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Healthcare Investment Ideas on Display at the Noble Capital Markets Emerging Growth Virtual Healthcare Equity Conference

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  • Emerging Growth Public Healthcare Company Executive Presentations
  • Q&A Sessions Moderated by Noble’s Analysts and Bankers
  • Scheduled 1×1 Meetings with Qualified Investors

Noble Capital Markets, a full-service SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer, dedicated exclusively to serving emerging growth companies, is pleased to present the Emerging Growth Virtual Healthcare Conference, taking place April 17th and 18th, 2024. This virtual gathering is set to be an immersive experience, bringing together a unique blend of investors, industry leaders, and experts in the life sciences, healthcare, and medical device sectors.

Part of Noble’s Robust 2024 Events Calendar

The Emerging Growth Virtual Healthcare Conference is part of Noble’s 2024 event programming, featuring a range of c-suite interviews, in-person non-deal roadshows throughout the United States, two more sector-specific virtual equity conferences, and culminating in Noble’s preeminent in-person investor conference, NobleCon20, to be held at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida December 3-4. Keep an eye out for the official press release on NobleCon20 coming soon.

Check out the calendar of upcoming in-person non-deal roadshows here.

Sign up to receive more information on Noble’s other virtual conferences here.

What to Expect

The Emerging Growth Virtual Healthcare Conference will feature 2 days of corporate presentations from up to 50 innovative public healthcare, biotech, and medical device companies, showcasing their latest advancements and investment opportunities. Each presentation will be followed by a fireside-style Q&A session proctored by one of Noble’s analyst or bankers, with questions taken from the audience during the presentation. Panel presentations are planned, featuring key opinion leaders in the healthcare sector, providing valuable insights on emerging trends. Scheduled one-on-one meetings with public company executives, coordinated by Noble’s dedicated Investor Outreach team, are also available to qualified investors.

Why Your Company Should Present

Looking to increase awareness in your company and increase liquidity? Paid participation in Noble’s investor conferences, both virtual and in-person, provides that opportunity, with a tailored experience aimed at delivering substantial value. After 40 years of serving emerging growth companies, and the investors who follow them, Noble has built an investor base eager to discover where the next success story lies.

Noble’s investor base is relevant and, in many cases, new to your company. Noble’s dedicated Investor Outreach team provides unmatched exposure to investors that can invest in your company, including small money managers, family offices, RIAs, wealth managers, self-directed investors, and institutions. Most of Noble’s investors specifically seek undervalued, overlooked, emerging investment opportunities.

The cost to present includes your corporate presentation with a Q&A session proctored by one of Noble’s analysts or bankers, a webcast recording, scheduled 1×1 meetings with qualified investors, and marketing on Channelchek.

Benefits for Investors

The emerging growth healthcare space may be poised for a breakout year.  The recent dislocation in the healthcare and biotech spaces has created compelling valuation profiles for many companies. Hear directly from the c-suite of the next innovators in this space and learn about new investment opportunities. The Q&A portion of each presentation gives you the opportunity to have your questions answered during or after the proctored session. The planned panel presentations are sure to provide expert insight on growing trends in the healthcare space. And, for qualified investors, one-on-one meetings are available with company executives; scheduled by Noble’s dedicated Investor Outreach team. All from the comfort of your own desk, and at no cost.

How to Register

Limited presenting slots are available

Publicly traded companies in the healthcare space can submit their registration details here.

If you have any questions about presenting, please contact events@noblecapitalmarkets.com

Investor / Guest attendees can register here

Interested in becoming a sponsor of Noble’s virtual and in-person investor conferences?

Contact events@noblecapitalmarkets.com for sponsorship information.

Release – FAT Brands Inc. Reports Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Results

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on FAT

03/07/2024

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Conference call and webcast today at 5:00 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FAT) (“FAT Brands” or the “Company”) today reported fiscal fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2023 financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

“With the acquisition of Smokey Bones early in the fourth quarter, we have grown the FAT Brands portfolio to 18 iconic restaurant brands with annualized system wide sales of $2.5 billion,” said Andy Wiederhorn, Chairman of FAT Brands. “We opened 125 restaurants in 2023, including 29 in the fourth quarter. We are seeing strong franchisee interest in development opportunities, having signed more than 225 development agreements in 2023, bringing our total pipeline to 1,100 units. This represents the potential for over 50% EBITDA growth over the next several years.”

Ken Kuick, Co-Chief Executive Officer of FAT Brands, commented, “While franchise interest remains high across all of our brands, we continue to be focused on the expansion of Twin Peaks. This year we opened 14 new lodges and ended the year with 109 lodges, a 33% increase since acquiring the brand in 2021. Our growth pipeline includes 113 lodges and Smokey Bones’ healthy real estate portfolio provides us with the opportunity to convert locations into Twin Peaks lodges, with the potential to significantly accelerate the growth of the brand.”

Rob Rosen, Co-Chief Executive Officer of FAT Brands, concluded, “We believe there are significant opportunities on the horizon for FAT Brands. Our seasoned leadership and strong brand management platform allow us to efficiently integrate new brands while maintaining a healthy and evolving pipeline for organic growth. These strengths position us for continued growth in the future, which will help deleverage our balance sheet.”

Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights

  • Total revenue improved 52.8% to $158.6 million compared to $103.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2022
    • System-wide sales growth of 16.5% in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the prior year fiscal quarter
    • System-wide same-store sales declined 0.6% in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the prior fiscal year
    • 29 new store openings during the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023
  • Loss from operations of $3.1 million compared to $32.6 million in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022
  • Net loss of $26.2 million, or $1.68 per diluted share, compared to $70.8 million, or $4.39 per diluted share, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022
  • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $27.0 million compared to $19.6 million in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022
  • Adjusted net loss(1) of $17.3 million, or $1.15 per diluted share, compared to $43.0 million, or $2.70 per diluted share, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022

Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights

  • Total revenue increased 18.0% to $480.5 million compared to $407.2 million in fiscal 2022
    • System-wide sales growth of 6.9% compared to fiscal 2022
    • System-wide same-store sales growth of 0.8% in fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022
    • 125 new store openings during fiscal 2023
  • Income from operations of $22.3 million compared to loss from operations of $17.9 million in the fiscal quarter of 2022
  • Net loss of $90.1 million, or $5.85 per diluted share, compared to $126.2 million, or $8.06 per diluted share, in fiscal 2022
  • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $91.2 million compared to $88.8 million in fiscal 2022
  • Adjusted net loss(1) of $56.5 million, or $3.83 per diluted share, compared to $80.9 million, or $5.32 per diluted share, in fiscal 2022

(1) EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss are non-GAAP measures defined below, under “Non-GAAP Measures”. Reconciliation of GAAP net loss to EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss are included in the accompanying financial tables.

Summary of Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Total revenue increased $54.8 million, or 52.8%, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023, to $158.6 million compared to $103.8 million in the same fiscal period of 2022, driven by a 10.4% increase in royalties, an 80.5% increase in company-owned restaurant revenues driven by new restaurant openings and the acquisition of Smokey Bones during the fourth quarter of 2023 and a 10.0% increase in revenues from our manufacturing facility.

Costs and expenses consist of general and administrative expense, cost of restaurant and factory revenues, depreciation and amortization, refranchising net losses and advertising fees. Costs and expenses increased $25.4 million, or 18.6%, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 to $161.8 million compared to $136.4 million in the same fiscal period in the prior fiscal year.

General and administrative expense decreased $8.8 million, or 22.6%, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same fiscal period in the prior fiscal year, primarily due to a $16.6 million non-cash reserve on claimed Employee Retention Credits recorded during the fourth quarter of 2022 and the recognition of $3.4 million related to Employee Retention Credits during the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023, partially offset by the acquisition of Smokey Bones in the fourth quarter of 2023 and higher professional fees related to certain litigation matters.

Cost of restaurant and factory revenues was related to the operations of the company-owned restaurant locations and our dough factory and increased $43.4 million, or 70.3%, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 to $105.1 million, compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to the acquisition of Smokey Bones in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Depreciation and amortization increased $3.0 million, or 42.9% in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same fiscal period in the prior fiscal year, primarily due to the acquisition of Smokey Bones in the fourth quarter of 2023 and depreciation of new property and equipment at company-owned restaurant locations.

Refranchising losses in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 and 2022 were $2.1 million and $3.1 million, respectively, and were comprised of restaurant costs and expenses, net of food sales.

