PGIM Adds Two Buffer ETF Series and Laddered Buffer ETF to Lineup

PGIM Adds Two Buffer ETF Series and Laddered Buffer ETF to Lineup

Competitively priced at 0.50%, new funds are among lowest-cost buffer ETFs in the marketplace

NEWARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PGIM,1 the $1.4 trillion global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) launches the PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF series, the PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF series and the PGIM Laddered Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF (“the ETFs”).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250102861008/en/

Stuart Parker, President and CEO, PGIM Investments (Photo: Business Wire)

Stuart Parker, President and CEO, PGIM Investments (Photo: Business Wire)

The ETFs will be offered at a 0.50% net expense ratio, placing them among the lowest-cost buffer ETFs in the marketplace.2

  • The PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETF series seeks to provide investors with returns that match those of the SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (“SPY”) up to a predetermined upside cap (of at least 3%) while seeking to maximize downside protection against SPY’s losses over each ETF’s one-year target outcome period. The series seeks to provide 100% downside protection, with a dynamic 3% minimum cap provision. The series will consist of 12 ETFs, each listed monthly on the Cboe BZX.

  • The PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF series seeks to provide investors with returns that match the price return of the Invesco QQQ Trust℠, Series 1 (“QQQ”) up to a predetermined upside cap, while providing a downside buffer against the first 12% (before fees and expenses) of QQQ’s losses over each ETF’s target outcome period.3 The series will consist of four ETFs, each listed on the Nasdaq.

  • The PGIM Laddered Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF (“PBQQ”) seeks to provide investors with capital appreciation and equally invests in each of the quarterly PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETFs. PBQQ is listed on the Nasdaq.

“Investors are increasingly looking for defined outcome solutions that provide upside market exposure and downside protection,” said Stuart Parker, PGIM Investments president and CEO. “The expansion of our buffered ETF suite makes our offering one of the most comprehensive in the market and is emblematic of our mission to deliver products in line with investor needs.”

The ETFs are subadvised by PGIM Quantitative Solutions (PGIM Quant), the quantitative equity and multi-asset specialist of PGIM.

“We’re thrilled to partner with PGIM Investments on the launch of these new buffered products,” said Linda Gibson, CEO of PGIM Quantitative Solutions. “The ETFs not only leverage our subadvisory capabilities, but also our deep expertise in solutions-based investing and decades of experience managing options trading strategies for investors.”

PGIM’s expanded offering of buffer ETFs also includes the 12% and 20% U.S. Large Cap buffer ETF series and two laddered funds of buffer ETFs launched last year. Learn more about PGIM’s growing ETF suite, which spans fixed income, equity, and multi-asset class solutions, here.

ABOUT PGIM INVESTMENTS

PGIM Investments LLC and its affiliates offer more than 100 funds globally across a broad spectrum of asset classes and investment styles. All products draw on PGIM’s globally diversified investment platform that encompasses the expertise of managers across fixed income, equities, alternatives and real estate.

ABOUT PGIM QUANTITATIVE SOLUTIONS

PGIM Quantitative Solutions is the quantitative equity and multi-asset specialist of PGIM. For 50 years, PGIM Quantitative Solutions has helped investors around the world solve their unique needs by leveraging the power of technology and data as well as advanced academic research. PGIM Quantitative Solutions manages $103 billion in client assets.*

ABOUT PGIM

PGIM is the global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). In 42 offices across 19 countries, our more than 1,400 investment professionals serve both retail and institutional clients around the world.

As a leading global asset manager, with $1.4 trillion in assets under management,* PGIM is built on a foundation of strength, stability, and disciplined risk management. Our multi-affiliate model allows us to deliver specialized expertise across key asset classes with a focused investment approach. This gives our clients a diversified suite of investment strategies and solutions with global depth and scale across public and private asset classes, including fixed income, equities, real estate, private credit, and other alternatives. For more information, visit pgim.com.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI) of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom, or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit news.prudential.com.

*As of Sept. 30, 2024.

1 The term PGIM as used in this announcement includes PGIM Investments LLC, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc.

2 Source: Morningstar Direct as of Nov. 30, 2024.

3 Certain series may have an initial target outcome period of less than one year. Future target outcome periods will be for one-year periods.

Consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other information about the fund. Contact your financial professional for a prospectus and summary prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.

