Technology

BGC Group Updates its Outlook for the Third Quarter of 2024

Published

6 months ago

September 30, 2024

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — BGC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGC), today announced that it has updated its outlook for the quarter ending September 30, 2024.

Updated Outlook
BGC expects to be around the high-end of its previously stated outlook ranges for revenue and pre-tax Adjusted Earnings for the third quarter of 2024. The Company’s outlook was contained in BGC’s financial results press release issued on July 30, 2024, which can be found at http://ir.bgcg.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The non-GAAP definitions below include references to certain equity-based compensation instruments, such as restricted stock awards and/or restricted stock units (“RSUs”), that the Company has issued and outstanding following its corporate conversion on July 1, 2023. Although BGC is retaining certain defined terms and references, including references to partnerships or partnership units, for purposes of comparability before and after the corporate conversion, such references may not be applicable following the period ended June 30, 2023.

This document contains non-GAAP financial measures that differ from the most directly comparable measures calculated and presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Non-GAAP financial measures used by the Company include “Adjusted Earnings before noncontrolling interests and taxes”, which is used interchangeably with “pre-tax Adjusted Earnings”; “Post-tax Adjusted Earnings to fully diluted shareholders”, which is used interchangeably with “post-tax Adjusted Earnings”; “Adjusted EBITDA”; “Liquidity”; and “Constant Currency”. The definitions of these terms are below.

Adjusted Earnings Defined
BGC uses non-GAAP financial measures, including “Adjusted Earnings before noncontrolling interests and taxes” and “Post-tax Adjusted Earnings to fully diluted shareholders”, which are supplemental measures of operating results used by management to evaluate the financial performance of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. BGC believes that Adjusted Earnings best reflect the operating earnings generated by the Company on a consolidated basis and are the earnings which management considers when managing its business.

As compared with “Income (loss) from operations before income taxes” and “Net income (loss) for fully diluted shares”, both prepared in accordance with GAAP, Adjusted Earnings calculations primarily exclude certain non-cash items and other expenses that generally do not involve the receipt or outlay of cash by the Company and/or which do not dilute existing stockholders. In addition, Adjusted Earnings calculations exclude certain gains and charges that management believes do not best reflect the underlying operating performance of BGC. Adjusted Earnings is calculated by taking the most comparable GAAP measures and adjusting for certain items with respect to compensation expenses, non-compensation expenses, and other income, as discussed below.

Calculations of Compensation Adjustments for Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA

Treatment of Equity-Based Compensation Line Item for Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA
The Company’s Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA measures exclude all GAAP charges included in the line item “Equity-based compensation and allocations of net income to limited partnership units and FPUs” (or “equity-based compensation” for purposes of defining the Company’s non-GAAP results) as recorded on the Company’s GAAP Consolidated Statements of Operations and GAAP Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. These GAAP equity-based compensation charges reflect the following items:

Charges related to amortization of RSUs, restricted stock awards, other equity-based awards, and limited partnership units;Charges with respect to grants of exchangeability, which reflect the right of holders of limited partnership units with no capital accounts, such as LPUs and PSUs, to exchange these units into shares of common stock, or into partnership units with capital accounts, such as HDUs, as well as cash paid with respect to taxes withheld or expected to be owed by the unit holder upon such exchange. The withholding taxes related to the exchange of certain non-exchangeable units without a capital account into either common shares or units with a capital account may be funded by the redemption of preferred units such as PPSUs;Charges with respect to preferred units and RSU tax accounts. Any preferred units and RSU tax accounts would not be included in the Company’s fully diluted share count because they cannot be made exchangeable into shares of common stock and are entitled only to a fixed distribution or dividend. Preferred units are granted in connection with the grant of certain limited partnership units that may be granted exchangeability or redeemed in connection with the grant of shares of common stock, and RSU tax accounts are granted in connection with the grant of RSUs. The preferred units and RSU tax accounts are granted at ratios designed to cover any withholding taxes expected to be paid. This is an alternative to the common practice among public companies of issuing the gross amount of shares to employees, subject to cashless withholding of shares, to pay applicable withholding taxes;GAAP equity-based compensation charges with respect to the grant of an offsetting amount of common stock or partnership units with capital accounts in connection with the redemption of non-exchangeable units, including PSUs and LPUs;Charges related to grants of equity awards, including common stock, RSUs, restricted stock awards or partnership units with capital accounts;Allocations of net income to limited partnership units and FPUs. Such allocations represent the pro-rata portion of post-tax GAAP earnings available to such unit holders; andCharges related to dividend equivalents earned on RSUs and any preferred returns on RSU tax accounts.

The amounts of certain quarterly equity-based compensation charges are based upon the Company’s estimate of such expected charges during the annual period, as described further below under “Methodology for Calculating Adjusted Earnings Taxes.”