Advertising expenses increased $2.2 million in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the prior fiscal year period. These expenses vary in relation to advertising revenues.

Total other expense, net for the fiscal fourth quarters of 2023 and 2022 was $31.9 million and $24.2 million, respectively, primarily comprised of net interest expense of $33.3 million and $25.6 million, respectively.

Adjusted net loss was $17.3 million, or $1.15 per diluted share, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023 compared to $43.0 million, or $2.70 per diluted share, in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2022.

Key Financial Definitions

New store openings – The number of new store openings reflects the number of stores opened during a particular reporting period. The total number of new stores per reporting period and the timing of stores openings has, and will continue to have, an impact on our results.

Same-store sales growth – Same-store sales growth reflects the change in year-over-year sales for the comparable store base, which we define as the number of stores open and in the FAT Brands system for at least one full fiscal year. For stores that were temporarily closed, sales in the current and prior period are adjusted accordingly. Given our focused marketing efforts and public excitement surrounding each opening, new stores often experience an initial start-up period with considerably higher than average sales volumes, which subsequently decrease to stabilized levels after three to six months. Additionally, when we acquire a brand, it may take several months to integrate fully each location of said brand into the FAT Brands platform. Thus, we do not include stores in the comparable base until they have been open and in the FAT Brands system for at least one full fiscal year.

System-wide sales growth – System wide sales growth reflects the percentage change in sales in any given fiscal period compared to the prior fiscal period for all stores in that brand only when the brand is owned by FAT Brands. Because of acquisitions, new store openings and store closures, the stores open throughout both fiscal periods being compared may be different from period to period.

Conference Call and Webcast

FAT Brands will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its fiscal fourth quarter 2023 financial results today at 5:00 PM ET. Hosting the conference call and webcast will be Andy Wiederhorn, Chairman of the Board, and Ken Kuick, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing 1-844-826-3035 from the U.S. or 1-412-317-5195 internationally. A replay will be available after the call until Thursday, March 28, 2024, and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921 from the U.S. or 1-412-317-6671 internationally. The passcode is 10186678. The webcast will be available at www.fatbrands.com under the “Investors” section and will be archived on the site shortly after the call has concluded.

About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands

FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 18 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Smokey Bones, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses and franchises and owns approximately 2,300 units worldwide. For more information, please visit www.fatbrands.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the future financial and operating results of the Company, estimates of future EBITDA, the timing and performance of new store openings, future reductions in cost of capital and leverage ratio, our ability to conduct future accretive acquisitions and our pipeline of new store locations. Forward-looking statements generally use words such as “expect,” “foresee,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “should,” “estimate,” “will,” “plans,” “forecast,” and similar expressions, and reflect our expectations concerning the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. We refer you to the documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our current expectations and from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited)

This press release includes the non-GAAP financial measures of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss.

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization. We use the term EBITDA, as opposed to income from operations, as it is widely used by analysts, investors, and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. We believe that EBITDA is an appropriate measure of operating performance because it eliminates the impact of expenses that do not relate to business performance. EBITDA is not a measure of our financial performance or liquidity that is determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), and should not be considered as an alternative to net loss as a measure of financial performance or cash flows from operations as measures of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA (as defined above), excluding expenses related to acquisitions, refranchising losses, impairment charges, and certain non-recurring or non-cash items that the Company does not believe directly reflect its core operations and may not be indicative of the Company’s recurring business operations.

Adjusted net loss is a supplemental measure of financial performance that is not required by or presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted net loss is defined as net loss plus the impact of adjustments and the tax effects of such adjustments. Adjusted net loss is presented because we believe it helps convey supplemental information to investors regarding our performance, excluding the impact of special items that affect the comparability of results in past quarters to expected results in future quarters. Adjusted net loss as presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies, and our presentation of adjusted net loss should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by excluded or unusual items. Our management uses this non-GAAP financial measure to analyze changes in our underlying business from quarter to quarter based on comparable financial results.

Reconciliations of net loss presented in accordance with GAAP to EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss are set forth in the tables below.

Investor Relations:

ICR
Michelle Michalski
ir-fatbrands@icrinc.com
646-277-1224

Media Relations:

Erin Mandzik
emandzik@fatbrands.com
860-212-6509

View full release here.

Source: FAT Brands Inc.

Release – CoreCivic Appoints Catherine Hernandez-Blades and Alexander R. Fischer to its Board of Directors; CoreCivic Also Announces Planned Retirement of Long-Term Board Member Donna Alvarado

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on CXW

March 7, 2024

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BRENTWOOD, Tenn., March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) (the Company) announced today that, effective March 15, 2024, Catherine Hernandez-Blades and Alexander R. Fischer will be appointed as independent members of the Company’s Board of Directors, expanding the board from ten to twelve directors, ten of whom have been determined by the board to be independent. The company also announced today that Donna M. Alvarado, who has served on CoreCivic’s Board of Directors since 2003, will retire from the Board in accordance with the Company’s retirement policy after the company’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, bringing the number of board members at that point to eleven, including nine independent members. Both Ms. Hernandez-Blades and Mr. Fischer are expected to join various board committees in the future.

“We are pleased to have Catherine and Alex join our Board of Directors,” said Damon Hininger, CoreCivic’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Catherine brings decades of executive leadership experience in government relations, communications, and marketing in both the private and the public sectors. She has partnered with the Federal government through her work at SAIC, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and she has worked closely with government leaders at the state level as well. Catherine also provides community support as a board member at several non-profits. We are very excited to add her valuable perspective to CoreCivic’s board.”

Hininger added, “We’re equally excited about the addition of Alex Fischer to our board. Alex brings diverse business, government, and non-profit experience, including extensive work in corporate strategy and property development. Alex has deep knowledge of economic development from both his leadership of the Columbus Partnership and previously as Commissioner of Economic Development and Deputy Governor for the State of Tennessee. Alex’s strong board experience spans a publicly traded company as well as other private and non-profit entities.”

“As we welcome Catherine and Alex, I also want to express how grateful we are to Donna Alvarado for her 21 years of thoughtful stewardship as a CoreCivic board member,” Hininger continued. “Donna has been deeply engaged with CoreCivic and she’s provided valued and consistent counsel as we have navigated various opportunities over the past two decades.”

Ms. Hernandez-Blades, 56, formerly served as the senior brand marketing and communications executive at SAIC, Aflac, and Flex (formerly Flextronics), where she had responsibility for brand, reputation, crisis, and issues management, as well as environmental, social, and governance efforts. Previously, she held senior management positions at Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, as well as in government, including serving by gubernatorial appointment as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. Ms. Hernandez-Blades serves as the U.S. representative on the Advisory Board of the World Communications Forum Association – Davos, and as a Trustee for the Institute of Public Relations, an industry think tank. She is a former Chair of the Board of Operation Homefront, The Seminar, and CASA New Orleans. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and is a Loyola University Environmental Communications Fellow.

Mr. Fischer, 56, is the founder of Alex R. Fischer and Company, which offers strategic advisory services on corporate strategy, real estate development and economic development, since 2021. He is also a Partner with The New Albany Company, the master developer for over 20,000 acres of mixed-use development. His prior roles include serving as President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership from 2009 to 2021 and undertaking various positions at Battelle Memorial Institute, including Senior Vice President for Business and Commercialization, from 2002 to 2009. Earlier, Mr. Fischer contributed his expertise as Commissioner of Economic Development, Deputy Governor, and Chief of Staff for the State of Tennessee between 1997 and 2002. Mr. Fischer is an active board member of Advanced Drainage Systems (NYSE: WMS), where he chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee and serves on the Audit Committee; Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where he previously served as Chair; White Oak Partners, as Chair; Andelyn Biosciences; and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, also as Chair. He previously served on the board of trustees for The Ohio State University. Mr. Fischer holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Public Administration and a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Economic Development, both from the University of Tennessee.

About CoreCivic
CoreCivic is a diversified, government-solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible, cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through high-quality corrections and detention management, a network of residential and non-residential alternatives to incarceration to help address America’s recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. We are the nation’s largest owner of partnership correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities, and believe we are the largest private owner of real estate used by government agencies in the United States. We have been a flexible and dependable partner for government for 40 years. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of service, high standards of professionalism and a responsibility to help government better the public good. Learn more at www.corecivic.com.

