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OPENLANE, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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CARMEL, Ind., Aug. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — OPENLANE, Inc. (NYSE: KAR), today reported its second quarter financial results for the period ended June 30, 2024.

“OPENLANE’s second quarter and year-to-date results clearly demonstrate the power of our differentiated platform and the strong scalability characteristics of our company,” said Peter Kelly, CEO of OPENLANE. “During the quarter, we grew marketplace and finance volumes, increased revenue and delivered strong adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flows. I am confident in OPENLANE’s strategy, we are investing in technology and people to further accelerate innovation and profitable growth.”

“OPENLANE’s continued focus on execution and profitable growth delivered solid financial results in the second quarter,” said Brad Lakhia, EVP and CFO of OPENLANE. “Consolidated revenue was $432 million, marketplace segment grew volumes by 7% and increased Gross Merchandise Value to nearly $7 billion. AFC was again a strong adjusted EBITDA contributor, and we improved our provision for loan losses versus the first quarter. Our year-to-date generation of $138 million of cash flow from operating activities clearly demonstrates the value — and potential — of our asset-light, digitally focused business.”

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Marketplace volumes increased 7% YoYTotal revenue of $432 million in Q2 2024, representing 4% YoY growthMarketplace revenue of $336 million in Q2 2024, representing 5% YoY growthGross Merchandise Value (GMV) of approximately $7 billion, representing 6% YoY growthIncome from continuing operations of $11 millionAdjusted EBITDA of $71 million (with Marketplace contributing 46%), including the $2 million year-to-date impact for the newly enacted Canadian Digital Services Tax$138 million of cash flow from operating activities on a year-to-date basis

2024 Guidance
As a result of Canada’s abrupt implementation of a retroactive Digital Services Tax (DST), which was enacted on June 28, 2024 retroactive to January 1, 2022, the company has updated its 2024 annual guidance. During the second quarter of 2024, the company recorded $12 million of Canadian DST, of which $10 million related to 2022 and 2023. Assuming no changes to this legislation, including the scope of application, the company estimates this will result in approximately $5 million in incremental cost of services in 2024. The company anticipates taking steps to mitigate this incremental annual cost and therefore does not anticipate a material impact on future periods earnings and cash flows.

Annual

Guidance

Income from continuing operations (in millions)

$65 – $80

Adjusted EBITDA (in millions)

$285 – $305

Income from continuing operations per share – diluted *

$0.14 – $0.24

Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations per share – diluted

$0.77 – $0.87

* The company uses the two-class method of calculating income from continuing operations per diluted share. Under the two-class method, income from continuing operations is adjusted for dividends and undistributed earnings (losses) to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, and the weighted average diluted shares do not assume conversion of the preferred shares to common shares.

Earnings guidance does not contemplate future items such as business development activities, strategic developments (such as restructurings, spin-offs or dispositions of assets or investments), contingent purchase price adjustments, significant expenses related to litigation, tax adjustments and changes in applicable laws and regulations (including significant accounting and tax matters) and intangible impairments. The timing and amounts of these items are highly variable, difficult to predict, and of a potential size that could have a substantial impact on the company’s reported results for any given period. Prospective quantification of these items is generally not practicable. Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations per share excludes amortization expense associated with acquired intangible assets, as well as one-time charges, net of taxes. See reconciliations of the company’s guidance included below.

Earnings Conference Call Information
OPENLANE will be hosting an earnings conference call and webcast on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The call will be hosted by OPENLANE Chief Executive Officer Peter Kelly and Chief Financial Officer Brad Lakhia. The conference call may be accessed by calling 1-833-634-2155 and asking to join the OPENLANE call. A live webcast will be available at the investor relations section of corporate.openlane.com. Supplemental financial information for OPENLANE’s second quarter 2024 results is available at the investor relations section of corporate.openlane.com.

The archive of the webcast will be available following the call at the investor relations section of corporate.openlane.com for a limited time.

