Connect with us
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit 2024

Artificial Intelligence

Mercury Systems Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2021 Results

Published

on

Fourth Quarter Highlights Include:
Revenues of $251 million increased 15% over prior year
Bookings of $260 million yielding book-to-bill of 1.04
Backlog of over $900 million entering fiscal 2022
Completed the acquisition of Pentek
Launched 1MPACT value creation initiative

ANDOVER, Mass., Aug. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), reported operating results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021, ended July 2, 2021.

Management Comments
“The Company delivered a solid financial performance in the fourth quarter and completed fiscal 2021 with strong financial results,” said Mark Aslett, Mercury’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We achieved strong bookings in the quarter yielding a book-to-bill of 1.04 and backlog of over $900 million entering fiscal 2022. In addition, we completed the acquisition of Pentek, which deepens our penetration into core radar, electronic warfare and signals intelligence markets. As expected, the quarter and fiscal year were more challenging as a result of program delays which are likely to also impact fiscal 2022.”

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2021 Results
Total Company fourth quarter fiscal 2021 revenues were $250.8 million, compared to $217.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. The fourth quarter fiscal 2021 results included an aggregate of approximately $40.8 million of revenue attributable to the Physical Optics Corporation and Pentek acquired businesses.

Total Company GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 was $17.9 million, or $0.32 per share, compared to $27.2 million, or $0.49 per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Adjusted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”) was $0.73 per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, compared to $0.72 per share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

Fourth quarter fiscal 2021 adjusted EBITDA for the total Company was $59.1 million, compared to $49.6 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

Cash flows from operating activities in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 were $27.2 million, compared to $28.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Free cash flow, defined as cash flows from operating activities less capital expenditures for property and equipment, was $16.3 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 and $17.2 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

All per share information is presented on a fully diluted basis.

Full Year Fiscal 2021 Results

Full year fiscal 2021 revenues were $924.0 million, compared to $796.6 million for full year fiscal 2020. The full year fiscal 2021 results include organic revenue of $835.6 million, an increase of 5% from fiscal 2020. Organic revenue represents total company revenue excluding net revenue from acquisitions for the first four full quarters since the entity’s acquisition date (which excludes any intercompany transactions). After the completion of four full fiscal quarters, acquired businesses are treated as organic for current and comparable historical periods.

Total Company GAAP net income for fiscal 2021 was $62.0 million, or $1.12 per share, compared to $85.7 million, or $1.56 per share, for fiscal 2020. Adjusted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”) was $2.42 per share for fiscal 2021, compared to $2.30 per share for fiscal 2020.

Fiscal 2021 adjusted EBITDA for the total Company was $201.9 million, compared to $176.2 million for fiscal 2020.

Cash flows from operating activities for 2021 were $97.2 million, compared to $115.2 million in fiscal 2020. Free cash flow was $51.6 million for fiscal 2021, compared to $71.9 million for fiscal 2020.

Bookings and Backlog
Total bookings for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 were $260.2 million, yielding a book-to-bill ratio of 1.04 for the quarter.

Mercury’s total backlog at July 2, 2021 was $909.6 million, a $78.5 million increase from a year ago. Of the July 2, 2021 total backlog, $530.0 million represents orders expected to be shipped within the next 12 months.

1MPACT Initiative
Mr. Aslett continued, “Over the past seven years since fiscal 2014, we’ve completed 13 acquisitions deploying $1.2 billion in capital, dramatically scaling and transforming the business as a result. As we cross the $1 billion revenue threshold, we’re taking proactive steps with an eye towards repeating what we have done over the past seven years. This afternoon we announced a companywide effort, that we’ve called 1MPACT, to lay the foundation for our next phase of value creation at scale, with a goal of achieving Mercury’s full growth, margin expansion and adjusted EBITDA potential over the course of the next five years. 1MPACT will be led by a new Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) reporting to me.”

“Early in the third quarter of fiscal 2021, we engaged a tier 1 consulting firm to do a full assessment of the Company and size our value creation potential. The assessment identified that in order to scale, it was necessary to consolidate and streamline the Company’s organizational structure to improve visibility, speed of decision making and accountability. Therefore, starting in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 and accelerating in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, we acted on the first 1MPACT opportunity to realign our organizational structure. As 1MPACT progresses over the next few years, we will focus on six major areas: organizational efficiency and scalability; procurement and supply chain optimization; facilities optimization; R&D investment efficiency; capital and asset efficiency; and scalable common processes and systems. These actions are in their planning phases and we’ll provide updates as they progress.”

“From a financial standpoint, 1MPACT is expected to yield estimated annualized net savings of $30-50 million by fiscal 2025, with approximately $22 million of this total expected to be realized in fiscal 2022 and included in the Company’s full-year fiscal 2022 outlook. Going forward, we’ll continue to reinvest some of the gross savings in people and business systems to enable further scalability.”

“We remain aligned with the national defense strategy and modernization, including speed and affordability objectives, and our M&A pipeline is robust. Given the multiple capability-led acquisitions since fiscal 2014, and the near-term program delays, this is a perfect time to capture the scale, cost and process efficiencies. Our long-term outlook remains intact and our strategy remains the same: to deliver strong margins while growing the business organically and supplementing this organic growth with disciplined M&A and full integration. We’ve launched 1MPACT to change the way we fundamentally do business with a goal of setting the stage for rapid organic and inorganic growth over the next five years.”

Changes to Mercury’s Leadership

Didier Thibaud, Mercury’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), is retiring after 26 years at Mercury. Mr. Thibaud will remain EVP and COO of Mercury until August 26, 2021, at which point he will serve as a strategic advisor to CEO Mark Aslett, while also working closely with leadership for a smooth and orderly transition. The leaders of the Processing and Microelectronics divisions will report to Mr. Aslett.

Mr. Thibaud said, “It’s been my great privilege to work alongside the wonderful team at Mercury. I couldn’t be more proud of the work we do in partnership with our customers, improving technology access to aerospace and defense and enabling more innovative and affordable solutions.”

“Didier’s contributions and counsel have been instrumental to our growth and success. We extend to him our sincerest thanks and wish him well in retirement,” said Mark Aslett. “Didier has exemplified impressive leadership over his meaningful career at Mercury. His commitment to delivering for our customers and building a culture of innovation will be felt for many years to come.”

