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Investor Summary (IR Kit) is currently in development.
Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) is “One to Watch”
Uranium Energy Corp. is a U.S.-based exploration and development company focused on uranium production in the U.S. The company’s operations are managed by professionals who have earned a reputable profile through many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development, and mining.
The company is the newest uranium producer in North America, operating the first new uranium mine in the U.S. in over 6 years. In 2011, Uranium Energy completed its first full year of production with a cumulative total of 236,000 lbs. of uranium produced at average cost of $16 per pound, which the company then sold at the current spot price of $52 per pound. Uranium utilizes the In-Situ Recovery (ISR) production method, which is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of mining uranium.
Well financed to execute on its key programs, the company controls 28 projects in the U.S. with total resources of more than 41.5M lbs. U3O8. Uranium Energy’s fully licensed and permitted Hobson processing facility is central to all of its projects in South Texas, eliminating the need to construct a new processing plant on site at each project.
Additionally, Uranium Energy controls one of the largest databases of historic uranium exploration and development in the nation. Using this knowledge base, the company has acquired and is advancing exploration properties of merit throughout the southwestern U.S., a region known as being the most concentrated area for uranium mining in the United States.
The company’s strategy of acquiring exploration databases and leveraging those databases to generate acquisition targets has proven to be effective thus far. With plans to continue aggressively pursuing this strategy, Uranium Energy Corp is well positioned to capitalize on the world’s overwhelming demand for more uranium, more energy, cheaper energy, and a cleaner environment.
Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) is “One to Watch”
Uranium Energy Corp. is a U.S.-based exploration and development company focused on uranium production in the U.S. The company’s operations are managed by professionals who have earned a reputable profile through many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development, and mining.
The company is the newest uranium producer in North America, operating the first new uranium mine in the U.S. in over 6 years. In 2011, Uranium Energy completed its first full year of production with a cumulative total of 236,000 lbs. of uranium produced at average cost of $16 per pound, which the company then sold at the current spot price of $52 per pound. Uranium utilizes the In-Situ Recovery (ISR) production method, which is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of mining uranium.
Well financed to execute on its key programs, the company controls 28 projects in the U.S. with total resources of more than 41.5M lbs. U3O8. Uranium Energy’s fully licensed and permitted Hobson processing facility is central to all of its projects in South Texas, eliminating the need to construct a new processing plant on site at each project.
Additionally, Uranium Energy controls one of the largest databases of historic uranium exploration and development in the nation. Using this knowledge base, the company has acquired and is advancing exploration properties of merit throughout the southwestern U.S., a region known as being the most concentrated area for uranium mining in the United States.
The company’s strategy of acquiring exploration databases and leveraging those databases to generate acquisition targets has proven to be effective thus far. With plans to continue aggressively pursuing this strategy, Uranium Energy Corp is well positioned to capitalize on the world’s overwhelming demand for more uranium, more energy, cheaper energy, and a cleaner environment.
UEC is “One to Watch”
Uranium Energy Corp. is a U.S.-based exploration and development company focused on uranium production in the U.S. The company’s operations are managed by professionals who have earned a reputable profile through many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development, and mining.
The company is the newest uranium producer in North America, operating the first new uranium mine in the U.S. in over 6 years. In 2011, Uranium Energy completed its first full year of production with a cumulative total of 236,000 lbs. of uranium produced at average cost of $16 per pound, which the company then sold at the current spot price of $52 per pound. Uranium utilizes the In-Situ Recovery (ISR) production method, which is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of mining uranium.
Well financed to execute on its key programs, the company controls 28 projects in the U.S. with total resources of more than 41.5M lbs. U3O8. Uranium Energy’s fully licensed and permitted Hobson processing facility is central to all of its projects in South Texas, eliminating the need to construct a new processing plant on site at each project.
Additionally, Uranium Energy controls one of the largest databases of historic uranium exploration and development in the nation. Using this knowledge base, the company has acquired and is advancing exploration properties of merit throughout the southwestern U.S., a region known as being the most concentrated area for uranium mining in the United States.
