Sierra Oncology to Present at Three Upcoming Investor Conferences

PR Newswire

—HC Wainwright Life Sciences Conference beginning at 7:00 am ET on March 9th—

—Roth Conference at 10:00 am ET on March 15th

—Oppenheimer Healthcare Conference at 1:50 pm ET on March 17th

SAN MATEO, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – Sierra Oncology, Inc. (SRRA), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company on a quest to deliver targeted therapies that treat rare forms of cancer, today announced that company executives will participate in three investor conferences in March 2021. Stephen Dilly, MBBS, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Sierra will provide a company update at the HC Wainwright Life Sciences Conference and the Oppenheimer Healthcare Conference; Barbara Klencke, MD, Chief Development Officer will participate in a panel discussion at the 33rd Annual Roth Conference.

Presentation Details:


Conference:  


HC Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference

Presenter:      

Stephen Dilly, MBBS, PhD, Chief Executive Officer

Date:              

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Time:              

On Demand Viewing starting at 7:00 am ET


Conference:  


Virtual 33rd Annual Roth Conference

Presenter:      

Barbara Klencke, MD, Chief Development Officer

Session:         

Large Market Opportunities in RARE Hematologic & Inflammatory Disease

Date:              

Monday, March 15, 2021

Time:              

10:00 am – 11:00 am ET                               


Conference:  


Oppenheimer 31st Annual Healthcare Conference

Presenter:      

Stephen Dilly, MBBS, PhD, Chief Executive Officer

Date:              

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Time:              

1:50 pm – 2:20 pm ET

All three presentations will be webcast and available at the times noted above on the Investors section of Sierra’s corporate website in the Events & Webcast tab.

About Sierra Oncology
Sierra Oncology is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company on a quest to deliver targeted therapies that treat rare forms of cancer. We harness our deep scientific expertise to identify compounds that target the root cause of disease to advance targeted therapies with assets on the leading edge of cancer biology. Our team takes an evidence-based approach to understand the limitations of current treatments and explore new ways to change the cancer treatment paradigm. Together we are transforming promise into patient impact.

For more information, visit www.SierraOncology.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Sierra Oncology’s expectations from current data, anticipated clinical development activities, expected timing and success of enrollment of MOMENTUM and potential benefits of momelotinib. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, among others, the risk that Sierra Oncology’s cash resources may be insufficient to fund its current operating plans and it may be unable to raise additional capital when needed, the risk that disruptions and impacts of COVID-19 will be significant and lengthy, Sierra Oncology may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize momelotinib, momelotinib may not demonstrate safety and efficacy or otherwise produce positive results, Sierra Oncology may experience delays in the clinical development of momelotinib, Sierra Oncology may be unable to acquire additional assets to build a pipeline of additional product candidates, Sierra Oncology’s third-party manufacturers may cause its supply of materials to become limited or interrupted or fail to be of satisfactory quantity or quality, Sierra Oncology may be unable to obtain and enforce intellectual property protection for its technologies and momelotinib and the other factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” set forth in Sierra Oncology’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Sierra Oncology undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein or to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof, other than as may be required by applicable law.

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SOURCE Sierra Oncology

Broadridge’s LTX® Granted Patent for Innovative RFX® Protocol to Significantly Improve Corporate Bond Trading

Patent covers next-generation AI and cloud technology to power RFX digital trading protocol capabilities, going beyond the limitations of other trading platforms in measuring pre-trade liquidity and promoting best execution

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Empowering broker-dealers and institutional investors to better connect and trade corporate bonds digitally, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR), a global Fintech leader, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted LTX, a Broadridge company, U.S. Patent No.10922773. The patent covers its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven RFX digital trading protocol technology, which enables broker-dealers to maximize liquidity, efficiency and execution for their buy-side customers while minimizing information leakage.

“Broadridge has been investing in the development of this technology for several years to help our dealer clients and their buy-side customers generate more efficiencies in the front office,” said Chris Perry, President of Broadridge. “This patent award recognizes Broadridge’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions that leverage next-gen technologies to help clients do business smarter and more efficiently.”

The patented RFX protocol empowers broker-dealers to unlock more value from their data and customer network. Using RFX, broker-dealers can intelligently identify and efficiently aggregate liquidity across multiple natural buyers bidding for their desired amount of bonds, which in turn helps them deliver improved best execution to their customers. 

The proprietary innovation pairs LTX’s powerful AI and cloud technology with Broadridge’s leadership in fixed income and equities post-trade processing, which processes over U.S. $10 trillion in notional volume per day across 40-plus dealer clients.

“Our patented RFX protocol is the most significant improvement for corporate bond trading in the last 20 years since RFQ,” said Jim Toffey, Co-founder and CEO of LTX. “We are thrilled to be awarded this patent as an acknowledgement of our ground-breaking innovation that will take the bond market to the next level.”

The patent also helps institutional investors understand pre-trade liquidity for selecting the right dealer with the strongest customer network of natural buyers and sellers to intermediate an RFX and increase the likelihood of trade execution.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a $4.5 billion global Fintech leader, is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and corporate issuers. Broadridge’s infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 50 percent of public companies and mutual funds globally, and processes on average U.S. $10 trillion in fixed income and equity securities trades per day. Broadridge is part of the S&P 500® Index and employs over 12,000 associates in 17 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

Investors:

W. Edings Thibault
Investor Relations
+ 1 516-472-5129
[email protected]

Media:

Tina Wadhwa

Broadridge Financial Solutions
+1 212-973-6164
[email protected]

 

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SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

The Valens Company Enters into Extraction and Custom Manufacturing Agreement with Rubicon Organics

PR Newswire

Two of the largest certified organic producers in Canada come together to bring innovative and
high-quality products to market

KELOWNA, BC, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – The Valens Company Inc. (TSX: VLNS) (OTCQX: VLNCF) (the “Company,” “The Valens Company” or “Valens“), a leading manufacturer of cannabis products, today announced that it has entered into an extraction and custom manufacturing agreement with Rubicon Organics, a Canadian licensed producer of high-quality, organic certified, sustainably grown cannabis. Rubicon Organics boasts a robust portfolio of recreational brands that meet the diversified needs of consumers, including super-premium Simply Bare Organic, flower-based 1964 Supply Co., in addition to concentrate-focused Lab Theory.

Under the terms of the agreement, Valens will have the opportunity to leverage its full complement of proprietary extraction capabilities, including organic certified CO2, ethanol, and other extraction technologies, to deliver customized consumer experiences in a variety of 2.0 products under the Rubicon Organics portfolio. Additionally, the custom manufacturing agreement provides a platform for collaboration, new product development and innovation to bring next generation formats to the market, allowing Valens to further expand its industry-leading portfolio of product manufacturing capabilities.

“The Rubicon Organics team has a strong and proven track record of success with their flower business and we are confident they will enjoy the same success in other product categories,” said Tyler Robson, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder and Chair of The Valens Company. “At the heart of this agreement is a true partnership and both parties are eager to get down to work on innovation to bolster Rubicon Organics’ product portfolio and bring certified organic, high-quality 2.0 products to the Canadian market. We are especially pleased to be working with a supply partner that can meet our strict requirements for laboratory controls, quality and reliability.”