About OPENLANE
OPENLANE, Inc. (NYSE: KAR), provides sellers and buyers across the global wholesale used vehicle industry with innovative, technology-driven remarketing solutions. The company’s unique end-to-end platform supports whole car, financing, logistics and other ancillary and related services. Our integrated marketplaces reduce risk, improve transparency and streamline transactions for customers around the globe. Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, the company has employees across the United States, Canada, Europe, Uruguay and the Philippines. For more information and the latest company news, visit corporate.openlane.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this release include, and the company may make related oral, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties. In particular, statements made that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words such as “should,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “contemplate,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “assume,” “can,” “could,” “continue,” “of the opinion,” “confident,” “is set,” “is on track,” “outlook,” “target,” “positioned,” “predict,” “initiative,” “goal,” “opportunity” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current assumptions, expectations and/or beliefs, are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and changes that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in the company’s other filings and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

 

OPENLANE, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income 
(In millions) (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended
June 30,

Six Months Ended
June 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

Operating revenues

Auction fees

$      108.7

$      103.3

$      218.6

$      203.2

Service revenue

147.1

155.7

297.3

321.3

Purchased vehicle sales

80.2

60.4

138.4

115.9

Finance-related revenue

95.8

97.5

193.8

197.1

Total operating revenues

431.8

416.9

848.1

837.5

Operating expenses

Cost of services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)

245.9

222.6

459.8

446.8

Selling, general and administrative

106.0

111.2

214.7

219.2

Depreciation and amortization

24.1

26.8

48.4

49.8

Goodwill and other intangibles impairment

250.8

250.8

Total operating expenses

376.0

611.4

722.9

966.6

Operating profit (loss)

55.8

(194.5)

125.2

(129.1)

Interest expense

37.4

38.8

77.1

77.1

Other (income) expense, net

0.2

(21.3)

0.7

(14.2)

Loss on extinguishment of debt

1.1

1.1

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes

18.2

(213.1)

47.4

(193.1)

Income taxes

7.5

(19.3)

18.2

(12.0)

Income (loss) from continuing operations

10.7

(193.8)

29.2

(181.1)

Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes

Net income (loss)

$        10.7

$    (193.8)

$        29.2

$    (181.1)

Net income (loss) per share – basic

Income (loss) from continuing operations

$           —

$      (1.87)

$        0.05

$      (1.86)

Income from discontinued operations

Net income (loss) per share – basic

$           —

$      (1.87)

$        0.05

$      (1.86)

Net income (loss) per share – diluted

Income (loss) from continuing operations

$           —

$      (1.87)

$        0.05

$      (1.86)

Income from discontinued operations

Net income (loss) per share – diluted

$           —

$      (1.87)

$        0.05

$      (1.86)

 

OPENLANE, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In millions) (Unaudited)

June 30, 
2024

December 31, 
2023

Cash and cash equivalents

$                 60.9

$                 93.5

Restricted cash

67.7

65.4

Trade receivables, net of allowances

292.1

291.8

Finance receivables, net of allowances

2,220.1

2,282.0

Other current assets

133.3

109.2

Total current assets

2,774.1

2,841.9

Goodwill

1,264.0

1,271.2

Customer relationships, net of accumulated amortization

126.8

136.1

Operating lease right-of-use assets

71.5

75.9

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation

160.2

169.8

Intangible and other assets

221.2

231.4

Total assets

$             4,617.8

$             4,726.3

Current liabilities, excluding obligations collateralized by

     finance receivables and current maturities of debt

$                730.5

$                692.3

Obligations collateralized by finance receivables

1,573.6

1,631.9

Current maturities of debt

272.0

154.6

Total current liabilities

2,576.1

2,478.8

Long-term debt

202.4

Operating lease liabilities

65.5

70.4

Other non-current liabilities

35.5

35.2

Temporary equity

612.5

612.5

Stockholders’ equity

1,328.2

1,327.0

Total liabilities, temporary equity and stockholders’ equity

$             4,617.8

$             4,726.3

 