PGIM S&P 500 Max Buffer ETFs Fund Risks

The Fund invests in FLEX Options, which subjects the Fund to the risks of losing its premium paid for the option or that the price of the underlying reference asset drops significantly below the exercise prices and the Fund’s losses are substantial. FLEX Options are also subject to the risk that they may be less liquid than other securities, including standardized options.

FLEX Options are subject to trading risks and valuation risks because they are market traded and centrally cleared by the OCC. The Fund is designed to deliver returns that approximate the Underlying ETF if Fund shares are bought on the first day of a Target Outcome Period and held until the end of the Target Outcome Period, subject to the buffer and the cap. If an investor purchases Fund shares after the first day of a Target Outcome Period or sells shares prior to the expiration of the Target Outcome Period, the returns realized by the investor will not match those that the Fund seeks to provide.

The Fund is subject to buffered loss risk, in which there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to provide downside protection against Underlying ETF losses; buffer and cap change risk, in which the cap may rise or fall from one Target Outcome Period to the next and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Target Outcome Periods, and the Fund may have a buffer significantly below 100% in certain Target Outcome Periods; and capped upside risk, where the Fund will not participate in gains in the Underlying ETF beyond the cap. The Fund is subject to Underlying ETF risk in which the value of an investment in the Fund will be related to the investment performance of the Underlying ETF. Therefore, the principal risks of investing in the Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETF. As an ETF, the Fund is subject to risks involved with: ETF shares trading risk (including the risk of the shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value or the lack of an active trading market); authorized participant concentration risk; and the risk of transacting in cash versus in-kind.

As a new and relatively small fund with limited operating history, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance might not represent how it may perform long term and investments may have disproportionate impact on performance. The Fund will be indirectly exposed to equity and equity-related securities, where the value of a particular security could go down resulting in a loss of money; large capitalization companies, which may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions; and derivative securities, which may carry market, credit, and liquidity risks. Derivatives are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty.

The Fund is subject to management risk, in which the subadviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but the subadviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry or sector or about market movements may be incorrect; and liquidity risk, in which the Fund may invest in instruments that trade in lower volumes and are more illiquid than other investments. Certain transactions in which the Fund may engage may give rise to leverage which could result in increased volatility of investment return.

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); however, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Fund are not clear, including the tax aspects of the Fund’s options strategy (including the distribution of options as part of the Fund’s in-kind redemptions), the possible application of the “straddle” rules, and various loss limitation provisions of the Code.

PGIM Nasdaq-100 Buffer 12 ETF Risks

The Fund invests in FLEX Options, which subjects the Fund to the risks of losing its premium paid for the option or that the price of the underlying reference asset drops significantly below the exercise prices and the Fund’s losses are substantial. FLEX Options are also subject to the risk that they may be less liquid than other securities, including standardized options. FLEX Options are subject to trading risks and valuation risks because they are market traded and centrally cleared by the OCC. The Fund is designed to deliver returns that approximate the Underlying ETF if Fund shares are bought on the first day of a Target Outcome Period and held until the end of the Target Outcome Period, subject to the buffer and the cap. If an investor purchases Fund shares after the first day of a Target Outcome Period or sells shares prior to the expiration of the Target Outcome Period, the returns realized by the investor will not match those that the Fund seeks to provide.

The Fund is subject to buffered loss risk, in which there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in its strategy to provide downside protection against Underlying ETF losses; cap change risk, in which the cap may rise or fall from one Target Outcome Period to the next and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Target Outcome Periods; and capped upside risk, where the Fund will not participate in gains in the Underlying ETF beyond the cap. The Fund is subject to Underlying ETF risk, in which the value of an investment in the Fund will be related to the investment performance of the Underlying ETF. Therefore, the principal risks of investing in the Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETF. As an ETF, the Fund is subject to risks involved with: ETF shares trading risk (including the risk of the shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value or the lack of an active trading market); authorized participant concentration risk; and the risk of transacting in cash versus in-kind. The Fund is subject to technology sector risk, in that the Underlying ETF’s assets may be concentrated in the technology sector and may be more affected by the performance of the technology sector than a fund that is less concentrated.

As a new and relatively small fund with limited operating history, the Fund is subject to the risk that its performance might not represent how it may perform long term and investments may have disproportionate impact on performance. The Fund will be indirectly exposed to equity and equity-related securities, where the value of a particular security could go down resulting in a loss of money; large capitalization companies, which may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions; and derivative securities, which may carry market, credit, and liquidity risks.