Business Outlook

This section presents our current expectations and estimates, given current visibility, on our business outlook for the current fiscal quarter and fiscal year 2022. It is possible that actual performance will differ materially from the estimates given, either on the upside or on the downside. Investors should consider all of the risks with respect to these estimates, including those listed in the Safe Harbor Statement below and in the Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2021 Earnings Presentation and in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and make themselves aware of how these risks may impact our actual performance. Effective as of July 1, 2019, the Company’s fiscal year has changed to the 52-week or 53-week period ending on the Friday closest to the last day in June. All references in this press release to the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and full fiscal 2022 are to the quarter ending October 1, 2021 and to 52-week period ending July 1, 2022.

For the first quarter of fiscal 2022, revenues are forecasted to be in the range of $210.0 million to $220.0 million. GAAP net loss for the first quarter is expected to be approximately $4.4 million to $2.3 million, or $0.08 to $0.04 per share, assuming no incremental acquisition, other non-operating adjustments, non-recurring financing in the period, as well as an effective tax rate, excluding discrete items, of approximately 25.0% and approximately 55.9 million weighted average diluted shares outstanding. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 is expected to be in the range of $36.8 million to $39.6 million. Adjusted EPS is expected to be in the range of $0.38 to $0.41 per share.

For the full fiscal year 2022, revenues are forecasted to be in the range of $1.00 billion to $1.03 billion, and GAAP net income of $60.0 million to $65.2 million, or $1.07 to $1.16 per share, assuming no incremental acquisition, other non-operating adjustments, non-recurring financing in the period, as well as an effective tax rate, excluding discrete items, of approximately 25.0% for the year and approximately 56.1 million weighted average diluted shares outstanding. Adjusted EBITDA for the full fiscal year is expected to be approximately $220.0 million to $227.0 million, and adjusted EPS for the full fiscal year is expected to be approximately $2.45 to $2.55 per share.

Recent Highlights
June – Mercury Systems announced it achieved a significant milestone with the delivery of more than 1,000 NanoSWITCH® rugged network switches to Oshkosh® Defense for its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program.

June – Mercury announced the EnsembleSeries™ HDS6705 blade server, the embedded computing industry’s most powerful, general-purpose processing 6U OpenVPX™ blade server with built-in security for the most demanding aerospace and defense applications.

June – Mercury announced that its Cypress, Calif. and West Caldwell, N.J. facilities each received a 2021 James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award from the U.S. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). Mercury’s Andover, Mass.; Hudson, N.H.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and West Lafayette, Ind. facilities have also previously received Cogswell awards, bringing the total to six awards the Company has received to date.

June – Mercury announced the new RH3480 radiation-tolerant solid-state data recorder (SSDR), the highest-density commercial SSDR available today. Designed in a compact, rugged and standards-based flexible form factor, the RH3480 is ideal for radiation-intensive space and terrestrial applications, including low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, high-altitude aircraft, missiles, launch vehicles and scientific missions.

May – Mercury announced the acquisition of Pentek Technologies, LLC and Pentek Systems, Inc. (collectively, “Pentek”). Based in Upper Saddle River, N.J., Pentek is a leading designer and manufacturer of ruggedized, high-performance, commercial off-the-shelf (“COTS”) software-defined radio and data acquisition boards, recording systems and subsystems for high-end commercial and defense applications.

May – Mercury and Airbus Defence and Space announced that they would cooperate in the field of autonomous and flight control computer programs. Formalized by a Framework Cooperation Agreement, both industry-leading companies have shown their firm commitment to advance a strategic teaming agreement in research, demonstration, validation and certification of autonomous and flight control computer programs, especially algorithms and environment of execution.

April – Mercury announced the ground-breaking Rappid™ spectrum processing platform, an innovative, modular open system architecture designed to dramatically accelerate the development of a wide range of electronic warfare (EW), signal intelligence and software-defined radio applications. This scalable application-ready platform reduces integration costs, extends system lifecycles, and enables fast deployment of new technologies, all critical elements to remain relevant against evolving adversary threats.

April – Mercury announced the JTS0100 Jammer Training System, ideal for training radar and communications operators in harsh environments. Sized to meet commercial shipping limitations for enhanced portability and the ability to set up in less than an hour, the JTS0100 simulates the latest electronic warfare (EW) threats to train operators to identify and quickly respond to them.

April – Mercury announced its next-generation rugged rackmount server product lineup featuring 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors (formerly code-named Ice Lake). Mercury’s new RES XR7 line of high-performance, configurable servers deliver data center-level performance to accelerate applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensor fusion and communications.

Conference Call Information

Mercury will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, to discuss the fourth quarter and fiscal 2021 results and review its financial and business outlook going forward.

To attend the live listen-only webcast, participants should register online at ir.mrcy.com/events-presentations. A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the call and archived on the same web page for six months. Participants can alternately join via conference call, by pre-registering online at this link. After registering, a confirmation will be sent via email, including dial in details and unique conference call codes for entry. Participants are requested to register a day in advance or at a minimum 15 minutes before the start of the call.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, the Company provides adjusted EBITDA, adjusted income, adjusted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”), free cash flow, organic revenue and acquired revenue, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted income, and adjusted EPS exclude certain non-cash and other specified charges. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to help investors understand its past financial performance and prospects for the future. However, these non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information provided in accordance with GAAP. Management believes these non-GAAP measures assist in providing a more complete understanding of the Company’s underlying operational results and trends, and management uses these measures along with the corresponding GAAP financial measures to manage the Company’s business, to evaluate its performance compared to prior periods and the marketplace, and to establish operational goals. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial results discussed in this press release is contained in the attached exhibits.

About Mercury Systems – Innovation That Matters®
Mercury Systems is a global commercial technology company serving the aerospace and defense industry. Headquartered in Andover, Mass., the company delivers trusted, secure open architecture processing solutions powering a broad range of mission-critical applications in the most challenging and demanding environments. Inspired by its purpose of delivering Innovation that Matters, By and For People Who Matter, Mercury helps make the world a safer, more secure place for all. To learn more, visit www.mrcy.com, or follow us on Twitter.

Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information using our website (www.mrcy.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts, and social media, including Twitter (twitter.com/mrcy and twitter.com/mrcy_CEO) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/mercury-systems). Therefore, we encourage investors and others interested in Mercury to review the information we post on the social media and other communication channels listed on our website.

Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the acquisitions described herein and to fiscal 2021 business performance and beyond and the Company’s plans for growth, cost savings and improvement in profitability and cash flow. You can identify these statements by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs, the timing and amounts of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of epidemics and pandemics such as COVID, effects of any U.S. Federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in, or in the U.S. Government’s interpretation of, federal export control or procurement rules and regulations, changes in, or in the interpretation or enforcement of environmental rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company’s products, shortages in or delays in receiving components, production delays or unanticipated expenses due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions, restructurings and value creation initiatives such as 1MPACT, or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, and various other factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2020. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.

Contact:
Michael D. Ruppert, CFO
Mercury Systems, Inc.
978-967-1990

Mercury Systems and Innovation that Matters are registered trademarks, and Ensemble Series, EnterpriseSeries, BuiltSAFE and BuiltSECURE are trademarks of Mercury Systems, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

MERCURY SYSTEMS, INC.  
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  
(In thousands)        
    July 2,   July 3,
    2021   2020
         
Assets        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 113,839     $ 226,838  
Accounts receivable, net   128,807     120,438  
Unbilled receivables and costs in excess of billings   162,921     90,289  
Inventory   221,640     178,093  
Prepaid income taxes   782     2,498  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   15,111     16,613  
Total current assets   643,100     634,769  
         
Property and equipment, net   128,524     87,737  
Goodwill   804,906     614,076  
Intangible assets, net   307,559     208,748  
Operating lease right-of-use assets   66,373     60,613  
Other non-current assets   4,675     4,777  
Total assets   $ 1,955,137     $ 1,610,720  
         
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity        
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable   $ 47,951     $ 41,877  
Accrued expenses   24,652     23,794  
Accrued compensation   40,043     41,270  
Deferred revenues and customer advances   38,177     18,974  
Total current liabilities   150,823     125,915  
         
Deferred income taxes   28,810     13,889  
Income taxes payable   7,467     4,117  
Long-term debt   200,000      
Operating lease liabilities   71,508     66,981  
Other non-current liabilities   12,383     15,034  
Total liabilities   470,991     225,936  
         
Shareholders’ equity:        
Preferred stock        
Common stock   552     547  
Additional paid-in capital   1,109,434     1,074,667  
Retained earnings   374,499     312,455  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (339 )   (2,885 )
Total shareholders’ equity   1,484,146     1,384,784  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 1,955,137     $ 1,610,720  
MERCURY SYSTEMS, INC.                
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS        
(In thousands, except per share data)                
    Fourth Quarters Ended   Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020   July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Net revenues   $ 250,842     $ 217,377     $ 923,996     $ 796,610  
Cost of revenues(1)   148,063     120,764     538,808     439,766  
Gross margin   102,779     96,613     385,188     356,844  
                 
Operating expenses:                
Selling, general and administrative(1)   31,587     35,488     134,337     132,253  
Research and development(1)   27,718     26,988     113,481     98,485  
Amortization of intangible assets   13,080     7,701     41,171     30,560  
Restructuring and other charges   6,978     (10 )   9,222     1,805  
Acquisition costs and other related expenses   1,010     27     5,976     2,679  
Total operating expenses   80,373     70,194     304,187     265,782  
                 
Income from operations   22,406     26,419     81,001     91,062  
                 
Interest income   13     194     179     2,151  
Interest expense   (600 )   (948 )   (1,222 )   (1,006 )
Other (expense) income, net   (758 )   1,325     (2,785 )   1,726  
                 
Income before income taxes   21,061     26,990     77,173     93,933  
Income tax provision (benefit)   3,136     (234 )   15,129     8,221  
Net income   $ 17,925     $ 27,224     $ 62,044     $ 85,712  
                 
Basic net earnings per share   $ 0.32     $ 0.50     $ 1.13     $ 1.57  
                 
Diluted net earnings per share   $ 0.32     $ 0.49     $ 1.12     $ 1.56  
                 
Weighted-average shares outstanding:                
Basic   55,180     54,637     55,070     54,546  
Diluted   55,598     55,259     55,474     55,115  
                 
(1) Includes stock-based compensation expense, allocated as follows:
Cost of revenues   $ 814     $ 307     $ 2,037     $ 989  
Selling, general and administrative   $ 4,483     $ 6,185     $ 21,866     $ 21,688  
Research and development   $ 1,128     $ 1,042     $ 4,387     $ 3,861  
MERCURY SYSTEMS, INC.                
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)                
    Fourth Quarters Ended   Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020   July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:                
Net income   $ 17,925     $ 27,224     $ 62,044     $ 85,712  
Depreciation and amortization   20,842     12,751     67,083     49,330  
Gain on investment       (2,007 )       (5,817 )
Other non-cash items, net   12,308     6,814     30,910     29,394  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities   (23,881 )   (16,056 )   (62,790 )   (43,435 )
                 
Net cash provided by operating activities   27,194     28,726     97,247     115,184  
                 
Cash flows from investing activities:                
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired   (67,563 )       (372,826 )   (96,502 )
Purchases of property and equipment   (10,891 )   (11,506 )   (45,599 )   (43,294 )
Proceeds from sale of investment           1,538     4,310  
                 
Net cash used in investing activities   (78,454 )   (11,506 )   (416,887 )   (135,486 )
                 
Cash flows from financing activities:                
Proceeds from employee stock plans   3,096     2,921     6,295     5,317  
Payments under credit facilities       (200,000 )       (200,000 )
Borrowings under credit facilities   40,000         200,000     200,000  
Payments for retirement of common stock       (566 )   (66 )   (16,249 )
                 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   43,096     (197,645 )   206,229     (10,932 )
                 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents   60     117     412     140  
                 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents   (8,104 )   (180,308 )   (112,999 )   (31,094 )
                 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   121,943     407,146     226,838     257,932  
                 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 113,839     $ 226,838     $ 113,839     $ 226,838  
UNAUDITED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands)            

Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure for reporting financial performance, excludes the impact of certain items and, therefore, has not been calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that exclusion of these items assists in providing a more complete understanding of the Company’s underlying results and trends, and management uses these measures along with the corresponding GAAP financial measures to manage the Company’s business, to evaluate its performance compared to prior periods and the marketplace, and to establish operational goals. The adjustments to calculate this non-GAAP financial measure, and the basis for such adjustments, are outlined below:

Other non-operating adjustments. The Company records other non-operating adjustments such as gains or losses on foreign currency remeasurement, investments and fixed asset sales or disposals among other adjustments. These adjustments may vary from period to period without any direct correlation to underlying operating performance.

