (US $2.0 billion). ALFA’s shares are quoted on the Mexican Stock Exchange and on Latibex, the market for Latin American shares of the Madrid Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.alfa.com.mx

Disclaimer

This release may contain forward-looking information based on numerous variables and assumptions that are inherently uncertain. They involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and financial market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, such as the scope and duration of the outbreak, government actions and restrictive measures implemented in response, availability of workers and contractors due to illness and stay at home orders, supply chain disruptions and other impacts to the business, or on the Company’s ability to execute business continuity plans, as a result thereof. Accordingly, results could vary from those set forth in this release. The report presents unaudited financial information. Figures are presented in Mexican Pesos or US dollars, as indicated. Where applicable, Peso amounts were translated into US dollars using the average exchange rate of the months during which the operations were recorded. Financial ratios are calculated in US dollars. Due to the rounding up of figures, small differences may occur when calculating percent changes from one period to the other.

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alfa-reports-2q22-ebitda-of-us-706-million-highest-second-quarter-result-in-its-history-301590533.html

SOURCE ALFA, S.A.B. de C.V.

Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2022 Earnings Release and Conference Call Date

HOUSTON, July 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABTX) (“Allegiance”), the holding company of Allegiance Bank, today announced that it will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2022 results on Friday, July 29, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Central (10:00 a.m. Eastern). The conference call will be hosted by Steve Retzloff, Chief Executive Officer; Ray Vitulli, President; and Paul Egge, Chief Financial Officer. The related earnings release will be issued prior to the market opening on Friday, July 29, 2022, and will also be available on the Investor Relations section of Allegiance’s website at www.allegiancebank.com, under News and Events – News.

Conference Call and Live Webcast

Participants may register for the call here to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes prior to the event start (although you may register and dial in at any time during the call). If you need assistance in obtaining a dial-in number, please contact [email protected] or 281-894-3200. A simultaneous audio-only webcast may be accessed via the Investor Relations section of Allegiance’s website at www.allegiancebank.com, under News and Events – News.

Conference Call Webcast Archive

If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the webcast will be archived on the Investor Relations section of Allegiance’s website at www.allegiancebank.com, under Webcasts and Presentations – Webcasts.

About Allegiance Bancshares, Inc.

Allegiance is a Houston, Texas based bank holding company. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Allegiance Bank, Allegiance provides a diversified range of commercial banking services primarily to small- to medium-sized businesses and individual customers within the Houston region. Allegiance operates 26 full-service banking locations, with 25 bank offices in the Houston metropolitan area and one bank office in Beaumont, just outside of the Houston metropolitan area. Visit www.allegiancebank.com for more information.

CONTACT: Allegiance Bancshares, Inc.
[email protected]