OPENLANE, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In millions) (Unaudited)

Six Months Ended
June 30,

2024

2023

Operating activities

Net income (loss)

$         29.2

$     (181.1)

Net income from discontinued operations

     Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:

     Depreciation and amortization

48.4

49.8

     Provision for credit losses

29.1

28.4

     Deferred income taxes

0.4

(29.1)

     Amortization of debt issuance costs

4.7

4.4

     Stock-based compensation

10.1

8.9

     Contingent consideration adjustment

1.3

     Net change in unrealized (gain) loss on investment securities

(0.1)

     Investment and note receivable impairment

11.0

     Goodwill and other intangibles impairment

250.8

     Loss on extinguishment of debt

1.1

     Other non-cash, net

0.1

0.8

     Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:

     Trade receivables and other assets

(23.7)

(76.2)

     Accounts payable and accrued expenses

39.4

75.2

     Payments of contingent consideration in excess of acquisition-date fair value

(2.6)

Net cash provided by operating activities – continuing operations

137.7

142.6

Net cash used by operating activities – discontinued operations

(0.1)

(0.1)

Investing activities

     Net decrease (increase) in finance receivables held for investment

33.1

(24.4)

     Purchases of property, equipment and computer software

(25.9)

(26.9)

     Investments in securities

(1.6)

(0.6)

 Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment

0.3

0.3

Net cash provided by (used by) investing activities – continuing operations

5.9

(51.6)

Net cash provided by investing activities – discontinued operations

7.0

Financing activities

     Net decrease in book overdrafts

(1.6)

(2.2)

     Net (repayments of) borrowings from lines of credit

(81.2)

39.2

     Net (decrease) increase in obligations collateralized by finance receivables

(56.1)

33.1

     Payments for debt issuance costs/amendments

(2.2)

(5.3)

     Payment for early extinguishment of debt

(140.1)

     Payments on finance leases

(0.6)

(1.1)

     Payments of contingent consideration and deferred acquisition costs

(12.4)

     Issuance of common stock under stock plans

0.8

1.6

     Tax withholding payments for vested RSUs

(3.4)

(2.5)

     Dividends paid on Series A Preferred Stock

(22.2)

(22.2)

Net cash used by financing activities – continuing operations

(166.5)

(111.9)

Net cash provided by financing activities – discontinued operations

Net change in cash balances of discontinued operations

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

(7.3)

8.8

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(30.3)

(5.2)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

158.9

277.7

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

$       128.6

$       272.5

Cash paid for interest

$         74.6

$         72.8

Cash paid for taxes, net of refunds – continuing operations

$         29.4

$         21.4

Cash paid for taxes, net of refunds – discontinued operations

$             —

$             —

OPENLANE, Inc.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, operating adjusted net income (loss) and operating adjusted net income (loss) per share as presented herein are supplemental measures of our performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). They are not measurements of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as substitutes for net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that these measures provide investors additional meaningful methods to evaluate certain aspects of the company’s results period over period and for the other reasons set forth below.

EBITDA is defined as net income (loss), plus interest expense net of interest income, income tax provision (benefit), depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA adjusted for the items of income and expense and expected incremental revenue and cost savings as described in our senior secured credit agreement covenant calculations. Management believes that the inclusion of supplementary adjustments to EBITDA applied in presenting Adjusted EBITDA is appropriate to provide additional information to investors about one of the principal measures of performance used by our creditors. In addition, management uses EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate our performance.