The company’s strategy of acquiring exploration databases and leveraging those databases to generate acquisition targets has proven to be effective thus far. With plans to continue aggressively pursuing this strategy, Uranium Energy Corp is well positioned to capitalize on the world’s overwhelming demand for more uranium, more energy, cheaper energy, and a cleaner environment.
CommerceTel Corp. (MFON) Txtstation Technology Boosts Utah State University’s Mobile Audience Growth
CommerceTel Corp., an award-winning provider of proprietary mobile marketing technologies and solutions, announced earlier today that Utah State University has renewed their mobile texting program using CommerceTel’s patented mobile marketing technology for the next three years.
A new texting club sponsored by the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business during the 2011-12 school year attracted over 4,000 students. The club was created to inform students about upcoming business school events, as well as general campus events.
“Texting is the preferred method of communication for students,” stated Eric Schulz, the university’s co-director of strategic marketing and brand management. “It’s relevant to what we’re doing here, and it’s the best way to communicate with them. Every time we used the texting platform this school year, it worked wonders. It is especially good at generating crowds for special events and special speaking engagements. Many times we had overflow audiences where in the past we’d be struggling to fill up half the auditorium.”
“I think text message announcements are genius. They are convenient for this generation,” said freshman international business major Aimee Matheson. “Sometimes I forget to check my email or mail, but I always have my phone with me.”
Schulz started a similar mobile strategy integrating CommerceTel’s technology at Utah Jazz.
“Texting is one of the key marketing tools that is really evolving,” he said. “The experience I had with the Jazz really convinced me of its power. CommerceTel and Txtstation’s technology has empowered us with an unparalleled toolset to drive success from the mobile channel.”
Schulz noted that texting has capabilities that other forms of communication do not. Email, he said, is ineffective, because most students only check their email in the evening, and messages on Facebook and Twitter tend to be buried.
“We worked with Eric when he was at the Utah Jazz and developed a level of trust and confidence. He called me after he took his job at Utah State and had some great ideas on how to communicate with his student body through SMS. We are excited to work with Eric again and already see the great outcome of the partnership,” said Michael Falato, Senior Vice President of Sales & Business Development of CommerceTel’s Txtstation Division.
Jobless Claims Down to Four-Year Low
Evidence of an improving job market came in last week, with the number of Americans claiming new state unemployment falling by some 5k to a seasonally adjusted 348k, the lowest since Feb 2008 (according to the Labor Department data released yesterday).
The previous week beat out the Reuters poll of economists slightly, with the upwardly revised 353k falling just short of projections by a thousand. This means that the better benchmark, the four-week moving average for new claims, declined, showing an improving labor market as claims fell 1,250 to 355k.
Covering the survey week for March nonfarm payrolls, the claims data shows a drop of 5k between February and March, further indicating that the overall job market may be on the mend and that the economy experienced another month of recognizable job gains.
Senior Economist over at Pittsburgh’s PNC Financial Services, Gus Faucher, called it good news for the March payroll report and a positive sign for the health of the nation’s labor market. Faucher underscored that net job growth of 200k means another solid month and while the labor market may have dug itself into a pretty deep hole, this data offers tangible evidence that the market is starting to dig itself out.
With employers tacking on another 227k jobs in February (bringing the total for the last three months to 734k), unemployment is at just 8.3 percent, down 0.8 percent from August. Further positive indicators from the Federal Reserve, projecting a gradual decline in the jobless rate, simply adds to the emerging profile.
With the USD extending gains against the Euro and US Treasury debt prices falling in response to the good news, US stock index futures held onto losses amid lagging concerns about the growth of the Chinese economy. A Labor Department official indicated that the data was normal and that the only estimates were Alaska and Minnesota, chomping at the bit ahead of next week’s introduction of new seasonal factors for 2012, in addition to sweeping revisions of 2007-2011 claims data.
Regular state benefits to people after the first week of aid dropped sharply by 9k to 3.35M for the week ended March 10, the lowest level since August 2008, further indicating that the rebound time for unemployed is improving. Long-term unemployment however remains a daunting concern with just under half (about 43 percent) of the 12.8M figure in February having been out of work for more than six months.
Emergency unemployment benefits output dropped as well to 2.85M, down 24.3k for the week ending March 13, the most recent data set that is available, offering a good volatility indicator for improving overall job market stability.