Derivatives are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will be unable or unwilling to fulfill its contractual obligation, and the related risks of having concentrated exposure to such a counterparty.

The Fund is subject to management risk, in which the subadviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but the subadviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry or sector or about market movements may be incorrect; and liquidity risk, in which the Fund may invest in instruments that trade in lower volumes and are more illiquid than other investments. Certain transactions in which the Fund may engage may give rise to leverage which could result in increased volatility of investment return.

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); however, the federal income tax treatment of certain aspects of the proposed operations of the Fund are not clear, including the tax aspects of the Fund’s options strategy (including the distribution of options as part of the Fund’s in-kind redemptions), the possible application of the “straddle” rules, and various loss limitation provisions of the Code.

PGIM Laddered Fund Risks

The Fund is a “fund of funds” and is subject to Underlying ETF and QQQ risks, in that the value of an investment in the Fund will be related to the investment performance of the Underlying ETFs and, in turn, QQQ. Therefore, the principal risks of investing in the Fund are closely related to the principal risks associated with the Underlying ETFs and its investments. Exposure to the Underlying ETFs will also expose the Fund to a pro rata portion of the Underlying ETFs’ fees and expenses. The fluctuating value of the FLEX Options will affect the Underlying ETFs’ value and, in turn, the Fund’s value. The Fund intends to generally rebalance its portfolio to equal weight (i.e., 25% per Underlying ETF) quarterly, in connection with the reset of the cap of each Underlying ETF. In between such rebalances, market movements in the prices of the Underlying ETFs may result in the Fund having temporary larger exposures to certain Underlying ETFs compared to others. Exposure to the Underlying ETFs will also expose the Fund to a pro rata portion of the Underlying ETFs’ fees and expenses.

The Underlying ETFs invest in FLEX Options and, to the extent that the Underlying ETF writes or sells an option, if the decline or increase in the underlying asset is significantly below or above the exercise price of the written option, the Underlying ETF and, in turn, the Fund could experience a substantial or unlimited loss. FLEX Options are also subject to the risk that they may be less liquid than other securities, including standardized options; trading risks, as they are required to be centrally cleared; and valuation risks.

The Fund’s risk include, but are not limited to, target outcome period risk, where in the event the Fund acquires shares of an Underlying ETF after the first day of a Target Outcome Period or disposes of shares prior to the expiration of the Target Outcome Period, the value of the Fund’s investment in Underlying ETF shares may not be buffered against a decline in the value of QQQ and may not participate in a gain in the value of QQQ for the Fund’s investment period; buffered loss risk, in which there can be no guarantee that the Underlying ETFs will be successful in its strategy to provide downside protection against losses; cap change risk, in which a new cap for an Underlying ETF is established at the beginning of each Target Outcome Period and is dependent on prevailing market conditions and is unlikely to remain the same for consecutive Target Outcome Periods; and capped upside risk, in that since the Fund will acquire shares of the Underlying ETFs in connection with creations of new shares of the Fund and during each quarterly rebalance, the Fund typically will not acquire Underlying ETF shares on the first day of a Target Outcome Period. In the event that the Fund acquires Underlying ETF shares after the first day of a Target Outcome Period and the Underlying ETF has risen in value to a level near or at the cap, there may be little or no ability for the Fund to experience an investment gain on those Underlying ETF shares; however, the Fund will remain vulnerable to downside risks. The Fund is subject to technology sector risk, in that the Underlying ETF’s assets may be concentrated in the technology sector and may be more affected by the performance of the technology sector than a fund that is less concentrated.

As an actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the Fund is subject to risks involved with: ETF shares trading risk (including the risk of the shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value or the lack of an active trading market); authorized participant concentration risk; and the risk of transacting in cash versus in-kind. The Fund is subject to market risks, including economic risks, as well as market disruption and geopolitical risks (the value of investments may decrease, and international conflicts and geopolitical developments may adversely affect the U.S. and foreign financial markets, including increased volatility); and portfolio turnover risk, in that the Fund’s turnover rate may be higher than that of other ETFs which may involve expenses and lead to the realization of capital gains.