Depreciation expense for property and equipment and amortization expense of capitalized internally developed software costs relate to ongoing capital expenditures; however, amortization expense associated with acquired intangible assets, such as customer relationships, software, tradenames and noncompete agreements are not representative of ongoing capital expenditures, but have a continuing effect on our reported results. Non-GAAP financial measures of operating adjusted net income (loss) and operating adjusted net income (loss) per share, in the opinion of the company, provide comparability of the company’s performance to other companies that may not have incurred these types of non-cash expenses or that report a similar measure. In addition, operating adjusted net income (loss) and operating adjusted net income (loss) per share may include adjustments for certain other charges.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, operating adjusted net income (loss) and operating adjusted net income (loss) per share have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the results as reported under GAAP. These measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

The following tables reconcile EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to income (loss) from continuing operations for the periods presented:

Three Months Ended
June 30,

Six Months Ended
June 30,

(In millions), (Unaudited)

2024

2023

2024

2023

Income (loss) from continuing operations

$      10.7

$   (193.8)

$      29.2

$   (181.1)

Add back:

Income taxes

7.5

(19.3)

18.2

(12.0)

Interest expense, net of interest income

37.1

37.5

76.4

74.9

Depreciation and amortization

24.1

26.8

48.4

49.8

EBITDA

79.4

(148.8)

172.2

(68.4)

Non-cash stock-based compensation

3.7

5.5

10.7

9.3

Loss on extinguishment of debt

1.1

1.1

Acquisition related costs

0.2

0.3

0.5

0.6

Securitization interest

(29.2)

(29.6)

(59.1)

(57.4)

Severance

6.0

1.0

7.7

1.5

Foreign currency (gains)/losses

0.5

0.3

2.5

0.4

Goodwill and other intangibles impairment

250.8

250.8

Contingent consideration adjustment

1.3

1.3

Net change in unrealized (gains) losses on investment securities

(0.2)

(0.1)

Professional fees related to business improvement efforts

0.7

2.1

1.5

2.8

Impact for newly enacted Canadian DST related to prior years

10.0

10.0

Other

0.1

0.2

0.8

  Total addbacks/(deductions)

(8.0)

232.6

(26.0)

211.1

Adjusted EBITDA

$      71.4

$      83.8

$     146.2

$     142.7

 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2024

(Dollars in millions), (Unaudited)

Marketplace

Finance

Consolidated

Income (loss) from continuing operations

$          (16.1)

$           26.8

$           10.7

Add back:

Income taxes

(1.2)

8.7

7.5

Interest expense, net of interest income

5.2

31.9

37.1

Depreciation and amortization

21.1

3.0

24.1

Intercompany interest

3.4

(3.4)

EBITDA

12.4

67.0

79.4

Non-cash stock-based compensation

3.6

0.1

3.7

Acquisition related costs

0.2

0.2

Securitization interest

(29.2)

(29.2)

Severance

5.4

0.6

6.0

Foreign currency (gains)/losses

0.5

0.5

Professional fees related to business improvement efforts

0.6

0.1

0.7

Impact for newly enacted Canadian DST related to prior years

10.0

10.0

Other

0.1

0.1

  Total addbacks/(deductions)

20.3

(28.3)

(8.0)

Adjusted EBITDA

$           32.7

$           38.7

$           71.4

Three Months Ended June 30, 2023

(Dollars in millions), (Unaudited)

Marketplace

Finance

Consolidated

Income (loss) from continuing operations

$        (219.4)

$           25.6

$        (193.8)

Add back:

Income taxes

(36.0)

16.7

(19.3)

Interest expense, net of interest income

5.4

32.1

37.5

Depreciation and amortization

24.5

2.3

26.8

Intercompany interest

8.1

(8.1)

EBITDA

(217.4)

68.6

(148.8)

Non-cash stock-based compensation

4.3

1.2

5.5

Loss on extinguishment of debt

1.1

1.1

Acquisition related costs

0.3

0.3

Securitization interest

(29.6)

(29.6)

Severance

0.9

0.1

1.0

Foreign currency (gains)/losses

0.5

(0.2)

0.3

Goodwill and other intangibles impairment

250.8

250.8

Contingent consideration adjustment

1.3

1.3

Net change in unrealized (gains) losses on investment securities

(0.2)