“This agreement will enable Rubicon Organics to accelerate the launch of our organic certified 2.0 innovation pipeline, providing our consumers with the best cannabis products in Canada, and growing our share of the premium and super premium cannabis category,” said Jesse McConnell, Chief Executive Officer of Rubicon Organics. 

At Valens, it’s Personal.

About The Valens Company

The Valens Company is a leading manufacturer of cannabis products with a mission to bring the benefits of cannabis to the world. The Company provides proprietary cannabis processing services across five core technologies, in addition to best-in-class product development, formulation and manufacturing of cannabis consumer packaged goods. The Valens Company’s high-quality products are exclusively formulated for the medical, therapeutic, health and wellness, and recreational consumer segments, and are offered across numerous product formats, including oils, vapes, concentrates, edibles and topicals, as well as pre-rolls, with a focus on next-generation product development and innovation. Its breakthrough patented emulsification technology, SōRSE™ by Valens, converts cannabis oil into water-soluble emulsions for seamless integration into a variety of product formats, allowing for near-perfect dosing, stability, and taste. In partnership with brand houses, consumer packaged goods companies and licensed cannabis producers around the globe, the Company continues to grow its diverse product portfolio in alignment with evolving cannabis consumer preferences in key markets. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Valens Labs Ltd., the Company is setting the standard in cannabis testing and research and development with Canada’s only ISO17025 accredited analytical services lab, named The Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science by partner and scientific world leader Thermo Fisher Scientific. Discover more on The Valens Company and its subsidiaries at http://www.thevalenscompany.com.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements

All information included in this news release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance and other statements of The Valens Company that express management’s expectations or estimates of future performance, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are included for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Wherever possible, words such as “plans”, “expects”, “scheduled”, “trends”, “indications”, “potential”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “anticipate”, “to establish”, “believe”, “intend”, “ability to”, or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will”, or are “likely” to be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of these words or other variations thereof, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosure regarding future results of operations, economic conditions and anticipated courses of action. Investors and other parties are advised that there is not necessarily any correlation between the number of SKUs manufactured and shipped and revenue and profit, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, that the LYF Acquisition does not close, the Milestones are not met, the increase to the Company’s EBITDA and diluted EPS is not achieved, regulatory risk, United States border crossing and travel bans, reliance on licenses, expansion of facilities, competition, dependence on supply of cannabis and reliance on other key inputs, dependence on senior management and key personnel, general business risk and liability, regulation of the cannabis industry, change in laws, regulations and guidelines, compliance with laws, reliance on a single facility, limited operating history, vulnerability to rising energy costs, unfavourable publicity or consumer perception, product liability, risks related to intellectual property, product recalls, difficulties with forecasts, management of growth and litigation, many of which are beyond the control of The Valens Company. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risks faced by The Valens Company, and which may cause the actual financial results, performance or achievements of The Valens Company to be materially different from estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, please refer to The Valens Company’s latest Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com or on The Valens Company’s website at www.thevalenscompany.com. The risks described in such Annual Information Form are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Although the forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management’s current beliefs and reasonable assumptions based upon information available to management as of the date hereof, The Valens Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The Valens Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Valens Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Nothing herein should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell securities of The Valens Company.

Jeff Fallows, The Valens Company, Investor Relations, [email protected], 1 647.956.8254; KCSA Strategic Communications, Phil Carlson / Elizabeth Barker, [email protected], 1 212.896.1233 / 1 212.896.1203; Media: KCSA Strategic Communications, Anne Donohoe, [email protected], 1 212.896.1265

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SOURCE The Valens Company Inc.

MoneyLion Unlocks the Exclusivity of a Private Banking Experience for All with Acquisition of Wealth Technologies Inc.

Data-driven, digital financial platform utilizes AI and predictive analytics to bring institutional quality, personalized short- and long-term advice to hardworking Americans

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — MoneyLion, an award-winning data-driven, digital financial platform, today announced that it has acquired Wealth Technologies Inc. (WTI), a pioneer in algorithmic financial planning technology. The company also announced the appointment of WTI co-founder, Rohit D’Souza, as Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors.

The acquisition of WTI is designed to improve members’ experience and engagement with MoneyLion, a digital platform where Americans can easily bank, borrow, save and invest – all in one place. The MoneyLion platform will be powered by WTI’s proprietary fGPS® Financial Goals Positioning System, the industry’s first dynamic course-correcting, comprehensive financial planning and advice system. With this addition, MoneyLion’s new analytical framework will provide the intelligent turn-by-turn guidance its members need to confidently manage today, plan for tomorrow and invest in their future.

“Our acquisition of WTI adds significant new capabilities to MoneyLion by enhancing our suite of financial tools with precision-guided financial advice to help our members see the interconnectivity of short- and long-term financial decisions across their entire financial portfolio,” said Dee Choubey, MoneyLion co-founder and CEO. “With fGPS® guidance, MoneyLion will bring the previously exclusive experience of private banking with personalized advice to every hardworking American.”

“The WTI acquisition brings tremendous talent with many years of experience in the areas of quantitative finance, data analytics, algorithmic decision making, and financial product design, which will help us greatly as we seek to empower even more people to make informed decisions on their path to achieving financial wellness,” added Choubey.

MoneyLion will leverage fGPS® technology to enhance the advice provided to members regarding spending, credit and investing by analyzing the full picture of members’ personal assets, liabilities, incomes and expenses. Predictive fGPS® analytics will help them navigate life’s ups and downs and set and achieve their most important financial goals. It will also bring to life MoneyLion’s Financial Heartbeat® financial health tracker, enabling it to operate as a personalized status check that offers members individualized, step-by-step plans to support their entire financial journey, from offering guidance on how to manage short-term expenses, tips for making credit and financing decisions, or suggestions to optimize insurance coverage.

D’Souza brings deep knowledge and vision as a pioneer in algorithmic trading and quantitative finance, with decades of experience in capital markets, including leadership roles as Head of US Equity and Derivatives Trading at Morgan Stanley, Global Head of Merrill Lynch’s Equity, Equity Derivatives and Prime Brokerage division, and CEO of Citadel Securities. 

“WTI’s innovative technology, coupled with MoneyLion’s proven ability to deliver comprehensive AI-powered financial solutions to millions of hardworking Americans, can revolutionize the way the personal finance industry functions by leveraging technology to put the client’s needs and goals at the center – refocusing the business processes from product-centric, sales-oriented verticals to client-centric, outcome-oriented solutions,” said D’Souza.

“We know where the incumbent industry’s strengths and weaknesses are and where change is long overdue,” continued D’Souza. “By applying hyper-personalized technology at mass scale, MoneyLion is accelerating the path to financial inclusion by bringing the private banking benefits historically reserved for the ultra-wealthy to anyone whose financial life can be improved with good guidance and tailored services.”

This news follows MoneyLion’s February 12announcement that the company has entered into a definitive agreement with Fusion Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FUSE) that will result in MoneyLion becoming a publicly listed company in the first half of 2021.

To learn more, visit www.MoneyLion.com.