As a new and relatively small fund, the Fund’s performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. Large shareholders could subject the Fund to large-scale redemption risk. Your actual cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in the expense table for a variety of reasons. There is no guarantee the Fund’s objective will be achieved. The risks associated with the Fund are more fully explained in the Fund’s prospectus and summary prospectus.

Investment products are distributed by Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. PGIM Quantitative Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGIM. © 2025 Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. PGIM, PGIM Quantitative Solutions, and the PGIM logo are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency, may lose value, and are not a deposit of or guaranteed by any bank or any bank affiliate.

CONTROL # 4114138

MEDIA

Leah Pappas

973-856-5709

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: New Jersey United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Banking Asset Management Professional Services Finance

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Stuart Parker, President and CEO, PGIM Investments (Photo: Business Wire)

CLASS ACTION REMINDER: Berger Montague Advises ASP Isotopes (NASDAQ: ASPI) Investors to Inquire About a Securities Fraud Lawsuit by February 3, 2025

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A securities class action lawsuit has been filed against ASP Isotopes Inc. (“ASP Isotopes” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ASPI). The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of purchasers of ASP Isotopes securities between October 30, 2024 and November 26, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”).



CLICK HERE


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS LAWSUIT.


Investors who purchased or acquired

ASP ISOTOPES

securities during the Class Period may, no later than


FEBRUARY 3, 2025


, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, ASP Isotopes is a development-stage advanced materials company focused on the production, enrichment, and sale of isotopes. The Company purports to have multiple isotope enrichment plants currently under development in South Africa.

According to the lawsuit, ASP Isotopes and its senior executives failed to disclose to investors that the Company: (1) overstated the potential effectiveness of its enrichment technology; (2) overstated the development potential of its high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) facility; and (3) overstated the Company’s nuclear fuels operating segment results.


For additional information or to learn how to participate in this litigation, please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at




[email protected]




or (215) 875-3015, or Peter Hamner at




[email protected]




,


or




CLICK HERE


.

A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Communicating with any counsel is not necessary to participate or share in any recovery achieved in this case. Any member of the purported class may move the Court to serve as a lead plaintiff through counsel of his/her choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an inactive class member.


Berger Montague
, with offices in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Delaware, Washington, D.C., San Diego, San Francisco and Chicago, has been a pioneer in securities class action litigation since its founding in 1970. Berger Montague has represented individual and institutional investors for over five decades and serves as lead counsel in courts throughout the United States.

Contact:

Andrew Abramowitz, Senior Counsel
Berger Montague
(215) 875-3015
[email protected]  

Peter Hamner
Berger Montague PC
[email protected]



Tesla Fourth Quarter 2024 Production, Deliveries & Deployments

Tesla Fourth Quarter 2024 Production, Deliveries & Deployments

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
In the fourth quarter, we produced approximately 459,000 vehicles, delivered over 495,000 vehicles and deployed 11.0 GWh of energy storage products – a record for both deliveries and deployments.

Thank you to all of our customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and supporters who helped us achieve these results.

Q4 2024

 

Production

Deliveries

Subject to operating lease accounting

Model 3/Y

436,718

471,930

5%

Other Models

22,727

23,640

6%

Total

459,445

495,570

5%

2024

 

Production

Deliveries

Model 3/Y

1,679,338

1,704,093

Other Models

94,105

85,133

Total

1,773,443

1,789,226

Energy storage deployments for 2024 were 31.4 GWh.

Tesla will post its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 after market close on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. At that time, Tesla will issue a brief advisory containing a link to the Q4 2024 update, which will be available on Tesla’s Investor Relations website. Tesla management will hold a live question and answer webcast that day at 4:30 p.m. Central Time (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the Company’s financial and business results and outlook.

What: Tesla Q4 2024 Financial Results and Q&A Webcast

When: Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Time: 4:30 p.m. Central Time / 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Q4 2024 Update: https://ir.tesla.com

Webcast: https://ir.tesla.com (live and replay)

Approximately two hours after the Q&A session, an archived version of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website.

For additional information, please visit https://ir.tesla.com.

Our net income and cash flow results will be announced along with the rest of our financial performance when we announce Q4 earnings. Tesla vehicle deliveries and storage deployments represent only two measures of the Company’s financial performance and should not be relied on as an indicator of quarterly financial results, which depend on a variety of factors, including average selling price, cost of sales, foreign exchange movements and others as to be disclosed in the 10-K for the year ended on December 31, 2024.

