Verisk Expands Geospatial ESG Risk Capabilities with New Industry Risk Analytics

LONDON, Sept. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verisk Maplecroft, a global risk analytics business of Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK), has launched its new Industry Risk Analytics to provide companies, insurers and financial institutions with a new geospatial risk solution that identifies the exposure of 80 sectors to 52 different ESG and political risks across 198 countries. The data can be used to underpin and strengthen analysis of a wide range of risks impacting operations, supply chains and investments globally by offering in-depth insight into how country-level risks vary between industries.

The dataset draws on over 50 of Verisk Maplecroft’s 170+ global risk indices, combining them with proprietary global and local industry risk factors to deliver precise risk scores for each sector in all countries. Issues covered include labour rights, such as modern slavery, child labour, fair wages and working hours; environmental risks, including water stress, climate change vulnerability, pollution, heat stress and natural hazards; and political risks covering corruption, conflict intensity and civil unrest.

The Industry Risk Analytics are the latest innovation from Verisk Maplecroft as it strives to provide global business and finance with the single most comprehensive source of geospatial global risk data and analytics. They form the latest addition to Verisk’s growing suite of sustainability and resilience exposure analytics, which include extreme event models and global geospatial datasets covering the full spectrum of ESG, political, climate and energy transition risks.

“Providing a universal foundation for ESG and political risk analysis, the Industry Risk Analytics will enable more precise assessment of inherent risk exposures, helping businesses, banks, insurers and investors get a more granular view of industry-specific risks at the operational, supply chain, portfolio, asset and project level,” says Sam Haynes, Head of Risk Analytics at Verisk Maplecroft. “Users can explore how inherent risks vary from place to place and by industry activity, enabling a holistic understanding of locational risk to support smarter, more informed decisions and mitigating actions.”

The methodologies used to create the analytics feature Verisk Maplecroft’s vast array of unstructured, geospatial, expert-derived and structured data, which offer an alternative contextual risk perspective to the analyst assessed, disclosure-based and controversy datasets that are typically used to assess ESG risks. This means both the underlying data and the analytics themselves are independent, scalable and can deliver a robust, universally applicable risk assessment solution.

“The veracity of the top-down mainstream ESG datasets from major ratings providers has come under recent scrutiny,” adds Verisk Maplecroft’s President Matt Moshiri. “This points to a need for a bottom-up approach that can robustly assess inherent ESG risk exposure, alongside dynamic political issues, more accurately than ever before – this is where we aim to make the difference.”

For more information on Verisk Maplecroft’s Industry Risk Analytics, visit www.maplecroft.com

About Verisk Maplecroft
As organisations strive to understand and adapt to a fast-moving world, Verisk Maplecroft empowers them to put the environment, human rights and political risk at the heart of their decision-making. We do this by providing unparalleled intelligence on sustainability, resilience and ESG – stitching together these disparate issues into an interconnected global view, built upon objective insight and data. By thinking ‘big picture’ we capture what matters most to our partners; making positive outcomes possible in a time of change; helping people, business and societies become stronger; creating value with values. Verisk Maplecroft is a Verisk business (NASDAQ:VRSK).

For more information visit: www.maplecroft.com

About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) provides data-driven analytic insights and solutions for the insurance and energy industries. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk empowers customers to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global issues, including climate change and extreme events as well as political and ESG topics. With offices in more than 30 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work and fosters an inclusive culture where all team members feel they belong. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.

Jason McGeown
Director – PR
Verisk Maplecroft
E: jason.mcgeown@maplecroft.com
T: +44 (0) 7768 789567

InvestChile Launches ‘How to Invest in Chile’ Guide in Japanese

The Chilean Foreign Investment Promotion Agency has launched a new publication to facilitate investment by Japanese companies in Chile

How to Invest in Chile

How to Invest in Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile, Sept. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In order to make it easier for Japanese companies to invest in Chile, the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency InvestChile has launched a new edition of its “How to Invest in Chile” Investor’s Guide in Japanese. Published online, the step-by-step guide is designed to serve as a “roadmap” for companies considering Chile as a potential destination for investment.

“At InvestChile, we feel that cultural differences, mainly in terms of language, can be narrowed in these times of greater connectivity and globalized business. In this context, our new ‘How to Invest in Chile’ investor’s guide fills a clear gap with regard to potential Japanese investors: the lack of official material in their own language,” said Karla Flores, the recently appointed director of InvestChile.

“In the new guide, you can find all the basic step-by-step information for setting up your company, from the tax structure to environmental permits and labor laws. In this way, as an agency, we are helping to bridge the gap between the two countries’ business culture in a context of Japanese companies’ growing interest in our country,” she added.

With 14 chapters that include legal and commercial matters, the guide in Japanese is available here.

Main source of Asian investment

“Japanese companies have been present in Chile for decades and are characterized by their high level of sophistication,” said the director of InvestChile Karla Flores. She emphasized that the opportunities Chile offers for Japanese companies include the development of solar energy, information technologies, mining equipment, functional foods and special interest tourism.

“We want these companies which are in higher value-added sectors to come to Chile; that is the main reason we opened the InvestChile office in Tokyo and we are now publishing our investor’s guide in Japanese,” added Flores.

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and Chile’s principal source of investment from Asia. According to Chilean Central Bank figures, Japan is one of the largest players in the country with investments totaling more than US$3,131 million in 2020. Over 60 Japanese companies currently have operations in Chile.

Do you want to expand your business to Latin America? Contact us here to learn about the advantages of installing your business in Chile.

Press Contact:
Denisse Vásquez
dvasquez@investchile.gob.cl

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Step-by-Step Guide for Foreign Investors

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DEA Unveils NFT Football Simulation Game ‘GOAL SEEKERS’ for PlayMining Platform – Scheduled to Launch in Spring 2023

A new era of football simulation game, where users can build a team with NFT players and win the league with team tactics

Featured Image for Digital Entertainment Asset Pte. Ltd.

Featured Image for Digital Entertainment Asset Pte. Ltd.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Digital Entertainment Asset Pte. Ltd. (DEA), a Singapore-based global GameFi company, is pleased to announce that it has started the development of an NFT football simulation game “GOAL SEEKERS” for its PlayMining platform with the aim to launch in the spring of 2023.