Contact:  Investors: Michael Grant – Managing Director, Investor Relations – (615) 263-6957
Media: Steve Owen – Vice President, Communications – (615) 263-3107

Release – ISG Launches Next-Gen Sourcing Platform, ISG Tango™

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on III

3/7/2024

Solution streamlines sourcing process, expands ISG’s addressable market

STAMFORD, Conn. — Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, today announced the launch of ISG Tango™, a groundbreaking sourcing platform that digitizes all elements of ISG’s market-leading sourcing transactions business to better serve clients, improve transaction speed and efficiency and allow ISG to expand into other market segments. 

Developed over the past year, the platform solution, available to enterprise buyers and service providers, draws on ISG’s unmatched data assets, intellectual property and proprietary tools, powered by AI to automate contracting and provide real-time predictive insights that streamline the entire transaction process and accelerate time to agreement.

“Speed, real-time transaction data, provider evaluations and other market insights are important to our clients as they navigate a more complex sourcing environment,” said Michael P. Connors, chairman and CEO of ISG. “ISG Tango delivers on all counts and strengthens our position as the industry’s sourcing advisor of choice.”

ISG is the world’s leading sourcing advisor and the industry pioneer. Working with the largest global companies (the G-2000), the firm supports more than half of advised sourcing transactions and influences more than $200 billion of global technology spend annually.

Connors said ISG Tango will allow ISG to penetrate the underserved midmarket. “We believe this platform-based offering, combined with our advisory expertise, will allow us to offer a level of sourcing advisory support that would be attractive and affordable to the midmarket, thereby expanding our revenue opportunities.”

An advisor-led solution, ISG Tango is built on an AI-supported software platform powered by ISG’s market-leading transaction data and proprietary sourcing methodology and tools. The platform features ISG’s provider research, market intelligence and candidate provider qualification system, to help enterprises make informed buying decisions, and a fully integrated service catalogue and an automated contracting tool that dramatically cuts the time and effort needed to generate contracts.

In addition, ISG Tango provides a common environment for buyers, sellers and their legal teams to work with ISG advisors on sourcing transactions. It features a secure data room with role-based authorization to manage the entire process of data collection, team interaction and contracting, efficiently and securely.

“With 24×7 access and real-time status views, ISG Tango provides full transparency throughout the entire sourcing process and simplifies interactions with all key stakeholders, leading to faster and more effective collaboration and decision-making,” said Kathy Rudy, chief data and analytics officer of ISG who co-led the development of ISG Tango.

Clay Calhoun, partner and ISG Tango market leader who co-led the development of ISG Tango, said client reception thus far has been enthusiastic. “Enterprise clients and service providers who participated in our focus groups have praised the platform for the visibility and speed to transaction it provides. To quote one client: ‘The use of the pre-populated contract documents and base case development templates was a real time saver. And the ability to model with the market pricing data helped us to accurately assess the cost, value and savings opportunity of each provider’s solution.’”

ISG Tango is available immediately. For more information, visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

Release – Information Services Group Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Results

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on III

3/7/2024

  • Reports fourth-quarter GAAP revenues of $66 million
  • Reports fourth-quarter net loss of $2.9 million, GAAP loss per share of $0.06 and adjusted EPS of $0.06; records bad-debt reserve of $4.8 million in fourth quarter for client collection risk; excluding the reserve, net income and GAAP EPS would have been $0.8 million and $0.02, respectively
  • Reports fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $6 million
  • Generates $9.7 million of cash from operations in fourth quarter
  • Achieves record full-year GAAP revenues of $291 million; operating income of $15 million; net income of $6 million and GAAP EPS of $0.12; adjusted EBITDA was $38 million, adjusted net income was $20 million and adjusted EPS was $0.40
  • Launches ISG Tango™, a groundbreaking sourcing platform that improves transaction speed and efficiency, and opens new market opportunities
  • Declares first-quarter dividend of $0.045 per share, payable March 29, 2024, to shareholders of record as of March 19, 2024
  • Sets first-quarter guidance: revenues between $65 million and $67 million and adjusted EBITDA between $6.0 million and $7.0 million

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

“ISG delivered record revenues of $291 million for the year, despite a soft fourth quarter due to slower client decision-making in an uncertain macro environment,” said Michael P. Connors, chairman and CEO. “We also delivered record recurring revenues of $125 million, up 16 percent, driven by our research business and our ISG platforms, including ISG GovernX® and ISG ProBenchmark®. Recurring revenues now represent 43 percent of our overall revenue, up 500 basis points from the prior year.

“With the overall IT and business services industry down 6 percent for the full year, we consider our topline growth of 2 percent to be solid.”

Commenting on the firm’s profitability, Connors said: “Our adjusted EBITDA margin of 13 percent for the year was held back by a fourth quarter that was negatively impacted by slower client decision-making and our decision to retain advisory talent in anticipation of an uplift later this year.”

Speaking to the demand environment for 2024, Connors said: “We expect client spending to accelerate as the year progresses, especially if, as expected, inflation continues to cool and central banks respond with interest rate cuts. Our portfolio of services, platforms, research and enterprise AI capabilities should position ISG at the center of a resurgence in technology investments this year.”

ISG Launches Next-Gen Sourcing Platform

ISG today announced the launch of ISG Tango™, a groundbreaking sourcing platform that digitizes all elements of ISG’s market-leading sourcing transactions business to better serve clients, improve transaction speed and efficiency and allow ISG to expand into other market segments.

Developed over the past year, the platform solution, available to enterprise buyers and service providers, draws on ISG’s unmatched data assets, intellectual property and proprietary tools, powered by AI to automate contracting and provide real-time insights that streamline the entire transaction process and accelerate time to agreement.

“Speed, real-time transaction data, provider evaluations and other market insights are important to our clients as they navigate a more complex sourcing environment,” said Connors. “ISG Tango delivers on all counts and strengthens our position as the industry’s sourcing advisor of choice.”

Connors said ISG Tango will also allow ISG to penetrate the underserved midmarket. “We believe this platform-based offering, combined with our advisory expertise, will allow us to offer a level of sourcing advisory support that would be attractive and affordable to the midmarket, thereby expanding our revenue opportunities.”

The launch of ISG Tango comes two months after ISG announced the launch of its new Enterprise AI Advisory business, which offers clients a suite of services to help navigate the complexities and implications of adopting artificial intelligence at scale. ISG has already won significant AI engagements with several large clients, including major companies in the banking, entertainment, manufacturing and public sectors.

Fourth-Quarter 2023 Results

Reported revenues for the fourth quarter were $66.2 million, down 11 percent from $74.2 million in the prior year. Currency translation positively impacted reported revenues by $0.7 million versus the prior year. Reported revenues were $40.1 million in the Americas, down 8 percent; $20.2 million in Europe, down 15 percent; and $5.9 million in Asia Pacific, down 12 percent, all versus the prior year.

ISG reported a fourth-quarter operating loss of $3.5 million, compared with operating income of $7.2 million the prior year. Reported fourth-quarter net loss was $2.9 million, compared with net income of $4.3 million in the prior year. Fully diluted loss per share was $0.06, compared with fully diluted earnings per share of $0.09 in the prior year.

During the fourth quarter, ISG recorded a $4.8 million reserve for amounts owed by a client. Excluding this reserve, net income and GAAP EPS would have been $0.8 million and $0.02, respectively.

Adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) for the fourth quarter was $3.1 million, or $0.06 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared with adjusted net income of $6.5 million, or $0.13 per share on a fully diluted basis, in the prior year’s fourth quarter.

Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) was $5.9 million, down 47 percent from prior-year fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin (a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing adjusted EBITDA by reported revenues) was 8.9 percent, compared with 15.0 percent in the prior year.

Full-Year 2023 Results

Reported revenues for the full-year were a record $291.1 million, up 2 percent versus the prior-year. Reported revenues were $173.2 million in the Americas, up 4 percent; $89.7 million in Europe, flat; and $28.1 million in Asia Pacific, down 5 percent, all versus the prior year.

ISG reported full-year operating income of $14.6 million, compared with $29.5 million in the prior year. The firm also reported net income and fully diluted earnings per share of $6.2 million and $0.12, respectively, versus net income of $19.7 million and earnings per share of $0.39 in the prior year. Excluding the previously mentioned reserve, net income and GAAP EPS would have been $9.8 million and $0.20, respectively.

Adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) for the full year was $20.1 million, or $0.40 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared with adjusted net income of $26.9 million, or $0.53 per share on a fully diluted basis, in the prior year.

Full-year adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) was $37.7 million, down 13 percent from the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA margin (a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing adjusted EBITDA by reported revenues) was 12.9 percent, compared with 15.1 percent in the prior year.

Other Financial and Operating Highlights

ISG generated $9.7 million of cash from operations in the fourth quarter, compared with $6.6 million in the prior year, and $12.3 million for the full year. The firm’s cash balance totaled $22.6 million at December 31, 2023, up 21 percent from $18.7 million at September 30, 2023.

During the fourth quarter, ISG paid dividends of $2.2 million and repurchased $1.7 million of shares. As of December 31, 2023, ISG had $79.2 million in debt outstanding, unchanged from the fourth quarter last year.

2024 First-Quarter Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Guidance

“We expect an acceleration in client demand throughout the course of this year, in anticipation of an improving macro environment and increasing AI adoption. For the first quarter, ISG is targeting revenues of between $65 million and $67 million and adjusted EBITDA of between $6.0 million and $7.0 million. We will continue to monitor the macroeconomic environment, including the impact of FX, inflation and other factors, and adjust our business plans accordingly,” Connors said.

Quarterly Dividend

The ISG Board of Directors declared a first-quarter dividend of $0.045 per share, payable on March 29, 2024, to shareholders of record as of March 19, 2024.

Conference Call

ISG has scheduled a call for 9 a.m., U.S. Eastern Time, Friday, March 8, 2024, to discuss the company’s fourth-quarter results. The call can be accessed by dialing +1 (855) 761-5100; or, for international callers, by dialing +1 (646) 307-1088. The access code is 1749973. A recording of the conference call will be accessible on ISG’s website (www.isg-one.com ) for approximately four weeks following the call.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” which represent the current expectations and beliefs of management of ISG concerning future events and their potential effects. Statements contained herein including words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “continue,” “should,” “may,” and other similar expressions, are “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Those risks relate to inherent business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies relating to the businesses of ISG and its subsidiaries including without limitation: (1) failure to secure new engagements or loss of important clients; (2) ability to hire and retain enough qualified employees to support operations; (3) ability to maintain or increase billing and utilization rates; (4) management of growth; (5) success of expansion internationally; (6) competition; (7) ability to move the product mix into higher margin businesses; (8) general political and social conditions such as war, political unrest and terrorism; (9) healthcare and benefit cost management; (10) ability to protect ISG and its subsidiaries’ intellectual property or data and the intellectual property or data of others; (11) currency fluctuations and exchange rate adjustments; (12) ability to successfully consummate or integrate strategic acquisitions; (13) outbreaks of diseases, including coronavirus, or similar public health threats or fear of such an event; and (14) engagements may be terminated, delayed or reduced in scope by clients. Certain of these and other applicable risks, cautionary statements and factors that could cause actual results to differ from ISG’s forward-looking statements are included in ISG’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ISG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

ISG reports all financial information required in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In this release, ISG has presented both GAAP financial results as well as non-GAAP information for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022. ISG believes that evaluating its ongoing operating results will be enhanced if it discloses certain non-GAAP information. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude non-cash and certain other special charges that many investors believe may obscure the user’s overall understanding of ISG’s current financial performance and the Company’s prospects for the future. ISG believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors because they improve the comparability of the financial results between periods and provide for greater transparency of key measures used to evaluate the Company’s performance.

ISG provides adjusted EBITDA (defined as net income, plus interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, foreign currency transaction gains/losses, non-cash stock compensation, interest accretion associated with contingent consideration, tax indemnity receivables, accounts receivables reserves, acquisition-related costs, and severance, integration and other expense), adjusted net income (defined as net income, plus amortization of intangible assets, non-cash stock compensation, foreign currency transaction gains/losses, interest accretion associated with contingent consideration, acquisition-related costs, accounts receivables reserves, write-off of deferred financing cost and severance, integration and other expense on a tax-adjusted basis), adjusted net income per diluted share, adjusted EBITDA margin, and selected financial data on a constant currency basis which are non-GAAP measures that the Company believes provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses and financial implications of foreign currency translations, which management believes are not indicative of ISG’s core operations. These non-GAAP measures are used by ISG to evaluate the Company’s business strategies and management’s performance.

We evaluate our results of operations on both an as reported and a constant currency basis. The constant currency presentation, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, excludes the impact of year-over-year fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. We believe providing constant currency information provides valuable supplemental information regarding our results of operations, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of our business performance and is consistent with how management evaluates the Company’s performance. We calculate constant currency percentages by converting our current and prior-periods local currency financial results using the same point in time exchange rates and then compare the adjusted current and prior period results. This calculation may differ from similarly titled measures used by others and, accordingly, the constant currency presentation is not meant to be a substitution for recorded amounts presented in conformity with GAAP, nor should such amounts be considered in isolation.

Management believes this information facilitates comparison of underlying results over time. Non-GAAP financial measures, when presented, are reconciled to the most closely applicable GAAP measure. Non-GAAP measures are provided as additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP estimates contained herein to the corresponding GAAP measures is not being provided, due to the unreasonable efforts required to prepare it.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including AI and automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

View full release here.

Source: Information Services Group, Inc.

Release – Unicycive Therapeutics Completes Enrollment In Pivotal Clinical Trial For Oxylanthanum Carbonate (OLC)

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on UNCY

March 07, 2024 4:12pm EST Download as PDF

TOPLINE DATA EXPECTED IN Q2, 2024

LOS ALTOS, Calif., March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: UNCY), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for patients with kidney disease (the “Company or “Unicycive”), today announced enrollment has been completed in the open-label, single-arm, multicenter, multidose pivotal clinical trial with Oxylanthanum Carbonate (OLC). OLC is a next-generation lanthanum-based phosphate binding agent utilizing proprietary nanoparticle technology being developed to treat hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis.

“The completion of enrollment in our pivotal OLC clinical trial is a critical achievement for Unicycive as we strive to bring an improved therapy to chronic kidney disease patients struggling with hyperphosphatemia,” said Shalabh Gupta, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Unicycive. “Positive results from the trial will provide the basis to file a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We remain on track with topline data expected from the trial towards the latter part of the second quarter of this year and plan to file the NDA shortly thereafter. We want to thank the clinical trial participants, investigators, and sites whose significant interest in OLC drove strong recruitment as we pursue the goal of improving treatment options in hyperphosphatemia.”

“In this pivotal trial, we are looking to evaluate the tolerability, safety and pharmacokinetics of clinically effective doses of OLC in patients with CKD on dialysis. We believe the novel characteristics of OLC show its potential to be a best-in-class product to treat hyperphosphatemia by reducing the pill burden volume by more than 4-fold compared to the most prescribed phosphate binder. If approved, OLC will target the multibillion-dollar hyperphosphatemia market and will be a new potential therapy for physicians to administer to their patients,” added Dr. Gupta.

About the Oxylanthanum Carbonate (OLC) Pivotal Clinical Trial

The trial is expected to have 60 evaluable patients. Once participants are enrolled into the trial, they will go through a washout period for two weeks to clear their current phosphate binder from their system. Participants will initially be dosed at 500 mg of OLC three times a day (TID) and be titrated to a clinically effective dose that is defined as the dose required to achieve a serum phosphate range of ≤5.5 mg/dL. The maximum dose of OLC tested will be 3000 mg/day (1000 mg TID). As a reminder, all approved phosphate binders, including Fosrenol®, are administered on a dose titration schedule based on the control of serum phosphate. Once titrated to a clinically effective dose, participants will then be treated for four weeks to evaluate serum phosphate levels.

The primary endpoint for the trial will evaluate the tolerability of clinically effective doses of OLC in patients with CKD on dialysis. The secondary endpoints will evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics. There is no statistical analysis required to demonstrate efficacy as bioequivalence to Fosrenol was previously established; and there is no other clinical trial required to submit an NDA under the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway.

About Hyperphosphatemia

Hyperphosphatemia is a serious medical condition that occurs in nearly all patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). If left untreated, hyperphosphatemia leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), which then results in renal osteodystrophy (a condition similar to osteoporosis and associated with significant bone disease, fractures and bone pain); cardiovascular disease with associated hardening of arteries and atherosclerosis (due to deposition of excess calcium-phosphorus complexes in soft tissue). Importantly, hyperphosphatemia is independently associated with increased mortality for patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. Based on available clinical data to date, over 80% of patients show signs of cardiovascular calcification by the time they become dependent on dialysis.