Investor Relations Contact:

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: Texas United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Automotive General Automotive Automotive Manufacturing EV/Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Autonomous Driving/Vehicles

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Viant Announces Strategic Partnership with Association of National Advertisers

Viant Announces Strategic Partnership with Association of National Advertisers

New Partnership Serves to Expand Customer Reach

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Viant Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: DSP), a leader in AI-powered programmatic advertising, today announced a strategic partnership with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). Viant joins the ranks of some of the most influential brands and marketers, enhancing its ability to drive growth and innovation across the wider advertising industry.

The ANA, representing over 1,600 companies, is committed to advancing marketing excellence through events, training, publications and advocacy and provides Viant with the opportunity to closely collaborate with the ANA’s extensive network of marketing leaders to shape the future of advertising.

“We are excited to welcome Viant to our exclusive group of strategic partners within the Association of National Advertisers,” said Bill Duggan, Group EVP of the ANA. “With groundbreaking innovations like ViantAI, Viant continues to set new standards in critical areas such as AI, CTV and sustainability, demonstrating true leadership in the advertising community.”

This partnership comes at a pivotal time for Viant, as the company continues to deliver rapid growth, outpacing the industry and gaining market share. Viant continues to solidify its position as a leader in critical industry areas through innovations like ViantAI, redefining the future of programmatic media buying, scaling CTV advertising performance and driving measurable outcomes for brands in a dynamic digital ecosystem.

ABOUT VIANT

Viant Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: DSP) is a leader in AI-powered programmatic advertising, dedicated to driving innovation in digital marketing. Our omnichannel platform built for CTV allows marketers to plan, execute and measure their campaigns with unmatched precision and efficiency. With the launch of ViantAI, Viant is building the future of fully autonomous advertising solutions, empowering advertisers to achieve their boldest goals. Viant was recently awarded Best Demand-Side Platform by MarTech Breakthrough, Great Place to Work® certification and received the Business Intelligence Group’s Innovation award for AI Advancements. Learn more at viantinc.com.

ABOUT THE ANA

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) accelerates growth for marketing professionals, brands, and the entire industry. With a mission to shape the future of marketing, the ANA sets the agenda for the industry, connecting its members to unparalleled expertise, industry-leading resources, and an influential global network. Representing over 1,600 companies — including 1,000+ client-side marketers, 600 marketing solutions providers, and 20,000 brands — ANA members collectively influence $400 billion in annual marketing spending. By championing the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda and the CMO Growth Council, the ANA drives actionable change, empowers marketers, shapes the marketing ecosystem, and delivers exceptional experiences at every touchpoint. Since 1910, the ANA has been setting the agenda for industry transformation. It enables marketers to advance their ambitions, make better decisions, and create lasting impact for their organizations and the industry.

Media Contact:

Marielle Lyon

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: California United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Marketing Advertising Digital Marketing Communications Technology Software Artificial Intelligence

MEDIA:

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SoundHound AI and Lucid Motors Bring In-Vehicle Voice Assistant with Integrated Generative AI to Electric Vehicles

SoundHound AI and Lucid Motors Bring In-Vehicle Voice Assistant with Integrated Generative AI to Electric Vehicles

Lucid introduces an assistant that can deliver responses from both real-time information domains and large language models

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
SoundHound AI, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOUN), a global leader in voice artificial intelligence, today announced that Lucid, maker of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, has launched the Lucid Assistant.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250102610748/en/

SoundHound AI announced that Lucid, maker of the world's most advanced electric vehicles, has launched the Lucid Assistant powered by SoundHound Chat AI. (Graphic: Business Wire)

SoundHound AI announced that Lucid, maker of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, has launched the Lucid Assistant powered by SoundHound Chat AI. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The Lucid Assistant is a revolutionary new hands-free voice assistant, offering customers an easy and intuitive way to control many vehicle functions by speech. To demonstrate the Lucid Assistant’s seamless functionality, SoundHound will host a hands-on experience with a Lucid Air at its CES booth (LVCC, West Hall Level 1, Booth #4964, Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility).

The Lucid Assistant is powered by SoundHound Chat AI, the cutting-edge voice platform that was the first into full production with a voice assistant that integrates the latest generative AI technology. This integration will give drivers access to a voice assistant that further enhances Lucid’s in-vehicle user experience with interactive knowledge discovery, real-time data, and effortless in-vehicle controls.