Finally, elsewhere among the data burst, we see overall totals of 7.28M under all programs claiming unemployment benefits for the period, down 142.5k from the previous week, giving a nice clear picture of spring shoots.
The Cloud Computing Revolution Hits ECM
One could make a good case that the move to cloud computing represents the biggest change in information processing since the introduction of personal computing. Recent estimates put the cloud computing market at $150 billion by 2013, mostly due to the increase in cloud usage by small and medium size business.
In its most general sense, cloud computing is a term used by some to represent any significant degree of computer processing that is done remotely and communicated through the Internet, allowing it to be sold as a service to end users, and reducing or removing the need for extensive in-house software and hardware. A stricter definition requires the leasing of software, infrastructure, and hardware, differentiating cloud computing from its subsets, such as Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). However defined, it is shaking up the world of corporate IT, allowing companies to trade in the trouble and costs of running everything in-house for a world of outsourced processing, where somebody else worries about the back end.
The advantages of moving to some degree of cloud-based processing are driving this rapidly unfolding revolution:
• When done right, a cloud-based system can run any software application an in-house based system can run.
• Putting everything on the cloud allows users 24/7 availability, to both functionality and data, from virtually anywhere in the world.
• If the switch to cloud based processing is comprehensive, it means that the company can avoid the cost of providing and maintaining heavy-duty hardware and software for its employees, opting instead to provide basic low-end capability, just enough to access and use the big stuff that resides out in the cloud.
• Employees can access and utilize as much or as little processing power as they need for a given task.
• And, although questions of security tend to be the first ones asked when considering a cloud conversion, especially if a company routinely deals with highly confidential client data, the majority (and growing) sentiment is that basing processing and data on the cloud actually offers more security than depending upon your own home-grown local system.
The bottom line is that cloud computing offers leverage, the ability to increase what a company’s employees can do while reducing the costs and headaches of making it all possible. It’s a leverage that has only recently become available and affordable due to advances in data communication, processing, and security. As a result, 2012 is seen by many as the takeoff year for cloud processing. Numerous companies are now scrambling not only to utilize cloud processing for their own operations, but also to have a cloud-based offering that they can take to a cloud-hungry market. It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are few data processing requirements that cannot be met more efficiently by using a cloud-based model.
Take for example the most basic of business functions, the management of company documents and other content related to organizational processes. It’s a need independent of industry, a fundamental requirement of every business: the ability to organize, store, and access critical business content. Today it’s called ECM (Enterprise Content Management), and its purpose is to control company information, from initial creation, through all its forms of use, to ultimate archival and disposal. The idea is to help corporate America get a grasp on the vast amount of unstructured data that is too often difficult or impossible to efficiently utilize due to poor organization and tracking. In some cases, otherwise useful information can be essentially lost, trapped as paper or digital content that has been buried with no reasonable path to access. It’s a little like when a valuable work of art turns up in some university basement, hidden away for decades in a corner simply because nobody knew it was there.
ECM is an industry that has gained a lot of traction in the past decade, because it’s seen as a cost-effective way to increase the efficiency of company operations, providing a continual payback for the life of the organization. But a company called GlobalWise Investments (GWIV), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Intellinetics, has shown how the basic advantages of ECM can be increased through the use of cloud-based technologies. The company has developed the Intellinetics Intellivue™ cloud platform, into which hardware vendors such as Lexmark (LXK), DELL (DELL), and Samsung are now directly integrating, a confirmation that these companies see the cloud as the future of ECM. In fact, IBM (IBM), SAP (SAP), and Oracle (ORCL) have all sought to acquire cloud and SaaS technology companies, the fastest way to establish a presence in one of the hottest fields in IT.
The Intellivue cloud-based platform gives the client the ability to access and manage every piece of content they produce or receive, including but not limited to paper documents, digital content, database print streams, and e-mail, making the data accessible from virtually any PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, from anywhere in the world. Leveraging management and key department heads, GlobalWise Investments has a strong foundation from which to capture significant market share within the lucrative $149 billion Business Software & Services industry.
Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM): A REIT Like No Other
When it comes to commercial real estate investments, Kimco is in its own league. Kimco is a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), headquartered in New Hyde Park, NY. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a REIT, at least an equity REIT, is to real estate roughly what a mutual fund is to stocks. It allows you to invest in a company that owns, partly or wholly, many real estate properties. In addition, REITs are able to avoid paying corporate tax by distributing all of their taxable income back to their investors. Real estate itself offers an attractive alternative to common stock, bond, and mutual fund investing, and can provide portfolio diversification. REITs, if chosen carefully, can add to that diversification, but this often requires investing in multiple REITs to get a good geographical and property spread.
Kimco, however, is unique in its sheer size, offering a huge geographical spread. The company owns and operates North America’s biggest portfolio of neighborhood and community shopping centers, totaling approximately 946 centers in 44 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico, as well as South America. Moreover, they are always in the market for additional properties, targeting major metropolitan communities all over the U.S., as long as they meet their requirements:
• Markets where Kimco has a strong presence
• Anchored by the dominant grocer in established markets
• Institutional grade assets with long-term leases to market leaders
• Minimum of 75,000 square feet (no maximum size requirement)
• Opportunistic properties with re-development and re-tenanting potential
Kimco has been around for over 50 years. The company knows exactly what they want, and has the financial position to expedite closings. They are a cash buyer, with the ability to assume existing debt. In a real estate market just now coming out of rough times, Kimco is one of the most stable players around, with steadily growing revenue.
For more information, visit the company website at www.KimcoRealty.com
Firms Line Up Behind AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (ADK)
When Ladenburg Thalmann, one of the country’s oldest and most respected investment banks, recently initiated coverage of AdCare Health Systems, giving the company a “buy” rating which it continues to maintain, it based its decision on the clear prospects AdCare has for future growth.
Ohio-based AdCare is a rapidly expanding owner and operator of living and care facilities in 7 states, primarily in the South. The company has been on an aggressive acquisition run, going after under-performing low-margin skilled nursing properties, and then turning the operations around, partly through transitioning them over to higher-margin acute care facilities.
The result has been a dramatic growth in revenues, up 198% from 2010, with record annual income from operations. AdCare now has approximately 44 facilities, with over 4,000 employees, supporting more than 3,000 patients. The company’s management team has been able to handle the growth, carefully scaling internal infrastructure and back office support in parallel with their expansion, and intends to move forward with what they see as a stunningly successful strategy. The management team has substantial senior living, healthcare, and real estate industry experience, and is itself incentivized to continue to build the business through their combined ownership of approximately 25.6% of common AdCare stock.
Ladenburg Thalmann is just one of the firms giving AdCare a positive review. Kinetic Investments, a subsidiary of Wilkison Financial LLC, and Stonegate Securities also recently gave the company a “buy” rating. AdCare is clearly on to something, repeatedly and successfully implementing its growth-oriented business model, making it an easy company to support. It also has a massive demographic shift on its side, with an aging boomer population, and an attractive financing option through a USDA program for rural projects.
For additional information, visit the company’s website at www.AdCareHealth.com
Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM) Enhances Communities
When residential real estate investors target a distressed property, buying it at a bargain price and fixing it up for resale, it’s almost always a windfall for the neighborhood. A rundown ugly house that was a blight on the community is turned into a positive, instantly raising the perceived values of all the homes around it without the neighbors having to lift a finger. It’s a win-win scenario that parallels the approach taken by Kimco Realty, a real estate investment trust (REIT) known for acquiring and turning around neighborhood and community shopping centers.
Kimco owns and operates approximately 946 shopping centers, across 44 states and Puerto Rico, as well as in Canada and Mexico. It’s the largest portfolio of such centers in North America, and it continues to grow as Kimco seeks out new properties. The company specifically looks for existing centers, with a minimum of 75,000 square feet, that have re-development and re-tenanting potential. By restructuring and improving these properties, Kimco is actively helping the surrounding communities, something the company sees as one of its goals. An improved property encourages an improved neighborhood, and an improved neighborhood draws people, feeding back to the original property.
Kimco is currently involved in a number of such projects, including the following:
• Owings Mills Mall (Owings Mills, MD) – This is a 1980s shopping mall that has experienced decreased traffic and occupancy. Kimco is working with General Growth Properties, a developer of premier shopping destinations, to demolish the aging mall and transform the property into a modern lifestyle complex, to be called Owings Mill Town Center. The center will include several big-box stores designed to keep consumer money in the community.
