CMC Electronics Obtains Certification for The World’s First Multicore Avionics Computer

Montreal, Canada, April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CMC Electronics today announced that its latest PU-3000 multicore avionics computer was certified by Transport Canada to the highest Design Assurance Level. The PU-3000 avionics computer can host multiple avionics applications reducing equipment count and integration costs. The PU-3000 supports commercial serial interface standards as well as MIL-STD-153B.

 

Modular by design, the PU-3000 can be used as a common computing platform able to host a large variety of functions into a single unit including primary flight display (PFD), navigation display (ND), flight management systems (FMS), radio management systems (RMS), flight director systems (FDS), Terrain Avoidance and Warning System (TAWS) and mission-critical tactical applications. The PU-3000 series is capable of driving multiple screen sizes ranging from 10 to 21-in video displays with the redundancy needed for flight critical functions.

 

L3Harris is CMC’s first customer to take advantage of this new multicore computer. “We chose CMC’s new PU-3000 solution because we knew we could rely on the quality and reliability of their solution. Thanks to the increased flexibility and versatility offered by the multicore system, we will be able to offer a broader range of cost-effective solutions to our clients. Our close collaboration with the CMC team during this project delivered a solution well aligned with our needs,” said L3Harris spokesperson.

 

“CMC Electronics is excited to receive this TSO for a system well suited for today’s most demanding applications that delivers additional flexibility, processing power and room for growth to our end users. The PU-3000 avionics computer is a suitable solution for both the retrofit and line-fit markets and is targeted to be installed in fixed or rotary wings requiring harsh environmental operating conditions,” said Brad Nolen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing at CMC Electronics.

 

The PU-3000 multicore processor is an ARINC-653 compliant platform running the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP multicore real-time operating system (RTOS) from Green Hills Software. CMC selected Green Hills’ RTOS for its robust partitioning, resource configuration, certification support and because it maximizes multicore processor performance while meeting safety and security requirements. 

 

The PU-3000 received certification as a flight director system complying to TSO-C198 Automatic Flight Guidance and Control System (AFGCS) Equipment. The Canadian Technical Standing Order (CAN-TSO) authorization also included evidence of meeting all CAST-32A requirements for multicore processors. The CAN-TSO was approved by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), with reciprocal acceptance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

 

About CMC Electronics

 

CMC Electronics (www.cmcelectronics.ca) has achieved an international reputation for innovation and excellence in the design and manufacture of innovative cockpit systems integration, avionics and display solutions for the military and commercial aviation markets. Based in Montreal, Canada, the company has facilities in Canada and in the USA serving its customers worldwide.

 



Marie-Helene Emond
CMC Electronics
1-514-748-3113
[email protected]

Trillion Announces Closing of Debt Settlement

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and ANKARA, Turkey, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trillion Energy International Inc. (the “Corporation” or “Trillion“) (CSE:TCF; OTC:TCFF; Frankfurt 3P2N) is pleased to announce that is has settled a total of $749,771.20 in outstanding debt through the issuance to certain creditors of 1,874,428 common shares in the capital of the Corporation (the “Common Shares“), at a deemed issue price of $0.40 per Common Share (the “Debt Settlement“).

The securities issued in connection with the Debt Settlement will be subject to a 4 month hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws.

About the Corporation

Trillion is a Canadian based natural gas and oil producer focused on international market with several oil and gas assets in Turkey and Bulgaria. The Corporation is a 49% owner of the SASB natural gas field, one of the Black Sea’s first and largest natural gas development projects, which has had USD $608 million invested to date and has produced 41 Billion Cubic Feet “BCF” of natural gas. Gas produced at SASB is sold at favorable prices of between US $6/MCF and US $7.80/MCF – a substantial premium to European and North American markets. Trillion’s portfolio of Oil & Gas assets also includes: a 19.6% (except three wells with 9.8%) interest in the Cendere oil field; a 100% interest in 42,833 hectares oil exploration block covering the northern extension of the prolific Iraq/ Zagros Basin; and in Bulgaria, the Vranino 1-11 block, a prospective unconventional natural gas property.

For aerial video footage of the Corporation’s petroleum field infrastructure, please see our website: www.trillionenergy.com. For further information, please see our website: www.trillionenergy.com or email us: [email protected] or call Arthur Halleran, CEO, +1-250-996-4211.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Corporation’s business and prospects, as well as management’s beliefs, and certain assumptions made by management. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “should,” “will” and variations of these words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to change. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required under applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Corporation’s future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to,
fluctuations in market prices, the potential impact on the market for its securities, expansion and business strategies, anticipated growth opportunities, equity market conditions including without limitation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, general economic, market or business conditions, the amount of fundraising necessary to perform on its business objectives, fluctuations to gas prices from SASB, unforeseen securities regulatory challenges, operational and geological risks, the ability of the Corporation to raise necessary funds for exploration, the outcome of commercial negotiations, changes in technical or operating conditions, the cost of extracting gas and oil may be too costly so that it is uneconomic and not profitable to do so and other factors discussed from time to time in the Corporation’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and those risks set out in the Corporation’s public documents filed on SEDAR, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties.


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



Basilea announces closing of previously announced transaction regarding divestment of its Chinese R&D subsidiary

Basel, Switzerland, April 01, 2021

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN) today announced the successful closing of the previously announced divestment of its Chinese research and development (R&D) subsidiary Basilea Pharmaceutica China Ltd. (“BPC”) to the U.S.-based custom manufacturing organization PHT International Inc. (“PHT”) for a total consideration of USD 6.3 million. Basilea has received the initial payment of USD 2.5 million and is entitled to receive additional payments of USD 3.8 million over the course of the next three years. All 72 employees of BPC and the facilities have been transferred to PHT. PHT continues to provide R&D services to Basilea through the existing site in China.

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the medical needs of patients with cancer and infectious diseases. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of severe bacterial infections. We are conducting clinical studies with two targeted drug candidates for the treatment of a range of cancers and have a number of preclinical assets in both cancer and infectious diseases in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as “believe”, “assume”, “expect”, “forecast”, “project”, “may”, “could”, “might”, “will” or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schröder, PhD

Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

Phone +41 61 606 1102
E-mail [email protected]

[email protected]

This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com

Attachment



Desert Mountain Energy Announces the Appointment of Dr. Kelli Ward to the Board of Directors

PR Newswire

TSX.V: DME
U.S. OTC: DMEHF
Frankfurt: QM01

VANCOUVER, BC, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY CORP.  (the “Company”) (TSXV: DME) (U.S.OTC: DMEHF) (Frankfurt: QM01) From the President of the Company.

The Company is pleased to announce that in its ongoing efforts to actively seek out the most qualified and diverse board members in keeping with corporate policy, Dr. Kelli Ward has agreed to join the Board of Directors. (For bio, click HERE) She has dedicated herself to medicine, business, politics and helping children for the past 25 years. As a leader in politics, medicine and education in multiple states, Dr. Ward’s experience as a legislator and party head will be extremely helpful as the Company seeks to grow exponentially with its leases in Arizona.

The Company board also granted and set 300,000 options based on the price of shares at the close of business on 03/31/2021. The options have an expiry of three years, fully vesting in 12 months, per the Company’s stock option plan as approved by the board in January 2021.

The Company would like to advise that it has an agreement with a drilling company,cementing, open hole loggers, other associated contractors and suppliers of all equipment, with regards to the next three planned wells. The heavy truck haul road from the main access road to the proposed processing facility, (approximately one mile in length,) will be completed this week.

About De
sert Mountain Energy

Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded exploration and resource company focused on the discovery and development of rare earth gas fields in the US.  The Company is primarily looking for elements deemed critical to the green energy and high technology industries.

We seek safe harbor






Robert Rohlfing”                             



Robert Rohlfing

Chairman & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties.  Actual events or results may differ from the Company’s expectations.


Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company’s anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities.

Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company’s title to properties.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company’s exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/desert-mountain-energy-announces-the-appointment-of-dr-kelli-ward-to-the-board-of-directors-301260229.html

SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp.

Sodexo First Half Fiscal 2021 Results: rebound in profitability and strong free cashflow

Sodexo First Half Fiscal 2021 Results: rebound in profitability and strong free cashflow

  • Improving organic revenue trend quarter by quarter, at -21.7% for H1
  • Underlying operating profit margin at 3.1%, large beat on assumptions
  • Exceptional free cashflow generation for a first half
  • Assumptions:
    • H2 organic revenue growth between +10 and +15%
    • H2 Underlying operating profit margin at around 3.1% at constant rate
    • Cash conversion more than 100% for the full year

Issy-les-Moulineaux, April 1, 2021 – Sodexo (NYSE Euronext Paris FR 0000121220-OTC: SDXAY). At the Board of Directors meeting held on March 31, 2021 and chaired by Sophie Bellon, the Board closed the Consolidated accounts for the First half Fiscal 2021 ended February 28, 2021.