“Developing Lucid Assistant in cooperation with SoundHound enables us to deliver much more than a voice control feature,” said Dr. Jean-Philippe Gauthier, Head of Software Engineering at Lucid. “In combination with Lucid’s frequent over-the-air software updates, Lucid Assistant can grow in functionality and capability over time, delivering an ever-better experience for Lucid owners.”

Now live and available to Lucid Air owners, the Lucid Assistant responds to the wake words “Hey Lucid.” Drivers and passengers can ask questions in a natural and conversational way and receive fast, accurate responses through SoundHound’s proprietary technology. This technology ensures that the assistant selects the correct response from the most appropriate domain – whether that’s an answer powered by generative AI, or the kind of response that other large language models may not handle, like real-time questions about weather, sports, stocks, and more.

In addition, the in-vehicle voice assistant lets users access Lucid’s full car manual and can provide answers to almost any question about the vehicle’s functionality. Drivers can also use voice to control critical features like navigation, and many of the Lucid Assistant features and functions can also be accessed without needing a cellular connection.

“Lucid is one of the most exciting automakers in the world, so it stands to reason they are launching this pioneering new voice AI assistant,” said Michael Zagorsek, COO of SoundHound AI.“We believe that SoundHound’s best-in-class voice technology opens up unlimited new opportunities for both drivers and OEMs, and will fundamentally change the way we interact with our vehicles into the future.”

When processing queries, the SoundHound system uses a proprietary approach to massively reduce the risk of “AI hallucinations” – misleading and unpredictable responses often associated with some LLMs. The assistant is available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, German, and Dutch, with additional languages coming soon.

About SoundHound AI

SoundHound (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in conversational intelligence, offers voice and conversational AI solutions that let businesses offer incredible experiences to their customers. Built on proprietary technology, SoundHound’s voice AI delivers best-in-class speed and accuracy in numerous languages to product creators and service providers across retail, financial services, healthcare, automotive, smart devices, and restaurants via groundbreaking AI-driven products like Smart Answering, Smart Ordering, Dynamic Drive Thru, and Amelia AI Agents. Along with SoundHound Chat AI, a powerful voice assistant with integrated Generative AI, SoundHound powers millions of products and services, and processes billions of interactions each year for world class businesses. www.soundhound.com.

Media Contact:

Gianna Arantes

201-815-9852

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: California United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Vehicle Technology Data Management Automotive EV/Electric Vehicles Technology Software Artificial Intelligence

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SoundHound AI announced that Lucid, maker of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, has launched the Lucid Assistant powered by SoundHound Chat AI. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Check Point Software to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results on January 30, 2025

TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, today announced that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 ended December 31, 2024, on Thursday, January 30, 2025, before the U.S. financial markets open. Management will host a video conference call with the investment community at 8:30 AM EST/5:30 AM PST on January 30, 2025. A live video webcast of the call will be hosted on the company’s website at http://www.checkpoint.com/ir.

To follow this and other Check Point news visit:

About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Core Services for collaborative security operations and services.

©2025 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved 

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Kip E. Meintzer
Check Point Software
+1.650.628.2040
[email protected] 
MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil Messing
Check Point Software 
+1.650.628.2260
[email protected] 



Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (“HTLF”) Announces Common Stock Dividend

DENVER, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF), operating under the brand name HTLF, announced its Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend on common stock of $0.30 per share. The dividend is payable on January 27, 2025, to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 14, 2025.

HTLF has increased or maintained its common stock dividend every quarter for more than 40 years.

About HTLF

Heartland Financial USA, Inc., is a Denver, Colorado-based bank holding company operating under the brand name HTLF, with assets of $18.27 billion as of September 30, 2024. HTLF’s banks serve customers in the West, Southwest and Midwest regions. HTLF is committed to serving the banking needs of privately owned businesses, their owners, executives and employees. Our core commercial business is supported by a strong retail banking operation, in addition to a diversified line of financial services including treasury management, wealth management and investments. Additional information is available at www.htlf.com.