(0.2)

Professional fees related to business improvement efforts

1.7

0.4

2.1

  Total addbacks/(deductions)

260.9

(28.3)

232.6

Adjusted EBITDA

$           43.5

$           40.3

$           83.8

The following table reconciles operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per diluted share to net income (loss) from continuing operations for the periods presented:

Three Months Ended
June 30,

Six Months Ended
June 30,

(In millions, except per share amounts), (Unaudited)

2024

2023

2024

2023

Net income (loss) from continuing operations (1)

$      10.7

$   (193.8)

$      29.2

$   (181.1)

   Acquired amortization expense

9.1

9.8

18.4

17.2

   Impact for newly enacted Canadian DST related to prior years

10.0

10.0

   Loss on extinguishment of debt

1.1

1.1

   Contingent consideration adjustment

1.3

1.3

   Goodwill and other intangibles impairment

250.8

250.8

   Income taxes (2)

(2.1)

(32.4)

(2.5)

(34.2)

Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations

$      27.7

$      36.8

$      55.1

$      55.1

Operating adjusted net income from discontinued operations

$          —

$          —

$          —

$          —

Operating adjusted net income

$      27.7

$      36.8

$      55.1

$      55.1

Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations per
share – diluted

$      0.19

$      0.25

$      0.38

$      0.38

Operating adjusted net income from discontinued operations per
share – diluted

Operating adjusted net income per share – diluted

$      0.19

$      0.25

$      0.38

$      0.38

Weighted average diluted shares – including assumed conversion
of preferred shares

144.4

145.3

145.1

145.2

(1)

The Series A Preferred Stock dividends and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities have not been included in the calculation of operating adjusted net income and operating adjusted net income per diluted share.

(2)

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, each tax deductible item was booked to the applicable statutory rate. The deferred tax benefits of $52.5 million and $6.5 million associated with the goodwill and tradename impairments in the second quarter of 2023, respectively, resulted in the U.S. being in a net deferred tax asset position. Due to the three-year cumulative loss related to U.S. operations, we currently have a $41.1 million valuation allowance against the U.S. net deferred tax asset.

The following table reconciles EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to income from continuing operations for the 2024 guidance presented:

2024 Guidance

(In millions), (Unaudited)

Low

High

Income from continuing operations

$                65

$                80

Add back:

Income taxes

38

47

Interest expense, net of interest income

147

145

Depreciation and amortization

100

98

EBITDA

350

370

  Total addbacks/(deductions), net

(65)

(65)

Adjusted EBITDA

$              285

$              305

The following table reconciles operating adjusted net income from continuing operations and operating adjusted net income from continuing operations per diluted share to income from continuing operations for the 2024 guidance presented:

2024 Guidance

(In millions, except per share amounts), (Unaudited)

Low

High

Income from continuing operations

$                65

$                80

   Total adjustments, net

46

46

Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations

$              111

$              126

Operating adjusted net income from continuing operations per share – diluted

$             0.77

$             0.87

Weighted average diluted shares – including assumed conversion of preferred
shares

145

145

 

Analyst Inquiries:

Media Inquiries:

Itunu Orelaru

Laurie Dippold  

(317) 249-4559

(317) 468-3900

investor_relations@openlane.com 

laurie.dippold@openlane.com  

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Technology

REWARD ACQUIRES UK’S LEADING HOSPITALITY DATA INSIGHTS COMPANY (HDI) TO ENHANCE COMMERCE MEDIA OFFERING, DELIVERING DEEPER CONSUMER INSIGHTS FOR THE RETAIL SECTOR

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Reward completes acquisition of Hospitality Data Insights (HDI), a UK market-leading data insights company and longtime partnerThe acquisition will strengthen Reward’s Commerce Media proposition, enhancing consumer insights capabilities that unlock growth opportunities for global retail partnersThis acquisition follows a period of strong growth for Reward, further bolstered by recent strategic investment from Experian PLC, A FTSE 25 company, solidifying Reward’s position as a leader in Customer Engagement and Commerce Media

LONDON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Reward, a global leader in Customer Engagement and Commerce Media, today announces the acquisition of Hospitality Data Insights (HDI), a prominent UK-based data insights company and trusted partner. This acquisition is set to further elevate Reward’s Commerce Media capabilities, driving enriched consumer insights for retail and bank partners worldwide.