Financial performance for First half Fiscal 2021

(in millions of euro) H1 FISCAL 2021 H1 FISCAL 2020 DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE CONSTANT RATES
Revenue 8,595 11,692 -26.5% -21.7%
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT 265 685 -61.4% -55.2%
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN
3.1%

5.9%
-280 bps -250 bps
Other operating expenses (128) (66)    
OPERATING PROFIT 136 619 -78.0% -73.2%
Net financial expense (50) (67)    
Tax charge (53) (161)    
GROUP NET PROFIT 33 378 -91.3% -86.6%
EPS
(in euro)
0.23 2.59 -91.3%  
UNDERLYING NET PROFIT 128 424 -69.9% -63.6%
UNDERLYING EPS (in euro) 0.87 2.91 -69.9%  

Sodexo CEO Denis Machuel said:

“Our actions to renegotiate our client contracts, strictly control our costs, and implement the
GET restructuring program are clearly visible in our better than expected Underlying operating profit margin of 3.1%.

In the Second half, year on year organic growth rate will be very positive. However, given the new waves of the pandemic, we do not expect a significant improvement in revenue volumes from the first half. We are redoubling our efforts and focus on execution to offset the traditional seasonality gap between First and Second half Underlying operating profit margin.

We are confident that pent-up demand will ensure a strong pick-up in all segments and activities
once the pandemic is over. I am very proud of how our organization is totally mobilized to fully benefit from these opportunities, and I warmly thank our teams for their impressive engagement in the field with our clients.”

Highlights of the period

  • First half Fiscal 2021 Group revenue was 8,595 million euro, down -26.5%, still significantly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. The currency effect and in particular the weakness of the Dollar and the Real, accounted for -4.8%. The net M&A contribution was negligible. As a result, Group organic revenue decline was -21.7%, compared to -27.5% in Second half Fiscal 2020.
  • On-site Services organic revenue decline was -22.2%, with consistent quarterly improvement, after a First quarter down -23.3%, or -22.1% excluding the Rugby World Cup effect, and Second quarter Fiscal 2021 down -21.0%. The key elements of the half-year were:

    • In Business & Administrations, organic decline was -26.5%, still significantly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis due to the high level of working from home in Corporate Services and the number of closed sites in Sports & Leisure, and particularly in North America. Energy & Resources and Government & Agencies remained solid, up +4.3%, during the First half. 
      Europe showed more resilience compared to North America. Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa region returned to growth.
    • In Healthcare & Seniors, organic decline was -2.1%. Hospitals are still suffering from the pandemic related weakness in retail sales. However, the segment was boosted by the Rapid Testing Centers contract in the UK.
    • In Education, organic decline was -31.9%. While there was a return to school from September in Europe and Asia, schools were predominantly closed in North America. Weak activity in Universities due to virtual learning was further impacted by a lower number of days, particularly in the second quarter due to a prolonged winter break.
  • Key Performance Indicators for the First half were also impacted by the pandemic:

    • Client retention was down -30 bps to 97.5%, impacted by the British Government’s return to self-operation of the Transforming Rehabilitation contract. Excluding this account loss, retention would have been up by +20 bps.
    • New sales development was down -10 bps at 2.8%, but with much enhanced signing discipline, particularly regarding margins.
    • Same site sales decline was at -22.7%, reflecting the substantial loss of food volumes, while Facilities Management Services remains solid.
  • Benefits & Rewards Services was more resilient with an organic revenue decline of -8.1%. There was a slight deterioration in the second quarter trend, relative to the first quarter, due to the second wave lockdowns from November in most countries in Europe, delaying reimbursement volumes.
  • Underlying operating margin was 3.1%, better than our assumptions and the -1.9% negative margin in Second half Fiscal 2020. This significant improvement in performance is the result of the many contract renegotiations since March 2020, prolonged furlough in some countries, the first results of the restructuring program and very strict cost control.
  • Other operating expenses (net) amounted to 128 million euro, up significantly against the previous year, reflecting the implementation of the ongoing 350 million euro GET restructuring program started in the Second half last year. Restructuring costs amounted to 107 million euro, after 158 million euro in the Second half Fiscal 2020. The remaining 85 million euro is expected to be incurred in the Second half.
  • Reported net profit was positive at 33 million euro and basic EPS was €0.23, both down -91.3% year on year. Underlying Net profit totaled 128 million euro, against the 424 million euro pre-crisis net profit in First half Fiscal 2020.
  • Free cash flow at 237 million euro was much better than expected helped by a positive change in working capital of 41 million euro, boosted by strict management of receivables, Benefits & Rewards due to lower reimbursement flows, and continued Government support in terms of payment delays . In addition, net capex was exceptionally low at 86 million euro, due in particular to delays in client investments.
  • Consequently, net debt has fallen year on year and since the beginning of the fiscal year to 1.7 billion euro, with the gearing ratio at 57%, against 50% pre-crisis in February 2020 and 67% in August 2020. The net debt ratio1 at the end of the period was impacted significantly by the reduction in the rolling twelve-month Underlying EBITDA, to reach 3.8x against 1.3x at the end of First half Fiscal 2020 and 2.1x at the end of Fiscal 2020.
  • During the quarter, Sodexo reinforced its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint:
    • Sodexo joined the Climate Group’s RE100 initiative, committing to switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2025. This commitment covers Sodexo’s directly operated sites under the Scope 1 and Scope 2 activities as per the GHG Protocol guidelines.
    • Since March 1, 2021, Sodexo has been phasing out five key single-use plastic Foodservice items from its on-site operations in Europe, with only paper, cardboard, wood or fiber-based options available in its supply catalog. The move goes beyond upcoming EU legislation by removing takeaway bags in addition to straws, plates, cutlery and stirrers.

In March 2021, Sodexo entered the new Euronext CAC40 ESG index, created in response to the growing market demand for sustainable investments. Being part of the index recognizes Sodexo commitment and initiatives for a sustainable global economy.

Outlook

While confidence is high in a rapid recovery once vaccination is fully deployed, in the short-term, the situation remains volatile, particularly in Europe with the new waves of the pandemic. As a result, we expect little improvement in the quarter on quarter trends through to the fiscal year end in August.

The Group will continue to renegotiate its contracts to ensure the best possible level of profitability, to deliver its restructuring measures and activate all government support available.

In this context,

  • Second half Fiscal 2021 organic growth is expected between +10 and +15%.
  • After the strong performance in the First half, cost containment and restructuring should offset the traditional seasonality gap between First half and Second half margins, so that the Second half Fiscal 2021 underlying operating margin should be around 3.1%, at constant rates.
  • After an exceptional free cashflow performance in the First half, our objective for the year is to achieve a cash conversion of more than 100%.

Looking further out, on the basis that the pandemic will be over by 2021 calendar year end, the Group aims to return to sustained growth and to rapidly increase the Underlying operating margin back over the pre-Covid level.

The Board and the Executive Committee extend their sincere thanks to all employees who have collectively contributed to the improved financial performance in First half Fiscal 2021.

Conference call

Sodexo will hold a conference call (in English) today at 9:00 a.m. (Paris time), 8:00 a.m. (London time) to comment on its H1 Fiscal 2021 results. Those who wish to connect:

  • from the UK may dial +44 (0) 2071 928 338, or
  • from France +33 (0) 1 70 70 07 81, or
  • from the USA +1 646 741 3167,
  • followed by the access code 52 65 589.

The press release and presentation will be available on the Group website www.sodexo.com in both the “Latest News” section and the “Finance – Financial Results” section.

Fiscal 2021 financial calendar

Fiscal 2021 Nine Months Revenues July 1, 2021
Fiscal 2021 Annual Results October 28, 2021
Fiscal 2021 Annual Shareholders Meeting December 14, 2021

These dates are purely indicative and are subject to change without notice. Regular updates are available in the calendar on our website

www.sodexo.com 

About Sodexo

Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 64 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services. Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 50 years of experience: from foodservices, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from services and programs fostering employees’ engagement to solutions that simplify and optimize their mobility and expenses management, to in-home assistance, child care centers and concierge services. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world.

Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC 40 ESG, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.

Key figures

19.3 billion euro in Fiscal 2020 consolidated revenues

420,000 employees as at August 31, 2020

#1 France-based private employer worldwide

64 countries

100 million consumers served daily

12.1 billion euro in market capitalization (as at March 31, 2021)

Contacts

Analysts and Investors Media
Virginia JEANSON

Tel: +33 1 57 75 80 56
[email protected]
Mathieu SCARAVETTI

Tel: +33 6 28 62 21 91
[email protected]

1

 
ACTIVITY REPORT
FOR FIRST HALF FISCAL 2021

First half Fiscal 2021 Activity Report

(September 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021)

Revenues

REVENUES BY SEGMENT

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20   ORGANIC

GROWTH
EXTERNAL

GROWTH
CURRENCY

EFFECT
TOTAL

GROWTH
Business & Administrations 4,280 6,186   -26.5% +0.1% -4.4% -30.8%
Healthcare & Seniors 2,338 2,538   -2.1% 0.0% -5.8% -7.9%
Education 1,620 2,528   -31.9% -0.3% -3.7% -35.9%
On-site Services 8,238 11,252   -22.2% 0.0% -4.6% -26.8%
Benefits & Rewards Services 359 443   -8.1% +0.5% -11.4% -19.0%
Elimination -2 -3          
TOTAL GROUP 8,595 11,692   -21.7% 0.0% -4.8% -26.5%

First half Fiscal 2021 Group revenue was 8,595 million euro, down -26.5%, still significantly impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. The currency effect and in particular the weakness of the dollar and the Real, accounted for -4.8%2. The net M&A contribution was negligible. As a result, Group organic revenue decline was -21.7%. This compared with an organic decline of -27.5% in the Second half Fiscal 2020. Importantly, there has been consistent quarter on quarter improvement in trends, since the start of the Covid crisis, even though the second quarter was impacted a bit more by the second wave, in Education, Corporate Services and Benefits & Rewards Services.

