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Síminn hf. – Revenue growth 4,7%

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Q4 2019Q4 2018 interim statement has been restated according to changes made to treatment of TV rights.Síminn‘s revenue amounted to ISK 7,896 million in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2019, compared to ISK 7,544 million in the same period 2018. An increase by ISK 352 million or 4.7%.EBITDA amounted to ISK 2,728 million in Q4 2019, compared to ISK 2,124 million in the same period in 2018, up by ISK 604 million or 28.4%. The EBITDA ratio was 34.5% in Q4 2019, compared to 28.2% in the same period in 2018. Considering changes due to IFRS 16, EBITDA at Q4 2018 amounted to ISK 2,586 million and EBITDA ratio was 34.3%.Profit in Q4 2019 amounted to ISK 760 million, compared to ISK 2,436 million loss in the same period in 2018. In Q4 2018, the goodwill in relation to the operation of Míla ehf. was impaired by ISK 2,990 million. Without the impairment loss the profit for Q4 2018 would have been ISK 554 million.Cash generated by operation amounted to ISK 2,092 million in Q4 2019, compared to ISK 2,333 million in the same period in 2018. Net cash from operating activities amounted to ISK 1,471 million in Q4 2019, compared to ISK 2,184 million in the same period in 2018.Interest bearing debt amounted to ISK 16.2 billion at the end of 2019, compared to ISK 17.2 billion at the end of 2018. Net interest-bearing debt amounted to 16.0 billion ISK at the end of 2019 up by ISK 29 million compared to year end 2018.Net financial expenses amounted to ISK 231 million in Q4 2019, compared to ISK 205 million in the same period in 2018, of that number ISK 66 million is related to IFRS 16 in Q4 2019. Financial expenses amounted to ISK 274 million and financial income ISK 45 million.Síminn’s equity ratio was 55.9% at the end of year 2019 and equity was 36.6 billion.Orri Hauksson, CEO:„Last year’s operations of the Síminn Group were solid and grew stronger as the year progressed. We were more than satisfied by the sales of our main product lines and the fact that Síminn appeals to the younger generation again. In addition, demand for Sensa’s information technology products increased in the last quarter. However, such growth cannot be projected into the next quarters, as sales, implementation and consulting in the information technology segment can be volatile.Demand for Síminn’s television services increased during the year, especially in the latter part of the year. Such growth was largely foreseen as Síminn’s new product, Síminn Sport, had full impact for the entire quarter. However, it is not football that our customers spend most of their time watching. Our most popular television content is our Icelandic material, children’s material and foreign reality TV about young people in search of love. In January 2020, we saw for the first time the number of individually streamed shows on Síminn TV Premium go over one million per week, which is a new record and shows interest in Síminn’s diverse content offering. FTTH investments helped with internet revenue growth and mobile services revenue in the consumer market has balanced again after major changes in recent years, in areas such as wholesale and roaming. However, the fierce battle for customers in our markets continues, especially in the corporate market.Síminn controlled its costs during the year with various actions. Wage costs are by far the largest single item of expenses in the company, but full-time employees decreased by 52 between years. At the same time, customer satisfaction increased significantly, according to the Icelandic Consumer Satisfaction Index, and were pleased to see the same positive trend in customer satisfaction from other NPS metrics. There are many intra-connecting factors that create this result. These include increased stability in the operations of our back-end systems, a new Síminn app that facilitates self-service and various measures to reduce unforeseen customer costs. Our 4G mobile network now covers 99.4% of the country’s households and we continue our development towards 5G. Síminn thus systematically continues to work towards increased customer satisfaction. The focus in 2020, among other things, is to further enhance the reliability of service for existing customers and offer various innovations in the TV side of the business.The Group’s telco systems performed well in the severe weather and power failure that hit Iceland in the end of the quarter. As usually, our technicians were well prepared, not surprisingly, as we are used to heavy storms and bad weather here in Iceland. The reserve power we have at our disposal, together with the utilization of other reserve power owned by other infrastructure companies, made sure that telecommunications remained largely active in urban areas, apart from a few power outages in some areas, which turned off the telco equipment for some time. In December, our Group spent tens of millions in unforeseen cost that was needed to insure connectivity and keep basic communications going. The telco’s in Iceland, together with Neyðarlínan, the National Emergency Service, and RÚV, the National Broadcasting Service, have now established partnerships to strengthen telecommunications in rural areas and more dispersed areas. In addition, Síminn, Sýn and Nova have launched preliminary talks on possible future collaboration regarding telco infrastructure in a broad sense. The aim is to utilize investments in the years to come in the most cost-effective way, and to see if and how the existing and future infrastructure can be shared. These talks will take into account the possibility to accelerate the development of new technologies, increase public safety, reduce waste and reduce environmental damage due to unnecessary construction.Míla´s FTTH effort was well executed last year and 17,000 new homes can now be connected to Míla fiber-optic network. The increase in FTTH connections was particularly strong in other areas than Reykjavík and vicinity, which is a new and positive development for the countryside. The Míla FTTH network now extends to the majority of the country’s homes and we have seen the peak of the Míla´s FTTH investments.  The Group´s investments in FTTH going forward will therefore continue decrease. Demand for Sensa´s cloud-based specialist services increased sharply last year. Sensa has acquired the information technology company HUX to further support the increased focus on cloud-based services, such as artificial intelligence, security and cloud based data-flow.Overall, the Group is well positioned for 2020. Despite the country’s slower economy, we expect both improved EBITDA margin and stronger cash flow between the years. “Further informationOrri Hauksson, CEO, tel. 354 550 6003 ([email protected])Óskar Hauksson, CFO, tel. 354 550 6003 ([email protected])
AttachmentsSíminn 31.12.2019 ENSíminn hf – Financial results Q4 2019Investor presentation Q4 2019