HDI is known for delivering high-quality, independent data solutions to over 100 global and national brands in the hospitality and convenience sectors, including industry leaders McDonald’s, Pizza Express, and Deliveroo. With a focus on high-spend, high-frequency sectors representing over 20% of household spending, HDI strengthens Reward’s capability to deliver significant consumer value, supporting Reward’s commitment to deliver over £2 billion in rewards by 2025.

By combining HDI’s SKU-level data, product range, pricing insights, and consumer sentiment analysis with Reward’s transactional and behavioural insights, the acquisition enhances Reward’s suite of products for retail marketing, performance optimisation, and operational insights. HDI’s extensive sector expertise and talented team of data analysts add further depth to Reward’s offerings, positioning the company for growth as it establishes itself as the preferred marketing and insights partner. This strategic focus aims to help banks and retailers better understand customers while securing a larger share of marketing budgets.

The all cash acquisition reflects Reward’s period of significant growth. The recent strategic investment from Experian PLC has further enhanced Reward’s consumer insights capabilities, integrating new assets like its Mosaic product. Reward has also expanded its international footprint, with new investment directed at scaling operations in key regions such as Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Effective immediately, Darroch Bagshaw, Managing Director of HDI, will join Reward’s Leadership Team, reporting to CEO Jamie Samaha. While HDI has been primarily servicing its global brands in the UK, Reward and HDI are well-positioned to scale their enhanced capabilities internationally. The combined efforts will start in the hospitality and convenience sectors and move into other high priority spend categories including convenience and grocery.

Jamie Samaha, CEO of Reward, commented: “In today’s fast-evolving Commerce Media landscape, expanding consumer insights capabilities is more critical than ever. This acquisition of HDI marks a transformative step in our journey to deepen our understanding of consumer behaviour and amplify the value we deliver to our customers, banking partners, and retailers. HDI’s diverse portfolio of leading hospitality brands and innovative insight products opens significant opportunities for us to strengthen our retailer relationships in this key sector, all while driving toward our goal of delivering $2 billion in rewards by 2025.”

Darroch Bagshaw, Managing Director of HDI, added: “HDI’s mission has always been to provide market-leading insights to businesses across the hospitality sector using accurate and actionable data. Reward’s endorsement of our services is testament to our aligned commitment to high quality data analytics that drive investment decisions for the world’s largest retailers. We look forward to combining insights capabilities to provide enriched products and services to retailers and greater value to customers.”

ABOUT REWARD

Reward is a global leader in Customer Engagement and Commerce Media, operating in more than 15 markets across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Uniquely positioned at the intersection of banking and retail, Reward’s platform combines technology, data insights and digital marketing to deliver personalised products and services that help brands deepen connections with customers.

As businesses strive to better understand and influence customer behaviour, Reward is poised to lead in the fast-growing commerce media space, offering consumer insights that enhance omnichannel experiences, boost sales and build customer loyalty.

Beyond unifying consumer insight and commerce, Reward is on a mission to make everyday spending more rewarding and every interaction count, delivering billions in rewards to customers.

For more information, please visit www.rewardinsight.com.

ABOUT HDI

Hospitality Data Insights (HDI) is a leading UK insights business, providing independent data insight to global and national brands operating in the UK hospitality sector since 2017, supporting over 100 different clients spanning Pubs & Bars, Restaurants & Casual Dining, QSR, Coffee Shops, Delivery, Convenience, Drinks Suppliers & Manufacturers, Investors and Consulting Firms.