  ACTUALS
Revenue organic growth Q3 trend*  Q4  Q1 trend* Q2 
FY2020 FY2020 FY2021  FY2021
Business & Administrations -34% -29.8% -25.6% -25.3%
Of which Corporate Services -32% -25% -24% -25%
Of which Sports & Leisure -100% -91% -85% -82%
Education -65% -35.7% -31.2% -32.7%
Of which Schools -58% -23% -21% -18%
Of which Universities -71% -48% -39% -46%
Healthcare & Seniors -15% -9.1% -3.5% -0.6%
On-site Services -36% -25.4% -22.1% -21.0%
Benefits & Rewards Services -27% -15.1% -5.6% -10.2%
Group -36% -24.9% -21.5% -20.6%

* restated in Q3 FY20 for 2 weeks which were pre-lockdown in March and in Q1 FY21 to exclude the impact of the Rugby World Cup (RWC)
in the previous year.

Brexit:

The United Kingdom has now left the European Union. Sodexo has been present in the United Kingdom since 1988 and has around 31,000 employees there today. The Group’s business is not materially impacted by the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. Sodexo is a local player, working with local suppliers and employees, and very often for Government authorities and Government services. In the UK, traditionally, a large part of the services is FM Services, which have demonstrated their resilience in the current Covid-19 crisis.
Our supply chain teams have planned extensively for EU exit and since 1 January. As a result, we have not suffered any significant disruption to our supply chains. Volumes have been low, however, as a result of Covid restrictions and we continue to monitor the situation closely (particularly in relation to fresh produce) as restrictions are eased and volumes increase. We are confident that the planning we have carried out and the close relationships we have with our supply chain partners will stand us in good stead. As usual, growth in activity will remain dependent upon outsourcing trends, growth in GDP and employment in the country.

On-site Services

On-site Services organic revenue decline was -22.2%, impacted by the Covid crisis but demonstrating a consistent improvement in the trend quarter by quarter, even though the second quarter was impacted by the second wave in Europe, in particular in Corporate Services and UK Schools and a longer winter break in American Universities. While Foodservices were down -35.1%, Facilities Management Services remained very resilient with revenues up +2.9%. As a result, Facilities Management Services accounted for 45% of total On-site sales during the First half.

Key Performance Indicators for the First half were also impacted by the pandemic:

  • Client retention was down -30 bps to 97.5%, impacted by the British Government’s return to self-operation of the Transforming Rehabilitation contract. Excluding this account loss, retention would have been up +20 bps.
  • New sales development was down -10 bps at 2.8%, but with much enhanced signing discipline, particularly regarding margins.
  • Same site sales decline at – 22.7 %, reflected by the Covid impact particularly on Food volumes, while Facilities Management Services remains solid.
  • Healthcare North America has had a good start to the year with an improvement of +80 bps in retention and +60 bps in development.
  • Focus and discipline has increased during the period, with gross margins of lost accounts down -150 bps, new signatures up +40 bps, and mobilizations up +140 bps.

On-site Services Revenues by region

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 3,174 5,100 -32.6%
Europe 3,528 4,388 -18.4%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 1,535 1,763 -0.5%
ON-SITE SERVICES TOTAL 8,238 11,252 -22.2%

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 1,486 2,402 -32.1%
Europe 1,721 2,110 -16.8%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 767 868 +0.4%
ON-SITE SERVICES TOTAL 3,974 5,380 -21.0%

In Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa, activity is trending down only -0.5% in the First half, reflecting a return to growth in the second quarter. Strong growth in China and Latin America is compensating the ongoing weakness in India and the flattening out of growth in Australia, as demand for extra Covid-related services subsided. In Europe, after a strong start in the first quarter with the reopening of schools and offices, the second wave impacted the second quarter performance particularly in Schools in the UK and Corporate Services more generally. The performance in North America remained very weak, down -32.6%, still very impacted by the situation in Sports & Leisure and the very slow return to sites in Education and Corporate Services.

Business & Administrations

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 828 1,658 -46.0%
Europe 2,084 2,984 -28.9%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 1,369 1,544 +0.4%
BUSINESS & ADMINISTRATIONS TOTAL 4,280 6,186 -26.5%

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 RESTATED ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 405 804 -45.0%
Europe 1,004 1,425 -27.6%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 687 761 +1.0%
BUSINESS & ADMINISTRATIONS TOTAL 2,095 2,991 -25.3%

First half Fiscal 2021 Business & Administrations revenues totaled 4.3 billion euro, down organically by -26.5%.

In North America, the organic decline remained significant at -46.0%. While the trend in Energy & Resources and Government & Agencies segments is improving, Sports & Leisure sites are still largely closed and Corporate Services is still impacted in Foodservices by office closures and has shown no improvement in trend relative to the previous quarter.

In Europe, sales were down -28.9% organically, with the second quarter slightly better than the first which had been impacted by the negative comparison of the RWC. The trend improved in all sub-segments, except in Corporate Services impacted by the second wave lockdowns from November. Facilities Management services and Global accounts continue to be more resilient in this environment.

In Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa, organic growth was +0.4%, thanks to a return to growth in the second quarter. Energy & Resources continued to generate solid growth but lower than in the previous quarters as demand for extra Covid-related services subsided, particularly in Australia. China and Latam remain very strong across the board, somewhat offset by India which is still severely impacted by the pandemic.

Healthcare & Seniors

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 1,297 1,555 -9.8%
Europe 910 819 +12.7%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 131 164 -3.6%
HEALTHCARE & SENIORS TOTAL 2,338 2,538 -2.1%

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 RESTATED ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 643 774 -8.9%
Europe 467 408 +15.5%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 66 82 -2.8%
HEALTHCARE & SENIORS TOTAL 1,177 1,264 -0.6%

Healthcare & Seniors First half revenues were 2.3 billion euro, down -2.1% organically, with a significant improvement in the Second quarter versus the First quarter.

Organic decline in North America was -9.8%, improving very progressively quarter on quarter. Seniors performance and cross-selling of extra services remain solid. However, there is still no sign of any improvement in retail sales which have significantly reduced since the start of the pandemic. Development is picking up with some encouraging new wins.

In Europe, organic growth of +12.7%, and +15.5% in the Second quarter, reflects the ramping up of the Covid-19 rapid testing centers contract in the UK. Seniors activity is more or less back to previous year levels. However, with the second and third waves, activity is suffering from the lower levels of elective surgery and slower than expected mobilization of new contracts.

In Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa, the organic decline was better in the second quarter at -2.8%, with a return to growth in China, against a significantly Covid-impacted comparable base.

Education

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 1,050 1,887 -39.7%
Europe 535 585 -8.3%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 35 55 -15.0%
EDUCATION TOTAL 1,620 2,528 -31.9%

REVENUES BY REGION

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 RESTATED ORGANIC GROWTH
North America 438 824 -41.3%
Europe 250 277 -9.4%
Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa 14 24 -6.7%
EDUCATION TOTAL 703 1,125 -32.7%

First half Fiscal 2021 Revenues in Education were 1.6 billion euro, down -31.9% organically.

In North America, the segment remains severely impacted by the pandemic with an organic decline of -39.7%. The second quarter trend was slightly worse than the first quarter due to longer than usual winter break at the University representing 14 days less days in the quarter. Schools are progressively reopening but the majority remained closed for most of the period.

In Europe, the organic decline was limited to -8.3%. While in France fully reopened from September, schools in other countries reopened progressively during the first quarter, even if Covid-19 contaminations are forcing some classes to close without warning. The second quarter trend deteriorated slightly due to the second wave closures of UK schools.

In Asia-Pacific, Latam, Middle East and Africa, the organic decline remained high at -15.0%, despite a significant improvement in the trend in Q2, down only -6.7%. The collapse of the activity in India is not yet compensated by the progressive reopening in China, hampered by low activity in the international schools.

Benefits & Rewards Services

Benefits & Rewards Services revenue amounted to 359 million euro, down -8.1% organically and -19% including the negative currency impact of -11.4%, principally due to the Brazilian real and the Turkish lira.

