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HR Priorities Shift in 2025: Leadership Development and Retention Take Center Stage, Says New HR Trends Report from McLean & Company

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A new report from McLean & Company, one of the world’s leading HR research and advisory firms, highlights the critical priorities for HR organizations in 2025. The firm’s research reveals that leadership development, employee retention, and cost management are essential focus areas for HR as organizations adapt to shifting economic conditions and evolving workforce expectations. These priorities reflect HR’s growing role in driving organizational success and navigating the challenges of the future of work. 

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – As HR leaders seek to prepare their teams and organizations for a future defined by rapid technological advancements, shifting organizational priorities, and an uncertain economic landscape, they are increasingly challenged to identify the most critical areas of focus that will support long-term organizational success. To provide HR leaders with guidance as they navigate the future of work, McLean & Company’s recently published HR Trends Report 2025 offers data-backed insights into the top five priorities for HR in 2025. The new report emphasizes that recruitment has been displaced as HR’s top priority for the first time in five years, replaced by developing leaders and reflecting a growing emphasis on internal talent cultivation and cost-effective workforce strategies.

The annual report draws on insights from 779 HR and business professionals across diverse industries and regions, including North America (84%), Europe (6%), Asia (4%), Oceania (2%), Latin America (2%), Africa (2%), and Middle East (1%). Respondents’ industries included manufacturing, finance and insurance, healthcare and social assistance, educational services, public administration, retail trade, construction, transportation and warehousing, professional, scientific, and technical services, and more. The wide scope of feedback highlights the critical role HR plays in preparing organizations for the unpredictable future.

“It is time to push the boundaries of HR’s comfort zone. HR leaders have a unique opportunity to redefine their impact in 2025 by prioritizing leadership development and retention,” says Will Howard, practice lead, HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “These areas not only address immediate organizational needs but also lay the foundation for long-term growth by ensuring a strong internal talent pipeline.”

In the report, McLean & Company outlines the top five priorities for HR in 2025, as detailed below:

Developing Leaders. Leadership development ranks as HR’s foremost priority in 2025. HR’s effectiveness at developing leaders has an immense impact on financial outcomes like optimizing costs and growing revenues. The case for increasing investments in HR’s ability to develop leaders is clear, with research revealing that organizations excelling in this area are 1.9 times more likely to be high performing at achieving strategic goals and objectives and 1.7 times more likely to be high performing at revenue growth.

Retaining Employees. Employee retention is a new addition to the firm’s reporting and ranked exceptionally high on the list of critical HR priorities as organizations shift focus from external recruitment to strengthening internal talent pools, helping to mitigate high turnover costs. The report’s findings point to strategic listening as integral to delivering on HR’s second and fourth priorities in 2025 – retention and the employee experience. Despite the important role employee listening plays in retention, few organizations are listening to the employee voice strategically. McLean & Company’s new report spotlights that only 23% of organizations have a formal employee listening strategy, emphasizing the need for HR organizations to take steps to improve in this area.

Controlling Labor Costs. Labor cost management remains a key priority amid continued economic pressures, prompting HR to adopt strategic workforce planning and cost-optimization measures. As explained in the firm’s report, being strategic about total rewards is key to controlling labor costs. When HR has a formal total rewards strategy, they are 1.9 times more likely to be highly effective at controlling labor costs and maximizing the value of labor spend compared to those with no total rewards strategy. Labor costs are often the organization’s biggest expense, making a total rewards strategy essential to ensuring investments are directed in a controlled and impactful way.

Enhancing Employee Experience. Providing a positive employee experience remains critical in maintaining engagement and productivity. McLean & Company’s trends report notes that when used in HR, AI enhances key employee experience outcomes, including talent acquisition, the candidate experience, talent management, and learning & development. Though AI adoption within HR is increasing, there is still much progress to be made, with only 42% of HR respondents indicating they have implemented AI in HR. This is an indicator that HR must continue to work to elevate its data and technology skills, which will significantly impact the employee experience.

Recruitment. For the first time in five years, recruitment is no longer the top priority for HR in 2025. This drop in priority suggests that organizations may be shifting priorities to emphasize important areas like leadership development, where effectiveness has stalled over the past several years. However, recruitment continues to play a vital role in addressing talent gaps and building organizational capacity. The firm’s research findings explain that pay transparency is improving recruiting effectiveness, with organizations that have or are working on improving pay transparency being 18% more likely to report they are highly effective at recruiting compared to those who have not increased pay transparency.