Dialysis patients are already at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (because of underlying diseases such as diabetes and hypertension), and hyperphosphatemia further exacerbates this. Treatment of hyperphosphatemia is aimed at lowering serum phosphate levels via two means: (1) restricting dietary phosphorus intake; and (2) using, on a daily basis, and with each meal, oral phosphate binding drugs that facilitate fecal elimination of dietary phosphate rather than its absorption from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream.

About Oxylanthanum Carbonate (OLC)

Oxylanthanum carbonate is a next-generation lanthanum-based phosphate binding agent utilizing proprietary nanoparticle technology being developed for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). OLC has over forty issued and granted patents globally. Its potential best-in-class profile may have meaningful patient adherence benefits over currently available treatment options as it requires a lower pill burden for patients in terms of the number and size of pills per dose that are swallowed instead of chewed. Based on a survey conducted in 2022, Nephrologists stated that the greatest unmet need in the treatment of hyperphosphatemia with phosphate binders is a lower pill burden and better patient compliance.1 The global market opportunity for treating hyperphosphatemia is projected to be in excess of $2.5 billion in 2023, with the United States accounting for more than $1 billion of that total. Despite the availability of several FDA-cleared medications, 75 percent of U.S. dialysis patients fail to achieve the target phosphorus levels recommended by published medical guidelines.

Unicycive is seeking FDA approval of OLC via the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. As part of the clinical development program, two clinical studies were conducted in over 100 healthy volunteers. The first study was a dose-ranging Phase I study to determine safety and tolerability. The second study was a randomized, open-label, two-way crossover bioequivalence study to establish pharmacodynamic bioequivalence between OLC and Fosrenol. Based on the topline results of the bioequivalence study, pharmacodynamic (PD) bioequivalence of OLC to Fosrenol was established.

Fosrenol® is a registered trademark of Shire International Licensing BV.
1Reason Research, LLC 2022 survey. Results here.

About Unicycive Therapeutics

Unicycive Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel treatments for kidney diseases. Unicycive’s lead drug candidate, oxylanthanum carbonate (OLC), is a novel investigational phosphate binding agent being developed for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis. UNI-494 is a patent-protected new chemical entity in clinical development for the treatment of conditions related to acute kidney injury. For more information, please visit Unicycive.com and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimated” and “intend” or other similar terms or expressions that concern Unicycive’s expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on Unicycive’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are several factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, clinical trials involve a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and results of earlier studies and trials may not be predictive of future trial results; our clinical trials may be suspended or discontinued due to unexpected side effects or other safety risks that could preclude approval of our product candidates; risks related to business interruptions, which could seriously harm our financial condition and increase our costs and expenses; dependence on key personnel; substantial competition; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; dependence upon third parties; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and other factors described more fully in the section entitled ‘Risk Factors’ in Unicycive’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Unicycive specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contact:

ir@unicycive.com
(650) 543-5470

SOURCE: Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc.

Source: Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc.

Released March 7, 2024

Release – Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Publication in Psychiatry Research Showing Activity of Bedtime TNX-102 SL on PTSD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Military-Related PTSD at Four Weeks of Therapy

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on TNXP

March 07, 2024 8:00am ESTDownload as PDF

Data support evaluation of the effects of two weeks of TNX-102 SL therapy on severity of acute stress reaction (ASR) and frequency of acute stress disorder (ASD) and PTSD after civilian motor vehicle collision in upcoming U.S. DoD-Funded Phase 2 investigator-initiated OASIS trial

Nominal improvement in PTSD severity and measures of sleep quality at Week 4 in the HONOR study support development of bedtime TNX-102 SL therapy in the immediate aftermath of trauma

TNX-102 SL (Tonmya™) is also in late-stage development for the management of fibromyalgia for which NDA preparation is ongoing

CHATHAM, N.J., March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP) (Tonix or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company with marketed products and a pipeline of development candidates, today announced the publication of a research paper in the Journal Psychiatry Research. The article titled, “A Phase 3, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Bedtime Sublingual Cyclobenzaprine (TNX-102 SL) in Military-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,” by Parmenter, et al. found that bedtime TNX-102 SL* treatment is well-tolerated and showed nominal improvement in PTSD severity and sleep quality measures in the first four weeks in military-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).1 The Company believes these findings suggest a potential role for short-term bedtime TNX-102 SL treatment in the immediate aftermath of traumatic events.

The data support the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)-funded Phase 2 investigator-initiated OASIS trial to evaluate bedtime TNX-102 SL2 in reducing the severity of acute stress reaction (ASR) and the frequency of acute stress disorder (ASD) and PTSD. The IND supporting the OASIS trial was recently cleared,3 and the trial is expected to begin enrolling in the second quarter. The trial is sponsored by The University of North Carolina Institute for Trauma Recovery and supported by a $3 million grant from DoD. In the OASIS study, 14 days of bedtime TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg will be tested in the immediate aftermath of motor vehicle collision. The study will test the potential for TNX-102 SL treatment initiated within 24 hours of index trauma to target trauma-related sleep disturbance and other ASR symptoms to facilitate recovery from ASR and to prevent PTSD.

“There is an urgent need for interventions to reduce rates of ASD and PTSD in the immediate aftermath of trauma,”4 said Seth Lederman, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tonix Pharmaceuticals. “We believe the results in the published paper suggest that bedtime TNX-102 SL has short-term activity on improving PTSD symptom severity and sleep quality in military-related PTSD. Poor sleep after trauma is a risk factor for progressing from ASD to PTSD. Therefore, poor sleep is not only a symptom of ASR, ASD and PTSD, but also a potential target of therapy.”

Dr. Gregory Sullivan, Chief Medical Officer of Tonix said, “Sleep disturbances are known to play a critical role in the development and maintenance of PTSD. The upcoming OASIS trial will test a 14-day short-course of bedtime TNX-102 SL therapy beginning within 24 hours of index trauma for effects on ASR symptoms and incidence of PTSD development. We are excited to test bedtime TNX-102 SL in the immediate aftermath of trauma to learn whether drug intervention reorients the trajectory of posttraumatic pathology from acute trauma to early recovery in the first few weeks.”

About TNX-102 SL (also known as Tonmya™ for the management of fibromyalgia)

PTSD: The Phase 3 HONOR study described in the published article was performed in military-related PTSD with the primary endpoint of improvement from baseline in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) total score at Week 12 comparing TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg and placebo. The study did not reach statistical significance on the primary endpoint.   While there was nominal improvement by the Week 4 visit on CAPS-5 (p=0.019), the improvement relative to placebo was not sustained at Weeks 8 and 12. The CAPS-5 “sleep disturbance” item also showed nominal improvement at Week 4 (p=0.002), as well as at Week 8 (p=0.026), but not thereafter. The PROMIS Sleep Disturbance T-score also showed early nominal improvement with TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg at Week 4 (p=0.015). It is also notable that when the primary endpoint was analyzed for responder rate, defined as ≥50% improvement on CAPS-5 total score at Week 4, 38.4% of those on TNX-102 SL were responders versus 24.4% on placebo (p=0.019). TNX-102 SL was well-tolerated and the adverse events reported were similar to those seen in prior TNX-102 SL studies. There were three participants with serious adverse events (SAEs) reported during the study: two in the placebo group and one in the active group. None were deemed related to study drug. Administration site reactions were similar in profile to prior studies with TNX-102 SL, with oral numbness (hypoaesthesia) at the highest rate. These oral sensory adverse events (AE), oral numbness, oral tingling, and tongue discomfort were temporally-related to dosing and were rated as mild and transient (<60 min) in the majority of cases. No new safety signals were observed.

In addition to the Phase 3 HONOR study described in the published article1, Tonix has also studied TNX-102 SL in a Phase 2 (‘AtEase’) trial in military PTSD5 and in a Phase 3 (‘RECOVERY’) trial in civilian PTSD.6 Both studies were performed with the primary endpoint of CAPS-5 improvement at Week 12. AtEase compared bedtime TNX-102 SL at two doses (2.8 mg & 5.6 mg) and placebo. RECOVERY compared TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg and placebo. Neither study reached statistical significance on the primary endpoint.  

Fibromyalgia: TNX-102 SL has shown positive results in two Phase 3 clinical trials for the management of fibromyalgia. Tonix plans to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the second half of 2024 under the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for Tonmya for the management of fibromyalgia.