Revenues

REVENUES BY ACTIVITY

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Employee Benefits 275 348 -8.4%
Services Diversification 84 96 -7.2%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 359 443 -8.1%

REVENUES BY ACTIVITY

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Employee Benefits 145 188 -11.8%
Services Diversification 45 49 -3.9%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 190 238 -10.2%

In the first half, Employee Benefits revenues were down -8.4% organically, compared to +0.2% in issue volume (5.9 billion euro). This is a significant improvement relative to the Second half Fiscal 2020 trend but represents a slowdown in the second quarter relative to the first quarter. Merchant reimbursements slowed down significantly from November due to lockdowns in Europe.

Services Diversification was down -7.2 % due to the continued difficulties in the Health & Wellness and Mobility markets in most countries, due to the closure of most sporting facilities and the lack of business travel. Fuel & Fleet provided more resilience. Public benefits are up strongly in all regions. The trend was significantly better in the second quarter, down only -3.9% due to a return to growth in Incentive & Recognition.

REVENUES BY REGION

(in millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Europe, USA and Asia 242 270 -7.0%
Latin America 116 173 -10.1%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 359 443 -8.1%

REVENUES BY REGION

(in millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Europe, USA and Asia 130 150 -10.0%
Latin America 60 88 -10.7%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 190 238 -10.2%

In Europe, Asia and USA, First half Fiscal 2021 revenues declined by -7.0% organically, reflecting a deterioration in the trend in the second quarter, down -10%, after a better first quarter down only -3.2%. After a solid recovery in September and October in Europe, the trend reversed in November due to the second round of lockdowns and restaurant closures. In China and Turkey, issue and reimbursement volumes were also more modest in the second quarter after the catch-up in the first quarter. Growth in India remained strong for meal benefits.

In Latin America, sales declined -10.1%. Overall, issue volumes and reimbursement volumes were stable in the region. Revenues in Brazil were impacted by the highly competitive environment, while interest rates are stabilizing from quarter to quarter. The momentum in the rest of the region remained solid, except in Chile still significantly impacted by the pandemic.

REVENUES BY NATURE

(In millions of euro)
H1 FY21 H1 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Operating Revenues 339 412 -7.4%
Financial Revenues 20 31 -17.9%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 359 443 -8.1%

REVENUES BY NATURE

(In millions of euro)
Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20 ORGANIC GROWTH
Operating Revenues 180 223 -10.1%
Financial Revenues 11 15 -13.1%
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 190 238 -10.2%

The decline in Operating revenues was -7.4%. Financial revenues were down more significantly by -17.9%, impacted by the decline in interest rates, particularly in Brazil. However, as rates have stabilized since July 2020, the year on year comparison is easing each quarter.

Underlying operating profit

First half Fiscal 2021 Underlying operating profit amounted to 265 million euro, down -61.4% compared to the revenue decline of -26.5%. As a result, the Underlying operating margin was 3.1%, down -280 bps, exacerbated by currency mix effects for -30 bps. This performance represents a major improvement compared to the loss in second half Fiscal 2020 and is the result of the many contract renegotiations since March 2020, government furlough in some countries, the first results of the restructuring program and very strict cost control.

Underlying Operating profit by activity

(in millions of euro) UNDERLYING

OPERATING PROFIT

H1 FISCAL 2021
DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE
(EXCLUDING
CURRENCY EFFECT)
UNDERLYING

OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN

H1 FISCAL 2021
DIFFERENCE
IN MARGIN
DIFFERENCE IN MARGIN
(EXCLUDING CURRENCY
MIX EFFECT)
Business & Administrations 16 -93.4% -90.1% 0.4% – 360 bps – 340 bps
Healthcare & Seniors 149 -6.6% -0.9% 6.4% +10 bps +10 bps
Education 69 -67.2% -64.9% 4.3% – 410 bps – 400 bps
ON-SITE SERVICES 235 -61.9% -58.1% 2.9% – 260 bps – 260 bps
BENEFITS & REWARDS SERVICES 85 -36.5% -19.1% 23.6% – 650 bps – 360 bps
Corporate expenses
& Intragroup eliminations
-55 +13.4% +12.9%    
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT 265 -61.4% -55.2% 3.1% – 280 bps – 250 bps

The First half Underlying operating profit margin in On-site Services, excluding the currency effect, was down -260 bps, impacted by the significant decline in revenues due to the Covid crisis.
Segment performance is as follows:

  • Business & Administrations: Underlying operating profit margin was slightly positive, at 0.4% down -340 bps relative to the First half Fiscal 2020. While Sports & Leisure generated a loss due to the very significant decline in activity and its incompressible residual costs, the other sub-segments were all positive, with Government & Agencies and Energy & Resources actually increasing their margins.
  • Healthcare & Seniors: the Underlying operating profit margin was 6.4%, up +10 basis points against the previous year, with improvement in each region. This solid performance is the result of strong execution on staffing and food costs in a particularly difficult environment and a positive contribution from net new business and cross-selling.
  • Education: the Underlying operating profit margin was 4.3%, down -400 bps relative to the previous period. The return to positive margins reflects the results of the contract negotiations and the better volumes in Europe.
  • In Benefits & Rewards Services, the Underlying operating profit margin came out at 23.6% down -360 bps excluding a very significant currency mix effect but up +260 bps relative to the Second half Fiscal 2020. This performance is a result of lower production costs linked to the increasing share of digital, the first results of the restructuring program and very strict control of SG&A costs.

Group net profit

(in millions of euro) H1 FISCAL 2021 H1 FISCAL 2020 DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE CONSTANT RATES
Revenue 8,595 11,692 -26.5% -21.7%
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT 265 685 -61.4% -55.2%
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN
3.1%

5.9%
– 280 bps – 250 bps
Other operating expenses (128) (66)    
OPERATING PROFIT 136 619 -78.0% -73.2%
Net financial expense (50) (67)    
Tax charge (53) (161)    
Effective tax rate 63.0% 29.3%    
GROUP NET PROFIT 33 378 -91.3% -86.6%
EPS
(in euro)
0.23 2.59 -91.3%  
UNDERLYING NET PROFIT 128 424 -69.9% -63.6%
UNDERLYING EPS (in euro) 0.87 2.91 -69.9%  

Other operating income and expenses were -128 million euro, against -66 million euro in the previous year period, reflecting the First half Fiscal 2021 costs of the GET restructuring program amounting to 107 million euro, against 33 million euro in the previous year.

(in millions of euro) H1 Fiscal 2021 H1 Fiscal 2020
Underlying Operating profit 265 685
Other operating income 8 5
Gains related to consolidation scope changes 3 2
Gains on changes of post-employment benefits 4 4
Other operating expenses (136) (71)
Restructuring and rationalization costs (107) (33)
Acquisition-related costs (2) (5)
Losses related to consolidation scope changes (1) (1)
Losses on changes of post-employment benefits (1) (2)
Amortization of acquired intangible assets and impairment of goodwill and non-current assets (21) (20)
Other (3) (11)
Other Operating income and expenses (128) (66)
Operating Profit 136 619

As a result, the Operating Profit was 136 million euro against 619 million euro in the previous period.

Net financial expenses were 50 million euro, down 17 million euro year on year essentially due to the reimbursement of the USPP debt and an average blended cost of debt of 1.6%, compared 2.2% as of February 29, 2020 and stable compared to August 31, 2020.

The tax charge in First half Fiscal 2021 amounted to 53 million euro, down 108 million euro relative to the previous period. The effective tax rate was strongly affected by the non-recognition of deferred tax assets in France due to the lack of prospect of short-term recoverability. Excluding the tax impact of the Other Operating Income & Expenses, the Underlying effective tax rate would have been 40.7% against 29.3% in First half Fiscal 2020.

Profit attributed to non-controlling interests was 2 million euro, against 17 million euro in the previous year. As a result, Group net profit was 33 million euro and EPS is €0.23.

Underlying net profit (adjusted for Other operating income and expenses at a normalized tax rate) amounted to 128 million euro, compared to 424 million euro in the previous period. Underlying EPS was €0.87 against €2.91 in the previous period.

Consolidated financial position

Cash flows

(in millions of euro) H1 FISCAL 2021 H1 FISCAL 2020
Operating cash flow 405 791
Change in working capital excluding change in BRS financial assets* 41 (647)
IFRS 16 Leases outflow (123) (120)
Net capital expenditure (86) (268)
FREE CASH FLOW 237 (243)
Net acquisitions (10) (13)
Share buy-backs/ Treasury stock (11) (39)
Dividends paid to shareholders (425)
Other changes (including scope and exchange rates) (28) (140)
(INCREASE)/DECREASE IN NET DEBT since August 31 187 (860)

* Excluding change in financial assets related to the Benefits & Rewards Services activity (€(42)m in H1 Fiscal 2021 and +€104m in H1 Fiscal 2020).
Total change in working capital as reported in consolidated accounts: in H1 Fiscal 2021: €(1)m = €41m+€(42)m and in H1 Fiscal 2020:  €(543)m = €(647)m+ €104m 

First half Fiscal 2021 Free cash flow was much better than expected, helped by a positive change in working capital and a significant reduction in capital expenditure.