• Wilde Lake Village Center (Columbia, MD) – 40 years ago it was Columbia’s first shopping center, but business has declined, and retailers have begun to shutter their shops. Now Kimco sees an opportunity for the property, by converting it into a mixed-use center, with two high-end residential buildings, all encircling a courtyard to enliven the center’s appearance.
• Suburban Square (Ardmore, PA) – This long-established retail destination was the site of Macy’s first suburban location. Kimco plans to re-energize it, creating an open-air lifestyle center, involving a major courtyard renovation that will make it a backdrop for community festivals.
• West Farms Shopping Center (Farmington, CT) – This 185,000 square foot property is undergoing facade renovations, with upgraded signage, and new brick veneer entrances. Kimco was also able to secure a lease with Nordstrom Rack, representing Nordstrom Rack’s first Connecticut location.
For more information, visit the company website at www.KimcoRealty.com
ECOtality, Inc. (ECTY) Joins with Regency Centers at 19 Locations Nationwide
ECOtality is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies with a history dating back to 1989. The company’s goal is to accelerate the market applications and acceptance of clean technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.
The company announced today that it entered into a partnership with Regency Centers (NYSE: REG) to install Blink brand electric vehicle charging stations at 19 Regency locations nationwide. The two companies worked together to identify the 19 sites and approximately 40 charging stations to be installed in markets in California, Arizona, Texas, Oregon, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia.
Regency Centers is just the latest partner to join the EV Project which is managed by ECOtality. The project’s goal is to provide an electric vehicle infrastructure (charging stations) to support the deployment of electric vehicles in key cities and metropolitan areas.
ECOtality’s Blink network of charging stations provides electric vehicle drivers the freedom to travel as they choose and conveniently charge their vehicles at Blink commercial locations along the way. In order to do so, ECOtality must continue to build relationships with major nationwide property owners such as Regency Centers. The Blink network is already the largest network of electric vehicle smart-charging stations in North America.
For additional information about ECOtality and the EV Project, please visit the company’s website at www.ecotality.com
American Strategic Minerals (ASMC) and Ablation Enter Joint Venture to Manufacture Uranium Separation Technology
American Strategic Minerals Corp. today announced its joint-venture agreement with Ablation Technologies LLC, in which the companies will manufacture and operate Ablation’s patented technology at the Ablation manufacturing facility in Casper, Wyoming.
Ablation’s technology mechanically separates the uranium-bearing fractions from the uranium-free fractions of uranium-bearing ores, reducing by up to 95 percent the amount of ore required for processing at conventional milling facilities, by which 90 percent of uranium resources in the U.S. are derived.
The companies believe that the Ablation process will substantially reduce the need for conventional milling facilities, as well as reduce associated recovery process costs.
“The process developed by Ablation Technologies could be the most important development in uranium recovery in the last fifty years. We believe that projects that are economically marginal at today’s prices could be operated profitably as recovery costs will be reduced drastically. Projects that are economically viable at today’s prices could likely see margins increased substantially,” George Glasier, president and CEO of Amicor, stated in the press release.
Plans for funding the joint venture are contingent upon further and satisfactory testing on Amicor’s ore. Processing will commence with Amicor’s properties and other deposits in the Western United States following funding.
Ablation has been tested on several deposits in the United States, including Amicor’s Uravan Mineral Belt uranium/vanadium properties.
For more information visit www.americanmineralscorp.com
The deal went public last month. The company is just getting started. We hope you like the company and stay tuned.
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Investor Relations Kit: http://www.gwiv.missionir.com/ir/
Firms Line Up Behind AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (ADK)
When Ladenburg Thalmann, one of the country’s oldest and most respected investment banks, recently initiated coverage of AdCare Health Systems, giving the company a “buy” rating which it continues to maintain, it based its decision on the clear prospects AdCare has for future growth.
Ohio-based AdCare is a rapidly expanding owner and operator of living and care facilities in 7 states, primarily in the South. The company has been on an aggressive acquisition run, going after under-performing low-margin skilled nursing properties, and then turning the operations around, partly through transitioning them over to higher-margin acute care facilities.