Formulation Technology and Patents: TNX-102 SL is a patented sublingual tablet formulation of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride which is designed for daily administration at bedtime with a proposed mechanism of improving sleep quality in fibromyalgia. TNX-102 SL provides rapid transmucosal absorption and reduced production of a long half-life active metabolite, norcyclobenzaprine, due to bypass of first-pass hepatic metabolism. As a multifunctional agent with potent binding and antagonist activities at the 5-HT2A-serotonergic, α1-adrenergic, H1-histaminergic, and M1-muscarinic cholinergic receptors, TNX-102 SL is in development as a daily bedtime treatment for fibromyalgia. TNX-102 SL is also in development for fibromyalgia-type Long COVID (formally known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 [PASC]), alcohol use disorder, and agitation in Alzheimer’s disease. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued United States Patent No. 9636408 in May 2017, Patent No. 9956188 in May 2018, Patent No. 10117936 in November 2018, Patent No. 10,357,465 in July 2019, and Patent No. 10736859 in August 2020. The Protectic™ protective eutectic and Angstro-Technology™ formulation claimed in the patent are important elements of Tonix’s proprietary TNX-102 SL composition. These patents are expected to provide Tonmya, upon NDA approval, with U.S. market exclusivity until 2034/2035. In addition, Tonix has pending but not issued U.S. patent applications directed to the transmucosal absorption of cyclobenzaprine HCl, with U.S. market exclusivity expected until 2033, for treating depressive symptoms in fibromyalgia, with U.S. market exclusivity expected until 2032, and for treating pain in fibromyalgia with U.S. market exclusivity expected until 2041.

*TNX-102 SL has not been approved for any indication; name conditionally approved by FDA as Tonmya™ for the management of fibromyalgia

  1. Parmenter ME, et al. Psychiatry Research. 2024. 334: 115764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115764.
  2. Tonix Press Release – September 27, 2023. “Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Department of Defense Grant to Support the University of North Carolina’s Proposed Investigator Sponsored OASIS Trial of TNX-102 SL for Treatment of Acute Stress Reaction, Acute Stress Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder”. https://bit.ly/3T1LyIl
  3. Tonix Press Release – Feb 12, 2024. “Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA IND Clearance for DoD Funded Trial of TNX-102 SL for the Reduction of Acute Stress Reaction and Prevention of PTSD” https://bit.ly/3TiQOsj.
  4. Schnurr, PP et al. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2024: www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-2757.
  5. Sullivan GM, et al. Psychiatry Res. 2021. 301:113974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113974.
  6. Tonix Press Release – December 21, 2020, “Tonix Pharmaceuticals Reports Topline Results from Phase 3 RECOVERY Study of TNX-102 SL in PTSD and Outlines Future Development Plans” https://bit.ly/3uOgUu8

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.*

Tonix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, licensing and commercializing therapeutics to treat and prevent human disease and alleviate suffering. Tonix’s development portfolio is focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Tonix’s priority is to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in the second half of 2024 for Tonmya, a product candidate for which two positive Phase 3 studies have been completed for the management of fibromyalgia. TNX-102 SL is also being developed to treat acute stress reaction as well as fibromyalgia-type Long COVID. Tonix’s CNS portfolio includes TNX-1300 (cocaine esterase) a biologic designed to treat cocaine intoxication with Breakthrough Therapy designation. Tonix’s immunology development portfolio consists of biologics to address organ transplant rejection, autoimmunity and cancer, including TNX-1500, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD40-ligand (CD40L or CD154) being developed for the prevention of allograft rejection and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Tonix also has product candidates in development in the areas of rare disease and infectious disease. Tonix Medicines, our commercial subsidiary, markets Zembrace® SymTouch® (sumatriptan injection) 3 mg and Tosymra® (sumatriptan nasal spray) 10 mg for the treatment of acute migraine with or without aura in adults.

*Tonix’s product development candidates are investigational new drugs or biologics and have not been approved for any indication.

Zembrace SymTouch and Tosymra are registered trademarks of Tonix Medicines. All other marks are property of their respective owners.

This press release and further information about Tonix can be found at www.tonixpharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; risks related to the failure to successfully market any of our products; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2023, and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All of Tonix’s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof.

Investor Contact

Jessica Morris
Tonix Pharmaceuticals
investor.relations@tonixpharma.com
(862) 904-8182

Peter Vozzo
ICR Westwicke
peter.vozzo@westwicke.com
(443) 213-0505

Media Contact

Ben Shannon
ICR Westwicke
ben.shannon@westwicke.com
(919) 360-3039

Source: Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.

Released March 7, 2024

Release – QuantaSing Announces Unaudited Financial Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024

Posted on by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on QSG

March 7, 2024

PDF Version

BEIJING, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QuantaSing Group Limited (NASDAQ: QSG) (“QuantaSing” or the “Company”), a leading online learning service provider in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (the “second quarter of FY 2024”, which refers to the quarter from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023).

Highlights for the Second Quarter of FY 2024

  • Revenues for the second quarter of FY 2024 were RMB980.5 million (US$138.1 million), representing an increase of 12.8% from the first quarter of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (the “first quarter of FY 2024”) and an increase of 24.7% from the second quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 (the “second quarter of FY 2023”).
  • Gross billings of individual online learning services1 for the second quarter of FY 2024 were RMB944.6 million (US$133.0 million), representing an increase of 24.0% from the first quarter of FY 2024 and an increase of 15.4% from the second quarter of FY 2023.
  • Net income for the second quarter of FY 2024 was RMB107.6 million (US$15.2 million), compared with RMB66.7 million in the first quarter of FY 2024, and a net loss of RMB41.4 million in the second quarter of FY 2023.
  • Adjusted net income2 for the second quarter of FY 2024 was RMB103.9 million (US$14.6 million), compared with RMB94.0 million in the first quarter of FY 2024, and RMB21.8 million in the second quarter of FY 2023.
  • Total registered users increased by 44.6% to approximately 112.4 million as of December 31, 2023, from 77.8 million as of December 31, 2022.
  • Paying learners increased by 24.2% year over year to approximately 0.4 million in the second quarter of FY 2024.

Mr. Peng Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of QuantaSing, commented, “We are pleased to report solid topline growth for the quarter, underscoring the success of our strategic initiatives to expand and diversify our course offerings. Our focus on catering to the growing demand for senior learner courses has been particularly rewarding, and we remain committed to addressing the spiritual and cultural needs of the middle-aged and elderly population, with the goal of empowering everyone to lead fulfilling lives in their golden years. In addition to our ongoing efforts to drive revenue growth and optimize cost efficiencies, we are actively pursuing new initiatives that hold significant potential for expanding and diversifying our business. We remain steadfast in our commitment to sustaining our growth trajectory and delivering sustainable value to our shareholders.”

Mr. Dong Xie, Chief Financial Officer of QuantaSing, added, “We continued to build on our growth trajectory in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, with total revenues increasing by 24.7% year over year and 12.8% sequentially, primarily driven by our skills upgrading courses. During the quarter, we remained committed to optimizing efficiencies and cost structures. Looking ahead, we will strengthen our core business and prudently develop new business initiatives to drive sustainable growth and deliver value to our shareholders.”

Financial Results for the Second Quarter of FY 2024

Revenues

Revenues increased by 24.7% year over year to RMB980.5 million (US$138.1 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, primarily driven by the growth in revenues from skills upgrading courses, which primarily consist of courses aiming to improve the soft skills of individuals, such as short-video production course targets freelancers or amateurs who create video content and intend to improve their skillsets3.

  • Revenues from individual online learning services increased by 24.1% year over year to RMB873.6 million (US$123.0 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, up from RMB704.0 million in the second quarter of FY 2023. This growth was primarily due to 1) skills upgrading courses3 increased to RMB456.4 million (US$64.3 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024 from RMB192.9 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, and 2) recreation and leisure courses3 increased to RMB96.1 million (US$13.5 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024 from RMB12.2 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, partially offset by the decrease of RMB177.9 million (US$25.1 million) in revenues from financial literacy courses.
  • Revenues from enterprise services were RMB57.6 million (US$8.1 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared to RMB82.3 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, representing a year-over-year change of 30.0%, primarily due to a change in revenues from related party transactions.
  • Revenues from others increased to RMB49.3 million (US$7.0 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024 from RMB0.1 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, mainly driven by the increase in revenues from the Company’s newest business endeavor, live e-commerce, which is aligned with its commitment to diversified revenue streams.