Interest income and expense. The Company receives interest income on investments and incurs interest expense on loans, capital leases and other financing arrangements. These amounts may vary from period to period due to changes in cash and debt balances and interest rates driven by general market conditions or other circumstances outside of the normal course of Mercury’s operations.

Income taxes. The Company’s GAAP tax expense can fluctuate materially from period to period due to tax adjustments that are not directly related to underlying operating performance or to the current period of operations.

Depreciation. The Company incurs depreciation expense related to capital assets purchased to support the ongoing operations of the business. These assets are recorded at cost or fair value and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the useful life of the asset. Purchases of such assets may vary significantly from period to period and without any direct correlation to underlying operating performance.

Amortization of intangible assets. The Company incurs amortization of intangibles related to various acquisitions it has made and license agreements. These intangible assets are valued at the time of acquisition, are amortized over a period of several years after acquisition and generally cannot be changed or influenced by management after acquisition.

Restructuring and other charges. The Company incurs restructuring and other charges in connection with management’s decisions to undertake certain actions to realign operating expenses through workforce reductions and the closure of certain Company facilities, businesses and product lines. The Company’s adjustments reflected in restructuring and other charges are typically related to acquisitions and organizational redesign programs initiated as part of discrete post-acquisition integration activities. Management believes these items are non-routine and may not be indicative of ongoing operating results.

Impairment of long-lived assets. The Company incurs impairment charges of long-lived assets based on events that may or may not be within the control of management. Management believes these items are outside the normal operations of the Company’s business and are not indicative of ongoing operating results.

Acquisition and financing costs. The Company incurs transaction costs related to acquisition and potential acquisition opportunities, such as legal, accounting, and other third party advisory fees. Although we may incur such third-party costs and other related charges and adjustments, it is not indicative that any transaction will be consummated. Additionally, the Company incurs unused revolver and bank fees associated with maintaining its credit facility. The Company also incurs non-cash financing expenses associated with obtaining its credit facility. Management believes these items are outside the normal operations of the Company’s business and are not indicative of ongoing operating results.

Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting. As a result of applying purchase accounting rules to acquired assets and liabilities, certain fair value adjustments are recorded in the opening balance sheet of acquired companies. These adjustments are then reflected in the Company’s income statements in periods subsequent to the acquisition. In addition, the impact of any changes to originally recorded contingent consideration amounts are reflected in the income statements in the period of the change. Management believes these items are outside the normal operations of the Company and are not indicative of ongoing operating results.

Litigation and settlement income and expense. The Company periodically receives income and incurs expenses related to pending claims and litigation and associated legal fees and potential case settlements and/or judgments. Although we may incur such costs and other related charges and adjustments, it is not indicative of any particular outcome until the matter is fully resolved. Management believes these items are outside the normal operations of the Company’s business and are not indicative of ongoing operating results. The Company periodically receives warranty claims from customers and makes warranty claims towards its vendors and supply chain. Management believes the expenses and gains associated with these recurring warranty items are within the normal operations and operating cycle of the Company’s business. Therefore, management deems no adjustments are necessary unless under extraordinary circumstances.

COVID related expenses. The Company incurred costs associated with the COVID pandemic. These costs relate primarily to enhanced compensation and benefits for employees as well as incremental supplies and services to support social distancing and mitigate the spread of COVID. These costs include expanded sick pay related to COVID, overtime, the Mercury Employee COVID Relief Fund, meals and other compensation-related expenses as well as ongoing testing for onsite employees. Management believes these items are outside the normal operations of the Company and are not indicative of ongoing operating results.

Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense. The Company incurs expense related to stock-based compensation included in its GAAP presentation of cost of revenues, selling, general and administrative expense and research and development expense. The Company also incurs non-cash based compensation in the form of pension related expenses. Although stock-based and other non-cash compensation is an expense of the Company and viewed as a form of compensation, these expenses vary in amount from period to period, and are affected by market forces that are difficult to predict and are not within the control of management, such as the market price and volatility of the Company’s shares, risk-free interest rates and the expected term and forfeiture rates of the awards, as well as pension actuarial assumptions. Management believes that exclusion of these expenses allows comparisons of operating results to those of other companies, both public, private or foreign, that disclose non-GAAP financial measures that exclude stock-based compensation and other non-cash compensation.

Mercury uses adjusted EBITDA as an important indicator of the operating performance of its business. Management excludes the above-described items from its internal forecasts and models when establishing internal operating budgets, supplementing the financial results and forecasts reported to the Company’s board of directors, determining the portion of bonus compensation for executive officers and other key employees based on operating performance, evaluating short-term and long-term operating trends in the Company’s operations, and allocating resources to various initiatives and operational requirements. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA permits a comparative assessment of its operating performance, relative to its performance based on its GAAP results, while isolating the effects of charges that may vary from period to period without any correlation to underlying operating performance. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial adjustments are useful to investors because they allow investors to evaluate the effectiveness of the methodology and information used by management in its financial and operational decision-making. The Company believes that trends in its adjusted EBITDA are valuable indicators of its operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information provided in accordance with GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure may not be computed in the same manner as similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company expects to continue to incur expenses similar to the adjusted EBITDA financial adjustments described above, and investors should not infer from the Company’s presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure that these costs are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring.

The following table reconciles the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to the non-GAAP financial measure.

    Fourth Quarters Ended   Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020   July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Net income   $ 17,925     $ 27,224     $ 62,044     $ 85,712  
Other non-operating adjustments, net   236     (2,250 )   (724 )   (5,636 )
Interest expense (income), net   587     754     1,043     (1,145 )
Income tax provision   3,136     (234 )   15,129     8,221  
Depreciation   7,762     5,050     25,912     18,770  
Amortization of intangible assets   13,080     7,701     41,171     30,560  
Restructuring and other charges   6,978     (10 )   9,222     1,805  
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   1,530     636     8,600     5,645  
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   (472 )   601     (290 )   1,801  
Litigation and settlement expense, net   (128 )   315     622     944  
COVID related expenses   1,570     2,196     9,943     2,593  
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   6,853     7,640     29,224     26,972  
Adjusted EBITDA   $ 59,057     $ 49,623     $ 201,896     $ 176,242  

Free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure for reporting cash flow, is defined as cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures for property and equipment, which includes capitalized software development costs, and, therefore, has not been calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on cash available for investment and acquisitions after making capital investments required to support ongoing business operations and long-term value creation. The Company believes that trends in its free cash flow are valuable indicators of its operating performance and liquidity.

Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information provided in accordance with GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure may not be computed in the same manner as similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company expects to continue to incur expenditures similar to the free cash flow financial adjustment described above, and investors should not infer from the Company’s presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure that these expenditures reflect all of the Company’s obligations which require cash.

The following table reconciles the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to the non-GAAP financial measure.

    Fourth Quarters Ended   Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020   July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Cash provided by operating activities   $ 27,194     $ 28,726     $ 97,247     $ 115,184  
Purchases of property and equipment   (10,891 )   (11,506 )   (45,599 )   (43,294 )
Free cash flow   $ 16,303     $ 17,220     $ 51,648     $ 71,890  
UNAUDITED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands, except per share data)            
             

Adjusted income and adjusted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”) are non-GAAP measures for reporting financial performance, exclude the impact of certain items and, therefore, have not been calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that exclusion of these items assists in providing a more complete understanding of the Company’s underlying results and trends and allows for comparability with our peer company index and industry. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be computed in the same manner as similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company uses these measures along with the corresponding GAAP financial measures to manage the Company’s business and to evaluate its performance compared to prior periods and the marketplace. The Company defines adjusted income as income before other non-operating adjustments, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring and other charges, impairment of long-lived assets, acquisition and financing costs, fair value adjustments from purchase accounting, litigation and settlement income and expense, COVID related expenses, and stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense. The impact to income taxes includes the impact to the effective tax rate, current tax provision and deferred tax provision(1). Adjusted EPS expresses adjusted income on a per share basis using weighted average diluted shares outstanding.  

The following tables reconcile the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures.

    Fourth Quarters Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Net income and earnings per share   $ 17,925     $ 0.32     $ 27,224     $ 0.49  
Other non-operating adjustments, net   236         (2,250 )    
Amortization of intangible assets   13,080         7,701      
Restructuring and other charges   6,978         (10 )    
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   1,530         636      
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   (472 )       601      
Litigation and settlement expense, net   (128 )       315      
COVID related expenses   1,570         2,196      
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   6,853         7,640      
Impact to income taxes(1)   (7,211 )       (4,293 )    
Adjusted income and adjusted earnings per share   $ 40,361     $ 0.73     $ 39,760     $ 0.72  
                 
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding       55,598         55,259  
                 
(1) Impact to income taxes is calculated by recasting income before income taxes to include the add-backs involved in determining adjusted income and recalculating the income tax provision using this adjusted income from operations before income taxes. The recalculation also adjusts for any discrete tax expense or benefit related to the add-backs.
                 
    Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Net income and earnings per share   $ 62,044     $ 1.12     $ 85,712     $ 1.56  
Other non-operating adjustments, net   (724 )       (5,636 )    
Amortization of intangible assets   41,171         30,560      
Restructuring and other charges   9,222         1,805      
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   8,600         5,645      
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   (290 )       1,801      
Litigation and settlement expense, net   622         944      
COVID related expenses   9,943         2,593      
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   29,224         26,972      
Impact to income taxes(1)   (25,697 )       (23,634 )    
Adjusted income and adjusted earnings per share   $ 134,115     $ 2.42     $ 126,762     $ 2.30  
                 
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding       55,474         55,115  
                 
(1) Impact to income taxes is calculated by recasting income before income taxes to include the add-backs involved in determining adjusted income and recalculating the income tax provision using this adjusted income from operations before income taxes. The recalculation also adjusts for any discrete tax expense or benefit related to the add-backs.
                   
UNAUDITED SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands)            

Organic revenue and acquired revenue are non-GAAP measures for reporting financial performance of its business. Management believes this information provides investors with insight as to the Company’s ongoing business performance. Organic revenue represents total company revenue excluding net revenue from acquired companies for the first four full quarters since the entities’ acquisition date (which excludes intercompany transactions). Acquired revenue represents revenue from acquired companies for the first four full quarters since the entities’ acquisition date (which excludes intercompany transactions). After the completion of four full fiscal quarters, acquired revenue is treated as organic for current and comparable historical periods.

The following table reconciles the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to the non-GAAP financial measure.

    Fourth Quarters Ended   Twelve Months Ended
    July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020   July 2, 2021   July 3, 2020
Organic revenue   $ 210,011     $ 217,377     $ 835,620     $ 795,667  
Acquired revenue   40,831         88,376     943  
Net revenues   $ 250,842     $ 217,377     $ 923,996     $ 796,610  
MERCURY SYSTEMS, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF FORWARD-LOOKING GUIDANCE RANGE      
Quarter Ending October 1, 2021      
Fiscal Year Ending July 1, 2022      
(In thousands)      

The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as income before other non-operating adjustments, interest income and expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring and other charges, impairment of long-lived assets, acquisition and financing costs, fair value adjustments from purchase accounting, litigation and settlement income and expense, COVID related expenses, and stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense.

The following table reconciles the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures.

    First Quarter Ending   Fiscal Year Ending
    October 1, 2021(1)   July 1, 2022(1)
    Range
    Low   High   Low   High
GAAP expectation — Net (loss) income   $ (4,400 )   $ (2,300 )   $ 60,000     $ 65,200  
                 
Adjust for:                
Other non-operating adjustments, net                
Interest expense, net   700     700     2,600     2,600  
Income tax (benefit) provision   (1,500 )   (800 )   19,900     21,600  
Depreciation   8,400     8,400     36,300     36,300  
Amortization of intangible assets   13,700     13,700     49,800     49,800  
Restructuring and other charges   9,400     9,400     9,400     9,400  
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   600     600     2,600     2,600  
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   200     200     700     700  
Litigation and settlement expense, net                
COVID related expenses                
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   9,700     9,700     38,800     38,800  
Adjusted EBITDA expectation   $ 36,800     $ 39,600     $ 220,000     $ 227,000  
                 
(1) Rounded amounts used.                
MERCURY SYSTEMS, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF FORWARD-LOOKING GUIDANCE RANGE      
Quarter Ending October 1, 2021      
Fiscal Year Ending July 1, 2022      
(In thousands, except per share data)      

The Company defines adjusted income as income before other non-operating adjustments, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring and other charges, impairment of long-lived assets, acquisition and financing costs, fair value adjustments from purchase accounting, litigation and settlement income and expense, COVID related expenses and stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense. The impact to income taxes includes the impact to the effective tax rate, current tax provision and deferred tax provision(2). Adjusted EPS expresses adjusted income on a per share basis using weighted average diluted shares outstanding.  

