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CINCINNATI, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced it will provide the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide across its 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics, partnering with the federal government and state health departments to administer the vaccine in accordance with the rollout plan.

“Kroger Health is a COVID-19 response leader that has provided our patients, associates and other businesses with diagnostic testing tools and supporting resources since the onset of this public health crisis,” said Colleen Lindholz, Kroger Health’s president. “Kroger Health’s experienced health care providers remain committed to helping our patients and associates live healthier lives. The size and scale of our health care operation provides us with the unique ability to efficiently facilitate COVID-19 testing and immunize a large portion of the U.S. population, once the authorized vaccines become more widely available.”

Over the last few months, Kroger Health has worked closely with the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense as well as the pharmaceutical companies and other businesses to prepare for vaccine authorization. Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized two vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, Kroger Health will support the phased approach, focusing first on priority populations as defined by federal and state governments. Illustratively, Kroger Health will begin to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Anchorage and Juneau this week to health care workers in partnership with the state of Alaska. Kroger Health is also engaged in vaccination efforts for prioritized populations in several other geographies. 

Kroger continues to advocate on behalf of associates for essential workers to have priority access to the vaccine in line with the organization’s efforts earlier this year to help associates access personal protection equipment like masks and gloves.

“As one of the most-accessible health care partners in the U.S., Kroger Health is prepared and ready to play an active role in helping distribute the vaccine in collaboration with public health officials and community partners,” said Dr. Marc Watkins, Kroger Health’s chief medical officer.

“Our most urgent priority throughout this pandemic has been to protect and provide a safe environment for our associates and patients while meeting our societal obligation to provide open stores, e-commerce solutions and an efficiently operating supply chain so that our communities have access to fresh, affordable food, essentials and health care.

“We are strongly encouraging all customers and associates to receive the vaccine to curb the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, and we’ll do all we can to ensure they have access as soon as it’s available.”

Kroger Health is hiring nearly 1,000 health care personnel, including pharmacy technicians, to support operations and the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. Kroger Health is also committed to training current associates. To view opportunities and apply, visit Jobs.Kroger.com.

Kroger Health has facilitated more than 250,000 COVID-19 tests since April and in October launched rapid antibody tests to help inform patients if they may have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, expanding the organization’s existing portfolio of in-clinic and at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Kroger Health also continues to administer the seasonal flu vaccine. To make an appointment, visit Kroger.com.

To download Kroger Health photography, visit here.

About Kroger Health:

Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners – from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent or manage certain diseases. We are dedicated to providing testing and wellness services to help Americans combat the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.

About The Kroger Co.


At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and The Salvation Army partnered to host the Rescue Christmas 2020 event, a two-day holiday food and toy giveaway drive-thru event to benefit Riverside County families economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which took place on Dec. 21 and 22, brought holiday joy to more than 1,000 families. For photos of the event please click HERE.

“While there is always a need in the community, this year has undoubtedly worsened the quality of life and well-being for our residents,” said Assemblymember Jose Medina, District 61. “I’d like to commend SoCalGas and The Salvation Army for hosting the Rescue Christmas 2020 event where they will provide food and toys for our families impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. My sincerest gratitude for spreading some extra cheer to our constituents during this holiday season.”

“Now more than ever we recognize the importance of working with community partners to further our commitment to improve the communities in which we serve,” said Lea Petersen, public affairs manager at SoCalGas. “We are proud to partner with The Salvation Army to bring holiday cheer to vulnerable members of our communities through our Rescue Christmas 2020 event and we hope to inspire others to offer their support to those in need this holiday season and beyond.”

“Because of the difficulties of this year, The Salvation Army has seen a 300% increase in families seeking assistance.  Christmas would normally be a joyful time but this year many families are struggling to provide a happy Christmas for their children,” said David M. Cain, corps officer at The Salvation Army – Riverside & Moreno Valley. “The Salvation Army is grateful for the generous support of SoCalGas who is committed to partnering with our efforts to #RescueChristmas for struggling families this year.  Thank you SoCalGas for your commitment to our community.”

“This year’s holidays will be harder than previous years for the underserved members of our communities,” said Adam Eventov, public affairs manager at SoCalGas. “We thank our community partners for their efforts in providing food and toys to families in need. We encourage everyone in the community to give help to those in need this holiday season.”