About MoneyLion
MoneyLion is a mobile banking and financial membership platform that empowers people to take control of their finances. Since its launch in 2013, MoneyLion has engaged with 7.5 million hard-working Americans and has earned its members’ trust by building a full-service digital platform to deliver mobile banking, lending, and investment solutions. From a single app, members can get a 360-degree snapshot of their financial lives and have access to personalized tips and tools to build and improve their credit and achieve everyday savings. MoneyLion is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Sioux Falls, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. MoneyLion has achieved various awards of recognition including the 2020 Forbes FinTech 50, Aite group best digital Wealth Management Multiproduct offering, Finovate Award for Best Digital Bank 2019, Benzinga FinTech Awards winner for Innovation in Personal Finance 2019 and the Webby Awards 2019 People’s Voice Award. For more information, please visit www.moneylion.com or download the app.

Media Contact:

[email protected]
 

Additional Information About the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find It

The proposed business combination will be submitted to shareholders of Fusion Acquisition Corp. (“Fusion”) for their consideration. Fusion intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) with the SEC which will include preliminary and definitive proxy statements to be distributed to Fusion’s shareholders in connection with Fusion’s solicitation for proxies for the vote by Fusion’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination and other matters as described in the Registration Statement, as well as the prospectus relating to the offer of the securities to be issued to MoneyLion’s shareholders in connection with the completion of the proposed business combination. After the Registration Statement has been filed and declared effective, Fusion will mail a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents to its shareholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed business combination. Fusion’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement / prospectus and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive proxy statement / prospectus, in connection with Fusion’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of shareholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed business combination, because these documents will contain important information about Fusion, MoneyLion and the proposed business combination. Shareholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed business combination and other documents filed with the SEC by Fusion, without charge, at the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Cody Slach and Matt Glover, (949) 574-3860, [email protected].

Participants in the Solicitation

Fusion, MoneyLion and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Fusion’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Fusion’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination will be set forth in Fusion’s proxy statement / prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. You can find more information about Fusion’s directors and executive officers in Fusion’s final prospectus dated June 25, 2020, filed with the SEC on June 29, 2020. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the proxy statement / prospectus when it becomes available. Shareholders, potential investors and other interested persons should read the proxy statement / prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the sources indicated above.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this communication includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance metrics and expectations and timing related to potential benefits, terms and timing of the transaction. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of MoneyLion’s and Fusion’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of MoneyLion and Fusion. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed business combination, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed business combination or that the approval of the shareholders of Fusion or MoneyLion is not obtained; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed business combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to MoneyLion; future global, regional or local economic and market conditions; the development, effects and enforcement of laws and regulations; MoneyLion’s ability to manage future growth; MoneyLion’s ability to develop new products and solutions, bring them to market in a timely manner, and make enhancements to its platform; the effects of competition on MoneyLion’s future business; the amount of redemption requests made by Fusion’s public shareholders; the ability of Fusion or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities in connection with the proposed business combination or in the future; the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; and those factors discussed in Fusion’s final prospectus dated June 25, 2020 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, in each case, under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents of Fusion filed, or to be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither MoneyLion nor Fusion presently know or that MoneyLion and Fusion currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect MoneyLion’s and Fusion’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. MoneyLion and Fusion anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause MoneyLion’s and Fusion’s assessments to change. However, while MoneyLion and Fusion may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, MoneyLion and Fusion specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing MoneyLion’s and Fusion’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

No Offer or Solicitation
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 securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom.

 

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SOURCE MoneyLion

TronTV Selects Kubient as Premiere Transparent Programmatic Partner for Ad Fraud Prevention Through KAI

Marking Kubient’s First Programmatic OTT Desktop Partnership

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Kubient (NasdaqCM: KBNT, KBNTW), the cloud advertising marketplace that enables advertisers and publishers to reach, monetize and connect their audiences efficiently and effectively, today announced its partnership with TronTV, the free AVOD streaming service reaching 85 million monthly viewers, as the platform’s first premiere programmatic partner to detect ad fraud. The partnership will mark Kubient’s first play in the desktop app space.

“As fraud continues to be prevalent in the media space, it continues to grow in the OTT video space which can be problematic for brands” said Bruce Warshaw, VP of Programmatic at Kubient. “We look forward to working with TronTV to ensure its ecosystem remains premium and free of ad fraud, continuing to attract advertisers to its platform.”

TronTV turned to Kubient for its expertise in fraud prevention and its proprietary Kubient Artificial Intelligence (KAI) to identify, flag, and prevent ad fraud in real time, enabling advertisers to bid on inventory without hesitation for fear of fraudulent traffic. TronTV has a unique advertising experience because their content and ads are distributed through multiple owned and operated platforms.

Through the partnership, advertisers and TronTV will both have more visibility and transparency during the programmatic process, allowing TronTV to better understand the advertisers buying inventory and giving the advertisers more insight on the inventory and traffic they are purchasing.

“With an AVOD business model, we’re committed to providing a quality ad experience for our users, as well as providing a premium environment for our advertisers,” said Nick Brondo, Head of Global Programmatic Ad Partnerships & Platform at TronTV. “Fraud continues to negatively impact the advertisers and publishers, which is why we’re partnering with a leader like Kubient, to help keep our platform safe.”

To learn more about Kubient and TronTV’s partnership, please visit www.kubient.com.


About Kubient

Kubient is a technology company with a mission to transform the digital advertising industry to audience-based marketing. Kubient’s next generation cloud-based infrastructure enables efficient marketplace liquidity for buyers and sellers of digital advertising. The Kubient Audience Cloud is a flexible open marketplace for advertisers and publishers to reach, monetize and connect their audiences. Kubient’s platform provides a transparent programmatic environment with proprietary artificial intelligence-powered pre-bid ad fraud prevention, and proprietary real-time bidding (RTB) marketplace automation for the digital out of home industry. The Audience Cloud is the solution for brands and publishers that demand transparency and the ability to reach audiences across all channels and ad formats. For additional information, please visit www.kubient.com.


About TronTv

TronTv is an entertainment focused VOD platform that reaches over 83 million users each month.  Our publishing footprint spans both web and CTV platforms reaching the consumer where they consume content.  We now offer localized content in 16 languages.

Content spans from Entertainment News, Movie Trailers, Video Game News and Game Play, Sports, Travel and Food.


Forward-Looking Statements

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

Kubient Public Relations

Clarity PR
Will Vogel
[email protected]

Kubient Investor Relations
Gateway Investor Relations
Matt Glover and Tom Colton
T: 1-949-574-3860
[email protected] 

 

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SOURCE Kubient

OTC Markets Group Welcomes Osprey Bitcoin Trust to OTCQX

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced that the Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OTCQX: OBTC) has begun trading on the OTCQX® Best Market. Launched by Osprey Funds, LLC, OBTC is the lowest-priced publicly traded bitcoin fund in the world.

U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The OTCQX Market provides investors with a premium U.S. public market to research and trade the shares of investor-focused companies. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

“By being traded on the OTCQX Market, OBTC is now accessible to more investors on more trading platforms,” said Greg King, CEO of Osprey Funds. “Thank you to OTC Markets Group for their continued partnership and diligence.”

JWTT Inc. acted as the company’s OTCQX sponsor.