“By addressing these priorities and leveraging data-driven strategies, HR can demonstrate its value as a clear strategic partner, ensuring organizations are well-positioned to navigate future challenges,” explains Howard.

In addition to HR’s top five priorities in 2025, the new report from McLean & Company spotlights key trends that will inform the way HR plans and prepares for the future of work:

Human Leadership in a Complex Digital World.AI Transformation in HR. Navigating Multiple Threats to Wellbeing. Emerging Trends.

McLean & Company advocates that delivering on HR’s top priorities requires elevating HR’s data and technology skills, noting that increasing HR’s data literacy skills will enable HR to drive effective decision-making and deliver on their top priorities. HR must also be prepared to use technology for data-driven insights and guide its implementation to ensure people-informed technology implementation in 2025 and beyond.

For more in-depth details regarding the HR trends in 2025, please visit the official HR Trends Report 2025 press release.

To access the full report, which offers comprehensive insights into these priorities and trends, along with actionable recommendations for HR leaders as they guide their organizations through a new year of possibilities, please contact ktame@infotech.com.

To register for McLean & Company’s free upcoming CHRO panel, Leading the Way: CHRO Perspectives on Emerging HR Trends for 2025, on February 13, 2025, at 1 PM ET | 10 AM PT, please visit the official registration page.

Media interested in accessing full research insights or connecting with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights and commentary on HR Trends in 2025, HR’s critical role in digital transformation, and the future of work, and more can contact Communications Manager Katie Tame at ktame@infotech.com.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today’s needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm’s member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact ktame@infotech.com.

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SOURCE McLean & Company

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Technology

GRAIL to Announce Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — GRAIL, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRAL), a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, announced today that it will issue financial results for the fourth quarter 2024 following the close of market on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. Following the release, company management will host a webcast and conference call at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss results and business progress.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Webcast and Conference Call Details
A link to the live webcast and recorded replay will be available at the investor relations section of GRAIL’s website at investors.grail.com.  

Please register for the live event at https://grail-q4-financial-results-2024.open-exchange.net/.

To ensure timely connection, please register for the teleconference and join the webcast at least ten minutes before the scheduled start of the call. The live webcast and recorded replay are open to all interested parties.

About GRAIL
GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art machine learning, software, and automation to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types in earlier stages. GRAIL’s targeted methylation-based platform can support the continuum of care for screening and precision oncology, including multi-cancer early detection in symptomatic patients, risk stratification, minimal residual disease detection, biomarker subtyping, treatment and recurrence monitoring. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom.
For more information, visit grail.com.

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SOURCE GRAIL, Inc.

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Ribbon Communications Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results

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Record Quarterly Sales and Operating Income

Revenue Grows 11% YoY with Strong Demand from Service Providers, Enterprise Customers, and U.S. Federal Agencies

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a prominent supplier of real-time communications technology and IP optical networking solutions, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024. Ribbon Communications is dedicated to assisting the world’s largest service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure operators in modernizing and safeguarding their networks and services.

Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $251 million, compared to $226 million for the fourth quarter of 2023 and $210 million for the third quarter of 2024. GAAP Operating Income was $33 million, compared to $17 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. Quarterly Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA increased by 30% year over year to $55 million, or 22% of sales.

For the full year 2024, Revenue was $834 million, compared to $826 million for the full year 2023. GAAP Operating Income was $17 million, compared to a loss of ($24) million for 2023. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA improved by 31% to $119 million, or 14% of sales. GAAP and Non-GAAP Gross Margins for the full year increased approximately 300 basis points to 53% and 56% respectively, with improvement in both operating segments.

“Our fourth quarter results were very strong across all key financial metrics, achieving record levels of revenue, near the top end of our guidance, and profitability, exceeding our guidance. We believe this is a clear validation of our strategy and a culmination of the effort over the last several years to diversify and drive profitable growth in both Service Provider and Enterprise markets,” stated Bruce McClelland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ribbon Communications.