Virtually all of BGC’s key executives and producers have equity stakes in the Company and its subsidiaries and generally receive deferred equity as part of their compensation. A significant percentage of BGC’s fully diluted shares are owned by its executives, partners and employees. The Company issues RSUs, restricted stock, limited partnership units (prior to July 1, 2023) as well as other forms of equity-based compensation, including grants of exchangeability into shares of common stock (prior to July 1, 2023), to provide liquidity to its employees, to align the interests of its employees and management with those of common stockholders, to help motivate and retain key employees, and to encourage a collaborative culture that drives cross-selling and revenue growth.

All share equivalents that are part of the Company’s equity-based compensation program, including REUs, PSUs, LPUs, HDUs, and other units that may be made exchangeable into common stock, as well as RSUs (which are recorded using the treasury stock method), are included in the fully diluted share count when issued or at the beginning of the subsequent quarter after the date of grant.

Compensation charges are also adjusted for certain other cash and non-cash items.

Certain Other Compensation-Related Adjustments for Adjusted Earnings
BGC also excludes various other GAAP items that management views as not reflective of the Company’s underlying performance in a given period from its calculation of Adjusted Earnings. These may include compensation-related items with respect to cost-saving initiatives, such as severance charges incurred in connection with headcount reductions as part of broad restructuring and/or cost savings plans.

Calculation of Non-Compensation Adjustments for Adjusted Earnings
Adjusted Earnings calculations may also exclude items such as:

Non-cash GAAP charges related to the amortization of intangibles with respect to acquisitions;Acquisition related costs;Non-cash GAAP asset impairment charges;Resolutions of litigation, disputes, investigations, or enforcement matters that are generally non-recurring, exceptional, or unusual, or similar items that management believes do not best reflect BGC’s underlying operating performance, including related unaffiliated third-party professional fees and expenses; andVarious other GAAP items that management views as not reflective of the Company’s underlying performance in a given period, including non-compensation-related charges incurred as part of broad restructuring and/or cost savings plans. Such GAAP items may include charges for professional fees and expenses, exiting leases and/or other long-term contracts as part of cost-saving initiatives, as well as non-cash impairment charges related to assets, goodwill and/or intangible assets created from acquisitions.

Calculation of Adjustments for Other (income) losses for Adjusted Earnings
Adjusted Earnings calculations also exclude gains from litigation resolution and certain other non-cash, non-dilutive, and/or non-economic items, which may, in some periods, include:

Gains or losses on divestitures;Fair value adjustment of investments;Certain other GAAP items, including gains or losses related to BGC’s investments accounted for under the equity method; andAny unusual, non-ordinary, or non-recurring gains or losses.

Methodology for Calculating Adjusted Earnings Taxes
Although Adjusted Earnings are calculated on a pre-tax basis, BGC also reports post-tax Adjusted Earnings to fully diluted shareholders. The Company defines post-tax Adjusted Earnings to fully diluted shareholders as pre-tax Adjusted Earnings reduced by the non-GAAP tax provision described below and net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest for Adjusted Earnings.

The Company calculates its tax provision for post-tax Adjusted Earnings using an annual estimate similar to how it accounts for its income tax provision under GAAP. To calculate the quarterly tax provision under GAAP, BGC estimates its full fiscal year GAAP income (loss) from operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries and the expected inclusions and deductions for income tax purposes, including expected equity-based compensation during the annual period. The resulting annualized tax rate is applied to BGC’s quarterly GAAP income (loss) from operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries. At the end of the annual period, the Company updates its estimate to reflect the actual tax amounts owed for the period.

To determine the non-GAAP tax provision, BGC first adjusts pre-tax Adjusted Earnings by recognizing any, and only, amounts for which a tax deduction applies under applicable law. The amounts include charges with respect to equity-based compensation; certain charges related to employee loan forgiveness; certain net operating loss carryforwards when taken for statutory purposes; and certain charges related to tax goodwill amortization. These adjustments may also reflect timing and measurement differences, including treatment of employee loans; changes in the value of units between the dates of grants of exchangeability and the date of actual unit exchange; changes in the value of RSUs and/or restricted stock awards between the date of grant and the date the award vests; variations in the value of certain deferred tax assets; and liabilities and the different timing of permitted deductions for tax under GAAP and statutory tax requirements.

After application of these adjustments, the result is the Company’s taxable income for its pre-tax Adjusted Earnings, to which BGC then applies the statutory tax rates to determine its non-GAAP tax provision. BGC views the effective tax rate on pre-tax Adjusted Earnings as equal to the amount of its non-GAAP tax provision divided by the amount of pre-tax Adjusted Earnings.

Generally, the most significant factor affecting this non-GAAP tax provision is the amount of charges relating to equity-based compensation. Because the charges relating to equity-based compensation are deductible in accordance with applicable tax laws, increases in such charges have the effect of lowering the Company’s non-GAAP effective tax rate and thereby increasing its post-tax Adjusted Earnings.