About Osprey Funds, LLC

Osprey Funds, LLC (Osprey) offers common sense solutions to digital asset investing. Based in Tarrytown, New York, Osprey is dedicated to building better investment products that offer secure, transparent, and cost-effective access to digital assets. The Osprey Bitcoin Trust, OBTC, is the lowest-cost publicly traded bitcoin-focused investment product in the world. Learn more by visiting https://ospreyfunds.io/.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc
. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX® Best Market, the OTCQB® Venture Market and the Pink® Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link® ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:
OTC Markets Group Inc.
+1 (212) 896-4428
[email protected] 

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The Wendy’s Company Reports Fourth Quarter And Full Year 2020 Results

PR Newswire

DUBLIN, Ohio, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) today reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 3, 2021.

“I could not be more proud of our results and the work that was done by the Wendy’s® System across the globe in 2020 with all the challenges we faced and overcame during the year.  I am confident that we have emerged as a stronger, more unified brand that is poised to deliver outsized growth” President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said.  “We accomplished a lot in 2020, including securing our position as the #2 QSR hamburger restaurant chain* in the U.S., achieving our two highest quarterly Global same restaurant sales results in over 15 years, launching our highly successful breakfast daypart, more than doubling our digital sales, enhancing our restaurant economic model, and continuing to enhance access to our brand with net new restaurant development.  As we turn the page to 2021, we remain confident in our playbook of investing smartly to drive accelerated growth behind our three major long-term growth pillars: significantly building our breakfast daypart, accelerating our digital business, and expanding our footprint, both Internationally and in the U.S.”

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Summary

See “Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the reconciliation tables that accompany this release for a discussion and reconciliation of certain non-GAAP financial measures included in this release.



Operational Highlights


Fourth Quarter


Full Year


2020


2019


2020


2019


Systemwide Sales Growth
(1)

U.S.

14.2%

5.9%

4.8%

4.2%

International(2)

5.5%

6.3%

(5.5)%

6.7%

Global

13.2%

5.9%

3.7%

4.4%


Same-Restaurant Sales Growth
(1)

U.S.

5.5%

4.5%

2.0%

2.9%

International(2)

(2.3)%

2.7%

(6.0)%

3.2%

Global

4.7%

4.3%

1.2%

2.9%


Systemwide Sales (In US$ Millions)
(3)

U.S.

$2,795

$2,447

$10,231

$9,763

International(2)

$323

$304

$1,107

$1,182

Global

$3,118

$2,751

$11,339

$10,944


Restaurant Openings

U.S. – Total / Net

25 / 7

39 / 27

98 / 29

107 / 42

International – Total / Net

26 / 7

32 / 18

49 / 11

75 / 35

Global – Total / Net

51 / 14

71 / 45

147 / 40

182 / 77


Global Reimaging Completion Percentage

64%

58%


(1) Systemwide sales growth and same-restaurant sales growth are calculated on a constant currency basis and include sales by both Company-operated and franchise restaurants. 2020 includes the impact of a 53rd operating week with respect to systemwide sales growth, but excludes the impact of a 53rd operating week with respect to same-restaurant sales.


(2) Excludes Venezuela and Argentina.


(3) Systemwide sales include sales at both Company-operated and franchise restaurants. 2020 includes the impact of a 53rd operating week.

* In the 12 months ended December 2020, Wendy’s is #2 in traffic share among U.S. QSR burger chains, according to The NPD Group CREST® data

 



Financial Highlights

Fourth Quarter

Full Year

2020

2019

B / (W)

2020

2019

B / (W)

(In Millions Except Per Share Amounts)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Total Revenues

$

474.3

$

427.2

11.0

%

$

1,733.8

$

1,709.0

1.5

%

Adjusted Revenues(1)

$

382.1

$

341.7

11.8

%

$

1,400.2

$

1,369.5

2.2

%

Company-Operated Restaurant Margin

17.6

%

14.3

%

3.3

%

14.9

%

15.5

%

(0.6)

%

General and Administrative Expense

$

59.3

$

53.9

(10.0)

%

$

206.9

$

200.2

(3.3)

%

Operating Profit

$

78.6

$

36.7

114.2

%

$

269.3

$

262.6

2.6

%

Net Income

$

38.7

$

26.5

46.0

%

$

117.8

$

136.9

(14.0)

%

Adjusted EBITDA

$

114.5

$

83.4

37.3

%

$

420.1

$

412.8

1.8

%

Reported Diluted Earnings Per Share

$

0.17

$

0.11

54.5

%

$

0.52

$

0.58

(10.3)

%

Adjusted Earnings Per Share

$

0.17

$

0.08

112.5

%

$

0.57

$

0.59

(3.4)

%

Cash Flows from Operations

$

284.4

$

288.9

(1.6)

%

Capital Expenditures

$

(69.0)

$

(74.5)

7.4

%

Free Cash Flow(2)

$

163.4

$

221.0

(26.1)

%


(1) Total revenues less advertising funds revenue.


(2) Cash flows from operations minus capital expenditures, the impact of our advertising funds, and, for 2019, the tax effect of gain on

other investments in equity securities.

53rd Week Impact

The fourth quarter and full-year results include the favorable impact of a 53

rd

 operating week, which affects all fourth-quarter and full year comparisons to 2019.
The 53rd week resulted in the following impacts in 2020:

  • ~7% and ~2% increase to Global systemwide sales in the fourth quarter and full-year, respectively

  • ~$8 million increase to franchise royalties
  • ~$14
    million in incremental Company-operated restaurant sales; ~$2.5 million increase to Company-operated restaurant margin

  • ~$2.5 million increase to general and administrative expense
  • ~$8
    million in incremental operating profit

  • ~$2.5 million increase to depreciation and amortization

  • ~$2 million increase to interest expense


Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights

Revenues and Adjusted Revenues

The increase in revenues and adjusted revenues was primarily driven by higher sales at Company-operated restaurants and an increase in franchise royalty revenue and fees.  These increases were primarily driven by the impact of the 53rd operating week and an increase in same-restaurant sales driven by the Company’s new breakfast daypart in the U.S.

Company-Operated Restaurant Margin

The increase in Company-operated restaurant margin was primarily the result of a higher average check and lower insurance costs. The increase was partially offset by customer count declines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and labor cost increases.

General and Administrative Expense

The increase in general and administrative expense was primarily driven by higher professional fees related to IT-related costs and the impact of the 53rd operating week, partially offset by lower travel related expenses as a result of reduced travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Operating Profit

The increase in operating profit resulted primarily from higher franchise royalty revenue and fees, lower franchise support and other costs related to the Company’s investments in the prior year to support the U.S. system in advance of its breakfast launch, an increase in Company-operated restaurant margin, and lower reorganization and realignment costs.  These increases were partially offset by an incremental Company investment in breakfast advertising of $6.3 million and higher general and administrative expense.

Net Income

The increase in net income resulted primarily from higher operating profit, partially offset by lower investment income as the result of a cash settlement related to a previously held investment that the Company received in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA

The increase in adjusted EBITDA resulted primarily from higher franchise royalty revenue and fees, lower franchise support and other costs, and an increase in Company-operated restaurant margin.  This was partially offset by the incremental Company investment in breakfast advertising, and higher general and administrative expense.

Adjusted Earnings Per Share

The increase in adjusted earnings per share was primarily driven by an increase in adjusted EBITDA.


