Africa 200 2024 The annual report on the most valuable and strongest African brands May 2024 Contents About Brand Finance 3 Foreword 4 ...

Effective Engagement with Technology Companies A Guide for Civil Society ...

Baltic Deep Tech Report 2024 May 2024 “Deep Tech can play an important role in solving complex economic and societal problems, but itʼs a long and bumpy road to positive impact. Our promise at Startup Estonia is to support Deep Tech startups in making a notable dent by providing a well-connected ecosystem and accessible resources. By the numbers, the Estonian DeepTech ecosystem is off to a promising start. Startup turnover growth in Q1 2024 showed a 38% increase over Q1 2023 whereas economic growth elsewher ...

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - AI adoption is accelerating, but initial use cases focus on optimization and internal efficiencies rather than revolutionary AI-enabled products and services [1][2] - The telecom sector is leading in AI adoption, with 38% of companies using AI for over six months, while only 3.8% of US businesses utilize AI for goods and services [3][4] - AI has the potential to disrupt business models significantly, similar to the impact of digital transformation over the past two decades [5][6] - Companies are encouraged to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to AI, balancing short-term efficiency gains with long-term strategic investments [27][28] Summary by Sections Current State of AI - AI has been around since the 1950s, but recent advancements in generative AI (GenAI) have led to a rapid increase in adoption [2] - Despite the hype, many companies are still in the early stages of AI implementation, primarily focusing on internal productivity [3][15] Industry-Specific Insights - Telecom and media, retail, consumer goods, healthcare, energy, and financial services are among the first industries to benefit from AI [16] - Manufacturing industries require more advanced AI capabilities to fully leverage its potential [16] Case Studies - Klarna's AI assistant has improved client support and reduced operational costs by $40 million, showcasing significant productivity gains [12] - GitHub's AI Copilot has increased coding speed by 55%, demonstrating the potential for AI to enhance developer productivity [12] Future Trends - The report anticipates that AI will lead to new business models and revenue streams, particularly as companies integrate AI into their existing operations [5][19] - Industries like healthcare are expected to see transformative applications, such as AI-driven drug discovery and personalized health services [23] Strategic Recommendations - Companies should develop an AI maturity heat map to identify strengths and weaknesses in their AI capabilities [12][14] - Investment in foundational capabilities, such as data governance and talent acquisition, is crucial for long-term success in AI [14][27]

Investment Rating - The report indicates a combined brand value of the top 150 French brands at €507 billion, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous year, although this growth is slower compared to global peers [19][20][21]. Core Insights - Strong brands are historically a factor of reassurance, growth, and resilience, especially in uncertain contexts [5]. - The average brand strength index for the top 150 French brands has decreased, indicating a decline in competitiveness compared to global counterparts [19][34]. - The apparel sector remains the most valued, accounting for 22% of the total brand value in the report [19][38]. Summary by Sections Brand Value and Growth - The total brand value of the top 150 French brands increased by €33 billion, reaching €507 billion, with a growth rate of 7% compared to 17% in the previous year [19][20]. - The average brand strength index for these brands has regressed, growing 12 times slower over the last four years than the global top 500 brands [19][20]. Sector Performance - The apparel sector leads with a 16% increase in brand value, while the automotive sector also shows significant growth [19][38]. - The telecommunications sector, represented by Orange, has shown resilience with a 6.7% increase in brand value, while TotalEnergies has seen a decline [23][25]. Top Brands - Louis Vuitton remains the most valued French brand at €30.1 billion, with a growth of 19%, followed by Chanel at €24.3 billion, which grew by 30% [21][22]. - Chanel has become the strongest French brand with a score of 88.8, reflecting a significant increase in brand strength [34]. Brand Strength Metrics - The average brand strength score for the top 150 brands is 70.7, equivalent to a AA+ rating, which has slightly declined compared to previous years [34]. - Chanel's brand strength has increased significantly, while other brands like TotalEnergies have experienced a decline in brand strength metrics [25][34]. Sustainability Perception - Louis Vuitton has the highest sustainability perception value at €3.6 billion, indicating strong consumer engagement in sustainability practices [42][44]. - The report highlights the importance of sustainability in consumer decision-making, particularly for luxury brands [43][44].