BGC incurs income tax expenses based on the location, legal structure and jurisdictional taxing authorities of each of its subsidiaries. Certain of the Company’s entities are taxed as U.S. partnerships and are subject to the Unincorporated Business Tax (“UBT”) in New York City. Any U.S. federal and state income tax liability or benefit related to the partnership income or loss, with the exception of UBT, rests with the unit holders rather than with the partnership entity. The Company’s consolidated financial statements include U.S. federal, state, and local income taxes on the Company’s allocable share of the U.S. results of operations. Outside of the U.S., BGC operates principally through subsidiary corporations subject to local income taxes. For these reasons, taxes for Adjusted Earnings are expected to be presented to show the tax provision the consolidated Company would expect to pay if 100% of earnings were taxed at global corporate rates.

Calculations of Pre- and Post-Tax Adjusted Earnings per Share
BGC’s pre- and post-tax Adjusted Earnings per share calculations assume either that:

The fully diluted share count includes the shares related to any dilutive instruments, but excludes the associated expense, net of tax, when the impact would be dilutive; orThe fully diluted share count excludes the shares related to these instruments, but includes the associated expense, net of tax, when the impact would be anti-dilutive.

The share count for Adjusted Earnings excludes certain shares and share equivalents expected to be issued in future periods but not yet eligible to receive dividends and/or distributions. Each quarter, the dividend payable to BGC’s stockholders, if any, is expected to be determined by the Company’s Board of Directors with reference to a number of factors. The declaration, payment, timing, and amount of any future dividends payable by the Company will be at the discretion of its Board of Directors using the fully diluted share count. For more information on any share count adjustments, see the table titled “Fully Diluted Weighted-Average Share Count under GAAP and for Adjusted Earnings” in the Company’s most recent financial results press release.

Management Rationale for Using Adjusted Earnings
BGC’s calculation of Adjusted Earnings excludes the items discussed above because they are either non-cash in nature, because the anticipated benefits from the expenditures are not expected to be fully realized until future periods, or because the Company views results excluding these items as a better reflection of the underlying performance of BGC’s ongoing operations. Management uses Adjusted Earnings in part to help it evaluate, among other things, the overall performance of the Company’s business and to make decisions with respect to the Company’s operations.

The term “Adjusted Earnings” should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to GAAP net income (loss). The Company views Adjusted Earnings as a metric that is not indicative of liquidity, or the cash available to fund its operations, but rather as a performance measure. Pre- and post-tax Adjusted Earnings, as well as related measures, are not intended to replace the Company’s presentation of its GAAP financial results. However, management believes that these measures help provide investors with a clearer understanding of BGC’s financial performance and offer useful information to both management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends related to the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Management believes that the GAAP and Adjusted Earnings measures of financial performance should be considered together.

For more information regarding Adjusted Earnings, see the sections of this document and/or in the Company’s most recent financial results press release titled “Reconciliation of GAAP Income (Loss) from Operations before Income Taxes to Adjusted Earnings and GAAP Fully Diluted EPS to Post-Tax Adjusted EPS”, including the related footnotes, for details about how BGC’s non-GAAP results are reconciled to those under GAAP.

Adjusted EBITDA Defined
BGC also provides an additional non-GAAP financial performance measure, “Adjusted EBITDA”, which it defines as GAAP “Net income (loss) available to common stockholders”, adjusted to add back the following items:

Provision (benefit) for income taxes;Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries;Interest expense;Fixed asset depreciation and intangible asset amortization;Equity-based compensation, dividend equivalents and allocations of net income to limited partnership units and FPUs;Impairment of long-lived assets;(Gains) losses on equity method investments; andCertain other non-cash GAAP items, such as non-cash charges of amortized rents.

The Company’s management believes that its Adjusted EBITDA measure is useful in evaluating BGC’s operating performance, because the calculation of this measure generally eliminates the effects of financing and income taxes and the accounting effects of capital spending and acquisitions, which would include impairment charges of goodwill and intangibles created from acquisitions. Such items may vary for different companies for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance. As a result, the Company’s management uses this measure to evaluate operating performance and for other discretionary purposes. BGC believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors to assist them in getting a more complete picture of the Company’s financial results and operations.

Since BGC’s Adjusted EBITDA is not a recognized measurement under GAAP, investors should use this measure in addition to GAAP measures of net income when analyzing BGC’s operating performance. Because not all companies use identical EBITDA calculations, the Company’s presentation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow or GAAP cash flow from operations because the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA does not consider certain cash requirements, such as tax and debt service payments.

For more information regarding Adjusted EBITDA, see the section of this document and/or in the Company’s most recent financial results press release titled “Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders to Adjusted EBITDA”, including the footnotes to the same, for details about how BGC’s non-GAAP results are reconciled to those under GAAP.