Full Year Financial Highlights

Revenues and Adjusted Revenues

The increase in revenues and adjusted revenues was primarily driven by higher sales at Company-operated restaurants and an increase in franchisee royalty revenue and fees.  These increases were primarily driven by the impact of the 53rd operating week and an increase in same-restaurant sales driven by the Company’s new breakfast daypart in the U.S.

Company-Operated Restaurant Margin

The decrease in Company-operated restaurant margin was primarily the result of customer count declines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, labor cost increases, and higher commodity costs. This was partially offset by a higher average check and lower insurance costs.

General and Administrative Expense

The increase in general and administrative expense reflects a $2.8 million reduction in a prior year legal reserve related to the financial institutions case. Excluding this reserve adjustment, general and administrative expense would have increased by approximately $3.9 million, or 2 percent.  The increase was primarily driven by higher professional fees related to IT-related costs, partially offset by lower travel related expenses as a result of reduced travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a lower incentive compensation accrual.

Operating Profit

The increase in operating profit resulted primarily from higher franchise royalty revenue and fees and lower franchise support and other costs related to the Company’s investments in the prior year to support the U.S. system in advance of its breakfast launch.  These increases were partially offset by an incremental Company investment in breakfast advertising of approximately $14.6 million, higher general and administrative expense, and lower other operating income.

Net Income

The decrease in net income resulted primarily from a cash settlement related to a previously held investment that the Company received in the prior year and lower other income which was primarily due to less interest income earned on cash equivalents.  The decrease was partially offset by the benefit of rolling over a loss on early extinguishment of debt that the Company incurred as part of its debt refinancing in 2019 and a higher operating profit.

Adjusted EBITDA

The increase in adjusted EBITDA resulted primarily from higher franchise royalty revenue and fees and lower franchise support and other costs, partially offset by the incremental Company investment in breakfast advertising, higher general and administrative expense, and lower other operating income.

Adjusted Earnings Per Share

The decrease in adjusted earnings per share was primarily driven by an increase in income taxes due to a higher tax rate that was primarily the result of a tax reserve release the Company recognized in 2019, as well as lower other income, which was primarily due to less interest income earned on cash equivalents. The decrease was partially offset by fewer shares outstanding as a result of the Company’s share repurchase programs and an increase in adjusted EBITDA.

Free Cash Flow

The decrease in free cash flow resulted primarily from the settlement of the financial institutions case, higher reorganization and realignment payments, a higher incentive compensation payout for the 2019 fiscal period paid in 2020, and rental payment timing.  Excluding the $18.3 million tax effected payment related to the settlement of the financial institutions case, free cash flow would have been approximately $182 million.

First Quarter Sales off to a Strong Start
Through the week ended February 21, year-to-date U.S. same-restaurant sales increased approximately 6% and Global same-restaurant sales increased approximately 5%.

Company Previously Announced 29% Increase in Quarterly Dividend
On February 23, the Company announced a 29% increase in its regular quarterly cash dividend to 9 cents per share.   The Company believes that its strong liquidity position, along with the momentum it is seeing in its business, supports this increase, while still leaving flexibility to invest in growth.

Share Repurchases
The Company repurchased 0.7 million shares for $16 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and has repurchased 0.5 million shares for approximately $10 million thus far in the first quarter of 2021.   As of the date of this release, approximately $58 million remains available under the Company’s existing $100 million share repurchase authorization that expires in February 2022.

2021 Outlook

This release includes forward-looking projections for certain non-GAAP financial measures, including systemwide sales, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow. The Company excludes certain expenses and benefits from adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow, such as the impact from our advertising funds, including the net change in the restricted operating assets and liabilities and any excess or deficit of advertising funds revenues over advertising funds expenses, impairment of long-lived assets, reorganization and realignment costs, system optimization (gains) losses, net, and the timing and resolution of certain tax matters. Due to the uncertainty and variability of the nature and amount of those expenses and benefits, the Company is unable without unreasonable effort to provide projections of net income, earnings per share or net cash provided by operating activities, or a reconciliation of those projected measures.

During 2021, the Company Expects:

  • Global systemwide sales growth: 6 to 8 percent (excluding the impact of the 53rd week)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $445 to $455 million
  • Adjusted earnings per share: $0.67 to $0.69
  • Cash flows from operations: $310 to $330 million
  • Capital Expenditures: $80 to $90 million
  • Free cash flow: $230 to $240 million

Conference Call and Webcast Scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Today, March 3
The Company will host a conference call on Wednesday, March 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET, with a simultaneous webcast from the Company’s Investor Relations website at www.irwendys.com.  The related presentation materials will also be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website. The live conference call will be available by telephone at (866) 211-4759 for domestic callers and (647) 689-6752 for international callers. An archived webcast and presentation materials will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain statements that are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”).  Generally, forward-looking statements include the words “may,” “believes,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimate,” “goal,” “upcoming,” “outlook,” “guidance” or the negation thereof, or similar expressions.  In addition, all statements that address future operating, financial or business performance, strategies or initiatives, future efficiencies or savings, anticipated costs or charges, future capitalization, anticipated impacts of recent or pending investments or transactions and statements expressing general views about future results or brand health are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Reform Act.  Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s expectations at the time such statements are made, speak only as of the dates they are made and are susceptible to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors.  For all such forward-looking statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Reform Act.  The Company’s actual results, performance and achievements may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements.

Many important factors could affect the Company’s future results and cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) disruption to the Company’s business from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and prospects; (2) the impact of competition or poor customer experiences at Wendy’s restaurants; (3) economic disruptions, including in regions with a high concentration of Wendy’s restaurants; (4) changes in discretionary consumer spending and consumer tastes and preferences; (5) impacts to the Company’s corporate reputation or the value and perception of the Company’s brand; (6) the effectiveness of the Company’s marketing and advertising programs and new product development; (7) the Company’s ability to manage the accelerated impact of social media; (8) the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property; (9) food safety events or health concerns involving the Company’s products; (10) the Company’s ability to achieve its growth strategy through new restaurant development and its Image Activation program; (11) the Company’s ability to effectively manage the acquisition and disposition of restaurants or successfully implement other strategic initiatives; (12) risks associated with leasing and owning significant amounts of real estate, including environmental matters; (13) the Company’s ability to achieve and maintain market share in the breakfast daypart; (14) risks associated with the Company’s international operations, including the ability to execute its international growth strategy; (15) changes in commodity and other operating costs; (16) shortages or interruptions in the supply or distribution of the Company’s products and other risks associated with the Company’s independent supply chain purchasing co-op; (17) the impact of increased labor costs or labor shortages; (18) the continued succession and retention of key personnel and the effectiveness of the Company’s leadership structure; (19) risks associated with the Company’s digital commerce strategy, platforms and technologies, including its ability to adapt to changes in industry trends and consumer preferences; (20) the Company’s dependence on computer systems and information technology, including risks associated with the failure, misuse, interruption or breach of its systems or technology or other cyber incidents or deficiencies; (21) risks associated with the Company’s securitized financing facility and other debt agreements, including compliance with operational and financial covenants, restrictions on its ability to raise additional capital, the impact of its overall debt levels and the Company’s ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its debt service obligations and operate its business; (22) risks associated with the Company’s capital allocation policy, including the amount and timing of equity and debt repurchases and dividend payments; (23) risks associated with complaints and litigation, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and an increased focus on environmental, social and governance issues; (24) risks associated with the availability and cost of insurance, changes in accounting standards, the recognition of impairment or other charges, the impact of realignment and reorganization initiatives, changes in tax rates or tax laws and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; (25) conditions beyond the Company’s control, such as adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, hostilities, social unrest, health epidemics or pandemics or other catastrophic events; and (26) other risks and uncertainties cited in the Company’s releases, public statements and/or filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those identified in the “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