The following tables reconcile the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures.

    First Quarter Ending October 1, 2021(1)
    Range
    Low   High
GAAP expectation — Net loss and loss per share   $ (4,400 )   $ (0.08 )   $ (2,300 )   $ (0.04 )
Other non-operating adjustments, net                
Amortization of intangible assets   13,700         13,700      
Restructuring and other charges   9,400         9,400      
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   600         600      
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   200         200      
Litigation and settlement expense (income), net                
COVID related expenses                
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   9,700         9,700      
Impact to income taxes(2)   (8,200 )       (8,200 )    
Adjusted income and adjusted earnings per share expectation   $ 21,000     $ 0.38     $ 23,100     $ 0.41  
                 
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding expectation       55,900         55,900  
                 
(1) Rounded amounts used.
(2) Impact to income taxes is calculated by recasting income before income taxes to include the add-backs involved in determining adjusted income and recalculating the income tax provision using this adjusted income from operations before income taxes. The recalculation also adjusts for any discrete tax expense or benefit related to the add-backs. 
    Fiscal Year Ending July 1, 2022(1)
    Range
    Low   High
GAAP expectation — Net income and earnings per share   $ 60,000     $ 1.07     $ 65,200     $ 1.16  
Other non-operating adjustments, net                
Amortization of intangible assets   49,800         49,800      
Restructuring and other charges   9,400         9,400      
Impairment of long-lived assets                
Acquisition and financing costs   2,600         2,600      
Fair value adjustments from purchase accounting   700         700      
Litigation and settlement expense, net                
COVID related expenses                
Stock-based and other non-cash compensation expense   38,800         38,800      
Impact to income taxes(2)   (23,700 )       (23,700 )    
Adjusted income and adjusted earnings per share expectation   $ 137,600     $ 2.45     $ 142,800     $ 2.55  
                 
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding expectation       56,100         56,100  
                 
(1) Rounded amounts used.
(2) Impact to income taxes is calculated by recasting income before income taxes to include the add-backs involved in determining adjusted income and recalculating the income tax provision using this adjusted income from operations before income taxes. The recalculation also adjusts for any discrete tax expense or benefit related to the add-backs.

 

GlobeNewswire is one of the world's largest newswire distribution networks, specializing in the delivery of corporate press releases financial disclosures and multimedia content to the media, investment community, individual investors and the general public.

Artificial Intelligence

More than $9 Million Awarded to High School Scientists and Engineers at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024

Published

on

more-than-$9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024

Grace Sun, 16, receives $75,000 Top Award for a new kind of organic electrochemical transistor at the world’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for Science (the Society) announced that Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won the $75,000 top award, the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award, named in honor of the pioneering drug researcher and Regeneron co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition. Other top prizes went to projects in second-order cone programming, microplastics filtration and multi-sensory therapy for dementia.