In addition to distributing food and toys to local families, SoCalGas also provided information on ways to save money on their monthly utility bills including the company’s California Alternate Rate for Energy (CARE) program. The CARE program can help families save up to 20% on their monthly gas and phone bill. For more information on SoCalGas’ CARE program click HERE.

SoCalGas is committed to continuing to support the communities it serves during this time of need and beyond. Since March, SoCalGas has donated more than $3.2 million to nonprofit organizations for COVID-19 recovery efforts, which include providing educational resources to students, supporting the region’s workforce, feeding the hungry, providing bill assistance to customers, and more.

For more information on SoCalGas’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit www.socalgas.com/coronavirus.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company’s pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas’ vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. By developing renewable gas from our state’s abundant organic waste streams, we can help to meet our climate goals sooner, while diversifying our carbon-free energy sources, improving energy resilience and reliability, while also creating additional renewable fuel and jobs for our communities. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.

NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against ACM Research, Inc. (“ACM” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ACMR) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 20-cv-09241, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired ACM securities between March 6, 2019 and October 7, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”).  Plaintiff seeks to pursue remedies against ACM and certain of the Company’s current and former senior executives under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.

If you are a shareholder who purchased ACM securities during the Class Period, you have until February 19, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class.  A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

ACM, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells single-wafer wet cleaning equipment for enhancing the manufacturing process and yield for integrated chips worldwide. The Company markets and sells its products under the Ultra C brand name through a direct sales force and third-party representatives.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operational, and compliance policies.  Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and failed to disclose to investors that: (i) the Company’s revenue and profits had been diverted to undisclosed related parties; (ii) accordingly, the Company had materially overstated its revenues and profits; and (iii) as a result, the Company’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On October 8, 2020, analyst J Capital Research (“J Capital”) published a report concerning ACM, in which J Capital concluded that ACM “is a fraud, over-reporting both revenue and profit.”  The report cited, among other things, J Capital’s visits to “sites in China, Korea, and California” and “more than 40 interviews.”  J Capital asserted that “[w]hat real profit the company has is apparently being siphoned off to related parties.”  The J Capital report concluded that ACM’s revenue was overstated by 15-20% and claimed to have “evidence that undisclosed related parties are diverting revenue and profit from the company.”

On this news, ACM’s stock price fell $1.09 per share, or 1.52%, to close at $70.79 per share on October 8, 2020.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
888-476-6529 ext. 7980

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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

TORONTO, Dec. 22, 2020 /CNW/ – Genworth MI Canada Inc., now operating as Sagen MI Canada^TM (the “Company“) (TSX: MIC), today announced that, at the special meeting (the “Special Meeting“) of the Company’s shareholders (“Shareholders“) held today, Shareholders voted to approve the previously announced plan of arrangement (the “Transaction“) pursuant to which Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE: BBU) (TSX: BBU.UN) together with certain of its affiliates and institutional partners (collectively, “Brookfield“) will purchase all of the outstanding common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares“) that are not already owned by Brookfield at a price of $43.50 in cash per Common Share.

The Transaction required approval by: (i) two-thirds of the votes cast by Shareholders; and (ii) a simple majority of the votes cast by Shareholders, excluding Common Shares required to be excluded pursuant to applicable securities laws (which excluded Common Shares held by Brookfield).  

Of the votes cast at the Special Meeting with respect to the Transaction, a total of 65,556,119 Common Shares were voted in favour of the Transaction, representing approximately 92.36% of the votes cast on the special resolution. In addition, a total of 16,611,474 Common Shares, representing approximately 75.38% of the votes cast by Shareholders, excluding Common Shares required to be excluded pursuant to applicable securities laws, were voted in favour of the special resolution. 

In addition, at the Special Meeting, Shareholders also passed special resolutions of the Shareholders authorizing amendments to the articles of the Company to (i) create an unlimited number of a new class of voting preferred shares (the “Voting Preferred Share Resolution“), and (ii) change the name of the Company from “Genworth MI Canada Inc.” to “Sagen MI Canada Inc.” (the “Name Change Resolution“).

At the Special Meeting, a total of 65,230,016 Common Shares were voted in favour of the Voting Preferred Share Resolution and a total of 66,499,634 Common Shares were voted in favour of the Name Change Resolution, representing approximately 91.90% and 92.67% of the votes cast on the Voting Preferred Share Resolution and the Name Change Resolution, respectively.