“Revenue growth was underpinned by higher sales to U.S. Tier One Service Providers, U.S. Federal Defense agencies, and Enterprise customers. We also had solid contribution from U.S. Rural Broadband, Europe, and India. When combined with robust margins and our continued operational expense control, profitability improved more than 30% compared to 2023,” Mr. McClelland added. “It is especially satisfying to generate Adjusted EBITDA for the full year at the high end of our original guidance range despite the suspension of shipments to Eastern Europe. Our visibility has improved, and we anticipate further momentum in 2025 as the industry-wide focus on network modernization and the investment in fiber networks drives a strong growth cycle.”

Financial Highlights 1

Three months ended

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

In millions, except per share amounts

2024

2023

2024

2023

GAAP Revenue

$         251

$         226

$         834

$         826

GAAP Net income (loss)

$             6

$             7

$          (54)

$          (66)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           28

$           22

$           44

$           36

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$           55

$           43

$         119

$           91

GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share 

$        0.04

$        0.04

$       (0.31)

$       (0.39)

Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

$        0.16

$        0.12

$        0.25

$        0.21

Weighted average shares outstanding basic

175

172

174

170

Weighted average shares outstanding diluted

179

173

177

173

1 Please see the reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and additional information about non-GAAP measures in the section entitled “Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in the attached schedules.

“The fourth quarter was a very strong finish for Ribbon and capped off a transformative year for the business. Improved earnings generation enabled us to successfully refinance our credit facility earlier in the year, and momentum accelerated with the launch of the voice network modernization program with Verizon. Increased business across both Enterprise and Service Providers resulted in a record level of sales in the fourth quarter along with a book-to-bill of 1.1x times. Cash from operations benefitted from higher collections, resulting in a year-end cash position of $90 million. I’m very excited about our growth prospects for 2025,” said John Townsend, Chief Financial Officer of Ribbon Communications.

Business Outlook2  
For 2025, the Company expects profitable growth in both operating segments, with continued momentum from network modernization across Service Providers, Enterprise, and Federal and Defense customers. We expect a normal seasonal pattern with the business accelerating as the year progresses.

For the full year 2025, the Company projects revenue of $870 million to $890 million. Non-GAAP gross margin is projected in a range of 54% to 55%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected in a range of $130 million to $140 million.

For the first quarter of 2025, the Company projects revenue of $185 million to $195 million. Non-GAAP gross margin is projected in a range of 53% to 53.5%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected in a range of $12 million to $18 million.

The Company’s outlook is based on current indications for its business, which are subject to change.

2 GAAP earnings guidance is not provided. Please see the reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and additional information about the non-GAAP measures in the section entitled “Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in the attached schedules.

Upcoming Conference Schedule

March 3-6, 2025: Mobile World CongressMarch 17-20, 2025: Enterprise ConnectMarch 30-April 3, 2025: Optical Fiber Communication Conference and ExhibitionMay 21-22, 2025: B. Riley Securities 25th Annual Institutional Investor Conference

About Ribbon 
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers communications software, IP and optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors globally. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today’s smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge software-centric solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge security and analytics tools, along with IP and optical networking solutions for 5G and broadband internet. We maintain a keen focus on our commitments to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, offering an annual Sustainability Report to our stakeholders. To learn more about Ribbon visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.  All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s projected financial results for the first quarter of 2025 and beyond; market share growth; increases in shareholder value; plans and objectives for future operations, including cost reductions; the impact of the wars in Israel and Ukraine; customer spending and engagement and momentum; and plans for future product development and manufacturing and the expected benefits therefrom, are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “anticipates”, “believes”, “could”, “estimates”, “expects”, “expectations”, “intends”, “may”, “plans”, “projects” and other similar language, whether in the negative or affirmative, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding its business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are unknown and/or difficult to predict and that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, unpredictable fluctuations in quarterly revenue and operating results; the impact of restructuring and cost-containment activities; increases in tariffs, trade restrictions or taxes on the Company’s products; supply chain disruptions resulting from component availability and/or geopolitical instabilities and disputes (including those related to the wars in Israel and Ukraine); the closure, on a temporary basis, of the Company’s offices or those of the Company’s contract manufacturer in Israel as a result of the war and the impact of military call-ups of the Company’s employees in Israel; material litigation; the impact of fluctuations in interest rates; material cybersecurity and data intrusion incidents, including any security breaches resulting in the theft, transfer, or unauthorized disclosure of customer, employee, or Company information; the Company’s ability to comply with applicable domestic and foreign information security and privacy laws, regulations and technology platform rules or other obligations related to data private and security; failure to compete successfully against telecommunications equipment and networking companies; failure to grow the Company’s customer base or generate recurring business from existing customers; credit risks; the timing of customer purchasing decisions and the Company’s recognition of revenues; macroeconomic conditions, including inflation; the ability to adapt to rapid technological and market changes; the ability to generate positive returns on the Company’s research and development; the ability to protect Company intellectual property rights and obtain necessary licenses; the ability to maintain partner, reseller, distribution and vendor support and supply relationships; the potential for defects in the Company’s products; risks related to the terms of the Company’s credit agreement; higher risks in international operations and markets; currency fluctuations; unanticipated averse changes in legal, regulatory or tax laws; future accounting pronouncements or changes in the Company’s accounting policies; and/or failure or circumvention of the Company’s controls and procedures. We therefore caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements.