The result has been a dramatic growth in revenues, up 198% from 2010, with record annual income from operations. AdCare now has approximately 44 facilities, with over 4,000 employees, supporting more than 3,000 patients. The company’s management team has been able to handle the growth, carefully scaling internal infrastructure and back office support in parallel with their expansion, and intends to move forward with what they see as a stunningly successful strategy. The management team has substantial senior living, healthcare, and real estate industry experience, and is itself incentivized to continue to build the business through their combined ownership of approximately 25.6% of common AdCare stock.
Ladenburg Thalmann is just one of the firms giving AdCare a positive review. Kinetic Investments, a subsidiary of Wilkison Financial LLC, and Stonegate Securities also recently gave the company a “buy” rating. AdCare is clearly on to something, repeatedly and successfully implementing its growth-oriented business model, making it an easy company to support. It also has a massive demographic shift on its side, with an aging boomer population, and an attractive financing option through a USDA program for rural projects.
Firms Line Up Behind ADK
When Ladenburg Thalmann, one of the country’s oldest and most respected investment banks, recently initiated coverage of AdCare Health Systems, giving the company a “buy” rating which it continues to maintain, it based its decision on the clear prospects AdCare has for future growth.
Ohio-based AdCare is a rapidly expanding owner and operator of living and care facilities in 7 states, primarily in the South. The company has been on an aggressive acquisition run, going after under-performing low-margin skilled nursing properties, and then turning the operations around, partly through transitioning them over to higher-margin acute care facilities.
The result has been a dramatic growth in revenues, up 198% from 2010, with record annual income from operations. AdCare now has approximately 44 facilities, with over 4,000 employees, supporting more than 3,000 patients. The company’s management team has been able to handle the growth, carefully scaling internal infrastructure and back office support in parallel with their expansion, and intends to move forward with what they see as a stunningly successful strategy. The management team has substantial senior living, healthcare, and real estate industry experience, and is itself incentivized to continue to build the business through their combined ownership of approximately 25.6% of common AdCare stock.
Ladenburg Thalmann is just one of the firms giving AdCare a positive review. Kinetic Investments, a subsidiary of Wilkison Financial LLC, and Stonegate Securities also recently gave the company a “buy” rating. AdCare is clearly on to something, repeatedly and successfully implementing its growth-oriented business model, making it an easy company to support. It also has a massive demographic shift on its side, with an aging boomer population, and an attractive financing option through a USDA program for rural projects.
The Cloud Computing Revolution Hits ECM
One could make a good case that the move to cloud computing represents the biggest change in information processing since the introduction of personal computing. Recent estimates put the cloud computing market at $150 billion by 2013, mostly due to the increase in cloud usage by small and medium size business.
In its most general sense, cloud computing is a term used by some to represent any significant degree of computer processing that is done remotely and communicated through the Internet, allowing it to be sold as a service to end users, and reducing or removing the need for extensive in-house software and hardware. A stricter definition requires the leasing of software, infrastructure, and hardware, differentiating cloud computing from its subsets, such as Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). However defined, it is shaking up the world of corporate IT, allowing companies to trade in the trouble and costs of running everything in-house for a world of outsourced processing, where somebody else worries about the back end.
The advantages of moving to some degree of cloud-based processing are driving this rapidly unfolding revolution:
· When done right, a cloud-based system can run any software application an in-house based system can run.
· Putting everything on the cloud allows users 24/7 availability, to both functionality and data, from virtually anywhere in the world.
· If the switch to cloud based processing is comprehensive, it means that the company can avoid the cost of providing and maintaining heavy-duty hardware and software for its employees, opting instead to provide basic low-end capability, just enough to access and use the big stuff that resides out in the cloud.
· Employees can access and utilize as much or as little processing power as they need for a given task.
· And, although questions of security tend to be the first ones asked when considering a cloud conversion, especially if a company routinely deals with highly confidential client data, the majority (and growing) sentiment is that basing processing and data on the cloud actually offers more security than depending upon your own home-grown local system.