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report highlights a trend of relaxed payment terms among Finnish companies, leading to potential liquidity gaps [7][9][22] - There is a significant concern regarding the domestic economy and cybersecurity risks affecting B2B payment practices [22][24] Summary by Sections B2B Payment Practices Trends - An average of 46% of B2B sales in Finland are made on credit, with variations across sectors: 60% in electronics/ICT, 45% in steel/metals, and 37% in consumer durables [7][9] - Nearly 40% of businesses are offering longer payment terms, averaging over two months from invoicing, with the steel/metals sector leading at 70 days [8][9] - Late payments affect 51% of all B2B sales on credit, with bad debts averaging 8% [9][13] Looking Ahead - Companies express widespread concern about the domestic economy and cybersecurity risks, particularly in the consumer durables and electronics/ICT sectors [22][24] - There is a mixed outlook for B2B customer payment behavior, with more companies expecting a negative trend, especially in the steel/metals industry [28][31] - 40% of companies anticipate no major shifts in Days-Sales-Outstanding (DSO), but pessimism is prevalent in the steel/metals sector regarding collection efficiency [29][32]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report highlights the importance of strategic credit management as bad debts and Days-Sales-Outstanding (DSO) worsen in Western Europe [8][10] - Nearly half of all B2B sales in Western Europe are transacted on credit, with significant variations across countries [8][10] - Companies are experiencing a consistent trend of late payments, with bad debts now impacting 8% of all B2B sales, up from 6% the previous year [8][14] Summary by Sections B2B Payment Practices Trends - Trading on credit remains significant, with 50% of B2B sales on credit; Spain leads at 67% while Austria is at 38% [8][10] - Average payment terms have increased to 52 days from invoicing, up from 41 days a year prior, with Finland having the longest terms at 71 days and Greece the shortest at 32 days [8][10] - Late payments affect nearly half of all B2B sales, with the machinery industry facing the highest impact [8][10] Key Figures and Charts - 43% of invoices were paid on time in 2024, down from 45% in 2023; overdue payments remain at 49% [14] - The average DSO has increased by 30% compared to the previous year, with the electronics/ICT sector having the highest DSO at over 100 days [10][11] Looking Ahead - 40% of companies anticipate an improvement in B2B customer payment behavior in the coming year, with the highest optimism in Ireland [20][22] - However, over 60% of companies expect an increased risk of insolvencies among their B2B customers, particularly in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany [23][26] - Concerns about domestic economic conditions, environmental regulations, and geopolitical tensions are prevalent among businesses [26][29]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The survey indicates a significant concern regarding bad debts, which now affect 10% of all invoiced B2B sales, double the level from the previous year, particularly impacting the energy/fuels sector [13][34] - Companies in France are generally cautious about offering trade credit, with only 40% of B2B sales transacted on credit, despite 73% expressing openness to it [8][7] - The construction sector shows the highest inclination towards trade credit, averaging 46% of transactions on credit, while consumer durables and energy/fuels sectors average 41% and 36% respectively [8][7] Summary by Sections B2B Payment Practices Trends - Companies in France are cautious about trade credit, with only 40% of B2B sales on credit despite 73% being open to it [8][7] - The construction sector leads in trade credit usage, averaging 46% of sales on credit, while consumer durables and energy/fuels sectors average 41% and 36% respectively [8][7] - Payment terms have lengthened in consumer durables and energy/fuels sectors, averaging a couple of months from invoicing [9][7] Key Figures and Charts - Bad debts now account for 10% of all B2B sales, with late payments affecting 47% of invoiced sales [14][34] - Nearly 80% of businesses report no change or worsening in debt collection efficiency, indicating potential financial strain [14][15] Looking Ahead - The primary concern among French companies is the stagnation of the domestic economy, impacting both short-term and long-term business outlooks [28][30] - 52% of companies anticipate a deterioration in B2B customer payment behavior in the coming year, particularly in the consumer durables sector [34][36] - Concerns about regulatory compliance, environmental issues, and cybersecurity threats are prevalent across all sectors [30][29]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report