These factors are not intended to be an all-encompassing list of risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company’s business and results from operations. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release speaks only as of the date on which this release was first issued. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement publicly or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company’s management uses several different financial measures, both GAAP and non-GAAP, in analyzing and assessing the overall performance of its business, making operating decisions, planning and forecasting future periods, and determining payments under compensation programs. The Company considers the use of non-GAAP financial measures helpful in assessing the core performance of its continuing operations and when planning and forecasting future periods. The Company’s annual financial plan is prepared on a non-GAAP basis and is approved by its board of directors. In addition, budgeting and forecasting for revenue and expenses are conducted on a non-GAAP basis, and actual results on a non-GAAP basis are assessed against the annual financial plan. The Company defines continuing operations as the ongoing results of its business adjusted for certain expenses and credits, as described below. The Company believes that providing non-GAAP information to investors allows them to view the Company’s financial results in the way its management views them and helps investors to better understand the Company’s core financial and operating performance and evaluate the efficacy of the methodology and information used by its management to evaluate and measure such performance.

While the Company’s management uses non-GAAP financial measures as tools to enhance its understanding of certain aspects of the Company’s financial performance, management does not consider these measures to be a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP measures. In addition, the Company’s presentations of these measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered alternatives for, or in isolation from, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Investors are cautioned that there are material limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures. In particular, many of the adjustments to the Company’s financial measures reflect the exclusion of items that are recurring and will be reflected in its financial results for the foreseeable future.

Stock-Based Compensation
The expense related to stock-based awards is generally not controllable in the short-term and can vary significantly based on the timing, size and nature of awards granted. The Company believes that presenting non-GAAP operating results that exclude stock-based compensation provides investors with visibility and insight into its management’s method of analysis and its core operating performance.

Amortization of Acquired Technology (including software licenses); Amortization of Acquired Intangible Assets
Amortization amounts are inconsistent in frequency and amount and are significantly impacted by the timing and size of acquisitions. Amortization of acquired technology is reported separately within Cost of revenue and Amortization of acquired intangible assets is reported separately within Operating expenses. These items are reported collectively as Amortization of acquired intangible assets in the accompanying reconciliations of non-GAAP and GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that excluding non-cash amortization of these intangible assets facilitates the comparison of its financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry as if the acquired intangible assets had been developed internally rather than acquired.

Litigation Costs
In connection with certain ongoing litigation where Ribbon is the defendant (as described in Note 26 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023), the Company has incurred litigation costs that began in 2023. Also, on October 14, 2024, a settlement in principle was reached on one of these legal matters and the Company accrued the $5 million settlement in the third quarter of 2024. These costs are included as a component of general and administrative expense. The Company believes that such costs are not part of its core business or ongoing operations, are unplanned, and generally are not within its control. Accordingly, the Company believes that excluding litigation costs related to these specific legal matters facilitates the comparison of the Company’s financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry.

Acquisition-, Disposal- and Integration-Related
The Company considers certain acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related costs to be unrelated to the organic continuing operations of the Company and its acquired businesses. Such costs are generally not relevant to assessing or estimating the long-term performance of the acquired assets. The Company excludes such acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related costs to allow more accurate comparisons of its financial results to its historical operations and the financial results of less acquisitive peer companies and allows management and investors to consider the ongoing operations of the business both with and without such expenses.