HDI turns vast amounts of high-quality data into meaningful products and services that help operators improve their investment decisions, offer development and customer marketing; and help manufacturers sell and support their brands more effectively

Since late 2022, HDI have extended their capabilities into the UK grocery sector, tracking online pricing for 10 national grocers and monitoring customer spending patterns within over 40,000 individual convenience & grocery stores.

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From Pollution to Restoration: The Art of Living’s Powerful Partnerships to Heal Karnataka

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BENGALURU, India, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On November 11, 2024, The Art of Living Social Projects signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore University, the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), and the Department of Forest Ecology and Environment, Government of Karnataka. This marks a powerful new chapter in advancing environmental sustainability and climate action through rigorous research, community-driven initiatives, and participatory governance. Rooted in Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision, The Art of Living Social Projects’ methodology is holistic, nature-centred and emphasises hands-on community involvement to create tangible and lasting change.

The organisation brings extensive expertise in programme management and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) engagement to the partnership, which aims to address some of Karnataka’s most pressing environmental challenges. At the top of the agenda is an ambitious plan to clean and restore the heavily polluted Vrishabhavathi River, which flows through Bangalore University’s campus. 

Reviving the Vrishabhavathi River Through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)

Traditional approaches to river restoration often fall short when faced with severe pollution, requiring more innovative strategies. This is precisely where the Art of Living Social Projects’ Nature-Based Solutions come into play. Leveraging natural elements like microorganisms, plants, and algae; NBS techniques use bioremediation and phytoremediation to detoxify the water. Microbial communities work to break down pollutants, while specially chosen plants absorb harmful substances. 

In addition to these natural detoxifiers, aeration plays a crucial role by oxygenating the water, which helps revitalise aquatic habitats and promotes the overall health of the ecosystem. These initiatives demonstrate the organisation’s dedication to lasting environmental interventions and will be utilised in the restoration of the Vrishabhavathi River.

Tackling Broader Environmental Challenges in Karnataka

The MoU extends far beyond river restoration to addressing other urgent environmental issues such as deforestation, air and water pollution, waste management, and ecosystem conservation. The alliance plans to drive change through joint research projects, workshops, and seminars, offering hands-on training and creating educational opportunities that empower the next generation of environmental leaders.

Bridging Academic Research and Practical Implementation

The MoU draws on the unique strengths of each partner. Bangalore University brings academic depth, while EMPRI contributes expertise in policy research. The Art of Living Social Projects’ extensive experience with large-scale projects  and community engagement rounds out this powerful team. The synergy facilitates the implementation of evidence-based plans that are not only effective but also engage the community in enduring practices.

Empowering Communities for Lasting Change

The MoU also reflects a commitment to participatory governance, a principle close to The Art of Living’s ethos. Shared Sri Prasana Prabhu, Chairman of The Art of Living Social Projects, “We believe that sustainability must be rooted in the participatory governance framework. This MoU allows us to deepen our engagement and leverage our resources to empower academia and civil society organisations towards sustainable practices.”

A Model for Environmental Protection

A new standard in environmental governance and action will be set by this collaboration. By bridging academic research with practical, community-driven game plans, it presents a model that could inspire similar initiatives in other regions. As this collaborative effort unfolds, The Art of Living Social Projects, Bangalore University, EMPRI, and the Department of Forest, Ecology, and Environment are poised to make significant strides in tackling Karnataka’s environmental challenges, from cleaner rivers to thriving ecosystems.

Through this landmark MoU, The Art of Living Social Projects, under the inspiration of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, reaffirms its commitment to nature-driven solutions, working towards a future of cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and stronger communities.

About The Art of Living Social Projects 

Inspired by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar; The Art of Living is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to peace, well-being, and humanitarian service. Committed to holistic development, The Art of Living champions various initiatives, including water conservation, sustainable agriculture, afforestation, free education, skill development, women empowerment, integrated village development, renewable energy and waste management. Through these multifaceted efforts, The Art of Living strives to create positive social and environmental impact, fostering a more sustainable and harmonious future for all.