Timing of Outlook for Certain GAAP and Non-GAAP Items
BGC anticipates providing forward-looking guidance for GAAP revenues and for certain non-GAAP measures from time to time. However, the Company does not anticipate providing an outlook for other GAAP results. This is because certain GAAP items, which are excluded from Adjusted Earnings and/or Adjusted EBITDA, are difficult to forecast with precision before the end of each period. The Company therefore believes that it is not possible for it to have the required information necessary to forecast GAAP results or to quantitatively reconcile GAAP forecasts to non-GAAP forecasts with sufficient precision without unreasonable efforts. For the same reasons, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information. The relevant items that are difficult to predict on a quarterly and/or annual basis with precision and may materially impact the Company’s GAAP results include, but are not limited, to the following:

Certain equity-based compensation charges that may be determined at the discretion of management throughout and up to the period-end;Unusual, non-ordinary, or non-recurring items;The impact of gains or losses on certain marketable securities, as well as any gains or losses related to associated mark-to- market movements and/or hedging. These items are calculated using period-end closing prices;Non-cash asset impairment charges, which are calculated and analyzed based on the period-end values of the underlying assets. These amounts may not be known until after period-end; andAcquisitions, dispositions, and/or resolutions of litigation, disputes, investigations, or enforcement matters, or similar items, which are fluid and unpredictable in nature.

Liquidity Defined
BGC may also use a non-GAAP measure called “liquidity”. The Company considers liquidity to be comprised of the sum of cash and cash equivalents, reverse repurchase agreements (if any), financial instruments owned, at fair value, less securities lent out in securities loaned transactions and repurchase agreements (if any). The Company considers liquidity to be an important metric for determining the amount of cash that is available or that could be readily available to the Company on short notice.

For more information regarding Liquidity, see the section of this document and/or in the Company’s most recent financial results press release titled “Liquidity Analysis”, including any footnotes to the same, for details about how BGC’s non-GAAP results are reconciled to those under GAAP.

Constant Currency Defined
BGC generates a significant amount of its revenues in non-U.S. dollar denominated currencies, particularly in the euro and pound sterling. In order to present a better comparison of the Company’s revenues during the period, which exhibited highly volatile foreign exchange movements, BGC provides revenues year-over-year comparisons on a “Constant Currency” basis. BGC uses a Constant Currency financial metric to provide a better comparison of the Company’s underlying operating performance by eliminating the impacts of foreign currency fluctuations between comparative periods. Since BGC’s consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, fluctuations in non-U.S. dollar denominated currencies have an impact on the Company’s GAAP results. The Company’s Constant Currency metric, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, assumes the foreign exchange rates used to determine the Company’s comparative prior period revenues, apply to the current period revenues. Constant Currency revenue percentage change is calculated by determining the change in current quarter non-GAAP Constant Currency revenues over prior period revenues. Non-GAAP Constant Currency revenues are total revenues excluding the effect of foreign exchange rate movements and are calculated by remeasuring and/or translating current quarter revenues using prior period exchange rates. BGC presents certain non-GAAP Constant Currency percentage changes in Constant Currency revenues as a supplementary measure because it facilitates the comparison of the Company’s core operating results. This information should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, results reported in accordance with GAAP.

About BGC Group, Inc.
BGC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGC) is a leading global marketplace, data, and financial technology services company for a broad range of products, including fixed income, foreign exchange, energy, commodities, shipping, equities, and now includes the FMX Futures Exchange. BGC’s clients are many of the world’s largest banks, broker-dealers, investment banks, trading firms, hedge funds, governments, corporations, and investment firms.

BGC and leading global investment banks and market making firms have partnered to create FMX, part of the BGC Group of companies, which includes a U.S. interest rate futures exchange, spot foreign exchange platform and the world’s fastest growing U.S. cash treasuries platform.

For more information about BGC, please visit www.bgcg.com.

Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements about BGC
Statements in this document regarding BGC that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include statements about the Company’s business, results, financial position, liquidity and outlook, which may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impact may differ, possibly materially, from what is currently expected. Except as required by law, BGC undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see BGC’s Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information set forth in these filings and any updates to such risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information contained in subsequent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K.

Media Contact:
Erica Chase
+1 212-610-2419

Investor Contact:
Jason Chryssicas
+1 212-610-2426

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SOURCE BGC Group, Inc.

Technology

CleanSpark Releases March 2025 Bitcoin Mining Update

Published

49 minutes ago

April 4, 2025

Exceeds 700 bitcoin produced, a 13% gain month over month

Achieves 42.4 exahash, an increase of 4.2% month over month

11,869 bitcoin held in treasury

LAS VEGAS, April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CleanSpark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK), America’s Bitcoin Miner® (the “Company”), today released its unaudited bitcoin mining and operations update for the month ending March 31, 2025.

“We’ve remained focused on executing our strategy and have built a strong foundation for scalable growth — including the addition of nearly 2 EH/s in Wyoming in March,” said Zach Bradford, CEO and President of CleanSpark. “Success isn’t just about setting ambitious targets; it’s about delivering results through consistent operational excellence. In March alone, we increased bitcoin production by 13%, generating 706 bitcoin. With nearly a gigawatt of energy under contract and a robust growth pipeline, our future is bright. Holding nearly 12,000 bitcoin in treasury, CleanSpark is well-positioned for the road ahead.”

“While the recently announced tariffs may temporarily raise industry-wide growth costs, CleanSpark is well-prepared. The majority of our miners and infrastructure required to meet near-term goals are already stateside. We believe our advantages — including a lower cost of capital, superior purchasing power, and best-in-class operations — set us apart. These tariffs may slow down competitors who lack our scale and resilience, but we’re confident in our ability to maintain our momentum and lead the industry forward.”