While Operating cash flow totaled 405 million euro, against 791 million euro in the same period last year, the Working capital variation was a positive 41 million euro, despite the normally negative seasonality impact, against an outflow of 647 million euro in the First half Fiscal 2020. This performance was boosted by strict management of receivables, Benefits & Rewards due to lower reimbursement flows, continued Government support in terms of payment delays.

Net capital expenditure was at 86 million euro representing only 1% of revenues, against 268 million euro in the first half Fiscal 2020, or 2.3% of revenues, due to delays in client investments and a refund of rights fees from the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee, these fees having become variable as part of the new contract.

As a result, Free cashflow was 237 million euro. Both On-site Services and Benefits & Rewards Services generated free cashflow.

Prolongation of the pandemic has helped to delay the expected non-recurrent elements into the second half of the year; refunds of the Tokyo Olympics hospitality packages have been lower than expected, some of the restructuring in Europe is delayed into the second half, and Covid-related government support has been further extended.

The major change in other cashflow items in First half Fiscal 2021 was the lack of a dividend pay-out on Fiscal 2020 earnings, compared to the 425 million euro payment in First half Fiscal 2020.
Net acquisitions and disposals remained at a very low level, at 10 million euro. Share buy-backs were limited to covering future expected performance share attributions. The Other outflows were principally related to negative currency impacts, in particular linked to the weakness of the Brazilian Real.

As a result, consolidated net debt fell by 187 million euro from Fiscal 2020 year-end, to 1,681 million euro as at February 28, 2021.

Condensed consolidated statement of financial position 
at February 28, 2021

(in millions of euro) FEBRUARY 28, 2021 FEBRUARY 29, 2020   (in millions of euro) FEBRUARY 28, 2021 FEBRUARY 29, 2020
Non-current assets 9,766 10,949   Shareholders’ equity 2,917 4,098
Current assets
excluding cash
4,943 5,926   Non-controlling interests 15 48
Restricted cash
Benefits and Rewards Services
795 563   Non-current liabilities 6,238 6,058
Financial assets
Benefits and Rewards Services
342 426   Current liabilities 8,886 9,345
Cash 2,210 1,685        
TOTAL ASSETS 18,056 19,549   TOTAL LIABILITIES

AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
18,056 19,549
             
        GROSS DEBT excluding IFRS16 5,005 4,697
        NET DEBT excluding IFRS16 1,681 2,074
        GEARING 57% 50%
        NET DEBT RATIO

3
3.8 1.3

As of February 28, 2021, net debt was 1,681 million euro, lower than at the same period the previous year and at August 31, 2020. Gearing was 57% versus 50% last year and 67% at year-end Fiscal 2020. The net debt ratio at 3.8x is particularly high, as it is based on a rolling 12-month Underlying EBITDA.

At the end of the period, the Group had unused lines of credit totaling 1.9 billion euro.

The operating cash position totaled 3,324 million euro as of February 28, 2021, including bank overdrafts for 23 million euro. The Benefits & Rewards Services position was 2,226 million euro, including 795 million euro of restricted cash and 342 million euro of financial assets of more than three months. With this operating cash and client receivables of 1,455 million euro, compared to voucher liabilities payable of 3,435 million euro, the Benefits & Rewards Services asset to liability coverage is 107%, stable compared to the level at Fiscal 2020 year end.

Total liquidity amounts to 5.3 billion euro at the end of the period.

Executive Committee evolution

During the quarter, there have been several changes within the Executive Committee:

  • Anne Bardot has been appointed Chief Communications Officer, replacing Dianne Salt who has left the company to return to Canada.
  • Cathy Desquesses, Chief People Officer, is leaving the company to pursue her career in a different country and industry. The appointment of her replacement will be announced in due course.  
  • After 24 years in the Group, Satya Menard, CEO Schools Worldwide and Universities rest of the world has left the company to pursue his career in a different country and industry. The appointment of his replacement will be announced in due course.

Related party transactions

The main related party transactions are presented in Note 9.4 to the First half Fiscal 2021 consolidated financial statements.

Main risks and uncertainties

The main risks and uncertainties are not materially different from those described in the Risk Management section of the Fiscal 2020 Universal Registration Document filed with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) on November 23, 2020.

Currency effect

Exchange rate fluctuations do not generate operational risks, because each subsidiary bills its revenues and incurs its expenses in the same currency. However, given the weight of the Benefits & Rewards business in Brazil, and the high level of the margins relative to the Group, when the Brazilian Real declines against the euro, it has a negative effect on the Underlying operating margin due to a change in the mix of margins. Conversely, when the Brazilian Real improves, Group margins increase.

1€= AVERAGE RATE

H1 FISCAL 21
AVERAGE RATE
H1 FISCAL 20
AVERAGE RATE
H1 FISCAL 21
VS. H1 FISCAL 20
CLOSING RATE

H1 FISCAL 21

AT 28/02/2021
CLOSING RATE
FISCAL 20
AT 31/08/20
CLOSING RATE

28/02/21

VS. 31/08/20
U.S. DOLLAR 1.197 1.105 -7.7% 1.212 1.194 -1.5%
POUND STERLING 0.897 0.862 -3.9% 0.871 0.896 +2.9%
BRAZILIAN REAL 6.554 4.602 -29.8% 6.664 6.474 -2.9%

Sodexo operates in 64 countries. The percentage of total revenues and Underlying operating profit denominated in the main currencies are as follows:

H1 FY2021 % OF REVENUES % OF UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT
U.S. DOLLAR 35% 46%
EURO 26% -26%
UK POUND STERLING 11% 10%
BRAZILIAN REAL 4% 24%

The currency effect is determined by applying the previous year’s average exchange rates to the current year figures except in hyper-inflationary economies where all figures are converted at the latest closing rate for both periods when the impact is significant.

As a result, for the calculation of organic growth in Argentina Peso, figures for First half Fiscal 2021 and First half Fiscal 2020 have been converted at the exchange rate of 1€ = 109.280 ARS vs 68.248 ARS for First half Fiscal 2020.

Glossary

First half client Retention rate

The First half Client Retention rate corresponds to the total amount of revenue in the First half generated from business with existing clients in the prior fiscal year compared with total revenues for that year. The client retention rate declines progressively month by month as business is lost during the year.

First half Development rate

The First half Development rate is the annualized estimated revenue for new contracts signed during the First half divided by prior year annual revenues. The development rate increases progressively month by month, as business is won during the year.

Comparable site growth rate

The First half comparable site growth rate is the increase in revenues from sites that have contributed to consolidated revenue in both prior and current year first halves. It also includes the growth generated by the major sporting events.

Alternative Performance Measure definitions

Blended cost of debt

The blended cost of debt is calculated at period end and is the weighted blended financing rate on borrowings (including derivative financial instruments and commercial papers) and cash pooling balances at period end.

Financial Ratios Definitions

    H1 2021 H1 2020
Gearing ratio Gross borrowings (1) – operating cash (2) 57% 50%
Shareholders’ equity and non‑controlling interests
New net debt ratio Gross borrowings (1) – operating cash (2) 3.8 1.3
Rolling 12-month Underlying EBITDA (3)



Financial Ratio Reconciliation

    H1 2021 H1 2020

(1)

Gross borrowings
Non-current borrowings 4,398 3,928
+ current borrowings excluding overdrafts 641 796
– derivative financial instruments recognized as assets (34) (27)
  5,005 4,697

(2)

Operating cash
Cash and cash equivalents 2,210 1,685
+ restricted cash and financial assets related to the Benefits and Rewards Services activity 1,137 989
– bank overdrafts (23) (51)
  3,324 2,623

(3)

Rolling 12-month Underlying EBITDA
Underlying operating profit (H2 +H1) 149 1,238
+ depreciation and amortization (H2 + H1) 580 469
– lease payments (H2 +H1) 289 131
  440 1,577



Free cash flow

Please refer to the section entitled Consolidated financial position.

Growth excluding currency effect

The currency effect is determined by applying the previous year’s average exchange rates to the current year figures except in hyper-inflationary economies where all figures are converted at the latest closing rate for both periods when the impact is significant.

As a result, for the calculation of organic growth in Argentina Peso, figures for H1 FY 2021 and H1 FY 2020 have been converted at the exchange rate of 1€ = 109.280 ARS vs 68.248 ARS for H1 FY 2020.

Issue volume

Issue volume corresponds to the total face value of service vouchers, cards and digitally delivered services issued by the Group’s Benefits and Rewards Services, for beneficiaries on behalf of clients.

Net debt

Net debt is defined as Group borrowing at the balance sheet date, less operating cash. This does not include lease obligations as defined by IFRS16.