In addition to the factors described above, there are risks associated with the Company’s predominantly franchised business model that could impact its results, performance and achievements. Such risks include the Company’s ability to identify, attract and retain experienced and qualified franchisees and effectively manage the transfer of restaurants between and among franchisees, the business and financial health of franchisees, the ability of franchisees to meet their royalty, advertising, development, reimaging and other commitments,  participation by franchisees in brand strategies and the fact that franchisees are independent third parties that own, operate and are responsible for overseeing the operations of their restaurants.  The Company’s predominantly franchised business model may also impact the ability of the Wendy’s system to effectively respond and adapt to market changes. Many of these risks have been or in the future may be heightened due to the business disruption and impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.

All future written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to above. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company to predict these events or how they may affect the Company.

The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by federal securities laws, although the Company may do so from time to time. The Company does not endorse any projections regarding future performance that may be made by third parties.

There can be no assurance that any additional regular quarterly cash dividends will be declared or paid after the date hereof, or of the amount or timing of such dividends, if any.  Future dividend payments, if any, are subject to applicable law, will be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will be based on factors such as the Company’s earnings, financial condition and cash requirements and other factors.

Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to the financial measures presented in this release in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”), the Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release, including adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow and systemwide sales.

The Company uses adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share and systemwide sales as internal measures of business operating performance and as performance measures for benchmarking against the Company’s peers and competitors.  Adjusted EBITDA and systemwide sales are also used by the Company in establishing performance goals for purposes of executive compensation.  The Company believes its presentation of adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share and systemwide sales provides a meaningful perspective of the underlying operating performance of our current business and enables investors to better understand and evaluate our historical and prospective operating performance.  The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are important supplemental measures of operating performance because they eliminate items that vary from period to period without correlation to our core operating performance and highlight trends in our business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP financial measures.  Due to the nature and/or size of the items being excluded, such items do not reflect future gains, losses, expenses or benefits and are not indicative of our future operating performance.  The Company believes investors, analysts and other interested parties use adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share and systemwide sales in evaluating issuers, and the presentation of these measures facilitates a comparative assessment of the Company’s operating performance in addition to the Company’s performance based on GAAP results.

This release also includes disclosure regarding the Company’s free cash flow.  Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used by the Company as an internal measure of liquidity.  Free cash flow is also used by the Company in establishing performance goals for purposes of executive compensation.  The Company defines free cash flow as cash flows from operations minus (i) capital expenditures and (ii) the net change in the restricted operating assets and liabilities of the advertising funds and any excess/deficit of advertising funds revenue over advertising funds expense included in net income, as reported under GAAP.  The impact of our advertising funds is excluded because the funds are used solely for advertising and are not available for the Company’s working capital needs. The Company may also make additional adjustments for certain non-recurring or unusual items as detailed in the reconciliation tables that accompany this release. The Company believes free cash flow is an important liquidity measure for investors and other interested persons because it communicates how much cash flow is available for working capital needs or to be used for repurchasing shares, paying dividends, repaying or refinancing debt, financing possible acquisitions or investments or other uses of cash.

Adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow and systemwide sales are not recognized terms under GAAP, and the Company’s presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures does not replace the presentation of the Company’s financial results in accordance with GAAP.  Because all companies do not calculate adjusted revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted earnings per share, free cash flow and systemwide sales (and similarly titled financial measures) in the same way, those measures as used by other companies may not be consistent with the way the Company calculates such measures.  The non-GAAP financial measures included in this release should not be construed as substitutes for or better indicators of the Company’s performance than the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.  See the reconciliation tables that accompany this release for additional information regarding certain of the non-GAAP financial measures included herein.

Key Business Measures
The Company tracks its results of operations and manages its business using certain key business measures, including same-restaurant sales, systemwide sales and Company-operated restaurant margin, which are measures commonly used in the quick-service restaurant industry that are important to understanding Company performance.

Same-restaurant sales and systemwide sales each include sales by both Company-operated and franchise restaurants. The Company reports same-restaurant sales for new restaurants after they have been open for 15 continuous months and for reimaged restaurants as soon as they reopen. Restaurants temporarily closed for more than one fiscal week are excluded from same-restaurant sales. For fiscal 2020, same-restaurant sales excludes the impact of a 53rd operating week. Same-restaurant sales compares the 52 weeks from December 30, 2019 through December 27, 2020 to the 52 weeks from December 31, 2018 through December 29, 2019. For fiscal 2021, same-restaurant sales will compare the 52 weeks from January 4, 2021 through January 2, 2022 to the 52 weeks from January 6, 2020 through January 3, 2021.

Franchise restaurant sales are reported by our franchisees and represent their revenues from sales at franchised Wendy’s restaurants.  Sales by franchise restaurants are not recorded as Company revenues and are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. However, the Company’s royalty revenues are computed as percentages of sales made by Wendy’s franchisees and, as a result, sales by franchisees have a direct effect on the Company’s royalty revenues and profitability.

Same-restaurant sales and systemwide sales exclude sales from Venezuela and Argentina due to the highly inflationary economies of those countries.

The Company calculates same-restaurant sales and systemwide sales growth on a constant currency basis. Constant currency results exclude the impact of foreign currency translation and are derived by translating current year results at prior year average exchange rates. The Company believes excluding the impact of foreign currency translation provides better year over year comparability.

Company-operated restaurant margin is defined as sales from Company-operated restaurants less cost of sales divided by sales from Company-operated restaurants. Cost of sales includes food and paper, restaurant labor and occupancy, advertising and other operating costs.

About Wendy’s
Wendy’s® was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, “Quality is our Recipe®,” which remains the guidepost of the Wendy’s system. Wendy’s is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty® dessert. The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company’s support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and its signature Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program, which seeks to find every child in the North American foster care system a loving, forever home. Today, Wendy’s and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 6,800 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world’s most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.  

