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Blackbaud Announces Reauthorized, Expanded and Replenished $800 Million Stock Repurchase Program

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CHARLESTON, S.C., July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today announced its board of directors has reauthorized, expanded and replenished the company’s existing stock repurchase program, raising the total capacity from $500 million to $800 million available for repurchases of the company’s common stock.

“We believe there is no better use of capital at this time than repurchasing shares at this valuation to improve shareholder value,” said Mike Gianoni, president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors, Blackbaud. “This new authorization, empowered by our strong and improving profitability and cash flows and coupled with available capacity under our new debt facility, demonstrates our commitment to this strategy which will continue for the foreseeable future.”

Under the program, the company may repurchase shares of its common stock in the open market, through private transactions, or otherwise. During the first half of 2024, prior to the replenishment on July 16, 2024, the company repurchased 2,954,211 shares of its stock for $262.6 million under the stock repurchase program, representing approximately 5.5% of the company’s common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2023. As of July 16, 2024, the remaining amount available to purchase stock under the company’s repurchase program was $800 million.

Additional details can be found in Blackbaud’s Form 8-K filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud’s essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud’s solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, Quartz’s list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com 

Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud’s investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.

 

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SOURCE Blackbaud

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Global spotlight on Shenzhen gold enterprise’s innovative technology

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SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kinghood Group’s Smart Gold Store was honoured with the Certificate of the World’s First Gold Recycle Smart Terminal and made its global debut at the Kinghood Group Smart Retail Strategy launch ceremony on October 25, marking a milestone in the digitalization of gold consumption.

During the event, Zhou Bingfeng, Researcher at the Institute of Computer Science and Technology of Peking University and Head of the expert group; and Liu Dongao, Deputy Director of ZKHC (Beijing), presented the Certificate of the World’s First Gold Recycle Smart Terminal, along with the expert’s evaluation report.

The report affirmed Kinghood’s pioneering innovation in commercial gold recycling technology, which enhances gold testing efficiency, promotes sustainability, and improves accessibility and user experience.

Kinghood has been a trailblazer in the industry since 2019, debuting the world’s first generation of Smart Gold Store with a unique machine, namely ‘Gold ATM Terminal’, which integrates purchasing, customization and recycling services into a single platform. It focuses on offering lightweight gold products that resonate with younger consumers’ demand.

Kinghood’s Smart Gold Store (International Version) was officially launched in July 2024, and swiftly gained industry recognition by winning the Manufacturing Innovation Award at the 2024 JWA Sustainability Awards, organised by Informa Markets Jewellery.

The international version of the Smart Gold Store features advanced hardware, including high-precision electronic scales compatible with major global measurement units; and a universal detector with an accuracy of 0.01%. The system supports mobile phone registration in 200+ countries, multi-currency payments in 100+ countries and real-time price docking with the international gold trading markets. It can be customized to diverse regulatory, measurement and language requirements worldwide.

Looking ahead, Kinghood is committed to tailoring localized services to specific countries and regions, enhancing customer satisfaction through AI-driven customer service systems.

With the successful operation of its Macau store and the upcoming Hong Kong branch, Kinghood aims to extend its operational excellence beyond these regions and introduce China’s innovative technology in gold to the global stage.

Mr. Guan Enci, Chairman of New Green Box Pavilion Centre Limited and Kinghood’s Macau partner, commented, “Kinghood continuously drives advancements in science, technology and culture. The Smart Gold Store successfully integrates gold retailing and recycling services into a seamless experience, representing one of their significant innovations.”

Mr. Huang Shikun, Chairman of Kinghood Group, emphasized Kinghood’s dedication to innovation over the last 18 years since establishment, pioneering cutting-edge technologies and products that invigorate the gold industry. “Through collaborating with industry peers, Kinghood aims to spearhead a new era of smart gold solutions, setting a global benchmark for excellence and innovation.”

About Kinghood Group

Founded in 2006, Shenzhen-based Kinghood Group is an integrated industrial service provider encompassing the entire gold jewellery value chain. Its key businesses include gold recycling, gold retail and product customization.

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SOURCE ShenZhen KINGHOOD Group Co., Ltd.

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China Matters’ Feature: What Is High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road Initiative?

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BEIJING, Nov. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Last year marked the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Alongside the Initiative, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plays a key role in promoting the two countries’ collaboration. With Pakistan’s population reaching nearly 250 million, these developments have provided significant improvements in quality of life, creating access to new opportunities and economic growth.

 

In a recent Q&A session as part of the Keywords to Understand China series, Zoon Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani international relations scholar and visiting fellow at Tsinghua University’s Belt and Road Institute, shared insights on China-Pakistani collaborative achievements under the BRI. 

According to Khan, Pakistan’s engagement with the BRI illustrates this impact, with projects launched in 2015 generating over $46 billion in commitments. These investments have created more than 200,000 jobs while addressing urgent needs in electricity, transportation, and social infrastructure.

“One example is Pakistan’s first metro line in my home city, completed as part of CPEC, which has brought accessible public transport to our community,” Khan noted. “The transformation in transportation is opening up opportunities that were previously out of reach for many ordinary citizens.”