CONTACT:

Kevin L. Thompson
EVP, Chief Financial Officer
303-365-3813
[email protected]



Gentex Unites the Connected Car and the Smart Home with the Next Generation of HomeLink

ZEELAND, Mich., Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) announced today that it will unveil the newest version of its HomeLink car-to-home automation system next week at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. The latest HomeLink will be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, operate a broad range of smart home products from leading brands such as Amazon and Samsung Smart Things, and allow users to operate certain Wi-Fi-connected garage doors via smartphone or vehicle-integrated app.

Gentex is a technology company and long-time supplier of electro-optical products for the global automotive, aerospace, fire protection and medical industries. The company is best known for automotive electronics, but continues to grow its capabilities in vision systems, sensing, AI development, biometrics, home automation, and more.

HomeLink, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is the auto industry’s original and most trusted car-to-home automation system, with an estimated 110 million HomeLink-equipped vehicles on the road today. HomeLink allows users to program in-vehicle buttons to activate garage doors, estate gates, and a myriad of smart home devices.

“We want to ensure that HomeLink remains the most comprehensive and versatile car-to-home automation system available,” said Gentex Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technology Officer Neil Boehm. “By ensuring compatibility with leading smart home brands, it allows HomeLink to operate an ever-increasing number of devices, making it more and more useful over time.”

The next-gen HomeLink utilizes multiple methods to activate smart home devices. It incorporates radio frequency (RF) to control entry-critical devices such as garage doors and gates, Long-Range Bluetooth to ensure global compatibility and support device updates, and cloud-based API integration for smart home devices.

HomeLink can now operate devices from leading smart home manufacturers, including Amazon and Samsung, allowing users to activate individual smart home devices or entire scenes via a HomeLink button press. In addition, the system will be compatible with Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

To help setup and manage next-gen HomeLink, Gentex has developed an all-new HomeLink app that provides step-by-step programming instructions, supports device compatibility updates, facilitates the control of Amazon and Samsung smart home devices, enables Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and allows the remote activation of garage doors. Elements of the HomeLink app can also be integrated into automaker vehicle apps and infotainment systems.

“RF is the best way to ensure activation of entry-critical devices like garage doors and gates, but there is also a growing desire to open garage doors remotely from a smartphone app,” said Boehm. “Through partnerships with garage door operator manufacturers like Genie, we can provide automakers with app-based solutions that allow HomeLink to control garage doors from the vehicle or user’s smartphone.”

Gentex also recently launched a program called HomeLink Smart Home Solutions, which provides homeowners, builders and commercial property managers with curated, professionally installed and monitored smart home systems. The systems can include a broad range of devices, such as smart locks, lighting, thermostats, security cameras, intrusion sensors – even options for solar power and EV charging.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) is a technology company that leverages its core competencies, strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and ongoing research to create market-leading positions in a variety of verticals. You can view some of the Company’s latest technology at www.gentex.com.

   
Gentex Media Contact

Craig Piersma
(616) 772-1590 x4316
[email protected]
Gentex Investor Relations Contact
Josh O’Berski
(616) 931-3505
[email protected]
   

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62ec51a4-2699-4776-8dd4-693e140f5728



Apollo to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results on February 4, 2025

NEW YORK, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) plans to release financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, before the opening of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Management will review Apollo’s financial results at 8:30 am ET via public webcast available on Apollo’s Investor Relations website at ir.apollo.com. A replay will be available one hour after the event.

Apollo distributes its earnings releases via its website and email lists. Those interested in receiving firm updates by email can sign up for them here.

About Apollo

Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of September 30, 2024, Apollo had approximately $733 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

Contacts

Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
[email protected]

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
[email protected]



Fortinet to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

News Summary 

Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, announced that it will hold a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results on Thursday, February 6, at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time).

Fortinet’s financial results conference call will be broadcast live in listen-only mode on the company’s investor relations website at http://investor.fortinet.com. While not required, it is recommended that you join at least 10 minutes prior to the event start.

The CEO and CFO’s prepared remarks, supplemental slides and a call replay will be accessible from the Quarterly Earnings page on the Investor Relations page of Fortinet’s website at https://investor.fortinet.com/quarterly-earnings.

About Fortinet (www.fortinet.com)

Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs


FTNT-F


Copyright © 2024 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP.

Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments. 

Media Contact: Investor Contact: Analyst Contact:
     
Tiffany Curci Aaron Ovadia Brian Greenberg
Fortinet, Inc. Fortinet, Inc. Fortinet, Inc.
208-880-8134 408-235-7700 408-235-7700
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]