Organic growth

Organic growth corresponds to the increase in revenue for a given period (the “current period”) compared to the revenue reported for the same period of the prior fiscal year, calculated using the exchange rate for the prior fiscal year; and excluding the impact of business acquisitions (or gain of control) and divestments, as follows:

  • For businesses acquired (or gain of control) during the current period, revenue generated since the acquisition date is excluded from the organic growth calculation;
  • For businesses acquired (or gain of control) during the prior fiscal year, revenue generated during the current period up until the first anniversary date of the acquisition is excluded;
  • For businesses divested (or loss of control) during the prior fiscal year, revenue generated in the comparative period of the prior fiscal year until the divestment date is excluded;
  • For businesses divested (or loss of control) during the current fiscal year, revenue generated in the period commencing 12 months before the divestment date up to the end of the comparative period of the prior fiscal year is excluded.
  • For countries with hyperinflationary economies all figures are converted at the latest closing rate for both periods. As a result, for the calculation of organic growth in Argentina Peso figures for H1 FY 2021 and H1 FY 2020 have been converted at the exchange rate of 1€ = 109.280 ARS vs 68.248 ARS for H1 FY 2020.

Reimbursement volume

  • Reimbursement volume corresponds to the total face value of service vouchers, cards and digitally delivered services (Benefits and Rewards Services activity) reimbursed to the Merchants.

Underlying Net profit

Underlying Net profit presents a net income excluding significant unusual and/or infrequent elements. Therefore, it corresponds to the Net Income Group share excluding Other Income and Expense and significant non-recurring elements in both Net Financial Expense and Income Tax Expense where relevant.

Underlying Net profit per share

Underlying Net profit per share presents the Underlying net profit divided by the average number of shares.

Underlying operating profit margin

The Underlying operating profit margin corresponds to Underlying operating profit divided by revenues

Underlying operating profit margin at constant rates

The Underlying operating profit margin at constant rates corresponds to Underlying operating profit divided by revenues, calculated by converting H1 2021 figures at H1 FY 2020 rates, except for countries with hyperinflationary economies.

2

 
FIRST HALF FISCAL 2021 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

(in millions of euro) NOTES FIRST HALF

FISCAL 2021
FIRST HALF

FISCAL 2020
REVENUES 3 8,595 11,692
Cost of sales 4.1 (7,415) (9,964)
GROSS PROFIT   1,181 1,729
Selling, General and Administrative costs 4.1 (918) (1,046)
Share of profit of companies consolidated by the equity method that directly contribute to the Group’s business   2  2
UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT   265  685
Other operating income 4.2 8  5
Other operating expenses 4.2 (136) (71)
OPERATING PROFIT 3 136  619
Financial income 7.1 12 16
Financial expenses 7.1 (62) (83)
Share of profit of other companies consolidated by the equity method   2  3
PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD BEFORE TAX   88  556
Income tax expense 2.2 and 9.1 (53) (161)
NET PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD   35  395
Of which:      
Attributable to non-controlling interests   2 17
PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS OF THE PARENT   33  378
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
(in euro)
8.2 0.23 2.59
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE
(in euro)
8.2 0.22 2.55

Notes available in H1 FY2021 Financial report

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(in millions of euro) FIRST HALF

FISCAL 2021
FIRST HALF

FISCAL 2020
NET PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD 35 395
Components of other comprehensive income
that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
   
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments 1
Change in fair value of cash flow hedge instruments reclassified to profit or loss
Currency translation adjustment (21) (26)
Currency translation adjustment reclassified to profit or loss
Tax on components of other comprehensive income that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
Share of other components of comprehensive income (loss) of companies
consolidated by the equity method, net of tax
2 2
Components of other comprehensive income
that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss
   
Remeasurement of defined benefit plan obligation (37) (73)
Change in fair value of financial assets revalued through other comprehensive income 136 (96)
Tax on components of other comprehensive income that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss 7 12
TOTAL OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS), AFTER TAX 88 (181)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 123 214
Of which:    
Attributable to equity holders of the parent 121 196
Attributable to non-controlling interests 2 18

Notes available in H1 FY2021 Financial report

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Assets

(in millions of euro) NOTES FEBRUARY 28, 2021 AUGUST 31, 2020
Goodwill    5,781  5,764
Other intangible assets   661   673
Property, plant and equipment   529  566
Right-of-use assets relating to leases   1,221  1,321
Client investments   551   575
Companies accounted for using the equity method   63   60
Financial assets 7.3 750   601
Derivative financial instrument assets 7.3 16   11
Other non-current assets   23   22
Deferred tax assets   171   137
NON-CURRENT ASSETS   9,766  9,730
Financial assets   39  40
Derivative financial instrument assets 7.3 18   11
Inventories   245   259
Income tax receivable   131   113
Trade and other receivables 4.3 4,509  4,070
Restricted cash and financial assets related to the Benefits & Rewards Services activity 4.4 1,137                          1,103
Cash and cash equivalents 7.2 2,210  2,027
CURRENT ASSETS   8,290 7,623
TOTAL ASSETS   18,056  17,353

  Notes available in H1 FY2021 Financial report

Shareholders’ equity and liabilities

(in millions of euro) NOTES FEBRUARY 28, 2021 AUGUST 31, 2020
Share capital   590   590
Additional paid-in capital   248   248
Reserves and retained earnings   2,079  1,920
EQUITY ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS OF THE PARENTS   2,917  2,758
NON-CONTROLLING INTERESTS   15   15
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 8 2,932  2,773
Long-term borrowings 7.4 4,381  4,975
Derivative financial instrument liabilities 7.4 17   13
Long-term lease liabilities   1,034  1,126
Employee benefits   360   344
Other non-current liabilities   231   196
Non-current provisions   89   84
Deferred tax liabilities   125   97
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES   6,238  6,834
Bank overdrafts   23   6
Short-term borrowings 8.4 636 21
Derivative financial instrument liabilities 8.4 5   6
Short-term lease liabilities   218   231
Income tax payable   162   174
Current provisions 7.1 227   171
Trade and other payables 4.3 4,181  4,020
Vouchers liabilities   3,435  3,117
CURRENTS LIABILITIES   8,886  7,745
TOTAL SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY AND LIABILITIES   18,056  17,353

 

Notes available in H1 FY2021 Financial report

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

(in millions of euro) NOTES FIRST HALF FIRST HALF
FISCAL 2021 FISCAL 2020
FISCAL 2020
 
136 619
Operating profit   290 330
Depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets and property,    58 3
plant and equipment and right-of-use assets relating to leases (1)   (1) 1
Provisions   21 21
(Gains) losses on disposals    2 0
Other non-cash items   (10) (38)
Dividends received from companies accounted for using the equity method    (10) (11)
Net interest expense paid   (82) (136)
Interests paid on lease liabilities   405 791
Income tax paid   13 (5)
Operating cash flow   (484) (755)
Change in inventories   184 (106)
Change in trade and other receivables   329 219
Change in trade and other payables   (42) 104
Change in vouchers payable   (1) (543)
Change in financial assets related to the Benefits & Rewards Services activity   404 248
Change in working capital from operating activities   (137) (236)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES   37 10
Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets   14 (35)
Disposals of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets   (9) (32)
Change in client investments   (19) (14)
Change in financial assets and share of companies accounted for using the equity method   8 0
Business combinations   (105) (307)
Disposals of activities   (425)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES   (8) (7)
Dividends paid to Sodexo S.A. shareholders 8.1 (11) (39)
Dividends paid to non-controlling shareholders of consolidated companies   4
Purchases of treasury shares 8.1 (2) (21)
Sales of treasury shares 8.1 3 850
Change in non-controlling interests   (6) (245)
Proceeds from borrowings 7.4 (123) (126)
Repayment of borrowings 7.4 (144) (14)
Repayment of lease liabilities   11 (40)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY/ (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES   166 (113)
NET EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATES AND OTHER EFFECTS ON CASH   2,021 1,746
CHANGE IN NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS   2,187 1,633
NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD   2,021 1,746
NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD 7.2 2,187 1,633

(1)
Including 127 million euro corresponding to the depreciation of the right-of-use assets recognized in First Half Fiscal 2021 pursuant to IFRS 16

(129 million euro recognized for First Half Fiscal 2020).

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in millions of euro) Shares outstanding Share capital Additional paid-in capital Reserves and comprehensive income Currency translation adjustment TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Attributable to equity holders of the parent Non-controlling interests Total
NOTES 8.1              
Shareholders’ equity as of August 31, 2020 147,454,887 590 248  

3,162

 

(1,242)

 

2,758

 

15

 

2,773

Net profit for the period       33 33 2 35
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax       109 (21) 88 88
Comprehensive income       142 (21) 121 2 123
Dividends paid       (4) (4)
Treasury share transactions
(net of income tax)
      (8) (8) (8)
Share-based payment
(net of income tax)
      22 22 22
Change in ownership interest without any change of control       2 2
Other (1)       24 24 24
Shareholders’ equity as of February 28, 2021 147,454,887 590 248 3,342 (1,263) 2,917 15 2,932

(1) Including the effects of hyperinflation.