March Bitcoin Mining Update (unaudited)

Bitcoin produced in March: 706Total bitcoin holdings as of March 31: 11,869Month-end operating hashrate: 42.4 EH/sMW under contract: 915 MW1Average fleet efficiency: 17.03 J/ThTotal bitcoin sold in March: 14.23Deployed fleet: 205,412CY2025 bitcoin produced: 1,956

Throughout March 2025, the Company’s average hashrate was 40.2 EH/s and average fleet efficiency was 17.03 J/Th, resulting in an average of 22.78 bitcoin mined daily. The single day high reached 23.52 bitcoin. The Company sold 14.23 bitcoin during March 2025 at an average price of approximately $87,742 per bitcoin.

1MW includes all contracted power capacity for wholly owned sites and excludes any other non-binding arrangements.

Additional Updates
Mississippi and Georgia: CleanSpark is actively expanding several existing facilities across Mississippi and Georgia, further strengthening its presence in the Company’s most established markets. These initiatives include additional immersion deployments designed to deliver the same industry-leading performance seen across the portfolio. Upon completion, these projects are expected to contribute approximately 2 EH/s to the Company’s total hashrate.

Wyoming: Construction and commissioning continue for the next two phases of CleanSpark’s regional expansion project in Wyoming. Additional computing power of 2.5 EH/s is expected to come online within the current quarter, further advancing the Company’s hashrate goals as development in the state progresses.

Tennessee: Expansion projects are underway at two of CleanSpark’s data center sites in Tennessee, powered by a combined 60 MW. These initiatives are expected to add nearly 4 EH/s to the Company’s total processing power — representing a nearly 10% increase in current production. Both sites will participate in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) demand response program, reinforcing CleanSpark’s commitment to energy efficiency and grid sustainability.

About CleanSpark
CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America’s Bitcoin Miner®, is a market-leading, pure play Bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. We own and operate a portfolio of mining facilities across the United States powered by globally competitive energy prices. Sitting at the intersection of Bitcoin, energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship, we optimize our mining facilities to deliver superior returns to our shareholders. Monetizing low-cost, high reliability energy by securing the most important finite, global asset – Bitcoin – positions us to prosper in an ever-changing world. Visit our website at www.cleanspark.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, but may not be limited to, statements regarding the Company’s expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, and strategies. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: future rates and impact of tariffs in the US; the timing, completion and performance of the Georgia, Wyoming, Tennessee and Mississippi expansions; anticipated additions and targets to CleanSpark’s hashrate and the timing thereof; the risk that the electrical power available to our facilities does not increase as expected; the success of its digital currency mining activities; the volatile and unpredictable cycles in the emerging and evolving industries in which we operate; increasing difficulty rates for bitcoin mining; bitcoin halving; new or additional governmental regulation; the anticipated delivery dates of new miners; the ability to successfully deploy new miners; the dependency on utility rate structures and government incentive programs; dependency on third-party power providers for expansion efforts; the expectations of future revenue growth may not be realized; and other risks described in the Company’s prior press releases and in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, and any subsequent filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of any new information, changed circumstances or future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact
Barbara Domingo
702-989-7693
ir@cleanspark.com

Media Contact
Eleni Stylianou
702-989-7694
pr@cleanspark.com

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SOURCE CleanSpark, Inc.

Technology

Linux Foundation Announces Intent to Form the Media eXchange Layer Project to Advance Cloud-Fit Real-Time Media Exchange

Published

49 minutes ago

April 4, 2025

New Initiative Paves the Way for the Future of Software-Driven Media Production

SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA), today announced the intent to form the Media eXchange Layer Project (MXL). MXL will develop open source software to enable seamless real-time in memory exchange of video, audio, and timed metadata between media functions within modern, software-driven, distributed media production environments.

New Initiative Paves the Way for the Future of Software-Driven Media Production

As the media industry transitions from traditional hardware-based setups to virtualized and containerized production environments, the need for scalable, interoperable software solutions has never been greater. The MXL Project aims to establish an open framework for real-time media exchange, reducing infrastructure complexity and ensuring seamless integration across compute nodes, production clusters, and broadcast platforms. MXL provides an implementation of the Media Exchange Layer defined in the Dynamic Media Facility Reference Architecture as published by the EBU.

The MXL Project will provide the foundation for:

Interoperable software-based media production – Enabling broadcasters to optimize workflows by seamlessly integrating diverse production tools and compute environments.

Accelerating industry-wide adoption of software-defined infrastructure – Helping media companies adopt software solutions for all tiers of production and for all levels of complexity, including workflows that are latency or quality sensitive.

The MXL Project will be hosted by the Linux Foundation and formed in collaboration with the EBU, NABA, and participating media companies, including the BBC, CBC/Radio-Canada, Bell Media (Canada), Dome Productions (Canada), France TV, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), RTÉ (Ireland), SRG SSR (Switzerland), SVT (Sweden), SWR/ARD (Germany), and VRT (Belgium). From the implementers side there is already support from a diverse set of leading companies, including Appear, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Grass Valley, Intel, Lawo, NVIDIA, Riedel Communications, and Telos Alliance.