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CIOs Struggle to Define AI Value For Their Business as They Continue to Invest in New Projects

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Tech leaders are divided on whether AI investments should boost productivity, revenue, or worker satisfaction

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — New research from revenue intelligence leader Gong reveals widely varying viewpoints among CIOs and other tech leaders over how to evaluate the success of AI projects. Surveying over 500 CIOs and heads of IT across the UK and US, the findings illustrate the challenge many businesses face when it comes to strategically implementing AI and the uncertainty in measuring whether those AI investments are paying off.

While over half of CIOs (53 percent) prioritize productivity gains, an equal proportion focus on revenue growth as their key success metrics, with worker satisfaction trailing closely behind (46 percent). This divergence underscores a broader challenge: confusion about where AI can deliver the most business value and a well-defined approach for evaluation.

Key insights from the study include:

Revenue Growth vs. Time Savings: 61 percent of global CIOs believe increased revenue alone justifies AI costs, while 60 percent say that time savings alone will justify costs. Yet, only 32 percent actively measure both, suggesting that many companies still don’t have systems in place to measure and assess the impact on the variables they say matter most.A Growing Interest in Predictive AI: While generative AI attracts much of the buzz around the technology, it is not the clear leader among CIOs in terms of driving value. Fifty-four percent of tech leaders prioritize generative AI, 51 percent prioritize automation, and 31 percent prioritize predictive AI. To capitalize on this discord and deliver value across a broad spectrum, AI models must be tuned to support workflow automation and predictive analytics.Adoption of Domain-Specific Solutions: While nearly three-quarters of tech leaders rely on off-the-shelf large language models (LLMs) as part of their AI investments, 58 percent are utilizing domain-specific solutions. These AI tools are trained on industry- and function-specific data to deliver more precise and measurable results.Security is a Key Obstacle…: Security remains a top priority for 68 percent of tech leaders, but 28 percent admit this is where their AI projects most often fall short.…As is Data Integration: Data integration challenges also threaten project success, with 36 percent of CIOs likely to pause initiatives if implementation complexities arise. Without the right underlying data, AI outputs risk delivering little value or, worse, biased or inaccurate results.AI’s Long-Term Value Persists: Despite mixed measurement strategies, only a small fraction (under 20 percent) cited a lack of provable ROI as a reason to abandon AI initiatives, indicating that most companies continue to explore its potential and long-term value.Smaller companies are more eager to prove ROI: Smaller US firms (250-500 employees) are more ROI-focused, with 40 percent willing to halt projects lacking clear ROI, compared to just 19 percent of larger companies. This suggests that while smaller US firms see the value in investing in AI, they need to focus on initiatives that deliver measurable and immediate returns and have less budget for experimentation. In contrast, larger companies might have more capacity to invest in long-term projects without immediate ROI.

“Over the last two years, the AI hype and pace of innovation has created incredible excitement and confusion for CIOs and tech leaders about its potential and where to focus,” said Eilon Reshef, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Gong. “But one thing is clear: leaders are pursuing value and exploring different areas across the business where AI can have a transformative impact.”

To learn more about the survey’s findings, read the blog.

Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide with 573 CIOs/Heads of IT (aged 25+) in medium and large companies who have purchased an off-the-shelf AI application in the last 2 years across the UK and US (250 and 323 respondents respectively) between October 9 -October 16, 2024. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles. Censuswide are also members of the British Polling Council.

About Gong
Gong transforms revenue organizations by driving business efficiency, revenue growth, and improved decision-making. The Revenue Intelligence Platform uses proprietary artificial intelligence technology to enable teams to capture, understand, and act on all customer interactions in a single, integrated platform. Thousands of companies around the world rely on Gong to support their go-to-market strategies and grow revenue efficiently. For more information, visit www.gong.io.

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