“GOAL SEEKERS” is a new style of NFT football simulation game that allows users to form teams using Player NFTs, which are generative NFTs (NFTs automatically generated by the program), as well as set formations and tactics and challenge other players to matches. The game is characterized by the fact that not only players but also coaches and other staff members are NFTs, allowing users to participate in the economic sphere in any role they wish, such as collecting player NFTs and enjoying matches or using coach NFTs and enjoying their training as their main focus.

The game is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2023, with Now Production Co., Ltd. as the development partner, a company with a proven track record of producing numerous game titles.

DEA will continue to enhance the lineup of titles on PlayMining to provide users around the world with “fun” and “surprise” through a variety of content.

About GOAL SEEKERS
“GOAL SEEKERS” is a new style of football simulation game using generative NFTs. Users can freely assign NFT football players, managers and coaches to strengthen their teams and earn DEAPcoins by winning matches.

Player NFTs, like actual football players, will become better through league play but also age at the same time. When a player reaches a certain age, users can choose to become a manager, coach or trainer. The game allows players to play in a variety of ways, depending on their preferences, such as enjoying league matches mainly with player NFTs or collecting competent position coach NFTs and specializing in training them.

In addition, “GOAL SEEKERS” has the theme of “creating a new football game together with the community”. The game title, the style of the player illustrations, etc. are being voted on by the community on Discord, and the game is also planned to continue with a variety of community projects in the future.

Please check below for the latest information on GOAL SEEKERS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlayMining_JP
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/UcEAuyZGCV

About Now Production Co., Ltd.
Based on the management philosophy of “providing entertainment content full of dreams and playful spirit to convey joy and excitement to people,” Now Production has released more than 220 titles to the world.

With its strengths in information, planning and development and technological capabilities accumulated over many years of experience and expertise, the company has created a system that enables it to provide integrated development services from planning proposals to development and operation, regardless of their platforms, including consumer games, smartphone applications and pachinko/pachislot machines, creating a significant competitive advantage.
https://www.nowpro.co.jp/

Digital Entertainment Asset Pte. Ltd. | https://dea.sg/jp/
DEA, a global GameFi and meta verse platform business, was founded in Singapore in August 2018 and is developing “JobTribes”, a Play to Earn game; “PlayMining NFT”, an NFT marketplace; and “PlayMining Verse”, a meta verse project. As a leading Web3 Entertainment company in the world of “GameFi2.0”, focusing on the entertainment experience, DEA aims to realize a world where “enjoyment turns into value” by utilizing blockchain technology.
Co-CEO: Naohito Yoshida, Kozo Yamada
Location: 7 Straits View, Marina One East Tower,#05-01, Singapore 018936
Establishment: August 2018
Business Description: GameFi platform business
Contact Information
Digital Entertainment Asset Pte. Ltd.
Public Relation: Takasugi |tomoyuki_takasugi@dea.sg

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OKX Launches Multi-Million Dollar Brand Campaign in Global Market Expansion

  • Asking ‘What is OKX?’, the campaign is OKX’s biggest brand investment to date as it looks to gain crypto market share outside of Asia
  • Conceived with BBDO, ‘What is OKX?’ features celebrities from Manchester City F.C., the McLaren Formula 1 team, and the Australian Olympic team
  • Watch the full ‘What Is OKX’ campaign video here

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Sept. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OKX, the world’s second largest crypto exchange by trading volume, today announced the launch of its ‘What Is OKX?’ global brand campaign.

With less than 15% of traders outside of Asia familiar with OKX1, the company is introducing itself to the greater global market as one of the most powerful crypto trading apps in a series of videos featuring Manchester City F.C. manager Pep Guardiola, McLaren Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, and Olympic medalist Scotty James. The campaign is underpinned by OKX’s plan to expand its customer base beyond Asia, a market where over 65% of traders recognize the brand as a crypto app1.

BBDO New York was enlisted to devise the ‘What is OKX? campaign, while the creative was directed by visual comedy director Andreas Nilsson of Biscuit Filmworks. The campaign is digital-first and will be distributed through omnichannel media with a heavy focus on the business and trader communities. Media distribution will include CNN, with OOH and an audio strategy also being activated.

Haider Rafique, Global Chief Marketing Officer, OKX, said: “OKX was created to serve crypto traders of all levels across the globe. To date we’ve concentrated heavily on just a few core markets, which has granted us an intimate understanding of what crypto traders want and enabled us to build what is now the second largest crypto exchange by volume. It is now time to introduce OKX to the rest of the world. In the current climate, investors need an exchange that delivers a safe and responsible trading platform, while also offering them a very broad range of ways to pursue their own brand of financial liberty. Open access to a paradigm-shifting world that brings the cutting edges of technology and finance together to allow people to create their own futures—that is OKX. Consider this campaign our invitation to come and explore that world with us.”

Daniel Ricciardo, Formula 1 driver, McLaren Racing, said: “Crypto trading has often been perceived to be a guarded secret, benefiting only early adopters or those financially connected. But sensible crypto investing does not require membership to a private magic circle. The key to any involvement in crypto rests with education and responsible trading. It’s been a great ride with the OKX team so far. I have learnt a lot and am looking forward to continuing my own crypto journey with them and excited about our future plans.”

To complement the ‘What is OKX?’ ad campaign, OKX is also launching a Global Content Competition, giving YouTube and Twitter creators the chance to share in a $100,000 USD prize pool as they find creative ways to share the OKX brand with their audiences.

Offering a broad and powerful array of trading options, OKX is on a mission to educate a generation of responsible traders as it empowers investors everywhere to establish financial freedom in their own way. Despite having engaged in limited marketing up to now, the company has established itself as the world’s second largest crypto exchange by volume. ‘What is OKX?’ is the company’s first concerted marketing investment as it looks to compete with other global exchanges in the broader crypto market.

As well as the full ‘What is OKX?’ campaign video, check out OKX’s celebrity cast on the set in a range of behind the scenes videos below:

Sources
1. OKX global brand survey, August 2022.