Restructuring and Related
The Company has recorded restructuring and related expense to streamline operations and reduce operating costs by closing and consolidating certain facilities and reducing its worldwide workforce. The Company believes that excluding restructuring and related expense facilitates the comparison of its financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry, as there are no future revenue streams or other benefits associated with these costs.

Preferred Stock and Warrant Liability Mark-to-Market Adjustment
The Company recorded adjustments to the fair value of its Series A Preferred Stock and Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock in Other (expense) income, net. Both of these instruments were issued in March 2023 in connection with the Company’s private placement and have been classified as liabilities and marked to market each reporting period until the Series A Preferred Stock was fully redeemed on June 25, 2024. The Warrant liability remains outstanding and will continue to be marked to market each reporting period. The Company excluded these gains and losses from the change in the fair value of these liabilities because it believes that such gains or losses were not part of its core business or ongoing operations.

Tax Indemnification Write-Off
In connection with the Company’s acquisition of ECI Telecom Group Ltd. in 2020, a portion of the shares of our common stock that were issued as consideration were held in escrow for potential future tax liabilities. This $6 million tax indemnity asset, consisting of 2 million shares of common stock held in escrow, was written off upon its expiration on December 31, 2024. The Company believes that excluding this tax indemnification write-off facilitates the comparison of the Company’s financial results to its historical operating results and to other companies in its industry.

Tax Effect of Non-GAAP Adjustments
The Non-GAAP income tax provision is presented based on an estimated tax rate applied against forecasted annual non-GAAP income. The Non-GAAP income tax provision assumes no available net operating losses or valuation allowances for the U.S. because of reporting significant cumulative non-GAAP income over the past several years. The Company is reporting its non-GAAP quarterly income taxes by computing an annual rate for the Company and applying that single rate (rather than multiple rates by jurisdiction) to its consolidated quarterly results. The Company expects that this methodology will provide a consistent rate throughout the year and allow investors to better understand the impact of income taxes on its results. Due to the methodology applied to its estimated annual tax rate, the Company’s estimated tax rate on non-GAAP income will differ from its GAAP tax rate and from its actual tax liabilities.

Adjusted EBITDA
The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to review and assess its performance. The Company calculates Adjusted EBITDA by excluding from income (loss) from operations: depreciation; stock-based compensation; amortization of acquired intangible assets; certain litigation costs; acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related expense; and restructuring and related expense. In general, the Company excludes the expenses that it considers to be non-cash and/or not a part of its ongoing operations. The Company may exclude other items in the future that have those characteristics. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used by the investing community for comparative and valuation purposes. The Company discloses this metric to support and facilitate dialogue with research analysts and investors. Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company does, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

Conference Call Details:
Conference call to discuss the Company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Dial-In Information:
US/Canada: 877-407-2991
International: 201-389-0925
Instant Telephone Access: Call me™ 

Live (Listen-Only) Webcast:
Available via the Investor Relations website, where a replay will also be available shortly following the conference call.

For more details on financial results, please visit investors.ribboncommunications.com.

Investor Relations
+1 (978) 614-8050
ir@rbbn.com

Media Contact
Catherine Berthier
+1 (646) 741-1974
cberthier@rbbn.com

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 Three months ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

Revenue:

Product

$         148,335

$               112,151

$         125,984

Service

103,024

98,087

100,417

Total revenue

251,359

210,238

226,401

Cost of revenue:

Product

68,483

59,405

61,183

Service

37,316

34,893

37,205

Amortization of acquired technology

5,487

6,323

6,305

Total cost of revenue

111,286

100,621

104,693

Gross profit

140,073

109,617

121,708

Gross margin

55.7 %

52.1 %

53.8 %

Operating expenses:

Research and development

45,044

45,645

45,351

Sales and marketing

37,070

33,060

35,361

General and administrative

17,060

21,588

13,686

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

6,298

6,457

6,861

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Total operating expenses

106,853

110,544

105,038

Income (loss) from operations

33,220

(927)

16,670

Interest expense, net

(12,003)

(11,952)

(6,989)

Other (expense) income, net

(13,159)

1,056

(3,232)