“The Linux Foundation is committed to fostering open collaboration across industries, and the Media eXchange Layer Project is a testament to that mission,” said Jim Zemlin, Executive Director of the Linux Foundation. “By bringing together key players in the professional media and IT sectors, we are enabling the development of open, interoperable solutions that will drive the future of real-time media exchange.”

The MXL Project invites media industry leaders to get involved and participate as an end-user or solution provider of MXL’s next-generation media production software. For more information about MXL and how to get involved, please visit tech.ebu.ch/dmf/mxl.

Supporting Quotes

“At Appear, we’re excited to support and help develop the Media eXchange Layer initiative and explore the potential it unlocks for low-latency, asynchronous workflows. This marks an important step toward enabling faster-than-real-time data exchange between diverse technology partners, empowering best-of-breed, software-based media production environments.”
– Andy Rayner, CTO, Appear

“AWS customers in media and entertainment want seamless, vendor-neutral connectivity to deliver optimal value in their live cloud productions. Placing the MXL project under the Linux Foundation’s open governance will help ensure long-term benefits for the entire live production community.”
– Simone D’Antone, Global Strategy Leader, Broadcast, AWS

“As broadcasters move their live production and media operations onto software-based infrastructure inspired by cloud architectures, the concepts of EBU’s Dynamic Media Facility initiative will provide the scalability, flexibility and efficiency needed to support future needs. BBC Research & Development is proud to be playing a leading role in this work and welcomes the open approach being taken by the MXL project.”
– Jatin Aythora, Director, BBC Research & Development

“The transition of production tools from hardware to software is in its early days. The Media eXchange Layer (MXL) turns those production tools into Apps that just run anywhere, on Premises or Cloud. Allowing for us the Broadcast users to scale up and down for more productions as required but also interoperability to share those tools from one production to the next with minimal effort. This will provide the agility to pivot productions quickly in the ever changing media landscape and enable more creativity in content production. MXL is an exciting evolution to the production world.”
– Ryan McGauley, Senior Technical Architect, Strategy & Innovation, Bell Media

“Software-driven broadcast production is the future, and real-time media exchange is a critical piece of this evolution. The MXL Project is a pivotal step toward an open, interoperable ecosystem that allows broadcasters to maximize efficiency while reducing infrastructure complexity. We expect that starting with software rather than writing a document will significantly speed up the process of developing the solution.”
– François Legrand, Senior Director Engineering, CBC/Radio-Canada

“The prospects for advancing our abilities to deploy production solutions in a software environment that enables us to dynamically size resources to match production requirements and apply services according to best and/or most suitable in class, brings significant benefits and opportunity. The initiative of the Dynamic Media Facility Reference supported by the Media eXchange Layer development holds promise for an end user capability that is commonly shared across our industry.”
– Mike Johnson, Director of Engineering, Dome Productions

“We see software-based production along the lines of our Dynamic Media Facility concept as a key enabler for future media operations. By making the Dynamic Media eXchange layer open source, in collaboration with the Linux Foundation and NABA, we think we will see accelerated innovation in this space, with benefits for both media organizations and vendors.”
– Antonio Arcidiacono, CTO, European Broadcasting Union (EBU)

“At Grass Valley, we see the MXL project as a transformative step for the future of broadcast technology. With decades of expertise in developing microservices-based solutions, we are proud to be a major contributor to this initiative. Our commitment to open, interoperable software-driven media production is unwavering, and we look forward to showcasing a working MXL implementation on booth N506 at NAB Show 2025.”
– Ian Fletcher, CTO, Grass Valley

“At Lawo, we have long championed interoperability in broadcasting, ensuring seamless integration of devices and solutions in complex production environments. We’ve long been an advocate for delivering media production functionalities on COTS servers, enabling cost-effective, flexible, and hardware-independent processing. The MXL Project aligns perfectly with our vision by bridging IT-based infrastructures and media applications, marking a pivotal step toward an open, software-defined ecosystem that empowers broadcasters with enhanced adaptability and efficiency. We are proud to contribute to the success of the MXL Project and excited about the positive impact it will have on the industry.”
– Phil Myers, Chief Technology Officer, Lawo

“The MXL project is a foundation for software-defined production, and is aligned with our vision for secure, highly optimized, media exchange for applications on Kubernetes. NVIDIA Holoscan for Media, a reference platform aligned with the EBU’s Dynamic Media Facility, contributes to this initiative with high-speed GPU and networking interconnect between applications on single nodes and clusters for media and real-time AI inference.”
– Richard Kerris, Vice President of Media and Entertainment, NVIDIA

“We’re proud to participate in this open source initiative that brings together industry leaders to advance real-time media exchange. The Media eXchange Layer Project is a crucial step towards creating interoperable, software-driven media production environments. By collaborating openly, we’re shaping the future of broadcast technology and driving innovation across the industry.”
– Frédéric Brochard, CTO of France Télévisions