For further information, please contact:
Media@okx.com

About OKX
OKX is the second biggest global crypto exchange by trading volume and a leading web3 ecosystem. Trusted by more than 20 million global customers, OKX is known for being the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for investors and professional traders everywhere.

As a top partner of English Premier League champions Manchester City FC, McLaren Formula 1, golfer Ian Poulter, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, OKX aims to supercharge the fan experience with new financial and engagement opportunities. OKX is also the top partner of the Tribeca Festival as part of an initiative to bring more creators into web3.

Beyond OKX’s exchange, the OKX Wallet is the platform’s latest offering for people looking to explore the world of NFTs and the metaverse while trading GameFi and DeFi tokens.

To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com

STACK Infrastructure and ESR partner to expand their APAC footprint into Korea with a 48MW data center in Seoul

STACK_APAC_Korea_ESR_Korea

STACK_APAC_Korea_ESR_Korea

SINGAPORE, Sept. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — STACK Infrastructure (“STACK”), the digital infrastructure partner to the world’s most innovative companies and a leading global developer and operator of data centers, and ESR Group Limited (“ESR” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries as the “Group”; SEHK Stock Code: 1821), APAC’s largest real asset manager powered by the New Economy, today announced a joint venture to develop a 48MW data center site in Incheon, Korea.

STACK and ESR will jointly develop and deliver a 48MW facility in Incheon in Seoul’s western suburbs. Power to the facility has been secured from KEPCO and construction of the single building will commence in Q1 2023 for delivery of ready for service capacity in Q4 2024. The facility will be operated under the STACK brand.

The development is strategically located with robust access to power and network, offering scalability and reliability for higher rack densities and floor loading specifications. The partners will develop a facility incorporating the latest environmentally friendly design supporting industry-leading PUE and building standards. This data center will enable hyperscalers and enterprise clients to address their evolving requirements in Korea and the APAC region more broadly.

“STACK’s opening of a fifth APAC market in 12 months, expanding on our recent developments in Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Tokyo, enhances our focus on our customers’ strategic requirements by establishing a scalable presence in existing and emerging Tier 1 data center markets,” said Pithambar (Preet) Gona, STACK’s Chief Executive Officer – APAC. “We are excited about our partnership with ESR, which illustrates our ability to work with market leading real asset managers, leveraging our combined expertise to the benefit of our customers.”

“ESR’s strong regional capability and experience in Tier 1 data center markets ensures we are well-positioned to help develop facilities across critical hyperscale locations,” said Diarmid Massey, CEO of ESR Data Centres. “Partnering with STACK enables us to leverage an outstanding global operating platform and innovative capital solutions to target hyperscale customer growth in key markets.”

This milestone follows the recent announcements of STACK’s entrance to the APAC market with the opening of its Singapore regional headquarters, its first 36MW campus in Inzai, Japan and expansion into the Australia market with 124MW in Melbourne, Canberra, and Perth.

The strategic nature of ESR’s partnership with STACK and ESR’s previously announced data center land acquisitions in Japan and Hong Kong, as well as the recent first closing of ESR DC Fund 1, a maiden fund with over $1 billion of equity commitments, continue to demonstrate ESR’s commitment to new economy investment and the development of a range of environmentally friendly and industry leading data center solutions regionally.

ABOUT STACK INFRASTRUCTURE
STACK provides digital infrastructure to scale the world’s most innovative companies. With a client-first approach, STACK delivers a comprehensive suite of campus, build-to-suit, colocation, and powered shell solutions in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. With robust existing and flexible expansion capacity in the leading availability zones, STACK offers the scale and geographic reach that rapidly growing hyperscale and enterprise companies need. The world runs on data. And data runs on STACK.

For more information about STACK, please visit: https://www.stackinfra.com.

Media Contacts
STACK Infrastructure
Sammer Khalaf
press@stackinfra.com

About ESR

ESR is APAC’s largest real asset manager powered by the New Economy and the third largest listed real estate investment manager globally. With over US$140 billion in total assets under management (AUM), ESR’s fully integrated development and investment management platform extends across key APAC markets, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, India, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, representing over 95% of GDP in APAC, and also includes an expanding presence in Europe and the U.S. We provide a diverse range of real asset investment solutions and New Economy real estate development opportunities across our private funds business, which allow capital partners and customers to capitalise on the most significant secular trends in APAC. ESR is the largest sponsor and manager of REITs in APAC with a total AUM of US$45 billion. Our purpose – Space and Investment Solutions for a Sustainable Future – drives us to manage sustainably and impactfully and we consider the environment and the communities in which we operate as key stakeholders of our business. Listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, ESR is a constituent of the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (Large Cap), Hang Seng Composite Index and MSCI Hong Kong Index.

For more information on ESR, please visit www.esr.com.

Investor Relations
Chang Rui Hua
Group Head of Capital Markets and Investor Relations – Managing Director
+852 2376 9623 / +852 5506 7719
rh.chang@esr.com
Media Contact
Kathleen Goh
Senior Director, Group Corporate Affairs
Tel: +65 6972 2192
kathleen.goh@esr.com

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Singapore Minister Presides Over Opening Ceremony of One World International School Riyadh

Dr Vivian at OWIS Riyadh

Dr Vivian at OWIS Riyadh

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan launched the Riyadh campus of One World International School – the fastest growing international school from Singapore under the aegis of Global Schools Foundation.

Dr. Balakrishnan launched the over-22,796-square-meter campus in a momentous ceremony in the presence of special guests Ambassador Wong Chow Ming, Mr. Mazen Ahmed Tammar, Sr Advisor to CEO of RCRC, GSF chairman and co-founder Mr. Atul Temurnikar and others.

The guests visited learning spaces of OWIS and spent time with students. The Minister also attended a virtual session with the students of OWIS Singapore during which they interacted on various topics like the role of technology in future-oriented learning. GSF chairman Mr. Temurnikar took Dr. Vivian through the journey and vision of OWIS.

The Minister stated, “In this time of great transformation all over the world, including in Saudi Arabia, it is essential that we prepare our children to have open minds, open hearts and exposure to diversity. I think this is where the Global Schools Foundation focuses on ensuring that every child is exposed to the diversity that the world represents.”