Income (loss) before income taxes

8,058

(11,823)

6,449

Income tax benefit (provision)

(1,694)

(1,599)

630

Net income (loss)

$             6,364

$               (13,422)

$             7,079

Earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

$               0.04

$                   (0.08)

$               0.04

Diluted

$               0.04

$                   (0.08)

$               0.04

Weighted average shares used to compute earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

175,321

174,613

171,755

Diluted

178,703

174,613

172,990

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

(unaudited)

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Revenue:

Product

$         447,229

$         445,150

Service

386,652

381,189

Total revenue

833,881

826,339

Cost of revenue:

Product

228,527

250,609

Service

140,949

139,357

Amortization of acquired technology

24,893

28,290

Total cost of revenue

394,369

418,256

Gross profit

439,512

408,083

Gross margin

52.7 %

49.4 %

Operating expenses:

Research and development

179,941

190,660

Sales and marketing

137,830

137,460

General and administrative

68,740

54,962

Amortization of acquired intangible assets

25,969

28,601

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Total operating expenses

422,640

432,368

Income (loss) from operations

16,872

(24,285)

Interest expense, net

(33,821)

(27,320)

Other (expense) income, net

(29,119)

(3,768)

Income (loss) before income taxes

(46,068)

(55,373)

Income tax benefit (provision)

(8,167)

(10,833)

Net income (loss)

$         (54,235)

$         (66,206)

Earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Diluted

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Weighted average shares used to compute earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

174,044

170,408

Diluted

174,044

170,408

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$           87,770

$           26,494

Restricted cash

2,709

136

Accounts receivable, net

254,718

268,421

Inventory

79,179

77,521

Other current assets

39,286

46,146

Total current assets

463,662

418,718

Property and equipment, net

60,364

41,820

Intangible assets, net

187,537

238,087

Goodwill

300,892

300,892

Deferred income taxes

88,982

69,761

Operating lease right-of-use assets

34,544

39,783

Other assets

26,573

35,092

$      1,162,554

$      1,144,153

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Current portion of term debt

$             6,125

$           35,102

Accounts payable

87,759

85,164

Accrued expenses and other

106,251

91,687

Operating lease liabilities

9,443

15,739

Deferred revenue

119,295

113,381

Total current liabilities

328,873

341,073

Long-term debt, net of current

330,726

197,482

Warrant liability

8,064

5,295

Preferred stock liability

53,337

Operating lease liabilities, net of current

37,376

38,711

Deferred revenue, net of current

20,991

19,218

Deferred income taxes

5,941

5,616

Other long-term liabilities

25,962

30,658

Total liabilities

757,933

691,390

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock

18

17

Additional paid-in capital

1,970,708

1,958,909

Accumulated deficit

(1,574,185)

(1,519,950)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

8,080

13,787

Total stockholders’ equity

404,621

452,763

$      1,162,554

$      1,144,153

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

Year ended

 December 31, 

 December 31, 

2024

2023

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income (loss)

$           (54,235)

$           (66,206)

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

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment

13,539

14,105

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount

4,847

3,241

Amortization of accumulated other comprehensive gain related to interest rate swap

(8,196)

(5,575)

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Deferred income taxes

(16,887)

(9,196)

Gain on sale of swap

(7,301)

Change in fair value of warrant liability

2,769

(201)

Change in fair value of preferred stock liability

8,091

1,548

Dividends accrued on preferred stock liability

2,743

3,935

Payment of dividends accrued on preferred stock liability

(6,686)

Foreign currency exchange (gains) losses

5,741

(44)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

12,420

5,726

Inventory

(3,616)

(10,701)

Other operating assets

30,459

34,834

Accounts payable

(6,016)

(10,498)

Accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities

(9,367)

(14,684)

Deferred revenue

7,686

(593)

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

50,240

17,087

Cash flows from investing activities:

Purchases of property and equipment

(22,406)

(9,381)

Purchases of software licenses

(462)

(100)

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

(22,868)

(9,481)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Borrowings under revolving line of credit

44,106

97,000

Principal payments on revolving line of credit

(44,106)

(97,000)

Proceeds from issuance of term debt

342,300

Principal payments of term debt

(237,145)

(95,058)

Payment of debt issuance costs

(6,312)

(1,685)

Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock and warrant liabilities

53,350

Payment of preferred stock liability

(56,850)

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options

21

15

Payment of tax obligations related to vested stock awards and units

(4,308)

(4,481)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

37,706

(47,859)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

(1,229)

(379)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

63,849

(40,632)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of year

26,630

67,262

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$             90,479

$             26,630

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Supplemental Information

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

The following tables provide the details of stock-based compensation included as components of other line items in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and the line items in which these amounts are reported.  