(in millions of euro) Shares outstanding Share capital Additional paid-in capital Reserves and comprehensive income Currency translation adjustment TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Attributable to equity holders of the parent Non-controlling interests Total
NOTES 8.1              
Shareholders’ equity as of August 31, 2019 147,454,887 590 248 4,358 (741) 4,456 42 4,498
Restatement due to IFRIC 23
first application (1)
      (96) (96) (96)
Shareholders’ equity as of September 1, 2019 147,454,887 590 248 4,263 (741) 4,360 42 4,402
Net profit for the period       378 378 17 395
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax       (156) (26) (182) 1 (181)
Comprehensive income       222 (26) 196 18 214
Dividends paid       (425) (425) (7) (432)
Treasury share transactions       (37) (37) (37)
Share-based payment (net of income tax)       23 23 23
Change in ownership interest without any change of control       (17) (17) (4) (21)
Other (2)       (3) (3) (3)
Shareholders’ equity as of February 29, 2020 147,454,887 590 248 4,027 (767) 4,098 48 4,146

(1)
Impact of First-time application of IFRIC 23
“Uncertainty over income tax treatments”.

(2) Including the effects of hyperinflation.



1 See APM definitions



2 For further detail on currencies, please see page 17 of this document.



3 See APM definitions

Attachment



CallTower Rolls Out Native Microsoft Teams Direct Routing Unlimited Conferencing

Leverage CallTower’s flexible options to fully unlock the potential of a Microsoft Teams Phone System

South Jordan, Utah, USA, April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CallTower, a global leader in delivering cloud-based enterprise-class unified communications, contact center and collaboration solutions, reveals its latest Native Microsoft Teams Direct Routing customization with their remarkably priced Unlimited Teams Conferencing. 

When customers migrate to Teams with CallTower Direct Routing, they take advantage of Teams’ powerful collaboration technology plus the feature-rich solutions CallTower adds to Teams-all while saving money.  

CallTower has augmented its Microsoft Teams Direct Routing model to empower companies with multiple customized choices that apply to any Office 365 license type and user count. With their optimized voice network, CallTower adds carriers for redundancy to pass on less-expensive rates to their clients and eliminate customer monitoring needs. 

“As many companies explore migration paths to Microsoft Teams, we are prepared to make the transition smooth and ROI-friendly. With the rollout of Unlimited Native Teams Direct Routing Audio conferencing for $2.99 (per user, per month), we are providing more flexibility for customers,” said CallTower’s Chief Revenue Officer, William Rubio. “We are thrilled to provide a Direct Routing solution that reduces cost while enabling feature sets and customized integrations, exclusively available through CallTower’s Direct Routing solutions. Our customers experience Direct Routing with the CallTower advantage, leveraging natively integrated contact center, CRM, Texting, and more, with easy provisioning through our Connect online portal. CallTower is also the exclusive provider enabling Microsoft Teams Audio Conferencing and PSTN in GCC High, for DoD Government Contractors within Azure Cloud.”  

Today, customers with Microsoft for Audio Conferencing have to monitor their communication credits on Teams, which causes apprehension about approaching their usage limits which leads to cost overages. With CallTower Unlimited Teams Conferencing, those concerns are eliminated. 

According to Sr. Director of Software & Product, Doug Larsen, “Adding Teams Direct Routing Unlimited Conferencing to customer accounts is easy within our Connect Portal. CallTower’s solutions, including Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, are easily provisioned in Connect – an administrative portal enabling organizations to make quick changes via a single pane of glass to their CallTower provided solutions.” 

CallTower delivers an integrated Office 365 Microsoft Teams experience with global calling plans, empowered by a US-based client services team. This solution ensures a personalized implementation, adoption, training and support strategy. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, CallTower’s monitoring, and management services deliver the highest quality user experience.  

  

About CallTower  

Since its inception in 2002, CallTower has evolved into a leading cloud-based, enterprise-class Unified Communications, Contact Center and Collaboration solutions provider for growing organizations worldwide. CallTower provides, integrates and supports industry-leading solutions, including Microsoft® Teams Direct Routing, Office 365, Native Skype for Business, Cisco® HCS, Webex, CT Cloud, CT Cloud Boost, CT Cloud Meeting powered by Zoom and three contact center options, including Five9 for business customers. 

For more information, contact [email protected]



Kade Herbert
CallTower, Inc.
8003475444
[email protected]

Celyad Oncology Announces April 2021 Conference Schedule

MONT-SAINT-GUIBERT, Belgium, April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celyad Oncology SA (Euronext & Nasdaq: CYAD), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapies for cancer, today announced that the company plans to participate at the following conferences in April 2021:

Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mediterranean

Dates: April 6-9, 2021
Panel Title: Alternative Cell Solutions for Oncology
Panel Participant: Filippo Petti, CEO
Panel Webcast: Available on-demand through the conference website starting Thursday, April 8
Company Presentation: Available on-demand through the conference website starting Tuesday, April 6

2021 Virtual Wells Fargo Biotech Corporate Access Day

Date: Thursday, April 8, 2021

Kempen & Co. Life Sciences Conference – European Cell, Gene & RNA

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2021

About Celyad Oncology SA

Celyad Oncology SA is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapies for cancer. The Company is developing a pipeline of allogeneic (off-the-shelf) and autologous (personalized) CAR T cell therapy candidates for the treatment of both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Celyad Oncology was founded in 2007 and is based in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium and New York, NY. The Company has received funding from the Walloon Region (Belgium) to support the advancement of its CAR T cell therapy programs. For more information, please visit www.celyad.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This release may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include statements regarding: the safety and clinical activity of Celyad Oncology’s pipelines and financial condition, results of operation and business outlook. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which might cause actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Celyad Oncology to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk and uncertainty includes the expected date of the Phase 1 trial initiation by year-end 2020, our development of additional shRNA-based allogenic candidates from our CYAD-200 series towards clinical trial, and the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and government measures implemented in response thereto. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in Celyad Oncology’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including in its Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 25, 2020 and subsequent filings and reports by Celyad Oncology. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document and Celyad Oncology’s actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Celyad Oncology expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless required by law or regulation.

Investor and Media Contacts:

Sara Zelkovic
Communications & Investor Relations Director
Celyad Oncology
[email protected]

Daniel Ferry
Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
[email protected]

Source: Celyad Oncology SA



Frontier Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

DENVER, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (“Frontier”) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 30 million shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $19.00 per share. The offering consists of 15 million shares of common stock offered by Frontier and 15 million shares of common stock to be sold by certain of Frontier’s existing stockholders. A selling stockholder has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to buy an additional 4.5 million shares of common stock from such selling stockholder at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount and commissions. Frontier will receive net proceeds of approximately $266 million after deducting the underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses. Frontier will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by the selling stockholders.

The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on April 1, 2021 under the ticker symbol “ULCC.” The offering is expected to close on April 6, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

Citigroup, Barclays, Deutsche Bank Securities, Morgan Stanley and Evercore ISI acted as lead bookrunners for the proposed offering. BofA Securities, J.P. Morgan, Nomura, UBS Investment Bank, Cowen and Raymond James acted as additional bookrunners for the proposed offering.

The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus related to this offering, when available, may be obtained from: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-800-831-9146; Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-888-603-5847, or by email at [email protected]; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 60 Wall Street, New York NY, 10005, by telephone at 1-800-503-4611 or by email at [email protected]; Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014 or Evercore Group L.L.C., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 55 East 52nd Street, 36th Floor, New York, NY 10055, by telephone at 888-474-0200, or by email at [email protected].

A registration statement relating to the sale of these securities was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and declared effective on March 31, 2021. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines is committed to “Low Fares Done Right.” Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company operates more than 100 A320 family aircraft.



Contacts
Jennifer F. de la Cruz
Director, Corporate Communications
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 720.374.4207

Celonis, IBM and Red Hat Form Strategic Partnership to Help Transform Business Execution

Global strategic partnership joins execution management with an open, hybrid cloud approach to help drive flexibility and speed for enterprise digital transformation

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, MUNICH, ARMONK, N.Y. and RALEIGH, N.C, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Celonis, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Red Hat today announced a global strategic partnership to help accelerate the adoption of the Celonis Execution Management System (EMS) and help deliver more flexibility and choice in how customers deploy the technology. The collaboration seeks to accelerate how customers apply process mining, intelligence and automation to the core enterprise system functions and processes that drive business execution.

 

The strategic partnership aims to help address many challenges business leaders face as they seek to digitally transform their operations. Despite trillions of dollars[1] invested in technologies, solutions, and transformation initiatives, businesses often execute below their full capacity because of system and technology complexity, broken or inefficient processes, and fragmented data that sits across various IT and cloud environments. Celonis EMS sits on top of core enterprise systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning and Customer Relationship Management, pulls real-time data from them, and applies process intelligence in order to help identify and unlock execution capacity across a business.

IBM Global Business Services (GBS) is bolstering its consulting approach by implementing Celonis software as part of its methodology, alongside the application of IBM data and AI solutions. GBS is also helping clients build new solutions using Celonis EMS. Clients across all industries and domains can benefit by accelerating their transformation and re-envisioning work with intelligent workflows. Additionally, Celonis is embracing an open hybrid cloud strategy by re-platforming on Red Hat OpenShift to deliver more flexibility and choice in how customers deploy their technologies.

