BALTIMORE, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MarketWise, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKTW) (“MarketWise” or “the Company”), a leading multi-brand digital subscription services platform that provides premium financial research, software, education, and tools for self-directed investors, today announced that Chief Financial Officer, Erik Mickels, will host one-on-one meetings at the UBS 2025 Fintech One-on-One Conference on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 in New York City, New York. If you have questions about MarketWise or ...

Goldman Sachs is building up its art advisory services in Asia, as wealthy families catch up with those in the US and Europe on collections https://t.co/hporTFTQeO ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company net revenue for Q3 was $9.5 billion, reflecting a 3% increase year-over-year, driven by 6% net new company-operated store growth, partially offset by a 2% decline in comparable store sales [40][41] - Global operating margin was 10.1%, a decrease of 650 basis points from the prior year, primarily due to deleverage and investments in the Back to Starbucks strategy [49] - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 was $0.50, down 45% from the prior year, mainly reflecting the impact of expense deleverage and investments [50] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In North America, comparable sales declined by 2%, with the U.S. experiencing a transaction comp decline of less than 4% [40][41] - Canada reported low single-digit sales comp growth, driven by product innovation, particularly in food [44] - The international segment achieved over $2 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time, with strong performance in the UK and Mexico [28][45] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Starbucks China's comparable store sales grew by 2%, driven by a 6% improvement in comparable transactions, supported by successful product innovation and marketing campaigns [46][28] - The UK and Mexico showed positive comparable sales performance, while Japan faced challenges with negative comparable sales due to soft consumer sentiment [31][46] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on the "Back to Starbucks" strategy, which aims to enhance customer service and operational efficiency, with significant investments in the Green Apron service model [5][14] - Plans include a comprehensive evaluation of the coffee house portfolio to ensure alignment with brand and customer expectations, targeting at least 1,000 uplifts across North America by the end of 2026 [20][21] - The company aims to innovate its menu and enhance the Starbucks Rewards program to better recognize customer loyalty and engagement [86][27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the turnaround strategy, noting early signs of progress in partner engagement and customer satisfaction [8][12] - The company anticipates that investments in labor and operational improvements will yield healthier margins over time, with a focus on disciplined capital deployment [54][53] - Management acknowledged the dynamic environment regarding coffee prices and tariffs but remains optimistic about future growth opportunities [52][53] Other Important Information - The company plans to hold an Investor Day in early 2026 to provide insights into long-term strategies and performance expectations [66][68] - The Green Apron service model is set to roll out across all U.S. company-operated stores, aiming to standardize customer service and operational efficiency [14][72] Q&A Session Summary Question: Investment in stores and cost offsets - Management highlighted the importance of the Green Apron service as a foundational operating model and is working on cost structure efficiency across the P&L [58][59] Question: Long-term margin expectations - Management indicated that 2019 margins serve as a guidepost for future profitability, emphasizing the need to drive top-line growth first [65][66] Question: Green Apron service rollout - The Green Apron service model will begin rolling out mid-August, with expectations for gradual implementation across stores [71][72] Question: Marketing impact on transactions - Management noted improvements in marketing effectiveness and operational progress, contributing to increased transactions [78][79] Question: Food innovation opportunities - Management acknowledged successful food initiatives in Canada and plans to leverage successful food offerings globally [80][81]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total company net revenue for Q3 fiscal year 2025 was $9.5 billion, reflecting a 3% increase year-over-year, driven by 6% net new company-operated store growth, partially offset by a 2% decline in comparable store sales [39][40] - Global operating margin was 10.1%, a decrease of 650 basis points from the prior year, primarily due to deleverage and investments in the Back to Starbucks strategy [47] - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 was $0.50, down 45% from the prior year, mainly reflecting the impact of expense deleverage and investments in the Back to Starbucks strategy [49] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In North America, comparable sales in the U.S. declined by 2%, while Canada experienced low single-digit sales growth, driven by product innovation [7][43] - The college and university license business saw year-over-year comparable sales growth in the low double digits, indicating renewed brand engagement among younger customers [10] - The delivery business achieved over 25% year-over-year transaction growth, contributing positively to overall performance [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Internationally, the segment posted over $2 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time, with seven out of the top ten markets showing positive comparable sales, particularly in the UK and Mexico [27][44] - In China, comparable store sales grew by 2%, driven by a 6% improvement in transactions, supported by successful product innovation and marketing campaigns [45][28] - The UK and Turkey markets showed continued momentum with improving comparable sales performance, while Latin America maintained double-digit year-over-year growth in system sales [30][31] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on the "Back to Starbucks" strategy, which aims to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency, with significant investments in labor and service standards [5][6] - The rollout of the Green Apron service model is a key initiative aimed at establishing consistent and scalable customer service standards across all U.S. stores [15][72] - Future innovations will include a robust menu pipeline and enhancements to the Starbucks Rewards program, aimed at increasing customer loyalty and engagement [23][26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the turnaround strategy, noting early signs of progress in partner engagement and customer satisfaction metrics [32][52] - The company anticipates that investments in operational improvements will yield healthier margins over time, despite current margin pressures [49][53] - An Investor Day is planned for early 2026 to provide further insights into long-term growth strategies and financial performance expectations [34][65] Other Important Information - The company is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of its store portfolio to ensure alignment with brand and customer expectations, with plans to complete this by the end of the fiscal year [46][21] - The introduction of new product innovations, such as Protein Cold Foam, is expected to enhance customer offerings and drive sales [24][25] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the cost offsets related to the $500 million investment in labor hours? - Management indicated that they are working across the entire P&L to identify cost structure efficiencies, with both short-term and long-term strategies in place [59][60] Question: Can the company return to pre-COVID margin levels? - Management views 2019 margins as a reasonable benchmark and is focused on driving top-line growth while establishing a cost structure that supports profitability [65][66] Question: How quickly will the Green Apron service model be implemented across stores? - The rollout will begin mid-August, with a focus on ensuring proper staffing and operational consistency before full implementation [72][73] Question: What is driving the sequential improvement in transactions? - Management attributed improvements to better marketing efforts and operational progress, with a focus on enhancing customer experience [78][79] Question: What changes are expected in the rewards program? - The rewards program will be reimagined to better recognize customer loyalty and engagement, moving away from a one-size-fits-all discounting approach [86][87]