 Three months ended 

 Year ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

2024

2023

Stock-based compensation

Cost of revenue – product

$                66

$                64

$              125

$              300

$              510

Cost of revenue – service

288

291

550

1,325

2,147

Cost of revenue

354

355

675

1,625

2,657

Research and development

737

745

1,112

3,166

4,933

Sales and marketing

1,178

1,108

1,438

4,397

7,111

General and administrative

1,756

1,837

1,667

6,898

7,105

Operating expense

3,671

3,690

4,217

14,461

19,149

Total stock-based compensation

$           4,025

$           4,045

$           4,892

$         16,086

$         21,806

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 Three months ended 

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

GAAP Gross margin

55.7 %

52.1 %

53.8 %

Stock-based compensation

0.2 %

0.2 %

0.3 %

Amortization of acquired technology

2.2 %

3.0 %

2.7 %

Non-GAAP Gross margin

58.1 %

55.3 %

56.8 %

GAAP Net income (loss)

$             6,364

$         (13,422)

$             7,079

Stock-based compensation

4,025

4,045

4,892

Amortization of intangible assets

11,785

12,780

13,166

Litigation costs

1,583

6,896

538

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

2,478

(583)

3,724

Tax indemnification write-off

6,313

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(5,648)

(5,024)

(11,606)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           28,281

$             8,486

$           21,572

GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.04

$             (0.08)

$               0.04

Stock-based compensation

0.02

0.02

0.03

Amortization of intangible assets

0.06

0.08

0.08

Litigation costs

0.01

0.04

 * 

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

0.01

Restructuring and related

0.01

0.02

0.01

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

0.01

 * 

0.02

Tax indemnification write-off

0.04

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(0.03)

(0.03)

(0.07)

Non-GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.16

$               0.05

$               0.12

Weighted average shares used to compute diluted earnings (loss) per share

 Shares used to compute GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

175,321

174,613

171,755

 Shares used to compute Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

178,703

177,028

172,990

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           33,220

$              (927)

$           16,670

Depreciation

3,408

3,361

3,502

Stock-based compensation

4,025

4,045

4,892

Amortization of intangible assets

11,785

12,780

13,166

Litigation costs

1,583

6,896

538

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

Restructuring and related

1,381

3,794

2,285

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$           55,402

$           29,949

$           42,547

* Less than $0.01 impact on earnings (loss) per share.

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

Year ended

December 31,

December 31,

2024

2023

GAAP Gross Margin

52.7 %

49.4 %

Stock-based compensation

0.2 %

0.3 %

Amortization of acquired technology

3.0 %

3.4 %

Non-GAAP Gross Margin

55.9 %

53.1 %

GAAP Net income (loss)

$         (54,235)

$         (66,206)

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

13,604

5,282

Preferred stock and warrant liability issuance costs

3,545

Tax indemnification write-off

6,313

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(9,796)

(7,462)

Non-GAAP Net income (loss)

$           44,192

$           35,848

GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$             (0.31)

$             (0.39)

Stock-based compensation

0.09

0.13

Amortization of intangible assets

0.29

0.33

Litigation costs

0.06

0.01

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

0.03

Restructuring and related

0.06

0.09

Preferred stock and warrant liability mark-to-market adjustment

0.08

0.03

Preferred stock and warrant liability issuance costs

0.02

Tax indemnification write-off

0.04

Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments

(0.06)

(0.04)

Non-GAAP Diluted earnings (loss) per share

$               0.25

$               0.21

Weighted average shares used to compute diluted earnings (loss) per share

 Shares used to compute GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

174,044

170,408

 Shares used to compute Non-GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share

177,306

172,947

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           16,872

$         (24,285)

Depreciation

13,539

14,105

Stock-based compensation

16,086

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

16,209

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$         118,717

$           90,509

* Less than $0.01 impact on earnings (loss) per share.