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Artificial Intelligence

XtalPi Unveils XtalGazer: A Comprehensive AI-Driven Polymorph Selection Platform

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — XtalPi Inc., a leading global technology company in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to advance the discovery of groundbreaking medicine and innovative materials, announced today the launch of its proprietary comprehensive solid form discovery and selection platform, XtalGazer. This advanced platform aims to significantly improve the polymorph selection process for the pharmaceutical industry by integrating AI- and automation-powered experimental and computational approaches.

XtalGazer provides a total solution for delivering high-quality polymorph screening and selection methods to expedite drug development and mitigate risks. It represents a paradigm shift in solid-state research, moving from the traditional trial-and-error approach to a data-driven, design-led methodology. The platform provides an expansive suite of foundational tools to accelerate polymorph discovery, characterization, and selection process, empowering pharmaceutical companies to conduct thorough research with less active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in shorter development cycles.
A key component of XtalGazer is XtalCSP, a crystal structure prediction platform to perform global searches of crystal structures for target molecules and the other optional components in the corresponding searching space, offering a deep insight into possible stable forms. Furthermore, crystallization strategy recommendations will provide AI-backed experimental design to help avoid human bias. XtalGazer also utilizes MicroED to rapidly elucidate crystal structures from powder samples, reducing the need for growing single crystals.
XtalPi’s launch of XtalGazer marks another significant step in the company’s ongoing exploration of solid-state research. From crystal structure prediction platforms being one of the first products to launch at XtalPi, to today’s comprehensive polymorph selection platform, XtalPi will keep fulfilling its promise to solving challenging problems in this space. XtalPi will continue to deliver faster, more accurate, and more comprehensive approaches to building an ecosystem for the R&D process in solid-state, pre-formulation and crystallization.
For more information about XtalPi, please visit www.xtalpi.com.
About XtalPi:
XtalPi is an innovative technology company powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Founded in 2015 on the MIT campus, XtalPi is dedicated to driving intelligent and digital transformation in the life science and new materials industries. With tightly interwoven quantum physics, AI, cloud computing, and large-scale clusters of robotic workstations, XtalPi offers a range of technology solutions, services, and products to accelerate and empower innovation for biopharmaceutical and new materials companies worldwide.
Media Contact: Vivienne [email protected]
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ICIS and Base Oil News Announce Partnership to Enhance Market Insights

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LONDON, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ICIS, a global source of commodity intelligence, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Base Oil News, a premier news outlet founded by industry expert Iain Pocock that provides in-depth coverage of the base oils and lubricants market. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the dissemination and exchange of critical market data and insights.

With more than two decades of journalism experience at Bloomberg, Reuters, and Argus Media, Iain Pocock brings unparalleled expertise to this partnership. His deep understanding of illiquid energy markets makes him a credible and influential figure in the industry. Since November 2023, Iain has been working closely with ICIS to share and exchange valuable data and insights, enhancing the services both platforms offer to the base oils and lubricants market.
Through the collaboration, Iain integrates ICIS’ extensive content and data resources in Base Oil News market coverage. In return, he contributes market insights to ICIS News, including expert and exclusive analysis of supply and demand dynamics, price margins, and other critical market drivers. This exchange ensures that subscribers of both ICIS and Base Oil News have access to the most comprehensive, timely, and accurate market information, empowering them to make informed decisions.
“It’s a very exciting partnership – where we leverage each other’s strengths and provide actionable insights to our customers,” said Iain Pocock, Founder of Base Oil News. “The market is the winner.”
“As ICIS is already the world’s most trusted pricing benchmark for base oils, this collaboration with Iain Pocock and Base Oil News provides an even stronger and deeper service to our customers,” said Stephen Burns, Editorial Director at ICIS. “Iain’s expertise and extensive industry connections are invaluable, and we have established a fruitful partnership that benefits the market at large.”
For the latest insights from Iain Pocock on ICIS News, visit ICIS News.  
About ICIS
ICIS – Independent Commodity Intelligence Services – helps businesses through seamlessly delivering data and analytics, across the chemical, fertilizer and energy markets. A trusted source and benchmark for price information and insight across key commodities markets worldwide. Our independent, transparent market intelligence informs thousands of quality decisions every day, taking the pressure out of negotiations and giving customers space for more innovative thinking, through published datasets including price assessments, price forecasts, supply and demand fundamentals and more.
Over 150 years of shaping the world by connecting markets to optimise the world’s valuable resources. With a global team of more than 600 experts, ICIS has employees based in London, New York, Houston, Karlsruhe, Milan, Mumbai, Singapore, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Dubai, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo and Perth.
ICIS is part of RELX, a FTSE15 company with a market cap of £64bn and an employee base of over 30,000 experts across 40 countries.
About RELX
RELX is a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs approximately 30,000 people of whom almost half are in North America. RELX PLC is a London listed holding company which owns 52.9% of RELX Group. RELX NV is an Amsterdam listed holding company which owns 47.1% of RELX Group. The shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX and RENX. Total market capitalisation is approximately £64bn | €75bn | $81bn.
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Trianz Welcomes Israel Abraham as Vice President of Services for Extrica.ai – The Data to AI Platform

