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Not Another Sweater!? Convenience is the No. 1 Reason That Monetary Gifts — Cash, Cards, CDs and Even Crypto — were Popular Gift from Parents and Grandparents, CD Valet Survey Reports

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Tech-Delivered Thank You Notes Suffice, But Grandma Prefers a Visit, Phone Call or Handwritten Note

SEATTLE, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Nearly three-quarters (72%) of parents and grandparents give the gift of green during the holiday season – whether it be cash, check, gift card or investment – because it is an easy and convenient gift that avoids unwanted returns for family members, according to a survey conducted by YouGov for CD Valet.

“Traditionally, giving money was seen as an impersonal and even lazy holiday gift,” said Mary Grace Roske, Head of Marketing for CD Valet. “Those days are gone, as their ease and flexibility make financial gifts high on everyone’s list to give and receive,” she said, adding that while less common than cash and gift cards, investments are recognized as a way to give a gift that grows in value.

The top reasons given by parents and grandparents surveyed for why they’ve given monetary gifts are convenience/ease (66%), avoiding unwanted gifts/returns (45%) and recipient has immediate financial needs (28%). For this group, monetary gifts (72%) top personal technology gifts (55%).  Clothing and toys/games remain most popular, with 82% percent of parents and grandparents reporting that these are their go-to gifts during the holidays. 

Spend Now Gifts vs. Investments (Including Crypto)

Cash or check is the most popular financial gift, followed by gift cards and investments.  The most common gift amount is under $100 (43%), but one percent of respondents report making cash gifts of $2,500 or more. Seventy-six percent of respondents who gave gift cards chose retail brand cards, followed by prepaid debit cards (67%) issued by a credit card company such as Visa. More than half (52%) of the gift cards had value of less than $100 and nearly three in 10 (28%) were between $100 and $250.

The majority of monetary gifts are for the here and now, with only 32 percent of respondents focusing on longer-term financial investments. When gifting investments, 55% of parents and grandparents who have done so said contributing to the future financial security of family members was the primary motivation. Forty-three percent 43% aim to educate their family about investing and financial planning. Tax benefits and federal tax-allowable gifts to family are a factor for 25% of participants, while 18% consider estate planning as a reason.

The tried-and-true savings bonds are the investment of choice for 42% of investment gift givers, while 29% have contributed to 529 College Savings Plans. Equities or stocks were selected by 22%, and 14% opted for cryptocurrency.

Notably, 25% of participants highlighted Certificates of Deposit (CDs) as a preferred investment gift. CDs are particularly appealing due to their low risk and predictable returns, making them an excellent choice for securing the financial future of children and grandchildren. “CDs’ popularity has grown in recent years,” said Roske. “Higher interest rates have delivered savers better returns and given that federal deposit insurance safeguards the risk to principal, CDs make an ideal financial gift.”

Generosity Comes with Strings Attached — Sometimes

Monetary gifts often come with strings attached. Among respondents who have given investments, 37% have specified that the funds be used for educational purposes, while 19% have earmarked them for housing and 16% for debt reduction. Additionally, 33% of respondents impose age-related restrictions, ensuring the recipient cannot access the funds until reaching a certain age. Nearly four in 10 (39%) of participants reported never placing any restrictions on investments.  

“Paying up for rent or a mortgage while trying to pay down your debt is the double whammy facing a lot of young adults and families,” Roske noted, “so it’s not surprising that a third of financial gifts are earmarked for these two areas.”

Expecting a Thank You Note/Text/Call? Don’t Hold Your Breath

Expressing gratitude is perhaps an art in need of greater practice amongst children and grandchildren, according to survey results.  Among parents, 40% always receive a thank you, while 19% often do, and 18% sometimes do. However, 15% of parents never receive any form of thanks. Grandparents fare worse, however, with 34% always receiving a thank you, 32% saying they often or sometimes do, but a notable 24% never getting any acknowledgment.

When it comes to preferred ways of receiving thanks, traditional methods are favored: 20% of parents and grandparents prefer voice calls and 14% prefer handwritten notes. While technology-driven channels like texts (9%) and video calls (6%) are acceptable, they are less preferred. Interestingly, 32% are open to any form of acknowledgment, and 9% do not expect a thank you message at all.

The research which was conducted by YouGov. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 3286 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 18th – 23rd December 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+). YouGov conducts polls on the Internet about politics, public affairs, products, brands and other topics of general interest. YouGov polls are taken by people, from all over the nation, who have agreed to share their thoughts on a wide variety of important issues.

CD Valet is an online marketplace connecting consumers with financial institutions to compare and open Certificates of Deposits (CD) with the most competitive rates and terms nationwide. Unlike other rate comparison sites, CD Valet shows the most competitive rates from financial institutions across the nation, from the smallest credit unions and community banks to the largest nationwide and internet banks. With daily rate updates and earnings calculators, CD Valet gives consumers comprehensive data and free tools to help them find the right CD to meet their savings goals. CD Valet, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle Bancshares, Inc. Visit CDValet.com

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SOURCE CD Valet

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TriNetX’s Founding CEO Announces Plans to Step Down

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24 minutes ago

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January 9, 2025

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After 11 Years, Gadi Lachman to Conclude Operating Role, Remain on TriNetX’s Board

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — TriNetX, the largest global source of real-world data, today announced that Gadi Lachman, the Company’s Founder, President and CEO, will step down from his operating role on March 31, 2025. Gadi founded TriNetX in 2014 and has served as President and CEO in the succeeding 11 years. Gadi will continue to serve on TriNetX’s Board of Directors and will be an Advisor to Carlyle, TriNetX’s majority investor.