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

Investor Contact:
Greg Lemenchick
Senior Director – Investor Relations & Corporate FP&A
(614) 766-3977; [email protected]

Media Contact:
Heidi Schauer
Vice President – Communications, Public Affairs & Customer Care
(614) 764-3368; [email protected]

 


The Wendy

s Company and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Three and Twelve Month Periods Ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands Except Per Share Amounts)

(Unaudited)


Three Months Ended


Twelve Months Ended


2020


2019


2020


2019

Revenues:

Sales

$

199,803

$

176,761

$

722,764

$

707,485

Franchise royalty revenue and fees

123,104

108,766

444,749

428,999

Franchise rental income

59,214

56,134

232,648

233,065

Advertising funds revenue

92,196

85,530

333,664

339,453

474,317

427,191

1,733,825

1,709,002

Costs and expenses:

Cost of sales

164,737

151,434

614,907

597,530

Franchise support and other costs

7,037

23,863

26,464

43,686

Franchise rental expense

32,589

31,087

125,613

123,929

Advertising funds expense

92,007

81,085

345,360

338,116

General and administrative

59,323

53,940

206,876

200,206

Depreciation and amortization

34,049

33,718

132,775

131,693

System optimization gains, net

(815)

(121)

(3,148)

(1,283)

Reorganization and realignment costs

5,834

12,194

16,030

16,965

Impairment of long-lived assets

3,310

5,315

8,037

6,999

Other operating income, net

(2,321)

(2,041)

(8,397)

(11,418)

395,750

390,474

1,464,517

1,446,423

Operating profit

78,567

36,717

269,308

262,579

Interest expense, net

(31,041)

(29,028)

(117,737)

(115,971)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

(1,346)

(8,496)

Investment income (loss), net

4

24,599

(225)

25,598

Other income, net

107

1,605

1,449

7,771

Income before income taxes

47,637

32,547

152,795

171,481

Provision for income taxes

(8,903)

(6,014)

(34,963)

(34,541)

Net income

$

38,734

$

26,533

$

117,832

$

136,940

Net income per share:

Basic

$

.17

$

.12

$

.53

$

.60

Diluted

.17

.11

.52

.58

Number of shares used to calculate basic income 
     per share

224,139

227,441

223,684

229,944

Number of shares used to calculate diluted income 
     per share

228,521

232,594

228,014

235,075

 


The Wendy

s Company and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

As of January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands Except Par Value)

(Unaudited)


January 3,


2021


December 29,


2019


ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

306,989

$

300,195

Restricted cash

33,973

34,539

Accounts and notes receivable, net

109,891

117,461

Inventories

4,732

3,891

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

89,732

15,585

Advertising funds restricted assets

142,306

82,376

Total current assets

687,623

554,047

Properties

915,889

977,000

Finance lease assets

206,153

200,144

Operating lease assets

821,480

857,199

Goodwill

751,049

755,911

Other intangible assets

1,224,960

1,247,212

Investments

44,574

45,949

Net investment in sales-type and direct financing leases

268,221

256,606

Other assets

120,057

100,461

Total assets

$

5,040,006

$

4,994,529


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Current portion of long-term debt

$

28,962

$

22,750

Current portion of finance lease liabilities

12,105

11,005

Current portion of operating lease liabilities

45,346

43,775

Accounts payable

31,063

22,701

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

155,321

165,272

Advertising funds restricted liabilities

140,511

84,195

Total current liabilities

413,308

349,698

Long-term debt

2,218,163

2,257,561

Long-term finance lease liabilities

506,076

480,847

Long-term operating lease liabilities

865,325

897,737

Deferred income taxes

280,755

270,759

Deferred franchise fees

89,094

91,790

Other liabilities

117,689

129,778

Total liabilities

4,490,410

4,478,170

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock, $0.10 par value; 1,500,000 shares authorized; 470,424 shares 
     issued; 224,268 and 224,889 shares outstanding, respectively

47,042

47,042

Additional paid-in capital

2,899,276

2,874,001

Retained earnings

238,674

185,725

Common stock held in treasury, at cost; 246,156 and 245,535 shares, respectively

(2,585,755)

(2,536,581)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(49,641)

(53,828)

Total stockholders’ equity

549,596

516,359

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

5,040,006

$

4,994,529

 


The Wendy’s Company and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Twelve Month Periods Ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands)

(Unaudited)


Twelve Months Ended


2020


2019

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income

$

117,832

$

136,940

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

132,775

131,693

Share-based compensation

18,930

18,676

Impairment of long-lived assets

8,037

6,999

Deferred income tax

10,266

837

Non-cash rental expense, net

28,937

28,202

Change in operating lease liabilities

(40,905)

(41,911)

Net receipt (recognition) of deferred vendor incentives

2,495

(501)

System optimization gains, net

(3,148)

(1,283)

Gain on sale of investments, net

(24,496)

Distributions received from TimWen joint venture

8,376

13,400

Equity in earnings in joint ventures, net

(6,096)

(8,673)

Long-term debt-related activities, net (see below)

6,723

15,317

Other, net

(6,438)

(4,838)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts and notes receivable, net

(16,243)

16,935

Inventories

(841)

(163)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

(8,780)

(1,569)

Advertising funds restricted assets and liabilities

49,052

(2,720)

Accounts payable

1,620

1,054

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

(18,231)

5,034

Net cash provided by operating activities

284,361

288,933

Cash flows from investing activities:

Capital expenditures

(68,969)

(74,453)

Acquisitions

(4,879)

(5,052)

Dispositions

6,091

3,448

Proceeds from sale of investments

169

24,496

Notes receivable, net

(662)

(3,370)

Payments for investments

Net cash used in investing activities

(68,250)

(54,931)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Proceeds from long-term debt

153,315

850,000

Repayments of long-term debt

(191,462)

(899,800)

Repayments of finance lease liabilities

(8,383)

(6,835)

Deferred financing costs

(2,122)

(14,008)

Repurchases of common stock, including accelerated share repurchase

(62,173)

(217,797)

Dividends

(64,866)

(96,364)

Proceeds from stock option exercises

23,361

28,328

Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation

(5,577)

(8,820)

Contingent consideration payment

Net cash used in financing activities

(157,907)

(365,296)

Net cash provided by (used in) operations before effect of exchange rate changes on cash

58,204

(131,294)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

1,330

3,489

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

59,534

(127,805)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

358,707

486,512

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

$

418,241

$

358,707

 


The Wendy

s Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliations of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Revenues to Adjusted Revenues

Three and Twelve Month Periods Ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands)

(Unaudited)


Three Months Ended


Twelve Months Ended


2020


2019


2020


2019

Net income

$

38,734

$

26,533

$

117,832

$

136,940

Provision for income taxes

8,903

6,014

34,963

34,541

Income before income taxes

47,637

32,547

152,795

171,481

Other income, net

(107)

(1,605)

(1,449)

(7,771)

Investment (income) loss, net

(4)

(24,599)

225

(25,598)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

1,346

8,496

Interest expense, net

31,041

29,028

117,737

115,971

Operating profit

78,567

36,717

269,308

262,579

Plus (less):

Advertising funds revenue

(92,196)

(85,530)

(333,664)

(339,453)

Advertising funds expense (a)

85,745

81,085

330,760

338,116

Depreciation and amortization

34,049

33,718

132,775

131,693

System optimization gains, net

(815)

(121)

(3,148)

(1,283)

Reorganization and realignment costs

5,834

12,194

16,030

16,965

Impairment of long-lived assets

3,310

5,315

8,037

6,999

Legal reserve for Financial Institutions case

(2,829)

Adjusted EBITDA

$

114,494

$

83,378

$

420,098

$

412,787

Revenues

$

474,317

$

427,191

$

1,733,825

$

1,709,002

Less:

Advertising funds revenue

(92,196)

(85,530)

(333,664)

(339,453)

Adjusted revenues

$

382,121

$

341,661

$

1,400,161

$

1,369,549

(a)

For the three and twelve months ended January 3, 2021, excludes advertising funds expense of $6,262 and $14,600, respectively, related to the Company funding of incremental advertising during 2020.