The top winners were honored during two award ceremonies: the Special Awards on May 16 and the Grand Awards Ceremony on the morning of May 17. In total, over $9 million USD was awarded to the finalists based on their projects’ creativity, innovation and depth of scientific inquiry. The competition featured nearly 2,000 young scientists representing 49 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries, regions and territories across the world.
Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won first place and received the $75,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for her research on building a better organic electrochemical transistor that she hopes will be used to develop new electronic devices that could help detect and treat serious illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy and organ failure. To overcome the problems that have previously prevented such devices from working effectively inside the body, Grace developed a new way of chemically treating their organic components, which greatly improved their laboratory performance.
Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her research to improve the speed and efficiency of a type of software that is useful in many fields such as machine learning, transportation and financial systems. Michelle’s new approach involved determining a quick approximate solution to the second-order cone programming problem, then splitting the initial cone into smaller cones, which enabled her new algorithm to greatly outperform previous approaches.
Krish Pai, 17, of Del Mar, California, received the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his machine-learning research to identify microbial genetic sequences that can be modified to biodegrade plastic. His new software, called Microby, scans databases of microorganisms and determines which ones can be changed genetically to biodegrade plastics. In tests, he identified two microorganisms that can be genetically modified to degrade plastic at a cost he believes would be ten times less than traditional recycling.
 “Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “I’m truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination shown by these remarkable students. Coming from around the world with diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, these students have shown that it is possible to come together in unity to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our world today, and I could not be prouder.”
Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for the world’s best and brightest young scientists and engineers. Through this competition, Regeneron and the Society are fostering the next generation of STEM leaders who are pioneering solutions to improve our world. Since 2020, Regeneron has provided STEM experiences to approximately 2.4 million students, on track to meet its goal of 2.5 million by 2025.
“The talent, intelligence and potential of this year’s Regeneron ISEF finalists is truly inspiring, and I congratulate each on their remarkable achievements,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Science competitions like ISEF were pivotal in shaping my own career and fueling my passion to fight back against disease. I look forward to seeing these students continue to push the boundaries of science and technology to create positive and sustainable change for all humanity.”
Other top honors from the competition include:
Justin Huang and Victoria Ou, both 17, of Woodlands, Texas, received the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations of $50,000 for their new prototype filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove microscopic plastic particles from water. In lab tests, the acoustic force from the high-frequency sound waves removed between 84% and 94% of the suspended microplastic particles in a single pass. The students are now working to scale up and fine-tune their experimental system.
Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, 17, of Hong Kong, China received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation of $10,000 for her research on using a multi-sensory therapy for dementia patients. Her mixed therapy app would allow patients to practice physical and cognitive skills through a personalized, immersive environment using virtual reality headsets. Ingrid conducted an eight-week study with six people living with dementia and found that the cognitive function of patients who used her prototype improved in several areas. She believes her app could serve as a viable option for dementia patients with limited access to in-person professional therapy.
Tanishka Balaji Aglave, 15, of Valrico, Florida, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her investigation into a natural alternative treatment against citrus greening, a disease that threatens citrus farming in many parts of the world and is currently only treated with antibiotics. Tanishka injected the trunks of infected trees with an extract from the curry leaf tree, and found through tests that this potential method could effectively and sustainably manage citrus greening disease.
Maddux Alexander Springer, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii, received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication of $10,000 for his research into fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that is the primary cause of death in green sea turtles. Some turtles he studied in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, were stricken with a disease that causes internal and external tumors that inhibit their everyday lives. After analyzing the turtles’ diet of green algae, Maddux concluded that this disease, wastewater, invasive algae and the amino acid arginine all pose a grave risk to these endangered sea creatures.
Ria Kamat, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey; Anna Oliva, 17, of Houston, TX; and Shuhan Luo, 18, of Worcester, MA, received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, which provides finalists an all-expense paid trip to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar during Nobel Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jack Shannon, 18, of Clane, Kildare, Ireland, and Nikhil Vemuri, 17, of Cary, North Carolina, received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. Their projects will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Katowice, Poland.
For more information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit:  https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
The full list of Special Award ISEF 2024 Finalists can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-special-awards-winners.
In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.
The following lists the First Award winners for each of the 22 categories, from which the Top Awards were chosen:
Animal Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceMaddux Alexander Springer, Honolulu, Hawaii
Behavioral and Social Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceAndrew Y. Liang, San Jose, California
Biochemistry, sponsored by RegeneronAmy Hong Xiao, Garden City, New York
Biomedical and Health Sciences, sponsored by RegeneronRia Kamat, Hackensack, New Jersey; Kevin Xuan Lei, Shanghai, China
Biomedical Engineering, sponsored by Alfred E. Mann CharitiesAyush Garg, Dublin, California; Divij Motwani, Palo Alto, California; Akash Ashish Pai, Portland, Oregon
Cellular and Molecular Biology, sponsored by RegeneronLara and Maya Sarah Hammoud, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Chemistry, sponsored by Society for ScienceAkilan Sankaran, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arjun Suresh Malpani and Siddharth Daniel D’costa, Portland, Oregon
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, sponsored by RegeneronKun-Hyung Roh, Bronx, New York
Earth and Environmental Sciences, sponsored by Google.orgNikhil Vemuri, Durham, North Carolina; Justin Yizhou Huang and Victoria Ou, The Woodlands, Texas
Embedded Systems, sponsored by HPChloe Rae and Sophie Rose Filion, Welland, Ontario, Canada
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design, sponsored by Siemens EnergyAlia Wahban, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationChiyo Nakatsuji, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan; Kevin Shen, Olympia, Washington
Environmental Engineering, sponsored by JacobsKrish Pai, San Diego, California; Jack Shannon, Clane, Kildare, Ireland
Materials Science, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationGrace Sun, Lexington, Kentucky
Mathematics, sponsored by Akamai FoundationAnna Oliva, Houston, Texas
Microbiology, sponsored by Schattner FoundationMatthew Chang, Irvine, California
Physics and Astronomy, sponsored by Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust IIHarini Thiagarajan and Vishal Ranganath Yalla, Bothell, Washington; Shuhan Luo, Worcester, Massachusetts
Plant Sciences, sponsored by Society for SciencePauline Estrada, Fresno, California; Tanishka Balaji Aglave, Dover, Florida
Robotics and Intelligent Machines, sponsored by RegeneronMichal Lajciak, Dubnica nad Vahom, Trenciansky kraj, Slovakia; Anthony Efthimiadis, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Systems Software, sponsored by MicrosoftMichelle Wei, San Jose, California
Technology Enhances the Arts, sponsored by Society for ScienceAnant Khandelwal, Sritan Motati and Siddhant Sood, Alexandria, Virginia
Translational Medical Science, sponsored by RegeneronZheng-Chi Lee, West Lafayette, Indiana; Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, Hong Kong, China
The full list of all award-winning ISEF 2024 finalists is available here: https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-full-awards.
View all the finalists’ research here: https://projectboard.world/isef.
About the Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairThe Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately U.S. $9 million in awards and scholarships.
In 2019, Regeneron became the title sponsor of ISEF to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds globally and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM to positively impact the world. Regeneron ISEF is supported by a community of additional sponsors, including Akamai Foundation, Alfred E. Mann Charities, Aramco, Caltech, Google.org, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Howmet Aerospace Foundation, HP, , Jacobs, King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Microsoft, National Geographic Society, Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust II, Rise, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Schattner Foundation, Siemens Energy, Annenburg Foundation, Ballmer Group, Broadcom Foundation, Cesco Linguistic Services, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edison International, Insaco, Oracle Academy, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and US Army ROTC. Many are entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries. Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/.
About Society for ScienceSociety for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
About RegeneronRegeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases. 
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of people with serious diseases, to foster a culture of integrity and excellence and to build sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the most “community-minded” companies in the U.S. Throughout the year, Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our volunteering, pro bono and matching gift programs. Our most significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of early science education, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
More information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit:  https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
Media ContactsJoseph Brown, [email protected]
Gayle Kansagor, Society for [email protected]
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416174/Regeneron_ISEF_2024_Winners_Photo.jpg 
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416197/Society_for_Science_Logo.jpg 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/more-than-9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024-302149316.html

Continue Reading

Artificial Intelligence

J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Announce Winner of Inaugural 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Summit

Published

on

jp.-morgan-life-sciences-private-capital,-blue-horizon-advisors-and-united-al-saqer-announce-winner-of-inaugural-2024-life-sciences-innovation-summit

In conjunction with Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Group announced today Rayees Rahman of Harmonic Discovery as the winner of the inaugural J.P. Morgan Asset Management: Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery is a precision pharmacology company applying its generative chemistry platform to advance next-generation kinase inhibitors.