highlights a cautious approach to customer credit risk among companies in Denmark, with a notable decline in B2B sales transacted on credit, now averaging 43% of all sales [6][8] - There is a significant increase in bad debts, which now account for 8% of all B2B sales, up from 3% the previous year, indicating complexities in managing customer credit risk [7][8] - Companies express concerns about the domestic economy, with high household debt constraining consumer spending and impacting B2B trade [18][20] Summary by Sections B2B Payment Practices Trends - A downward trend in B2B sales on credit is evident, with 43% of sales now on credit, reflecting a cautious approach to minimize credit risks [6][8] - The electronics/ICT sector shows the most caution, while chemicals and machines sectors are more open to credit transactions [6] - Payment terms vary significantly, with chemicals offering shorter terms of one month, while machines and electronics/ICT sectors offer longer terms of 58 days and 36 days respectively [6][8] Key Figures and Charts - Late payments affect 49% of all B2B credit sales, down from 54% the previous year, while bad debts have surged to 8% [8][15] - Days-Sales-Outstanding (DSO) is stable, averaging 43 days for machines and 66 days for electronics/ICT, indicating improved credit management efforts [11][13] Looking Ahead - Companies express rising fears about insolvency risks due to the domestic economy's state, with 65% anticipating increased insolvency risk for their customers in the next 12 months [18][30] - Short-term concerns include geopolitical tensions, insufficient production capacity, and operational challenges, particularly in the chemicals sector [20][31] - Long-term worries focus on regulatory compliance and sustainability issues, especially in the chemicals industry [19][21] Survey Findings - A consensus exists that B2B payment practices will change significantly in the next 12 months, with many expecting a positive trend but a growing number anticipating deterioration, particularly in the electronics/ICT sector [24][25] - 51% of companies expect no significant change in DSO, while 32% anticipate improvement [28][26]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - The voluntary procurement of clean energy by corporations has significantly driven renewable energy development, with over 70 gigawatts of renewable energy contracts signed in the U.S. since 2014 [7] - The urgency of the climate crisis is leading large energy consumers to assess the impact of their actions on grid decarbonization and reliability, utilizing consequential emissions impact analysis [7][8] - The ZEROgrid initiative aims to clarify the consensus on consequential emissions impact analysis and its implications for corporate actors [8] Summary by Sections Areas of Consensus - The true impact of any voluntary corporate action is defined as the difference in total emissions between a scenario where the action is taken and one where it is not [9] - The impact comprises several contributing effects, including short-run operations of power plants and long-term structural changes [9][12] - There is a lack of a universally accepted method to empirically verify estimates of structural change, leading to significant uncertainty in total impact measurements [10] Components of Impact - Emissions impact can occur through changes in power supply or demand, costs of power plants, and the rate of renewable energy project interconnections [12] - The total emissions from power plants are calculated based on capacity, utilization, and emissions factors, with companies able to influence these variables to reduce emissions [13] - The distinction between short-run and long-run impacts is crucial, as utilization changes quickly while capacity adjustments take longer [15] Additionality - Additionality refers to the additive nature of an intervention's emissions reductions, which can be influenced by direct impacts on grid emissions and overall structural changes [20] - An action may be considered non-additional if it does not impact capacity, utilization, or emissions factors, or if it induces equal and opposite changes [20] Estimates Versus True Values - The practice of consequential emissions impact analysis faces challenges in validating estimates due to the inability to observe both scenarios (with and without the action) simultaneously [21] - Various models exist to estimate impacts, including capacity expansion models and regression models, each with different levels of uncertainty [22][24] Conclusions and Future Research - The report emphasizes the need for continued exploration of how to compare model outputs and improve understanding of consequential impact assessments [25] - Future research will focus on identifying consistently high-impact actions and bounding uncertainties in estimates to inform policymakers [25]