The Company’s full report of voting results will be filed under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com.  

Final Order

The Company intends to seek a final order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) (the “Court“) to approve the Transaction at a hearing expected to be held on January 5, 2021.

Subject to receipt of the final approval of the Transaction by the Court, approval by the federal Minister of Finance, and the satisfaction of other customary conditions, the Transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

About Genworth MI Canada Inc. 

Genworth MI Canada Inc. (TSX: MIC) changed its brand from Genworth MI Canada to Sagen MI Canada^TM effective October 13th, 2020. The Company, operating through its subsidiary, Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company Canada doing business as Sagen^TM, is the largest private sector residential mortgage insurer in Canada. The Company provides mortgage default insurance to Canadian residential mortgage lenders, making homeownership more accessible to first-time homebuyers. The Company differentiates itself through customer service excellence, innovative processing technology, and a robust risk management framework. For more than two decades, the Company has supported the housing market by providing thought leadership and a focus on the safety and soundness of the mortgage finance system. As at September 30th, 2020, the Company had $7.1 billion total assets and $3.8 billion shareholders’ equity. Find out more at www.sagen.ca.

Contact Information

:

Investors – Aaron Williams, 905-287-5504 [email protected]

Media – Susan Carter, 905-287-5520  [email protected]

Caution regarding forward-looking information and statements

Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). When used in this news release, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “seek”, “propose”, “estimate”, “expect”, and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements in this document include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to various approvals necessary in connection with the Transaction, including approval by the federal Minister of Finance, the final approval of the Court and the anticipated timing for closing the Transaction.

The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions, certain of which appear proximate to the applicable forward-looking statements contained herein. Inherent in the forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company’s business or in its industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.

The Company’s actual results and performance could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of both known and unknown risks, such as those that are inherent in the nature of the Transaction, including: (i) the possibility that the Transaction will not be completed on the terms and conditions, or on the timing, currently contemplated, and that it may not be completed at all, due to a failure to obtain or satisfy, in a timely manner or otherwise, required regulatory approvals and other conditions of closing necessary to complete the Transaction or for other reasons; (ii) the possibility of adverse reactions or changes in business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; (iii) risks relating to the Company’s ability to retain and attract key personnel during the interim period; (iv) the possibility of litigation relating to the Transaction; (v) credit, market, currency, operational, liquidity and funding risks generally and relating specifically to the Transaction, including changes in economic conditions, interest rates or unemployment rates; (vi) risks and uncertainties relating to information management, technology, changes in law, competition and seasonality; and (viii) other risks inherent to the Company’s business and/or factors beyond its control which could have a material adverse effect on the Company or the ability to consummate the Transaction.  

This is not an exhaustive list of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements. Some of these and other factors are discussed in more detail in the Company’s Annual Information Form (the “AIF“) dated March 11th, 2020 and the Company’s management information circular dated November 20, 2020 (the “Circular“). Investors and others should carefully consider these and other factors and not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risk factors is included in the Company’s public filings with provincial and territorial securities regulatory authorities (including the AIF and the Circular) and can be found on SEDAR and available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the Company’s views only as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on management’s current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and the assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions may change, and are presented for the purpose of assisting the Company’s security holders in understanding management’s current views regarding those future outcomes and may not be appropriate for other purposes. While the Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the Company’s views to change, the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws.

___________________________
Sagen MI Canada and Sagen are trademarks owned by Genworth MI Canada Inc.

SOURCE Genworth MI Canada

ATLANTA, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Completing its 6^th year in September 2020, the Blue Current Global Dividend Fund (NASDAQ: BCGDX) (“Fund”) was designated a “Lipper Leader” by Lipper for its overall rating in the Global Equity Income Category for Total Return and Consistent Return. The Fund received Lipper’s highest rating for Total Return and Consistent Return for the overall and 5-year time periods. BCGDX received the following ratings for its overall performance: Total Return: 5 (129 funds), Consistent Return 5 (129 funds), and Capital Preservation 4 (12,176 funds). For Tax Efficiency, BCGDX received a rating of 5 (128 funds) over the trailing three-year period and a rating of 4 for the overall (128 funds) and five-year periods (107 funds).

Lipper Leaders is a mutual fund rating system that analyzes funds against a set of clearly defined metrics. The top 20% of funds receive a rating of ‘5’ and are named Lipper Leaders. Overall ratings are based on an equal-weighted average of percentile ranks for each measure over the relevant time period.