“The transformation to open-source software running on general purpose hardware brings many benefits foundational to the future of video production. Intel has been at the forefront of innovation in the transition to software defined broadcast and supports the Media eXchange Layer Project’s mission to create interoperability between multiple vendor applications running in shared memory environments. We look forward to continued collaboration with the software defined broadcaster open-source software community and helping to build a robust vendor ecosystem for our shared customer base.”
– Nagesh Puppala, GM, Media & Entertainment Solutions Division Intel Corp

“Matrox Video is pleased to support the EBU/Linux Foundation’s Media eXchange Layer initiative. We see MXL as an exciting step forward that reinforces the vision we have been promoting with Matrox ORIGIN for building next-generation, software-defined media infrastructure with best-of-breed choice. We look forward to contributing our expertise and collaborating with the community to advance these open standards.”
– Daniel Robinson Product Manager, Matrox

“At OBS, we are excited about the future of broadcasting, which we see as a convergence of existing IT technology and media applications built on top. Our roadmap is tightly coupled with the software-defined broadcast concept, and we believe that the MXL project is key to bridge the gap between the two.”
– Sotiris Salamouris, Chief Technology Officer at Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)

“Software-based production is reshaping how media is created and delivered. Real-time media exchange will be a key enabler of future innovation. The MXL Project is a major step toward fully open and flexible production platforms that will redefine future infrastructures and architectures, reducing complexity and avoiding vendor lock-in. We aim to continue and accelerate our journey toward fully software-based production and distribution on standard IT hardware — and MXL will help us move faster.”
– Dennis Buhr, head of production technology & workflow, SVT

“Software-based production is the next big step in the evolution of broadcast technology. Interoperability is a key towards a quick and widely accepted deployment of this software-defined infrastructure. Therefore, moving the MXL project to an open framework is an important first step towards an efficient and less complex broadcast production infrastructure.”
– Michael Eberhard, Director of Technology and Production at SWR (a member of ARD)

“At VRT, we are convinced that software will drive the future of media production , emphasizing agility and interoperability. The Media eXchange Layer represents a significant milestone in developing an open, scalable, and interoperable media workflow platform. This capability will be instrumental in our new facility in Brussels, Belgium.”
– Stijn Lehaen, CTO, VRT

About the Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is the world’s leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world’s infrastructure, including Linux, Kubernetes, LF Decentralized Trust, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

About the EBU
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media (PSM). It has 113 Member organizations in 56 countries and an additional 31 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas.

EBU Members operate nearly 2,000 television, radio and online channels and services, and offer a wealth of content across other platforms. The EBU provides content, advocacy, training and technical innovation for a membership of public broadcasters reaching more than one billion people in nearly 160 languages. https://www.ebu.ch https://tech.ebu.ch

About NABA
NABA is a non-profit association of the most influential broadcasting organizations in North America committed to advancing the interests of broadcasters at home and internationally, and to identify and take action on technical, operational and regulatory issues affecting North American broadcasters. Both public and private network broadcasters in Canada, Mexico and the United States, work together to provide a common voice for the North American broadcast community. As a member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), NABA creates the opportunity for its members to share information, identify common interests and reach consensus on issues of an international nature. www.nabanet.com

Media Contact
Noah Lehman
The Linux Foundation
nlehman@linuxfoundation.org

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/linux-foundation-announces-intent-to-form-the-media-exchange-layer-project-to-advance-cloud-fit-real-time-media-exchange-302420723.html

SOURCE The Linux Foundation

Technology

New Tax Season Survey Reveals the Truth About How Consumers File, From Tax Fears to Outrageous Refund Splurges

Published

49 minutes ago

April 4, 2025

Data from TaxAct shows nearly half of consumers (46%) file from now until the deadline, but fear making mistakes and worry about tax return outcomes

DALLAS, April 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TaxAct®, a leading provider of tax preparation software for individuals and businesses, today released the results of a new survey exploring consumer tax season behaviors and filing habits. Data from this third-party survey of 1,000 adults across the United States uncovered common fears and uncertainty surrounding the filing process for many filers.

Filers Fear Inaccuracies, Experiencing Uncertainty
Notably, the survey found that many filers are concerned about making mistakes during the filing process. In fact, more than one-quarter of respondents (28%) noted that filing their taxes incorrectly is a top concern during tax season, and another 14% are concerned about not understanding the tax filing process or requirements. Some respondents even admitted to making mistakes when reporting income. For example, a handful of respondents didn’t file income earned from their side gig (14%), and others didn’t report winnings from gambling or the lottery (9%).

In addition to these fears, the survey shows that many filers are dealing with uncertainty as they don’t know what to expect when filing. Nearly one-quarter (23%) of respondents say that not knowing if they owe taxes or will get a refund is a big concern during tax season. There is also uncertainty around how much they will owe, with one-quarter (25%) of respondents worried about paying more taxes than expected.

Concerns About Maximizing Refunds
For many filers, tax refunds are top of mind. One of the top concerns among respondents is not receiving their maximum refund, with more than one in four (28%) identifying this as their biggest concern during tax season. Some respondents also shared that they have taken some steps to increase their refunds or lower their owed costs. The top three strategies cited include making charitable donations (14%), filing jointly or separately for the best tax outcome (if legally married) (13%) and increasing contributions to retirement accounts (12%).