In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Summit took place on May 14-15, 2024 at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and showcased the 11 innovative finalists, as well as highlighted existing innovators and opportunities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The event also featured keynote speeches from Dr. Laurie Glimcher of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. David Ho of Columbia University Medical Center and provided attendees networking opportunities to gain valuable insights into the future of life sciences innovation. 
In addition, the jury designated Chun-Hao Huang of Algen Biotechnologies as honourable mention. Algen Biotechnologies is a platform therapeutics and drug discovery company using world-leading CRISPR and AI to find treatments for cancer, inflammation and metabolic diseases.
The winners were selected by an esteemed, international panel of judges, which included:Laurie Glimcher, MD, President and CEO at Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteJorge Guzman, MD, CEO at Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiProf. Shahrukh Khurshid Hashmi, MD, Director of Research, Department of Health, Abu DhabiYasmine Hayek Kobeissi, PhD, CQF, BSc., Executive Director at Blue Horizon AdvisorsAnya Schiess, Managing Partner at J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private CapitalWalid Zaher, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Carexso
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, and renowned for its world-leading medical infrastructure, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of healthcare excellence, offering an unparalleled opportunity for advancement in healthcare for global partners. It was our utmost pleasure hosting the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Life Sciences Innovation Summit 2024 on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week and we commend the winners for their pioneering efforts in driving impactful advancements in healthcare; their dedication to innovation not only transforms the landscape of medicine, but also holds the promise of improving lives worldwide.” 
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Chief Investment Officer, J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital said: “We are thrilled with the level of biotech passion and innovation that we observed at this year’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. The energy was truly palpable we are thrilled to announce Rayees Rahman as the winner of our first Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery’s approach embodies the next generation of drug discovery and development. We appreciate the time and effort of all participants and cannot wait for our next event in the region.”
Nabil Kobeissi, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Horizon Advisors, said: “As the main sponsor, we are committed to nurturing and fostering the growth of all 11 finalists in this vibrant biotech ecosystem. This Summit marks the beginning of a transformative journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing hub in the region. We are also pleased to announce that we will commit to invest in and partner with the winner, Harmonic Discovery, to support its future growth in the region.”
Sponsors for the event included J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, J.P. Morgan Commercial Bank, Blue Horizon Advisors, United Al Saqer Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Salam Capital. The Summit organisation, logistics and finalist recruitment were facilitated by Lyfebulb.
Of importance, at the Summit, Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, announced that Masdar City Free Zone would award all 11 Finalists complimentary business licenses to further support their establishment in the region. Masdar City is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments and innovation hubs with a growing focus on life science entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/jp-morgan-life-sciences-private-capital-blue-horizon-advisors-and-united-al-saqer-announce-winner-of-inaugural-2024-life-sciences-innovation-summit-302149186.html

Continue Reading

Artificial Intelligence

Congregating in the Lion City for a Win-Win Future of Intelligent Computing at the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024

Published

on

congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024

SINGAPORE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 17, 2024, the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024 was held in Singapore with the theme of “Power the Digital Era Forward.” At the summit, over 600 data center industry leaders, technical experts, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss new trends and opportunities of the global data center industry in the intelligent computing era. The attendees also got to experience all-scenario, all-ecosystem, and all-service end-to-end (E2E) solutions, share innovative practices of green data centers in the Asia Pacific and Europe, and experience the exhibition vehicle to unveil the mystery of Outdoor PowerPOD that features one power system per container. By fully embracing the intelligent computing era, Huawei strives to power the digital era forward.

Seizing Opportunities Brought by AI and Jointly Building Green & Reliable Computing Infrastructure
At the opening speech, Charles Yang, Senior Vice President of Huawei and President of Marketing, Sales and Services, Huawei Digital Power, noted that since ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, large models keep pushing the limits of computing power and the intelligent computing industry is witnessing an unprecedented construction boom. As predicted, 100 GW will be added to the global data center installed capacity and the market value will exceed US$600 billion in the next five years.
According to Charles, with opportunities come challenges. The primary challenge concerning the data center industry is reliability and electricity. Data centers are scaling up from the MW-level to the GW-level. E2E reliability of data centers is becoming even more important than ever. In response to the opportunities, Huawei will work with customers and partners to expand the industry space.
Steering Data Centers to the AI Era with Product + Service + Ecosystem
During the summit, Sun Xiaofeng, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Business, delivered a speech titled “Power the Digital Era Forward. ” He stated that as AI large models are penetrating, the surging compute demands drive the expansive growth in data center.
To address the challenges, Huawei strives to build product + service + ecosystem E2E data center solutions that feature fast deployment, flexible cooling, green energy, and ultimate reliability.
Fast deployment: Data centers are fully modularized and prefabricated to ensure high quality and efficient construction.Flexible cooling: Air-liquid fusion and integrated cooling source emerges as the optimal cooling architecture for intelligent computing.Green energy: New generation-grid-load-storage integrated solution is built to ensure the sound operations of intelligent computing centers.Ultimate reliability: Data centers are safeguarded through reliable products and preventive protection.Currently, Huawei’s global service network covers more than 170 countries with over 1800 professional engineers, providing 24/7 technical support. With N+ flagship service centers, Huawei has built a one-hour service radius for its customers.
The ecosystem is a key part for a win-win future of intelligent computing. Huawei works with partners to develop comprehensive E2E solutions and provide customers with one-stop data center services.
During the summit, Huawei and the ASEAN Centre for Energy released a white paper on “Building Next Generation Data Center Facility in ASEAN.” The document provides insights into the status quo, challenges, and trends of data centers in the ASEAN region, and emphasizes that efficient and energy-saving products and solutions should be applied. It also proposes future-oriented policy recommendations for data center markets.
In the ecosystem exhibition area, Huawei showcased scenario-based solutions for large-, medium-, and small-sized data centers, and demonstrated data center consulting, design, integrated development, and delivery capabilities with dozens of ecosystem partners including CIMC, Weichai, CSCEC, and Huashi.
On a special note, the Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD exhibition vehicle made its global debut. The Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD features one power system per container, outdoor deployment, plug-and-play, and high protection rating and reliability. It has become the preferred choice for decoupling the power supply architecture.
A single tree cannot make a forest.
AI is presenting great opportunities. By delving into the industry, aggregating partner ecosystems, and making innovations applicable to transformations, Huawei will continue to help customers build reliable computing infrastructure, accelerating the industry to embrace AI and powering the digital era forward.
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2415818/Global_Data_Center_Facility_Summit_2024.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024-302148973.html

Continue Reading

Trending