“It has been an honor to build TriNetX and be part of such an outstanding team. I want to thank TriNetX’s employees, customers, and shareholders for the support they have shown me. With the talent and passion of our people I am immensely confident in TriNetX’s continued success,” said Lachman. “Together, we have built the largest global platform for clinical research, with data from over 25 countries and tens of millions of queries a month. Our solutions are moving clinical research to a whole different level and saving lives on a massive scale, across all therapeutic areas.”

During the transition period, Jeff Margolis, a current TriNetX Director, will serve as Executive Chairman to ensure continuity in leadership and governance while a CEO search is conducted.

Margolis said, “I have had the distinct privilege of serving on the Board alongside Gadi and partnering with him for 11 years. On behalf of the Board, we thank Gadi for shaping and leading TriNetX to become the world’s top ecosystem of real-world data and real-world evidence serving life sciences and the broader healthcare industry. I look forward to working with him and the rest of the Board over the next months to execute a successful transition of leadership.”

Joe Bress, Partner and Global Co-Head of Healthcare for Carlyle, TriNetX’s lead investor, added, “We have been thrilled to partner with Gadi since our initial investment in TriNetX over four years ago. Thanks to his disciplined leadership, TriNetX is one of the few companies that has sustained profitability even during periods of high growth. Gadi has built the company up to an exciting point, paving the way for a new leader to take the business into its next chapter of growth and success.”

Through this leadership transition, TriNetX remains steadfast in its mission to advance global healthcare through the power of real-world data. The Board, leadership team, and employees are united in their commitment to driving continued innovation and delivering success for customers and partners, all while building on Gadi’s exceptional legacy.

About TriNetX, LLC

TriNetX is a global network of healthcare organizations and life sciences companies dedicated to advancing real-world research and expediting the development of new therapies. Through its self-service, HIPAA-, GDPR-, and LGPD-compliant platform of federated deidentified and anonymous electronic health record datasets and consulting partnerships, TriNetX empowers its global community to improve clinical trial protocol design, streamline trial operations, refine safety signals, and enrich real-world evidence generation. For more information, please visit TriNetX at www.trinetx.com or follow TriNetX on LinkedIn.

Media Contact
TriNetX
Michelle Fleming, Chief Marketing Officer
Email: Michelle.Fleming@TriNetX.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/542641/TriNetX_Logo.jpg

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Stellus Private Credit BDC Announces $0.36 First Quarter 2025 Regular Dividend, Payable Monthly in Increments of $0.12 in January, February, and March 2025

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24 minutes ago

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January 9, 2025

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HOUSTON, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stellus Private Credit BDC (“the Company”) announced that its Board of Trustees has declared a monthly dividend of $0.12 for each of January, February, and March, totaling $0.36 per share in the aggregate for the first quarter of 2025. The regular dividend of $0.36 per share will be paid to shareholders of record in January, February, and March 2025.

Summary of First Quarter 2025 Regular Monthly Dividends

Declared

Record Date

Payment Date

Amount per Share

1/9/2025

1/10/2025

1/31/2025

$0.12

1/9/2025

2/3/2025

2/28/2025

$0.12

1/9/2025

3/3/2025

3/31/2025

$0.12

About Stellus Private Credit BDC

The Company is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company’s investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) through first lien (including unitranche) loans, second lien loans and unsecured debt financing, with corresponding equity co-investments. The Company’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Private BDC Advisor, LLC.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included herein may contain “forward-looking statements” which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including statements about COVID-19 and its impacts, may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the final prospectus that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts
Stellus Private Credit BDC
W. Todd Huskinson, Chief Financial Officer
(713) 292-5414
thuskinson@stelluscapital.com

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SOURCE Stellus Private Credit BDC

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MongoDB, Inc. to Present at the 27th Annual Needham Growth Conference

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24 minutes ago

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January 9, 2025

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NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDB) today announced that Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Michael Gordon, and Senior Vice President of Finance, Serge Tanjga, will present virtually at the 27th Annual Needham Growth Conference.

The MongoDB presentation is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Events page of the MongoDB investor relations website at https://investors.mongodb.com/news-events/events. A replay of the webcast will also be available for a limited time.

About MongoDB
Headquartered in New York, MongoDB’s mission is to empower innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data. Built by developers, for developers, MongoDB’s developer data platform is a database with an integrated set of related services that allow development teams to address the growing requirements for today’s wide variety of modern applications, all in a unified and consistent user experience. MongoDB has tens of thousands of customers in over 100 countries. The MongoDB database platform has been downloaded hundreds of millions of times since 2007, and there have been millions of builders trained through MongoDB University courses. To learn more, visit mongodb.com.

Investor Relations
Brian Denyeau
ICR for MongoDB
646-277-1251
ir@mongodb.com

Media Relations
MongoDB PR
press@mongodb.com

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SOURCE MongoDB, Inc.

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