OWIS Riyadh is an IB PYP candidate school following international curricula, including American Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It is reputed for its multicultural environment, where students are learning in a values-driven programme underpinned by Kindness. The Singapore-headquartered school is part of GSF, which is recognised as the world’s most awarded network of schools by the World Book of Records, for its more than 400 international awards in academic excellence and best practices in education.

“We are attracting prestigious international schools that cater to all sections of the population and contributing to the transformational journey of Riyadh to become one of the best global cities in terms of quality of life for residents and expatriates. RCRC welcomes Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Dr. Balakrishnan and is confident Singapore’s expertise in international education will help enhance this sector in Riyadh”, Mr. Mazen stated.

Also present at the ceremony were RCRC delegates Ms. Hala Halawani, Mr. Ziad Bin Hassan, Mr. Khaled Sabban, Ms. Maryam Alasmar, Dr. Michael Klees, and Mr. Jorge Urteaga. The GSF team included Mr. Amol Vaidya, Senior Director of Operations, and Founding Principal of OWIS Riyadh Ms. Shannon Pipes.

About GSF 

Global Schools Foundation is a global network of award-winning premier international schools including 37 campuses in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and India.

Founded in 2002 and operating in 10 countries across Asia and the Middle East, Singapore-based GSF is internationally recognised for its high standards in established academic criteria, management processes and quality of governance. Built on the pillars of excellence and meritocracy, the foundation delivers education backed by an international network of schools and sports academies.

Media Queries:

Ms Rupali Karekar
rupali.karekar@myglobalschool.org

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Descartes Announces Fiscal 2023 Second Quarter Financial Results

Record Revenues and Income from Operations

WATERLOO, Ontario, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX) announced its financial results for its fiscal 2023 second quarter (Q2FY23). All financial results referenced are in United States (US) currency and, unless otherwise indicated, are determined in accordance with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

“Descartes had a very successful quarter helping customers navigate the complexities of global supply chains and logistics,” said Edward J. Ryan, Descartes’ CEO. “Geopolitical events, energy supplies and costs, and economic uncertainty have combined to present novel challenges for supply chain participants to manage. Our Global Logistics Network (GLN) is designed to help these shippers, carriers and logistics services providers connect and collaborate to plan and execute shipments in an efficient and sustainable manner. We’re pleased that we’ve been able to help so many existing and new customers improve their businesses and supply chains.”

Q2FY23 Financial Results

As described in more detail below, key financial highlights for Descartes’ Q2FY23 included:

  • Revenues of $123.0 million, up 18% from $104.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2022 (Q2FY22) and up 6% from $116.4 million in the previous quarter (Q1FY23);
  • Revenues were comprised of services revenues of $109.4 million (89% of total revenues), professional services and other revenues of $10.3 million (8% of total revenues) and license revenues of $3.3 million (3% of total revenues). Services revenues were up 17% from $93.5 million in Q2FY22 and up 6% from $102.8 million in Q1FY23;
  • Cash provided by operating activities of $46.4 million, consistent with $46.4 million in Q2FY22 and up 5% from $44.4 million in Q1FY23. In Q2FY23, Descartes paid $10.5 million in contingent consideration in respect of previously completed acquisitions of which $5.3 million was accounted for as cash used in operating activities in Q2FY23;
  • Income from operations of $31.5 million, up 21% from $26.1 million in Q2FY22 and up 3% from $30.6 million in Q1FY23;
  • Net income of $22.9 million, down from $23.2 million in Q2FY22 and down from $23.1 million in Q1FY23. Net income as a percentage of revenue was 19%, compared to 22% in Q2FY22 and 20% in Q1FY23;
  • Earnings per share on a diluted basis of $0.27, consistent with $0.27 in both Q2FY22 and Q1FY23, respectively; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $54.0 million, up 18% from $45.9 million in Q2FY22 and up 5% from $51.2 million in Q1FY23. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues was 44%, consistent with 44% in both Q2FY22 and Q1FY23, respectively.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are non-GAAP financial measures provided as a complement to financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation (for which we include related fees and taxes) and other charges (for which we include restructuring charges and acquisition-related expenses). These items are considered by management to be outside Descartes’ ongoing operational results. We define Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues as the quotient, expressed as a percentage, from dividing Adjusted EBITDA for a period by revenues for the corresponding period. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income determined in accordance with GAAP is provided later in this release.

The following table summarizes Descartes’ results in the categories specified below over the past 5 fiscal quarters (unaudited; dollar amounts, other than per share amounts, in millions):

Q2
FY23
Q1
FY23
Q4
FY22
Q3
FY22
Q2
FY22
Revenues 123.0 116.4 112.4 108.9 104.6
Services revenues 109.4 102.8 99.5 97.2 93.5
Gross margin 77% 76% 76% 76% 76%
Cash provided by operating activities 46.4 44.4 45.5 43.3 46.4
Income from operations 31.5 30.6 26.0 27.8 26.1
Net income 22.9 23.1 19.2 25.5 23.2
Net income as a % of revenues 19% 20% 17% 23% 22%
Earnings per diluted share 0.27 0.27 0.22 0.30 0.27
Adjusted EBITDA 54.0 51.2 50.1 48.2 45.9
Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenues 44% 44% 45% 44% 44%

Year-to-Date Financial Results

As described in more detail below, key financial highlights for Descartes’ six-month period ended July 31, 2022 (1HFY23) included:

  • Revenues of $239.4 million, up 18% from $203.4 million in the same period a year ago (1HFY22);
  • Revenues were comprised of services revenues of $212.2 million (89% of total revenues), professional services and other revenues of $21.6 million (9% of total revenues) and license revenues of $5.6 million (2% of total revenues). Services revenues were up 17% from $181.8 million in 1HFY22;
  • Cash provided by operating activities of $90.8 million, up 4% from $87.3 million in 1HFY22. In 1HFY23, Descartes paid $10.5 million in contingent consideration in respect of previously completed acquisitions of which $5.3 million was accounted for as cash used in operating activities in 1HFY23;
  • Income from operations of $62.1 million, up 25% from $49.5 million in 1HFY22;
  • Net income of $46.0 million, up 11% from $41.6 million in 1HFY22. Net income as a percentage of revenues was 19%, compared to 20% in 1HFY22;
  • Earnings per share on a diluted basis of $0.53, up 10% from $0.48 in 1HFY22; and
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $105.2 million, up 20% from $87.4 million in 1HFY22. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues was 44%, compared to 43% in 1HFY22.