This topic highlights China’s emphasis on the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Originally focused on infrastructure development, the BRI has entered a new phase that emphasizes “high-quality” development aimed at fostering sustainable growth and addressing the unique challenges faced by participating countries.

High-quality development of the BRI also encourages partner countries to seek approaches aligned with their social and environmental contexts, allowing for a more tailored approach to growth. According to Khan, this new phase of the BRI supports countries to identify development paths suited to their unique circumstances. “High-quality development of the BRI has created a platform for countries to exchange insights and build solutions that are context-specific,” she explained.

Through high-quality, community-centered partnerships, the BRI remains a significant platform for countries seeking to build sustainable growth and development pathways that benefit local populations and support a broader vision of global connectivity.

View more @ Youtube: https://youtu.be/T6dq4_zCpvQ?si=iVGfdhW2AbpZsJJx

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SOURCE China Matters

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Setting a New Safety Benchmark for the Industry: Sungrow Achieves Success in the World’s Largest BESS Fire Test

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HEFEI, China, Nov. 17, 2024 /CNW/ — In June 2024, Sungrow took the bold step of deliberately combusting the 10MWh of its PowerTitan 1.0 liquid-cooled battery energy storage system (BESS), becoming the first company globally to conduct a large-scale burn test on an energy storage system. Recently, the company invested approximately 4.23 million USD[1] to perform the world’s largest and longest burn test on 20MWh of its PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled BESS.

These two burn tests conducted within six months underscore Sungrow’s commitment to technological innovation, its relentless pursuit of product quality, and its unwavering dedication to ensuring the safety of both personnel and assets at energy storage plants. Meanwhile, the test represents Sungrow’s steadfast commitment to upholding the safety baseline for the energy storage industry.

The 20MWh burn test replicated a real-world power plant fire scenario, completed under the oversight of DNV (Det Norske Veritas) experts and over 100 clients, and delivered results exceeding expectations. The results were clear: there was no fire propagation during the thermal runaway incident. In contrast to conventional industry burn tests, this test was a significant upgrade in terms of combustion duration, testing conditions, and safety standards, establishing a new benchmark for safety through rigorous and extreme testing.

Challenge 1: 
Withstanding Over 25 Hours of Combustion, Proving Superior System Protection Capability

Unlike common industry-standard combustion tests within 4 to 8 hours, this challenging test was designed to sustain for 3 to 6 times longer. After continuous burning within 25 hours and 43 minutes, the container structure of the thermal runaway unit remained intact, and the system could still be safely hoisted for removal. Importantly, the fire did not spread beyond the unit, demonstrating the PowerTitan 2.0’s advanced explosion venting, flame retardancy, and impact resistance capabilities.

Challenge 2: 
Enduring Temperatures High Enough to Melt Steel, Verifying Thermal Runaway Containment

To simulate extreme operating conditions, four fully-charged energy storage units were arrayed nearby — containers A and B were only 15 cm apart, which is the absolute minimum distance permitted in the industry (most power plant containers are spaced 3 meters apart). Despite the flames from container A reaching 1,385°C — temperatures high enough to melt steel — the fire did not spread to the neighboring container B, which maintained a safe temperature of 40°C. This result validates the PowerTitan 2.0’s superior fire insulation ability, even when the units are placed in extremely close quarters.

Challenge 3: 
Testing Fire Resistance and Flame Retardancy Without Firefighting Protection

In this phase of the test, all firefighting systems for the BESS containers were intentionally shut off, leaving the units unprotected and significantly increasing the safety risks. Despite this, the PowerTitan 2.0 performed admirably, with all four storage container doors remaining intact and not burned through. The fire was effectively contained within the container, and the damage was limited. This demonstrated the BESS’s ability to autonomously respond to extreme fire situations, highlighting the robust passive fire protection design that minimizes risk.

Safety is the cornerstone of the energy storage industry. Sungrow’s two consecutive, high-investment, extremely large-scale burn tests on the PowerTitan series reflect the company’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding personnel, assets, and operations at power plants, as well as its dedication to reinforcing the safety standards for the entire industry. The success of this rigorous and high-standard combustion test sets a new benchmark for safety in the energy storage sector, providing valuable real-world evidence for future safety protocols.

[1] 30 million CNY (approximately 4.23 million USD at an exchange rate of 7.1 CNY to 1 USD).

 

About Sungrow

Sungrow, a global leader in renewable energy technology, has pioneered sustainable power solutions for over 27 years. As of June 2024, Sungrow has installed 605 GW of power electronic converters worldwide. The Company is recognized as the world’s No. 1 on PV inverter shipments (S&P Global Commodity Insights) and the most bankable Asian energy storage company (BloombergNEF). Its innovations power clean energy projects in over 170 countries, supported by a network of 490 service outlets guaranteeing excellent customer experience. At Sungrow, we’re committed to bridging to a sustainable future through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled service. For more information, please visit www.sungrowpower.com.

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SOURCE Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.

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