Cost of revenues

Cost of revenues was RMB145.0 million (US$20.4 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared to RMB99.3 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, representing a change of 46.1%. The increase was primarily due to increased labor outsourcing costs of RMB26.1 million (US$3.7 million) and higher procurement costs of RMB23.7 million (US$3.3 million), and was partially offset by a RMB16.5 million (US$2.3 million) decrease in staff costs.

Sales and marketing expenses

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB657.1 million (US$92.6 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared to RMB622.9 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, representing a change of 5.5%. The change was mainly due to an increase in labor outsourcing costs of RMB85.3 million (US$12.0 million) and marketing and promotion expenses of RMB64.5 million (US$9.1 million), partially offset by a decrease in staff costs of RMB120.5 million (US$17.0 million), which includes a decrease in share-based compensation expenses of RMB31.0 million (US$4.4 million). The decrease in share-based compensation was primarily driven by 1) the reversal of share-based compensation expenses resulting from employee turnover during the second quarter of FY 2024, and 2) less share-based compensation expenses recognized for the second quarter of FY 2024 in accordance with the corresponding accounting treatment.

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses were RMB41.0 million (US$5.8 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared to RMB64.3 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, representing a decrease of 36.2%. The decrease was primarily due to lower share-based compensation expenses of RMB19.0 million (US$2.7 million).

General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses were RMB35.1 million (US$4.9 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared to RMB44.5 million in the second quarter of FY 2023, representing a decrease of 21.3%. The decrease was primarily due to lower share-based compensation expenses and office expenses, partially offset by an increase in professional service fees.

Net income and adjusted net income

Net income was RMB107.6 million (US$15.2 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared with a net loss of RMB41.4 million in the second quarter of FY 2023. Adjusted net income was RMB103.9 million (US$14.6 million) in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared with RMB21.8 million in the second quarter of FY 2023.

Earnings per share and adjusted earnings per share4

Basic and diluted net income per share were RMB0.65 (US$0.09) and RMB0.64 (US$0.09), respectively, in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared with basic and diluted net loss per share of RMB0.89 in the second quarter of FY 2023. Basic and diluted adjusted net income per share were RMB0.63 (US$0.09) and RMB0.62 (US$0.09), respectively, in the second quarter of FY 2024, compared with basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of RMB0.07 in the second quarter of FY 2023.

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB1,050.8 million (US$148.0 million), compared with RMB930.6 million as of June 30, 2023.

Financial Outlook

Based on currently available information, for the third quarter of FY 2024 (which refers to the quarter from January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024), the Company expects its revenues to be in the range of RMB900 million to RMB930 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 11.5% to 15.2%. The forecasts reflect the Company’s current and preliminary views on the market and its operating conditions, which are subject to change.

Recent Developments

On June 9, 2023, the Company announced that its board of directors had approved a share repurchase program of up to US$20.0 million of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares in the form of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) for a 12-month period beginning on June 9, 2023 (the “Share Repurchase Program”). As of December 31, 2023, the Company had accumulatively repurchased an aggregate of approximately 1.6 million ADSs for approximately US$7.8 million under the Share Repurchase Program.

On January 18, 2024, the Company announced the introduction of its first private label Chinese Baijiu brand, YUNTING. YUNTING is crafted in a core production facility located in the town of Maotai in China, a world-renowned Baijiu production site protected by Geographical Indication.

On January 22, 2024, the Company announced that Mr. Chenyang Wei was appointed as an independent director of QuantaSing and as a member of the Audit Committee.

Starting in early 2023, leveraging its cumulative insights into the adult learning sector and profound understanding of individual needs, the Company has started to explore the new e-commerce business (the “E-commerce Business”), primarily focusing on the livestreaming sales of Baijiu. Since the first quarter of FY 2024, the Company has further expanded its E-commerce Business to cover a wide range of merchandise and services catering to the demands of its users.

Since the first quarter of FY 2024, the Company has also started to explore AI and technology related business (the “AI and Technology Business”), leveraging its track record of empowering its online learning business with robust technological capabilities. The AI and Technology Business will primarily focus on the application of AI technology and other AI related area with potential business opportunities and synergies with the Company’s existing technology infrastructure and business. The Company has undertaken and will continue to undertake steps to align its corporate structure and management with the development needs of each business line and achieve management efficiency.

Conference Call Information

The Company’s management team will hold a conference call at 07:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 7, 2024 (08:00 P.M. Beijing Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

International:1-412-902-4272
United States Toll Free:1-888-346-8982
Mainland China Toll Free:4001-201203
Hong Kong Toll Free:800-905945
Conference ID:QuantaSing Group Limited
  

The replay will be accessible through March 14, 2024 by dialing the following numbers:

International:1-412-317-0088
United States Toll Free:1-877-344-7529
Access Code:8029802
  

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.quantasing.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company uses gross billings of individual online learning services, adjusted net income/(loss) and basic and diluted adjusted net income/(loss) per share as its non-GAAP financial measures. Gross billings of individual online learning services for a specific period represents revenues of the Company’s individual online learning services net of the changes in deferred revenues in such period, further adjusted by value-added tax and certain cost deduction in such period. Adjusted net income/(loss) represents net (loss)/income excluding share-based compensation expense. Basic and diluted adjusted net income/(loss) per share represents adjusted net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders of QuantaSing Group Limited divided by weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the periods used in computing adjusted net income/(loss) per share, basic and diluted. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about the Company’s results of operations, enhance the overall understanding of the Company’s past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company’s management in its financial and operational decision-making.

The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and when assessing the Company’s operating performance, investors should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for revenue, net (loss)/income, net (loss)/income per share, basic and diluted or other consolidated statements of operations data prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company’s definition of non-GAAP financial measures may differ from those of industry peers and may not be comparable with their non-GAAP financial measures.

The Company mitigates these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company’s performance. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned “QuantaSing Group Limited Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this release.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi (“RMB”) amounts into U.S. dollars (“US$”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars were made at the rate of RMB7.0999 to US$1.00, the exchange rate on December 29, 2023, set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the Renminbi or U.S. dollars amounts referred to could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

Safe Harbor Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1955. All statements other than statements of historical or current fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding QuantaSing’s financial outlook, beliefs and expectations. These statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “targets,” “guidance” and similar statements. Among other things, the Financial Outlook in this announcement contains forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases, and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; its ability to attract and retain new users and learners and to increase the spending and revenues generated from users and learners; its ability to maintain and enhance the recognition and reputation of its brand; its expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its services and products; trends and competition in China’s adult learning market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; the expected growth of China’s adult learning market; PRC governmental policies and regulations relating to the Company’s business and industry, general economic and political conditions in China and globally, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the final prospectus related to the IPO filed with the SEC dated January 24, 2023. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

About QuantaSing Group Limited

QuantaSing is a leading online service provider in China dedicated to improving people’s quality of life and well-being by providing lifelong personal learning and development opportunities. The Company is the largest service provider in China’s online adult learning market and China’s adult personal interest learning market in terms of revenue, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan based on data from 2022. By leveraging its proprietary tools and technology, QuantaSing offers easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible online courses to adult learners, empowering users to pursue personal development. Leveraging its extensive experience in individual online learning services and its robust technology infrastructure, the Company has expanded its services to corporate clients, and diversified its operations into its e-commerce business and its AI and technology business.

For more information, please visit: https://ir.quantasing.com.

Contact

Investor Relations
Leah Guo
QuantaSing Group Limited
Email: ir@quantasing.com 
Tel: +86 (10) 6493-7857

Robin Yang, Partner
ICR, LLC
Email: QuantaSing.IR@icrinc.com 
Phone: +1 (212) 537-0429

_________________________________

1 Gross billings of individual online learning services is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of revenues of individual online learning services to gross billings of individual online learning services, see the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section and the table captioned “QuantaSing Group Limited Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” below.
2 Adjusted net income/(loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure. For a reconciliation of net (loss)/income to adjusted net income/(loss), see the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section and the table captioned “QuantaSing Group Limited Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” below.
3 The Company has introduced a new presentation of its revenues, which split other personal interest courses into skills upgrading courses and recreation and leisure courses, to better align with its business strategies and provide useful and updated information to investors. Skills upgrading courses mainly include short-video production courses and memory training courses. Recreation and leisure courses mainly include personal well-being courses, electronic keyboard courses and standing meditation courses. The historical revenues presentation has been conformed to the current presentation.
4 Basic and diluted adjusted net income/(loss) per share are non-GAAP financial measures. For a reconciliation of basic and diluted net (loss)/income per share to basic and diluted adjusted net income/(loss) per share, see the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section and the table captioned “QuantaSing Group Limited Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” below.