“Through the strategic partnership with IBM and Red Hat, we plan to help power the shift from analog to intelligent business execution, helping many of the world’s largest companies with their transactional systems, boosting their business performance,” said Miguel Milano, Chief Revenue Officer and co-owner of Celonis. “It’s incredibly powerful for our customers to be able to combine the Celonis Execution Management System with Red Hat OpenShift’s hybrid cloud approach and IBM Global Business Services’ expertise.”

“This strategic partnership accelerates IBM’s billion-dollar partner ecosystem commitment and reflects our bold approach to expanding into high growth, emerging categories to help meet the evolving hybrid cloud and AI needs of our clients,” said Mark Foster, Senior Vice President, IBM Services. “The bottom line is our clients are looking to accelerate the transformation of their  workflows and make them more intelligent. Through this powerful new global strategic partnership with Celonis, we’re adding to IBM’s suite of technology capabilities to unlock value and help propel our clients’ growth and innovation.”

Harnessing value through digital transformation

GBS is bringing deep consulting experience to complement Celonis’ execution management and process mining capabilities to help create intelligent workflows that are more responsive, accurate and predictive. GBS is embedding Celonis software into its services methodologies and is broadly deploying Celonis’ capabilities via 10,000 practitioners throughout its industry and domain practice areas, from consulting and business process outsourcing, to enterprise applications like customer care, to finance and supply chain.

“Working with IBM Global Business Services, we have analyzed our procure to pay processes across several countries in Europe and Africa by applying Celonis process mining tools to uncover and fix inefficiencies. Our finance business processes have benefitted from greater transparency and the identification of tangible improvement areas,” said Jens Knoblauch, Executive Director, Digital Business Services at Linde. “We will need to further develop our operational excellence and can benchmark best practices across all our countries to help each perform their best.” 

The strategic partnership between Celonis and IBM GBS will initially focus on:

  • Advanced end-to-end consulting expertise: IBM GBS can deliver skills, capabilities and experience through a center of excellence that can accelerate customer enablement. IBM is integrating Celonis into its consulting work for clients across service line areas like supply chain, finance, procurement, HR, and customer experience including its application modernization work with leading independent software vendors.
  • Embed in IBM Garage: IBM is embedding Celonis intelligent execution management software into its IBM Garage methodology to help deepen workflow analysis and accelerate intelligent workflows for critical processes like production, customer service, distribution, manufacturing and logistics. IBM Garage is a methodology to help collaborate with clients, generate innovative ideas, and turn those ideas into business value, leveraging both IBM and ecosystem technology.
  • Business process outsourcing: IBM GBS is adopting Celonis across many of its business process outsourcing engagements to help them run more efficiently to drive better outcomes for clients.
  • Industry-specific intelligent workflows: IBM GBS is building applications and assets on Celonis EMS for key industries and domains, particularly focused on regulated industries, to help bring actionable data and more intelligent workflows to large enterprises.

A flexible, hybrid cloud platform for deployment 

Additionally, Celonis is embracing an open hybrid cloud strategy using Red Hat OpenShift to deliver more flexibility for customers in where they deploy Celonis’ software – across any public or private cloud environment they choose. This flexibility is especially useful in highly regulated industries and enhances Celonis’ interoperability across customers’ existing systems, bringing another level of agility in how critical data can be moved and analyzed to drive new value.

Red Hat OpenShift technology and experience can also enable agility, speed, security and scalability. Celonis is in the process of adopting Red Hat OpenShift across its entire software portfolio.

“The collaboration between our three companies gets at the heart of what we often talk to customers about: how can they transform to enable new innovation and choice while maintaining consistency and the ability to scale,” said Dave Farrell, general manager, Global Strategic Alliances, Red Hat. “Just as Red Hat Enterprise Linux did at the operating system level, Red Hat OpenShift provides a consistent foundation to enable Celonis to deliver its powerful platform across multiple clouds. And by using Managed OpenShift, Celonis can take advantage of the power of the industry’s leading enterprise Kubernetes platform without the complexity of building and managing a Kubernetes environment, enabling them to keep their focus on serving customers and innovating its EMS offerings.”

“With our move to Red Hat OpenShift, we’re offering our customers a new level of flexibility and agility for how they deploy Celonis to help meet their requirements,” said Martin Klenk, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Celonis. “Giving them more choice fits with our belief as a company in living for customer value.”


About Celonis

Celonis believes that every company can unlock its full execution capacity. Powered by its market-leading process mining core, the Celonis Execution Management System provides a set of instruments, applications, and developer studio and platform capabilities for business executives and users. The Celonis EMS offerings help companies manage every facet of execution management from analytics to strategy and planning, management, actions and automation. Celonis has thousands of customers, including ABB, AstraZeneca, Bosch, Coca-Cola, Citibank, Danaher Corporation, Dell, GSK, John Deere, L’Oréal, Siemens, Uber, Vodafone and Whirlpool. Celonis is headquartered in Munich, Germany and New York City, USA and has 15 offices worldwide.


About IBM


To learn more about how IBM is working with Celonis to help enterprises transform with hybrid cloud technologies and services, visit https://www.ibm.com/services/business or engage with us on Twitter @ibm. For more information on IBM’s AI-powered Automation solutions, visit: https://www.ibm.com/cloud/automation


About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Red Hat helps customers integrate new and existing IT applications, develop cloud-native applications, standardize on our industry-leading operating system, and automate, secure, and manage complex environments. Award-winning support, training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted advisor to the Fortune 500. As a strategic partner to cloud providers, system integrators, application vendors, customers, and open source communities, Red Hat can help organizations prepare for the digital future.

For more information contact:
Gabrielle Gugliocciello
IBM Media Relations 
[email protected]

[1]
According to IDC, investments in digital transformation will approach $6.8 trillion by 2023.
IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Digital Transformation 2021 Predictions, Doc # US46880818, October 2020

 

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SOURCE IBM

BD Receives Emergency Use Authorization for Asymptomatic Screening for SARS-CoV-2 through Serial Rapid Antigen Testing

BD Veritor™ Plus System supports return-to-school and return-to-work programs through serial testing

PR Newswire

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its rapid antigen test to be used for SARS-CoV-2 screening through serial testing of asymptomatic individuals.

Articles and studies in multiple peer-reviewed publications including the New England Journal of Medicine1 and the British Medical Journal2 have touted the benefits of serial, rapid antigen testing. In addition, a recent landmark RADx-funded study demonstrated that the serial use of diagnostic tests (at least twice per week), including rapid antigen tests, increased the ability to detect infection3.  The BD Veritor™ Plus System supports this approach in everyday locations such as schools and businesses, along with serial testing in other situations, such as athletes and teams to ensure safe games and competitions.

The EUA for the BD Veritor™ Plus System includes SARS-CoV-2 screening through serial testing of asymptomatic individuals when tested twice over two or three days with at least 24 hours and no more than 48 hours between tests. Serial testing on the BD Veritor™ Plus System can be performed in any setting with a CLIA certificate of waiver.

“BD is supporting the global efforts to return to normalcy as soon as possible, and this additional authorization for the BD Veritor™ System to be used in screening through serial testing of asymptomatic individuals is a large step forward,” said Dave Hickey, president of Life Sciences for BD. “Frequent testing of individuals without symptoms will enable those with negative results to resume their normal school or work routines and will help to identify and isolate positive cases of COVID-19 as early as possible to prevent further spread. Screening through serial testing is an important part of any back-to-school or back-to-work program, along with additional measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.”

Serial COVID-19 testing in everyday settings presents challenges in managing test subject demographics and reporting results to public health authorities. To assist with this reporting in a mass testing program, BD recently announced a collaboration with ImageMover to provide a companion mobile app that enables organizations performing point-of-care testing to efficiently capture required demographic details of those being tested, upload COVID-19 test results, report results to appropriate stakeholders and automate reporting to public health agencies. This enables compliance with reporting requirements and significantly reduces manual documentation.

About BD Veritor™ Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2
The BD Veritor™ Plus System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 is intended for the qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigens in direct anterior nasal swabs from individuals who are either suspected of COVID-19 by their health care provider within the first five days of the onset of symptoms, or from individuals without symptoms or other epidemiological reasons to suspect COVID-19 when tested twice over two or three days with at least 24 hours and no more than 48 hours between tests. This product has not been FDA cleared or approved; but has been authorized by FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories. This product has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens. This product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner. For more information, please see bdveritor.com.

About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/ and Twitter @BDandCo.


Contacts:


Media                                              


Investors

Troy Kirkpatrick                                

Kristen M. Stewart, CFA

VP, Public Relations                         

SVP, Strategy & Investor Relations

858.617.2361                                     

201.847.5378        


[email protected]                     


[email protected]  

 

1
New England Journal of Medicine, November 26, 2020; 383:e120, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2025631 
2BMJ 2021;372:n208 
3https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.19.21253964v2.full.pdf

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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)