The following table summarizes Descartes’ results in the categories specified below over 1HFY23 and 1HFY22 (unaudited, dollar amounts in millions):

1HFY23 1HFY22
Revenues 239.4 203.4
Services revenues 212.2 181.8
Gross margin 76% 76%
Cash provided by operating activities 90.8 87.3
Income from operations 62.1 49.5
Net income 46.0 41.6
Net income as a % of revenues 19% 20%
Earnings per diluted share 0.53 0.48
Adjusted EBITDA 105.2 87.4
Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenues 44% 43%

Cash Position

At July 31, 2022, Descartes had $189.0 million in cash. Cash decreased by $22.8 million in Q2FY23 and decreased $24.4 million in 1HFY23. The table set forth below provides a summary of cash flows for Q2FY23 and 1HFY23 in millions of dollars:

Q2FY23 1HFY23
Cash provided by operating activities 46.4 90.8
Additions to property and equipment (1.8 ) (3.4 )
Acquisitions of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired (61.1 ) (104.0 )
Payment of debt issuance costs (0.1 )
Issuances of common shares, net of issuance costs 0.1 0.5
Payment of contingent consideration (5.2 ) (5.2 )
Effect of foreign exchange rate on cash (1.2 ) (3.0 )
Net change in cash (22.8 ) (24.4 )
Cash, beginning of period 211.8 213.4
Cash, end of period 189.0 189.0

Acquisition of XPS

On June 3, 2022, Descartes acquired all of the shares of XPS Technologies, LLC (“XPS”), a provider of ecommerce multi-carrier parcel shipping solutions. The purchase price for the acquisition was approximately $61.1 million, net of cash acquired, which was funded from cash on hand, plus potential performance-based contingent consideration of up to $75.0 million based on XPS achieving revenue-based targets over the first two years post-acquisition.

Normal-course issuer bid (NCIB)

On June 7, 2022, Descartes announced a NCIB, commencing June 10, 2022, to purchase up to approximately 7.4 million common shares in the open market for cancellation. Under the NCIB, Descartes is permitted to repurchase for cancellation, at its discretion on or before June 9, 2023, up to 10% of the “public float” (calculated in accordance with the rules of the TSX) of Descartes’ issued and outstanding common shares. Any purchases under the NCIB will be subject to the terms and limitations applicable to such NCIB, and will be made through the facilities of the TSX, Nasdaq, other designated exchanges and/or alternative Canadian trading systems, or by such other means as may be permitted by the Ontario Securities Commission or other applicable Canadian Securities Administrators. No common shares have yet been purchased pursuant to the NCIB.

Short-form base shelf prospectus
On July 15, 2022, we filed the 2022 Base Shelf Prospectus, allowing us to offer and issue an unlimited quantity of the following securities during the 25-month period following thereafter: (i) common shares; (ii) preferred shares; (iii) senior or subordinated unsecured debt securities; (iv) subscription receipts; (v) warrants; and (vi) securities comprised of more than one of the aforementioned common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, subscription receipts and/ or warrants offered together as a unit. These securities may be offered separately or together, in separate series, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more shelf prospectus supplements. No securities have yet been sold pursuant to the 2022 Base Shelf Prospectus.

Conference Call
Members of Descartes’ executive management team will host a conference call to discuss the company’s financial results at 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 7. Designated numbers are +1 866 455 3403 for North America and +1 647 484 8332 for international, using Passcode 96484241#.

The company will simultaneously conduct an audio webcast on the Descartes website at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations. Phone conference dial-in or webcast log-in is required approximately 10 minutes beforehand.

Replays of the conference call will be available until September 14, 2022, at the following address: https://onlinexperiences.com/Launch/QReg/ShowUUID=363B9D23-BDC9-437F-8BDC-42CA9C002737&LangLocaleID=1033 using Passcode: EV00136656. An archived replay of the webcast will be available at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations.

About Descartes

Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance and security of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, schedule, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Descartes Investor Contact:
Laurie McCauley +1-519-746-6114 x202358
investor@descartes.com

Safe Harbor Statement
This release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relates to Descartes’ expectations concerning future revenues and earnings, and our projections for any future reductions in expenses or growth in margins and generation of cash; our assessment of the current and future potential impact of the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition; continued growth and acquisitions including our assessment of any increased opportunity for our products and services as a result of trends in the logistics and supply chain industries; rate of profitable growth; demand for Descartes’ solutions; growth of Descartes’ Global Logistics Network (“GLN”); customer buying patterns; customer expectations of Descartes; development of the GLN and the benefits thereof to customers; and other matters. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions including the following: global shipment volumes continuing at levels generally consistent with those experienced historically; the current war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic not having a material negative impact on shipment volumes or on the demand for the products and services of Descartes by its customers and the ability of those customers to continue to pay for those products and services; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional customs and security regulations relating to the provision of electronic information for imports and exports; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional trade restrictions and sanctioned party lists with respect to doing business with certain countries, organizations, entities and individuals; Descartes’ continued operation of a secure and reliable business network; the stability of general economic and market conditions, currency exchange rates, and interest rates; equity and debt markets continuing to provide Descartes with access to capital; Descartes’ continued ability to identify and source attractive and executable business combination opportunities; Descartes’ ability to develop solutions that keep pace with the continuing changes in technology, and our continued compliance with third party intellectual property rights. These assumptions may prove to be inaccurate. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Descartes, or developments in Descartes’ business or industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, Descartes’ ability to successfully identify and execute on acquisitions and to integrate acquired businesses and assets, and to predict expenses associated with and revenues from acquisitions; the impact of network failures, information security breaches or other cyber-security threats; disruptions in the movement of freight and a decline in shipment volumes including as a result of contagious illness outbreaks; a deterioration of general economic conditions or instability in the financial markets accompanied by a decrease in spending by our customers; the ability to attract and retain key personnel and the ability to manage the departure of key personnel and the transition of our executive management team; changes in trade or transportation regulations that currently require customers to use services such as those offered by Descartes; changes in customer behaviour and expectations; Descartes’ ability to successfully design and develop enhancements to our products and solutions; departures of key customers; the impact of foreign currency exchange rates; Descartes’ ability to retain or obtain sufficient capital in addition to its debt facility to execute on its business strategy, including its acquisition strategy; disruptions in the movement of freight; the potential for future goodwill or intangible asset impairment as a result of other-than-temporary decreases in Descartes’ market capitalization; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada, including Descartes’ most recently filed Management’s Discussion and Analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues

We prepare and release quarterly unaudited and annual audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. We also disclose and discuss certain non-GAAP financial information, used to evaluate our performance, in this and other earnings releases and investor conference calls as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP. We believe that current shareholders and potential investors in our company use non-GAAP financial measures, such as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, in making investment decisions about our company and measuring our operational results.

The term “Adjusted EBITDA” refers to a financial measure that we define as earnings before certain charges that management considers to be non-operating expenses and which consist of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation (for which we include related fees and taxes) and other charges (for which we include restructuring charges and acquisition-related expenses). Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues divides Adjusted EBITDA for a period by the revenues for the corresponding period and expresses the quotient as a percentage.

Management considers these non-operating expenses to be outside the scope of Descartes’ ongoing operations and the related expenses are not used by management to measure operations. Accordingly, these expenses are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, which we reference to both measure our operations and as a basis of comparison of our operations from period-to-period. Management believes that investors and financial analysts measure our business on the same basis, and we are providing the Adjusted EBITDA financial metric to assist in this evaluation and to provide a higher level of transparency into how we measure our own business. However, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are non-GAAP financial measures and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues should not be construed as a substitute for net income determined in accordance with GAAP or other non-GAAP measures that may be used by other companies, such as EBITDA. The use of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues does have limitations. In particular, we have completed six acquisitions since the beginning of fiscal 2022 and may complete additional acquisitions in the future that will result in acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges. As these acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges may continue as we pursue our consolidation strategy, some investors may consider these charges and expenses as a recurring part of operations rather than expenses that are not part of operations.

The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income reported in our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for Q2FY23, Q1FY23, Q4FY22, Q3FY22, and Q2FY22, which we believe is the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

(US dollars in millions) Q2FY23 Q1FY23 Q4FY22 Q3FY22 Q2FY22
Net income, as reported on Consolidated Statements of Operations 22.9 23.1 19.2 25.5 23.2
Adjustments to reconcile to Adjusted EBITDA:
Interest expense 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
Investment income (0.5 ) (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.1 ) (0.1 )
Income tax expense 8.8 7.4 6.7 2.1 2.7
Depreciation expense 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3
Amortization of intangible assets 16.1 15.1 15.0 15.4 15.0
Stock-based compensation and related taxes 3.8 2.9 2.9 3.0 3.1
Other charges 1.3 1.4 4.8 0.7 0.4
Adjusted EBITDA 54.0 51.2 50.1 48.2 45.9
Revenues 123.0 116.4 112.4 108.9 104.6
Net income as % of revenues 19% 20% 17% 23% 22%
Adjusted EBITDA as % of revenues 44% 44% 45% 44% 44%

The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income reported in our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for 1HFY23 and 1HFY22, which we believe is the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

(US dollars in millions) 1HFY23 1HFY22
Net income, as reported on Consolidated Statements of Operations 46.0 41.6
Adjustments to reconcile to Adjusted EBITDA:
Interest expense 0.6 0.5
Investment income (0.6 ) (0.1 )
Income tax expense 16.1 7.5
Depreciation expense 2.5 2.5
Amortization of intangible assets 31.1 28.8
Stock-based compensation and related taxes 6.7 5.7
Other charges 2.8 0.9
Adjusted EBITDA 105.2 87.4
Revenues 239.4 203.4
Net income as % of revenues 19% 20%
Adjusted EBITDA as % of revenues 44% 43%

The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(US dollars in thousands; US GAAP; Unaudited)

July 31, January 31,
2022 2022
(Audited)
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash 189,030 213,437
Accounts receivable (net)
Trade 48,913 41,705
Other 11,420 14,075
Prepaid expenses and other 20,664 21,974
Inventory 814 868
270,841 292,059
OTHER LONG-TERM ASSETS 19,262 18,652
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 11,400 10,817
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS 8,089 10,571
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 12,777 14,962
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET 252,565 229,609
GOODWILL 671,802 608,761
1,246,736 1,185,431
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable 9,837 10,566
Accrued liabilities 71,416 56,442
Lease obligations 3,604 4,029
Income taxes payable 4,449 5,616
Deferred revenue 66,547 56,780
155,853 133,433
LONG-TERM DEBT
LEASE OBLIGATIONS 5,094 7,382
DEFERRED REVENUE 1,746 1,920
INCOME TAXES PAYABLE 8,303 7,354
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 37,301 35,523
208,297 185,612
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common shares – unlimited shares authorized; Shares issued and outstanding totaled 84,788,547 at July 31, 2022 (January 31, 2022 – 84,756,210) 537,003 536,297
Additional paid-in capital 479,620 473,303
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (26,813 ) (12,393 )
Retained earnings 48,629 2,612
1,038,439 999,819
1,246,736 1,185,431

The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(US dollars in thousands, except per share and weighted average share amounts; US GAAP; Unaudited)

Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
July 31, July 31, July 31, July 31,
2022 2021 2022 2021
REVENUES 123,011 104,570 239,406 203,408
COST OF REVENUES 28,919 25,470 56,742 49,319
GROSS MARGIN 94,092 79,100 182,664 154,089
EXPENSES
Sales and marketing 14,315 11,328 27,551 22,339
Research and development 18,155 15,473 34,724 30,692
General and administrative 12,700 10,855 24,342 21,861
Other charges 1,289 414 2,771 934
Amortization of intangible assets 16,086 14,911 31,134 28,746
62,545 52,981 120,522 104,572
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 31,547 26,119 62,142 49,517
INTEREST EXPENSE (284 ) (272 ) (562 ) (549 )
INVESTMENT INCOME 461 61 614 124
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 31,724 25,908 62,194 49,092
INCOME TAX EXPENSE (RECOVERY)
Current 7,498 4,732 12,339 6,866
Deferred 1,324 (2,000 ) 3,838 629
8,822 2,732 16,177 7,495
NET INCOME 22,902 23,176 46,017 41,597
EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic 0.27 0.27 0.54 0.49
Diluted 0.27 0.27 0.53 0.48
WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING (thousands)
Basic 84,783 84,566 84,774 84,534
Diluted 86,338 86,128 86,344 86,066

The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(US dollars in thousands; US GAAP; Unaudited)

Three Months Ended
Six Months Ended
July 31, July 31, July 31, July 31,
2022 2021 2022 2021
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income 22,902 23,176 46,017 41,597
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation 1,301 1,287 2,546 2,502
Amortization of intangible assets 16,086 14,911 31,134 28,746
Stock-based compensation expense 3,736 3,015 6,523 5,167
Other non-cash operating activities 68 281 51 557
Deferred tax (recovery) expense 1,324 (2,000 ) 3,838 629
Changes in operating assets and liabilities 982 5,704 722 8,082
Cash provided by operating activities 46,399 46,374 90,831 87,280
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Additions to property and equipment (1,786 ) (941 ) (3,422 ) (2,596 )
Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired (61,096 ) (54,418 ) (103,988 ) (90,278 )
Cash used in investing activities (62,882 ) (55,359 ) (107,410 ) (92,874 )
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Credit facility and other debt repayments (1,068 ) (1,068 )
Payment of debt issuance costs (66 ) (60 )
Issuance of common shares for cash, net of issuance costs 111 850 499 1,497
Payment of contingent consideration (5,215 ) (5,215 )
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities (5,104 ) (218 ) (4,782 ) 369
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash (1,162 ) (576 ) (3,046 ) (78 )
Decrease in cash (22,749 ) (9,779 ) (24,407 ) (5,303 )
Cash, beginning of period 211,779 138,137 213,437 133,661
Cash, end of period 189,030 128,358 189,030 128,358


AGC Biologics and Evax Partner to Advance Promising Equine Allergy Vaccine Candidate

The CDMO supports clinical stages using its Heidelberg site’s microbial-based biologics services

Seattle, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announced a new partnership with Evax, a developer of equine vaccines to treat chronic diseases, respiratory disorders and allergies. Through this partnership, Evax advances its Antigen VLP Conjugate product into the clinical stage, and AGC Biologics will supply cGMP support for the pivotal studies.

AGC Biologics is providing services at its Heidelberg facility using microbial-based protein biologics systems. The project covers Process Development and Clinical Manufacturing for the Evax Antigen-VLP Conjugate product.

The Evax drug candidate is focused on treating summer eczema, also called sweet itch or insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), which is one of the most prevalent allergic skin diseases in horses. It manifests as chronic relapsing seasonal allergic dermatitis (inflammatory reaction of the skin).

“For many equine diseases only limited therapeutic treatment options are available with sometimes poor efficacy,” said Dr. Antonia Gabriel, CEO and Founder of Evax. “We believe in this product and are ready to display its abilities in the clinical stages. Further, AGC Biologics and the capabilities at its Heidelberg site are an ideal fit to help guide us through this important phase of the journey.”

AGC Biologics’ Heidelberg facility has more than 20 years of experience delivering a wide range of microbial programs for developers at various stages. To date, it has supported over 100 different microbial processes for different projects, and produced two commercial products. In addition, the site is the CDMO’s Center of Excellence for Plasmid DNA (pDNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) production, playing a vital role in the company’s global Cell and Gene Therapy services offering.

“The specialized work that Evax is performing for the equine market is truly unique and we are happy to be supporting this important program,” said JB Agnus, Chief Business Officer of AGC Biologics. “This partnership shows the true depth of our services. Thanks to our strong global network, we feel we can support any clinical and commercial projects with reliable, innovative and cost competitive solutions.”

AGC Biologics’ microbial services use various technologies and scales, and the CDMO has successfully expressed antibody fragments, growth factors, antigens, enzymes, virus-like-particles (VLPs), and other proteins. The company has experience with E. coli and Pichia microbial expression platforms, and it uses multiple modes of expression—including secretion (yeast), periplasmic secretion, soluble intracellular expression, and inclusion bodies.

To learn more about the company and its biologics and cell and gene services, visit www.agcbio.com.

About EVAX
EVAX develops new equine vaccines to treat chronic diseases, allergies, and respiratory disorders. For many equine diseases only limited therapeutic treatment options are available with sometimes poor efficacy. Hence, there is a major need for new, innovative, specific and efficacious equine therapeutics. Our mission is to transfer human standards of care into horses at an affordable price. The company is committed to the development of Equine Vaccines and Innovative Healthcare for Horses. To learn more visit https://www.evax.ch/en/.

About AGC Biologics
AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners every step of the way. We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan and we currently employ more than 2,500 employees worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients’ most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.  

Hannah Lehman
AGC Biologics
(720) 910-0406
hlehman@agcbio.com

Meltwater and NewsGuard announce partnership to help organizations understand and combat the spread of misinformation

NEW YORK, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meltwater, a global leader in media and social intelligence, today announces a partnership with NewsGuard, a company that employs trained journalists to rate the credibility of news sources and track the top false narratives spreading online.

This partnership will allow Meltwater customers to leverage NewsGuard’s Reliability Ratings and detailed “Nutrition Labels” for thousands of news sources globally. These ratings enable brands and organizations to understand where they are being mentioned, and receive alerts when their brand is mentioned on unreliable sites that frequently spread false claims.