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SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Digital transformation technology & services company Trianz is pleased to announce the appointment of Israel Abraham as Vice President of Extrica Platform Services.

Trianz has embarked on a transformative journey, redefining its value proposition with an ‘IP Led’ model, with a commitment to deliver the fastest time to value, lowest human dependence, and highest ROI. Central to this approach are our hyper-automated platforms, Concierto.Cloud, Extrica.AI, and Pulse, driving industry-leading transformations in cloud, data and analytics, AI, and the digital workplace.
Israel Abraham is a very well-known pioneer and industry leader in AI, data management, and analytics systems, with over three decades of experience. He joins as the services leader for Extrica- the Trianz Data to AI platform, which productizes data, provides data a face and purpose, and accelerates time to insights and AI by 50% or more. In the role of Extrica Services leader, Israel will lead the shaping, visioning, and delivery of Extrica.ai based enterprise wide datamesh, BI, and AI solutions for customers worldwide.
“We are thrilled to welcome Israel Abraham to the Trianz family,” said Sri Manchala, CEO of Trianz and author of Crossing the Digital Faultline. “He is a leader in modernization as well as conceptualization of data platforms anew. Israel’s prior background in the industry with financial services and insurance giants underscores our commitment to securing top-tier talent that brings real-world experiences and needs to our technology platforms. As we continue to broaden our footprint in the digital transformation space, Israel’s visionary leadership and practical experience will serve as the cornerstone in accelerating insights and AI to deliver transformative value to our clients.”
Having played pivotal roles in highly reputed and large organizations such as Liberty Mutual Insurance, MassMutual, Safeco, and CNA Insurance, Israel has garnered recognition as a seasoned leader in big data and AI cloud implementations. His accolades include the prestigious 2014 Ventana Research IT Innovation Award, the 2009 Informatica MDM Innovation Award, and three filed Data Engineering patents in the last four years.
“Trianz has been at the forefront of digital innovation, and Extrica.ai is a paradigm shifting data to AI platform that completely changes how analytics and AI are delivered- much faster, taking business ahead of change. I am excited to scale the adoption of the Extrica platform, which has attracted attention from giants across the industry and hyperscalers,” said Israel Abraham. “I look forward to engaging with customers, bringing my own experiences, and collaborating with the talented team at Trianz to further enhance the capabilities of the Extrica Platform Services to transform data & AI strategies, execution, and outcomes for customers.”
About Trianz
Trianz is a leading-edge technology platforms and services company that accelerates digital transformations at Fortune 100 and emerging companies worldwide in data & analytics, digital experiences, cloud infrastructure, and security. Our ‘IP Led Transformations’ approach, informed by insights from a recent global study spanning 20+ industries and 5000+ companies, addresses challenges posed by the rapid pace of AI-driven transformation, digital talent scarcity, and economic uncertainty. Our IP and platforms, including Concierto, Extrica, and Pulse, revolutionize cloud adoption, data analytics, and AI insights, empowering organizations to navigate the complexities of digital transformation seamlessly.
Founded in California and with an organization of over 2,000 associates across the United States and India, Trianz is a Premier Partner of AWS, consistently rated #1 by clients for value delivery over the past five years. Trianz has been ranked as one of the best Consulting Firms by Forbes and has been certified as a Great Place to Work for three years in a row. To learn more about Trianz, email [email protected] or visit www.trianz.com.
Watch Trianz CEO Sri Manchala’s insightful interview with Bloomberg on Partner | Crossing The Digital Faultline & Leading Towards Transformative Success – YouTube and delve deeper into his book Crossing the Digital Faultline at Crossing the Digital Faultline | Trianz.
Trianz Media [email protected] +1-408-387-5800
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