“We are excited that the fund’s performance has been recognized by Lipper” said Dennis Sabo, co-portfolio manager of the Fund. “Dividends have not been in favor in recent years, but we hope with fixed income yields at historical lows and the global economy performing better in the year ahead, investors are enticed to move into an undervalued asset class.”

Launched on September 18, 2014, the Fund, which is co-managed by Harry Jones and Dennis Sabo, has $45 million in assets and is available for purchase at most major custodians under the ticker symbol BCGDX.

The Fund utilizes its investment strategy in growing cash flow through what we believe is a niche universe of high quality, dividend-paying companies with sustainable business models and dividend policies. The primary objectives are to pay a stable and increasing dividend each quarter and deliver attractive long term capital appreciation to investors.

About Blue Current Global Dividend Fund
The Blue Current Global Dividend Fund utilizes Edge’s investment strategy in selecting global companies that offer an attractive yield and are expected to reward investors through increasing cash flow over time. The primary objectives are to seek current income and deliver long-term capital appreciation to investors. For more information, please visit www.BlueCurrentFunds.com.

About Edge Capital Group
Edge Capital is a boutique financial advisory firm devoted exclusively to serving individuals, families and institutions with substantial wealth. We understand that significant wealth presents uniquely complex situations, ones that modeling and off-the-shelf solutions ignore. As an independent, employee-owned firm, we provide objective, holistic advice guided only by our clients’ best interests. Whether the need is to strategically enhance cash flow or facilitate multigenerational wealth, Edge tailors each financial solution to each client’s unique circumstances from the ground up. Edge Capital is the advisor to the Blue Current Global Dividend Fund. For more information, visit www.EdgeCapPartners.com.

Mutual fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. The Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fund and may be obtained by calling 1-800-514-3583 or visiting www.bluecurrentfunds.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. The Fund may not be suitable for all investors. There is no guarantee that this, or any, investing strategy will be successful. Returns from dividend-paying stocks may underperform the returns from the overall stock market. Since the Fund invests primarily in dividend-paying stocks, the Fund’s performance may at times be better or worse than the performance of mutual funds that focus on other types of strategies. Performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance does not guarantee future results.

The Blue Current Global Dividend Fund is distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC.

Lipper Leader Disclosure: As of 09/30/2020, Lipper ratings for Total Return reflect funds’ historical total return performance relative to peers; Lipper ratings for Consistent Return reflect funds’ historical risk-adjusted returns, adjusted for volatility, relative to peers; Lipper ratings for Preservation reflect funds’ historical loss avoidance relative to other funds within the same asset class. Preservation ratings are relative, rather than absolute, measures and funds named Lipper Leaders for Preservation may still experience losses periodically; those losses may be larger for equity and mixed equity funds than for fixed income funds. The Lipper ratings are subject to change every month and are based on an equal-weighted average of percentile ranks for the Total Return, Consistent Return, Capital Preservation and Tax Efficiency metrics over three-, five-, ten-year and overall periods (if applicable). The highest 20% of funds in each peer group are named Lipper Leader or a score of 5, the next 20% receive a score of 4, the middle 20% are scored 3, the next 20% are scored 2, and the lowest 20% are scored 1. Lipper ratings are not intended to predict future results, and Lipper does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. More information is available at www.lipperweb.com. Thomson Reuters ©2020. All Rights Reserved

ABOUT BLUE CURRENT ASSET MANAGEMENT

Edge, through our Blue Current division, is the investment adviser to the Blue Current Global Dividend Fund (the “Fund” or “BCGDX”), a diversified series of Ultimus Managers Trust, an open-end investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In managing the Fund, Edge follows defined investment policies and restrictions in helping the Fund reach its objective. These investment policies and restrictions can be found in the Fund’s prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information available at www.bluecurrentfunds.com.

This material represents the views of Edge Capital Group, LLC. This information is provided to discuss general market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic, market or political conditions. This information should not be construed as research or investment advice, and investors are urged to consult with their financial advisors before buying or selling any securities. This information may not be current and Edge Capital Group, LLC has no obligation to provide any updates or changes to such information. This material contains forward-looking projections and there is no assurance that these projections will prove correct. Past performance is no guarantee of future success and there is the possibility of lower returns or the possibility of loss.

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SOURCE Edge Capital Group