 


The Wendy

s Company and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of Net Income and Diluted Earnings Per Share to

Adjusted Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Share

Three and Twelve Month Periods Ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands Except Per Share Amounts)

(Unaudited)


Three Months Ended


Twelve Months Ended


2020


2019


2020


2019

Net income

$

38,734

$

26,533

$

117,832

$

136,940

Plus (less):

Advertising funds revenue

(92,196)

(85,530)

(333,664)

(339,453)

Advertising funds expense (a)

85,745

81,085

330,760

338,116

System optimization gains, net

(815)

(121)

(3,148)

(1,283)

Reorganization and realignment costs

5,834

12,194

16,030

16,965

Impairment of long-lived assets

3,310

5,315

8,037

6,999

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

1,346

8,496

Gain on other investments in equity securities

(24,366)

(24,366)

Legal reserve for Financial Institutions case

(2,829)

Total adjustments

1,878

(10,077)

18,015

2,645

Income tax impact on adjustments (b)

(2,161)

1,769

(6,727)

(852)

Total adjustments, net of income taxes

(283)

(8,308)

11,288

1,793

Adjusted income

$

38,451

$

18,225

$

129,120

$

138,733

Diluted earnings per share

$

.17

$

.11

$

.52

$

.58

Total adjustments per share, net of income taxes

.00

(.03)

.05

.01

Adjusted earnings per share

$

.17

$

.08

$

.57

$

.59

(a)

For the three and twelve months ended January 3, 2021, excludes advertising funds expense of $6,262 and $14,600, respectively, related to the Company funding of incremental advertising during 2020.

(b)

The provision for (benefit from) income taxes on “System optimization gains, net” was $213 and $374 for the three months ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively, and $(515) and $482 for the twelve months ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively.  The provision for (benefit from) income taxes on all other adjustments (excluding the advertising funds adjustments) was calculated using an effective tax rate of 25.96% and 25.31% for the three months ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively, and 25.81% and 25.33% for the twelve months ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019, respectively.

 


The Wendy’s Company and Subsidiaries
Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow


Twelve Month Periods Ended January 3, 2021 and December 29, 2019

(In Thousands)

(Unaudited)


Twelve Months Ended


2020


2019

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

284,361

$

288,933

Less:

Capital expenditures

(68,969)

(74,453)

Advertising funds impact (a)

(51,956)

1,383

Tax effect of gain on other investments in equity securities

5,117

Free cash flow

$

163,436

$

220,980

(a)

Advertising funds impact for 2020 and 2019 includes the net change in the restricted operating assets and liabilities of the funds of $49,052 and $(2,720), respectively, and the advertising funds surplus included in Net income of $2,904 and $1,337, respectively.  Advertising funds impact for 2020 excludes the Company’s incremental funding of advertising of $14,600.

 

 

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SOURCE The Wendy’s Company

Timken to Participate in the BofA Global Research Global Industrials Conference

PR Newswire

NORTH CANTON, Ohio, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com), a world leader in engineered bearings and power transmission products, will present at the BofA Global Research Global Industrials Conference on March 16, 2021, at 2 p.m. GMT (10 a.m. EDT).

Presenting on behalf of Timken will be Richard G. Kyle, president and chief executive officer and Philip D. Fracassa, executive vice president and chief financial officer. A live webcast of the presentation will be available for download at www.timken.com/investors. A replay of the webcast will be posted via the same website link until March 30, 2021.


About The Timken Company

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com) designs a growing portfolio of engineered bearings and power transmission products. With more than a century of knowledge and innovation, we continuously improve the reliability and efficiency of global machinery and equipment to move the world forward. Timken posted $3.5 billion in sales in 2020 and employs more than 17,000 people globally, operating from 42 countries.

Media Relations:

Scott Schroeder

234.262.6420
[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Neil Frohnapple

234.262.2310
[email protected]

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SOURCE The Timken Company

ImagineAR (OTCQB:IPNFF) Awarded US Patent Focused on Location-Based Virtual Gameplay

PR Newswire

New Gaming IP Augments Company’s
5 Existing Patents

VANCOUVER, BC and ERIE, Pa., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – ImagineAR (CSE: IP) (OTCQB: IPNFF) an Augmented Reality company that enables sports teams, entertainers, brands and businesses to instantly create immersive global mobile phone AR campaigns, is proud to announce it has been awarded patent number US10,946,284 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent, titled “Systems and Methods for Capture and Use of Local Elements in Gameplay,” adds to ImagineAR’s deep intellectual property portfolio and is focused on location-based virtual gameplay.

The patent was developed with a focus on creating a rich multi-player gaming experience where aspects of gameplay may change based on the geographic location of other players as they join and leave the game. The invention can utilize mobile devices with location sensing capabilities, such as GPS.

ImagineAR CEO, Alen Paul Silverrstieen, stated “This newly approved US patent, in addition to our existing portfolio of five patents, further demonstrates the advanced technology and market leadership of ImagineAR in the North American Augmented Reality marketplace.”

ImagineAR was represented before the USPTO by White and Williams LLP attorney Frank Bruno.

About ImagineAR

Imagine AR Inc. (CSE: IP) (OTC: IPNFF) has developed ImagineAR.com; an “AR-as-a-Service” platform for sports teams and businesses of any size to create and implement their own AR immersive campaigns with no programming or technology experience. Every organization, from professional sports franchises to small retailers, can develop interactive AR campaigns that blend the real and digital worlds using ImagineAR. Customers simply point their mobile device at logos, signs, buildings, products, landmarks and more to instantly engage with videos, information, advertisements, coupons, 3D holograms and any interactive content, all hosted in the cloud and managed using a menu-driven portal. Integrated real-time analytics means that all customer interaction is tracked and measured in real-time. The ImagineAR mobile app is available in the IOS and Android mobile app stores. The platform is available as a native mode SDK.

All trademarks of the property of respective owners.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Alen Paul Silverrstieen
President & CEO

(818) 850-2490 


https://twitter.com/IPtechAR 



https://www.facebook.com/imaginationparktechnologies 



https://www.instagram.com/iptechar



https://www.linkedin.com/company/imagination-park-technologies-inc

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning the ability of the Company to generate revenues, roll out new programs and to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

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SOURCE ImagineAR

OTC Markets Group Welcomes Apollo Healthcare Corp. to OTCQX

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Apollo Healthcare Corp. (TSX: AHC) (OTCQX: AHCCF), the largest Private Label and Control Label Personal Care Manufacturer in Canada, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Apollo Healthcare Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.

Apollo Healthcare Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “AHCCF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors.  For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

About Apollo Healthcare Corp. (www.apollohealthcarecorp.com)
Apollo Healthcare Corp, doing business as Apollo Health and Beauty Care, is one of the largest private label personal care manufacturers in North America, developing and manufacturing retailer branded and private label products for major North American retailers. The Company’s products are sold in tens of thousands of stores across North America and its customer base spans across North American grocery, drug, and mass merchandise retailers, users as well as wholesale clubs. In addition to private label, the Company manufacturers products on a contract basis for many of its clients.    

B.Riley Securities acted as the company’s OTCQX sponsor.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX® Best Market, the OTCQB® Venture Market and the Pink® Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities.  Through OTC Link® ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services.  We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

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Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] 

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SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.