Meltwater customers will also be able to deploy NewsGuard’s Misinformation Fingerprints – a constantly updated catalog of the top myths circulating online. By combining the Fingerprints with Meltwater’s media intelligence capabilities, companies and organizations can quickly detect the spread of hundreds of false narratives across social platforms and news sources.

Meltwater CEO John Box said: “Knowing whether to trust in the reliability and accuracy of information found online is a major issue today. Our customers need to know where their organization is being mentioned, from the most esteemed news outlets, to fringe forums and sites peddling ‘fake news.’ They also need to be able to quickly and efficiently respond to any misinformation being shared knowingly or unknowingly on social media. Using Meltwater, our customers already tap into the most comprehensive content set across news and social media globally, and our partnership with NewsGuard gives our customers richer insight into that source base. This partnership will provide customers with an additional lens to understand and report on the quality and credibility of their news coverage, as well as potential misinformation around their brand on social media.”

NewsGuard co-CEO Steven Brill said: “Reputation is one of every good brand’s greatest assets — and misinformation is one of the newest threats to that asset. To shield themselves against the reputational harms posed by misinformation, companies and organizations need to stay on top of how misinformation impacts their brand and industry. This collaboration with Meltwater will bring our misinformation protections to a new scale, enabling Meltwater’s more than 27,000 customers globally to gain access to this solution.”

“We already have a large, high-profile institution using this solution to better understand and mitigate the proliferation of misinformation around public health initiatives. Plus, we know the types of companies and institutions most frequently targeted by bad actors with respect to misinformation. Because we currently work with a significant number of these organizations in some capacity today, we have a good understanding as to how our customers in both the private and public sectors can benefit from this partnership. We look forward to helping many of our customers leverage this new relationship to help them more effectively manage potential risk around their brand,” said John Box, CEO of Meltwater.

For more information on how this partnership can benefit your organization, please email newsguard@meltwater.com to learn more.

For more information, please contact:

Meltwater:
Johnny Vance
VP, Partnerships and Business Development
johnny.vance@meltwater.com

NewsGuard:
Sarah Brandt
EVP, Partnerships
sarah.brandt@newsguardtech.com

About Meltwater
Meltwater provides social and media intelligence. By examining millions of posts each day from social media platforms, blogs and news sites, Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insight from the outside. The company was founded in Oslo, Norway, in 2001 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with 50 offices across six continents. The company has 2,300 employees and 27,000 corporate customers, including industry leaders in several sectors. Learn more at meltwater.com.

About NewsGuard

Launched in March 2018 by media entrepreneur and award-winning journalist Steven Brill and former Wall Street Journal publisher Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard provides credibility ratings and detailed “Nutrition Labels” for thousands of news and information sources. NewsGuard rates all the news and information sources that account for 95% of online engagement across the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, and Italy.

NewsGuard’s ratings are conducted by trained journalists using nine apolitical criteria of journalistic practice, including whether a news source repeatedly publishes false content, whether it regularly corrects or clarifies errors, and whether it avoids deceptive headlines. Based on the criteria, each source receives an overall trust rating, a trust score of 0-100, a score on each of the nine criteria, and a detailed “Nutrition Label” explaining the rating and providing examples of the site’s editorial practices. Advertisers, advertising agencies and advertising tech companies license NewsGuard’s ratings to direct their programmatic advertising toward legitimate journalism and avoid misinformation. For more information, including to download the browser extension and review the ratings process, visit newsguardtech.com.

Protector Completes Acceptance Test Procedures

ATP Completion Signals Official Hand-Over of Aircraft to RAF

Featured Image for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP) for the first Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) system was completed on Aug. 26, 2022. Completion of ATP allows for the official hand-over of the aircraft to the UK Royal Air Force (RAF), the launch customer of the MQ-9B RPA system developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). Protector is a specially configured model of MQ-9B, designed to meet the unique requirements of the RAF.

The aircraft was formally accepted by Air Vice Marshal Simon Ellard, Director Combat Air at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the UK Ministry of Defence. “It is a great pleasure to accept the official handover of the first Protector aircraft on behalf of the MOD, following the successful completion of Acceptance Test Procedures. We now look forward to the first delivery of this highly capable aircraft type to RAF Waddington during 2023,” he said.

RAF Air Commodore Alex Hicks said: “The acceptance of the first Protector aircraft is a significant and exciting milestone in the delivery of this world-class capability to the Royal Air Force. The aircraft will be used to train RAF technicians how to maintain the capability, prior to the arrival of the first aircraft in the UK next year.”

ATP was performed jointly by the UK Ministry of Defence and GA-ASI following the completion of the aircraft production and acceptance procedures. ATP includes all inspections and tests performed on the hardware in operation for the aircraft and in conformance with the functional specification and technical requirements. Over the past two months, ATP has been performed at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon flight operations facility in El Mirage, Calif. The aircraft will remain in the U.S. to support maintenance and pilot training.

ATP was also completed on the first two sets of Portable Pre-flight and Post-flight Equipment (P3Es). P3E is ground support equipment that replaces the legacy Ruggedized Aircraft Maintenance Test Station (RAMTS) used to support MQ-9A. It is used for ground testing and maintenance operations with a direct-connect to the aircraft.

“This is another major milestone for MQ-9B and the Protector program,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “The Royal Air Force has been a great partner for General Atomics, and we’re thrilled to see ATP completed for this first customer aircraft.”

MQ-9B represents the next generation of RPA systems, having demonstrated airborne endurance of more than 40 hours in certain configurations, automatic takeoffs and landings under SATCOM-only control, as well as a GA-ASI developed Detect and Avoid system. Its development is the result of a company-funded effort to deliver an RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness certification requirements of various military and civil authorities.

MQ-9B has garnered significant interest from customers throughout the world. After the UK Ministry of Defence selected MQ-9B SkyGuardian® for its Protector program, the Belgian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for SkyGuardian. Later this year, the Japan Coast Guard will begin operations using the MQ-9B in the SeaGuardian® configuration.

About GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator® RPA series and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With more than seven million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.

Avenger, Lynx, Predator, SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

CONTACT:
GA-ASI Media Relations
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1 (858) 524-8101
ASI-MediaRelations@ga-asi.com

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