Company Overview - H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) provides global tax preparation services, financial products, and small-business solutions, blending digital innovation with human expertise [4] Upcoming Financial Results - H&R Block will report its fourth quarter and fiscal 2025 full year results on August 12, 2025, after the market close [1] - A conference call for analysts, institutional investors, and shareholders will take place on the same day at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time to discuss fiscal 2025 results and fiscal 2026 outlook [2] Conference Call Details - Participants must register to join the live conference call, receiving a dial-in number and unique PIN upon registration [2] - The call will also be webcast in a listen-only format for media and the public, with a replay available for 90 days after the event [3]

Key Takeaways PANW's SASE ARR rose 36% year over year in Q3, making it the company's fastest-growing segment.Prisma Access Browser now makes up one-third of all Prisma Access seats sold.PANW expanded its Okta partnership to link secure browsing with identity control across applications.Palo Alto Networks (PANW) is actively focusing on secure browsing to grow its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) business. In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, SASE was the company’s fastest-growing segment. Annual recurring r ...

- [Narrator] Vanishing wardrobes, disappearing minibars, sinks in the entryway, and even this, your hotel room has been shrinking. See, with the rise of Airbnb and plateauing hotel occupancy rates, operators are on the hunt for the most profitable design, and select-service hotels, which offer scale back amenities are outpacing full service hotels when it comes to profits. Take Marriott's mid-tier Moxy brand, its rooms are a little over half of the size of the average American guest room, and yet its rooms ...

Financial Performance Highlights - SoFi achieved a record adjusted net revenue of $858 million, representing a 44% year-over-year increase, marking the highest growth rate in over two years[8] - The company reported a record adjusted EBITDA of $249 million, resulting in a 29% adjusted EBITDA margin[8] - SoFi attained GAAP net income of $97 million, translating to an 11% GAAP net income margin[8] - Adjusted EPS reached a record of $008, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of profitability[8] Revenue Diversification - Fee-based revenue amounted to $378 million, a 72% year-over-year increase, constituting 44% of the adjusted net revenue[8] - Financial Services and Tech Platform revenue contributed $472 million to the adjusted net revenue, reflecting a 74% year-over-year growth[8] Growth Metrics - SoFi's tangible book value grew by $11 billion year-over-year, reaching $53 billion[8] - Total deposits increased by $23 billion to nearly $30 billion, primarily driven by member deposits[8] - The company added a record 850 thousand new members and 13 million new products[8] Lending Performance - Personal loan 90-day delinquencies decreased sequentially by 4 basis points to 042%, while net charge-offs declined by 48 basis points to 283%[8] - SoFi originated a record $88 billion in loans during the quarter[8] Updated Guidance - The company updated its FY2025 guidance, projecting adjusted net revenue of approximately $3375 billion, implying a 30% annual growth[101] - Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be around $960 million, with an implied adjusted EBITDA margin of 28%[101]

New report explores the tactics, techniques, and procedures attackers use and the fallout for organizationsCAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business online, has found that threat actors are using a new quadruple extortion tactic in ransomware campaigns, while double extortion remains the most common approach.According to the new Akamai State of the Internet (SOTI) report, Ransomware Repo ...

Hod Hasharon, Israel, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allot Ltd. (NASDAQ: ALLT, TASE: ALLT), a leading global provider of innovative security-as-a-service (SECaaS) and network intelligence solutions for communication service providers (CSPs) and enterprises, announced today that it will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2025 results on Thursday, August 14, 2025 at 9:00AM ET (2:00PM UK, 4:00PM Israel). The unaudited financial results of the quarter will be published prior to the commenc ...