View full release here.

Orion Group Holdings (ORN) – Some Insider Buying

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, March 07, 2024

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Insider Buying. Two Orion executives-CEO Travis Boone and General Counsel Chip Earle-added to their Orion holdings following the February 28th release of full year results. We would note Orion shares fell on the earnings news, dropping as low as $5.81 after closing the prior day at $6.92. While the purchases were modest, the acquisition of shares on the heels of the price drop is informative, in our view.

Travis Boone. On March 4th, CEO Travis Boone reported the purchase of 12,000 ORN shares at an average cost of $7.01 per share. The shares were acquired at prices ranging from $6.91-$7.08. The recent purchase increased Mr. Boone’s overall Orion stake to 402,557 shares. Notably, this appears to be the first open market purchases made by Mr. Boone.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

MAIA Biotechnology (MAIA) – New THIO-101 Update Shows Consistent Overall Response Rate

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, March 07, 2024

MAIA is a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of potential first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms of action that are intended to meaningfully improve and extend the lives of people with cancer. Our lead program is THIO, a potential first-in-class cancer telomere targeting agent in clinical development for the treatment of NSCLC patients with telomerase-positive cancer cells. For more information, please visit www.maiabiotech.com.

Robert LeBoyer, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Biotechnology, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Third Line Patients’ Preliminary Overall Response Rate (ORR) Shows Improvement. MAIA announced updated data from its THIO-101 trial. The trial enrolled patients with Stage 3 or 4 NSCLC who have progressive disease after treatment with checkpoint inhibitor therapy with or without standard of care chemotherapy. These advanced disease patients were treated with the combination of THIO and Libtayo (cemiplimab, an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor from Regeneron). The data was from the first patients receiving treatment as third-line therapy that reached an evaluation timepoint by January 8, 2024.

ORR Greatly Exceeded Published Studies. New data was from patients who had received the THIO combination as third-line treatment. The overall response rate was 38%, with 3 out of 8 patients showing a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR). This compares with response rates of about 6% in published studies.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

GeoVax Labs (GOVX) – Vaccine Production Technology Reaches Milestone With Manufacturing Facility Validation

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, March 07, 2024

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies and vaccines for solid tumor cancers and many of the world’s most threatening infectious diseases. The company’s lead program in oncology is a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, presently in a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax’s lead infectious disease candidate is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine targeting high-risk immunocompromised patient populations. Currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, GEO-CM04S1 is being evaluated as a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, and as a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In addition, GEO-CM04S1 is in a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the vaccine as a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. GeoVax has a leadership team who have driven significant value creation across multiple life science companies over the past several decades.

Robert LeBoyer, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Biotechnology, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Commercial Scale Production Facility Achieves Validation. GeoVax has announced that its manufacturing technology for producing commercial-scale MVA-based vaccines has been validated for production. This signifies the successful transfer of the technology from the research facility to the commercial cGMP manufacturing plant, with production runs that meet specifications for use in clinical trials and commercial sales. This was a milestone we had anticipated that allows higher quantities, faster production, and greater yields of its proprietary MVA-based vaccines.

The New Manufacturing Facility Cam Produce The Pipeline Vaccines. Products that can be made in the system include CM04S1, its vaccine currently in two different Phase 2 trials to stimulate protective responses against COVID for immunocompromised patients with hematological cancers and in Phase 2 as a universal booster for COVID. The facility can also produce the vaccines in development for infectious diseases including smallpox, Ebola, zika, and malaria.


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Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Commercial Vehicle Group (CVGI) – Fourth Quarter Post Call Commentary

Posted on by cpereira@noblefcm.com


Thursday, March 07, 2024

Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Impact of UAW Strike on 4Q. Fourth quarter results were negatively impacted by a work stoppage at a customer facility due to the UAW strike. Management estimated the strike reduced revenue by about $12 million and had a $0.05/sh negative impact on EPS. We expect that eventually the revenue will come back, it is just a question of timing.

New Wins. CVG recorded in excess of $150 million of new wins in 2023 on a fully ramped basis, continuing the Company’s strong track record of success. The wins continue to be focused within the Electrical Systems segment and support the product ramp-up at the new plants in Mexico and Morocco, which are focused on meeting the demand growth in electrical systems. CVG is currently expanding its Morocco footprint with an additional new plant under construction.


Get the Full Report

Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.

This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

AI in Healthcare: The Next Frontier for Investors?

Posted on by slightbourne@noblecapitalmarkets.com

In the ever-evolving world of technology, few terms have captured the imagination of investors quite like artificial intelligence (AI). From autonomous vehicles to virtual assistants, AI has permeated nearly every facet of modern life, disrupting traditional business models and creating new opportunities for growth and innovation.

One sector that is increasingly feeling the transformative impact of AI is healthcare. As the industry grapples with challenges such as rising costs, workforce shortages, and the need for more personalized and efficient care, AI is emerging as a powerful tool to address these issues and unlock new frontiers in medicine.

The applications of AI in healthcare are vast and varied, ranging from drug discovery and disease diagnosis to patient monitoring and virtual nursing assistants. At the forefront of this revolution are companies that are harnessing the power of AI to develop cutting-edge solutions and drive technological advancements in the field.

One area where AI is making significant strides is medical imaging and diagnostics. Companies like Enlitic, a pioneer in deep learning for radiology, are developing AI systems that can analyze medical images with unprecedented accuracy, aiding in the early detection of diseases and reducing the risk of misdiagnosis. By automating and enhancing the analysis of X-rays, CT scans, and MRI images, these AI solutions have the potential to improve patient outcomes while reducing the workload on healthcare professionals.

Another promising application of AI in healthcare is drug discovery and development. Traditionally, the process of bringing a new drug to market has been time-consuming and costly, often taking years and billions of dollars in research and clinical trials. However, AI is revolutionizing this process by analyzing vast amounts of data, identifying promising drug candidates, and accelerating the drug discovery pipeline.

Companies are leveraging machine learning algorithms to search through millions of potential drug compounds, predicting their efficacy and safety profiles with remarkable accuracy. This not only speeds up the drug development process but also increases the likelihood of successful clinical trials and faster time-to-market for new therapies.

Beyond drug discovery and medical imaging, AI is also playing a crucial role in personalized medicine and patient care. Companies are developing AI-powered virtual healthcare assistants that can provide personalized medical advice, triage patients, and even monitor chronic conditions remotely. By leveraging natural language processing and machine learning, these AI solutions can offer accessible and affordable healthcare services, particularly in underserved or remote areas.

For investors, the proliferation of AI in healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, the potential for groundbreaking innovations and disruptive technologies in this sector could translate into significant returns for those who identify and invest in the right companies early on. However, the healthcare industry is also heavily regulated, and navigating the complex web of regulatory approvals and clinical trials can be a significant hurdle for AI-driven healthcare solutions.

Furthermore, as with any emerging technology, there are ethical considerations and potential risks associated with the use of AI in healthcare. Concerns around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential for AI to perpetuate or exacerbate existing healthcare disparities must be carefully addressed to ensure the responsible and equitable deployment of these technologies.

Despite these challenges, the investment community is eagerly watching the AI healthcare space, recognizing the immense potential for transformative innovations and lucrative returns. As the adoption of AI in healthcare continues to accelerate, companies that can successfully navigate the regulatory landscape, mitigate risks, and deliver tangible solutions that improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency are likely to emerge as leaders in this burgeoning field.

For savvy investors, the key to capitalizing on the AI healthcare revolution lies in conducting thorough due diligence, understanding the competitive landscape, and identifying companies with robust AI capabilities, strong intellectual property portfolios, and a clear path to commercialization and scalability.

While AI may be a buzzword that often moves markets, in the healthcare sector, it represents a genuine paradigm shift with the potential to save lives, reduce costs, and transform the way we approach healthcare delivery. As such, investors who can separate the hype from the reality and identify the true pioneers in this space may be well-positioned to reap the rewards of this technological revolution.

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