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

Trailing Twelve Months

December 31,

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2024

2023

GAAP Income (loss) from operations

$           16,872

$                322

$         (24,285)

Depreciation

13,539

13,633

14,105

Stock-based compensation

16,086

16,953

21,806

Amortization of intangible assets

50,862

52,243

56,891

Litigation costs

11,198

10,153

1,307

Acquisition-, disposal- and integration-related

1,494

4,476

Restructuring and related

10,160

11,064

16,209

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$         118,717

$         105,862

$           90,509

 

RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP and GAAP Financial Measures – Outlook

(unaudited)

 Three months ending  

 Year ending  

March 31, 2025

December 31, 2025

Midpoint (1)

Range

Midpoint (1)

Range

Revenue ($ millions)

$               190

 +/- $5M

$               880

+/- $10M

Gross margin:

GAAP outlook

50.25 %

52.0 %

Stock-based compensation

0.20 %

0.2 %

Amortization of acquired technology

2.80 %

2.3 %

Non-GAAP outlook

53.25 %

 +/- 0.25%

54.5 %

+/- 0.5%

Adjusted EBITDA ($ millions):

GAAP income (loss) from operations

$              (6.4)

$              49.7

Depreciation

3.6

15.8

Stock-based compensation

4.0

16.2

Amortization of intangible assets

11.5

44.1

Litigation costs

0.3

1.2

Restructuring and related

2.0

8.0

Non-GAAP outlook

$              15.0

 +/- $3M

$            135.0

+/- $5M

(1) Q1 2025 and FY 2025 outlook represents the midpoint of the expected ranges

 

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SOURCE Ribbon Communications Inc.

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WASTE CONNECTIONS ANNOUNCES REGULAR QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND

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TORONTO, Feb. 12, 2025 /CNW/ — Waste Connections, Inc. (TSX/NYSE: WCN) (“Waste Connections” or the “Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.315 U.S. per common share of the Company. The regular quarterly cash dividend will be paid on March 13, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 27, 2025. The Board intends to review the quarterly dividend each October, with a long-term objective of increasing the amount of the dividend.

Shareholders of Waste Connections whose common shares are held by a bank or broker that participates in U.S. depositary DTC will receive payment of their dividends in U.S. dollars. Shareholders of Waste Connections whose common shares are held by a bank or broker that participates in Canadian depositary CDS will receive payment of their dividends in Canadian dollars, calculated based on the Bank of Canada’s daily average exchange rate on February 27, 2025. Shareholders of Waste Connections who hold their shares in direct registration with Computershare, the Company’s transfer agent, will receive payment of their dividends in Canadian dollars if they are residents of Canada, as reflected in Waste Connections’ shareholders register, and will receive their dividend payments in U.S. dollars if they are not residents of Canada, including if they are residents of the U.S.

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections (wasteconnections.com) is an integrated solid waste services company that provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer and disposal services, including by rail, along with resource recovery primarily through recycling and renewable fuels generation. The Company serves approximately nine million residential, commercial and industrial customers in mostly exclusive and secondary markets across 46 states in the U.S. and six provinces in Canada. Waste Connections also provides non-hazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery and disposal services in several basins across the U.S. and Canada, as well as intermodal services for the movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest. Waste Connections views its Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) efforts as integral to its business, with initiatives consistent with its objective of long-term value creation and focused on reducing emissions, increasing resource recovery of both recyclable commodities and clean energy fuels, reducing reliance on off-site disposal for landfill leachate, further improving safety and enhancing employee engagement. Visit wasteconnections.com/sustainability for more information and updates on our progress towards targeted achievement.

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”), including “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance and reflect Waste Connections’ current beliefs and expectations regarding future events and operating performance. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the words “may,” “might,” “believes,” “thinks,” “expects,” “estimate,” “continue,” “intends” or other words of similar meaning. All of the forward-looking statements included in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA and applicable securities laws in Canada. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the timing and amount of cash dividends. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in Canada. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Waste Connections undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

CONTACT:

Mary Anne Whitney / (832) 442-2253

Joe Box / (832) 442-2153

maryannew@wasteconnections.com

joe.box@wasteconnections.com

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SOURCE Waste Connections, Inc.

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