Filers also have an eye on tax deductions to potentially boost their refund. While most respondents took the standard deduction on their return, some respondents (10%) shared that they have claimed unusual business expenses to lower their taxable income. For example, some filers admitted to claiming their dog as a home security system, which would not be considered an eligible deduction by the IRS. It’s also important that filers understand what deductions they are eligible for to avoid mistakes. Some didn’t know they could deduct student loan interest, so they accidentally left it out (10%), while one respondent claimed to have mistakenly claimed their pet hamster as a dependent.

“With filers worried about the accuracy of their returns and whether they will receive their maximum refund, they may look to tools that promise an optimal return,” said Bastien Martini, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, TaxAct. “TaxAct’s guarantees, including our Maximum Refund Guarantee and $100k Accuracy Guarantee, offer filers the peace of mind they are getting every dollar they deserve. Filers can rest assured that they won’t get a bigger refund with any other tax filing software, and they can count on TaxAct to be 100% correct, backed by $100,000.”

When it comes to spending their refund, about two-thirds of respondents (67%) who receive a refund use it for more conventional purchases such as paying bills (28%), saving for the future (23%) or paying off loans or debt (16%). Interestingly, several respondents noted opting for more splurge-worthy purchases, such as a raincoat for their cat or a giant inflatable unicorn.

Combatting Concerns with DIY Tax Solutions
Last year, more than 65 million used DIY tax software to e-file their return, according to the IRS. Additionally, the number of U.S. taxpayers preparing their tax returns via DIY solutions is on the rise, increasing by 1.6% from 2023 to 2024.

The popularity of DIY tax solutions is also clear in TaxAct’s survey, which found that most surveyed (64%) are turning to DIY tax solutions. However, only about one-in-four respondents (28%) trust themselves to do their own taxes, making adequate support options crucial.

To help filers navigate the tax filing process, TaxAct provides access to tax experts through its expanded suite of Xpert Assist live help options with customizable support to fit every level of return complexity. Whether filers have a quick question along the way or want a credentialed expert to check their return before hitting submit, they can connect with one of TaxAct’s 100% U.S.-based, credentialed tax experts.

Martini continued: “We know that completing taxes can be complicated and confusing. That’s why we’re dedicated to making prep and filing simple, streamlined and straightforward for every tax filer, with support available along the way – no matter how complex their return. Using TaxAct means filers are not alone on their tax journey.”

Survey Methodology

This survey was fielded online between February 4-8, 2025, and reached a total of n=1,000 completions. Those surveyed were adults across the United States, aged 18-64.

About TaxAct

TaxAct is a comprehensive DIY tax software provider dedicated to making tax filing easy, accurate, and stress-free. Offering user-friendly technology, step-by-step guidance, and expert support, TaxAct empowers individuals, families, and businesses to file confidently across all 50 states. To learn more about TaxAct, visit www.taxact.com or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

TaxAct offers a range of guarantees to customers. They are the Maximum Refund Guarantee, $100k Accuracy Guarantee, 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, and Money-Back Guarantee. Read more about our guarantees here. We guarantee you’ll get your maximum tax refund if you use one of TaxAct’s individual 1040 products to e-file your return. If you are a registered user of TaxAct’s individual 1040 products and you receive a larger refund amount or pay a smaller tax due amount on your federal and/or state tax return using an online tax preparation software other than the TaxAct software, then we will refund to you the applicable federal and/or state purchase price paid by you for the TaxAct software. All other fees are excluded. Read more about our Maximum Refund Guarantee

We guarantee our software is 100% accurate and will calculate your maximum refund under applicable law. If an error in our software results in you ultimately receiving a smaller refund or larger tax liability than you receive using the same data with another tax preparation product, we will: (1) refund the applicable software fees you paid us, (2) pay you the difference in the tax refund or liability, (3) cover any penalties and interest levied against you and (4) any reasonably documented legal and audit costs you incur. In no event will our total, cumulative obligation under (1)-(4) above to any customer under this guarantee exceed $100,000. This guarantee only extends to returns that are e-filed by taxpayers preparing their own tax returns using our Consumer 1040 products. Read more about our $100k Accuracy Guarantee Tax Experts are available with TaxAct® Xpert Assist®, which encompasses a suite of services designed to provide varying levels of support and assistance for your tax filing needs. These services are available at an additional cost and are subject to limitations and restrictions. Service availability, features, and pricing may vary and are subject to change without notice. For more details, visit the Xpert Assist Terms and Conditions. TaxAct requests its users to go through the terms of service and license agreement to get an understanding of our services. Sign up for TaxAct today!

Media Contact:
Andrea Courtney
Taxact@finnpartners.com
415-249-6760

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-tax-season-survey-reveals-the-truth-about-how-consumers-file-from-tax-fears-to-outrageous-refund-splurges-302420556.html

SOURCE TaxAct