The bottom line is that cloud computing offers leverage, the ability to increase what a company’s employees can do while reducing the costs and headaches of making it all possible. It’s a leverage that has only recently become available and affordable due to advances in data communication, processing, and security. As a result, 2012 is seen by many as the takeoff year for cloud processing. Numerous companies are now scrambling not only to utilize cloud processing for their own operations, but also to have a cloud-based offering that they can take to a cloud-hungry market. It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are few data processing requirements that cannot be met more efficiently by using a cloud-based model.
Take for example the most basic of business functions, the management of company documents and other content related to organizational processes. It’s a need independent of industry, a fundamental requirement of every business: the ability to organize, store, and access critical business content. Today it’s called ECM (Enterprise Content Management), and its purpose is to control company information, from initial creation, through all its forms of use, to ultimate archival and disposal. The idea is to help corporate America get a grasp on the vast amount of unstructured data that is too often difficult or impossible to efficiently utilize due to poor organization and tracking. In some cases, otherwise useful information can be essentially lost, trapped as paper or digital content that has been buried with no reasonable path to access. It’s a little like when a valuable work of art turns up in some university basement, hidden away for decades in a corner simply because nobody knew it was there.
ECM is an industry that has gained a lot of traction in the past decade, because it’s seen as a cost-effective way to increase the efficiency of company operations, providing a continual payback for the life of the organization. But a company called GlobalWise Investments (GWIV), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Intellinetics, has shown how the basic advantages of ECM can be increased through the use of cloud-based technologies. The company has developed the Intellinetics Intellivue™ cloud platform, into which hardware vendors such as Lexmark (LXK), DELL (DELL), and Samsung are now directly integrating, a confirmation that these companies see the cloud as the future of ECM. In fact, IBM (IBM), SAP (SAP), and Oracle (ORCL) have all sought to acquire cloud and SaaS technology companies, the fastest way to establish a presence in one of the hottest fields in IT.
The Intellivue cloud-based platform gives the client the ability to access and manage every piece of content they produce or receive, including but not limited to paper documents, digital content, database print streams, and e-mail, making the data accessible from virtually any PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, from anywhere in the world. Leveraging management and key department heads, GlobalWise Investments has a strong foundation from which to capture significant market share within the lucrative $149 billion Business Software & Services industry.
The Cloud Computing Revolution Hits ECM
One could make a good case that the move to cloud computing represents the biggest change in information processing since the introduction of personal computing. Recent estimates put the cloud computing market at $150 billion by 2013, mostly due to the increase in cloud usage by small and medium size business.
In its most general sense, cloud computing is a term used by some to represent any significant degree of computer processing that is done remotely and communicated through the Internet, allowing it to be sold as a service to end users, and reducing or removing the need for extensive in-house software and hardware. A stricter definition requires the leasing of software, infrastructure, and hardware, differentiating cloud computing from its subsets, such as Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). However defined, it is shaking up the world of corporate IT, allowing companies to trade in the trouble and costs of running everything in-house for a world of outsourced processing, where somebody else worries about the back end.
The advantages of moving to some degree of cloud-based processing are driving this rapidly unfolding revolution:
· When done right, a cloud-based system can run any software application an in-house based system can run.
· Putting everything on the cloud allows users 24/7 availability, to both functionality and data, from virtually anywhere in the world.
· If the switch to cloud based processing is comprehensive, it means that the company can avoid the cost of providing and maintaining heavy-duty hardware and software for its employees, opting instead to provide basic low-end capability, just enough to access and use the big stuff that resides out in the cloud.
· Employees can access and utilize as much or as little processing power as they need for a given task.
· And, although questions of security tend to be the first ones asked when considering a cloud conversion, especially if a company routinely deals with highly confidential client data, the majority (and growing) sentiment is that basing processing and data on the cloud actually offers more security than depending upon your own home-grown local system.
The bottom line is that cloud computing offers leverage, the ability to increase what a company’s employees can do while reducing the costs and headaches of making it all possible. It’s a leverage that has only recently become available and affordable due to advances in data communication, processing, and security. As a result, 2012 is seen by many as the takeoff year for cloud processing. Numerous companies are now scrambling not only to utilize cloud processing for their own operations, but also to have a cloud-based offering that they can take to a cloud-hungry market. It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are few data processing requirements that cannot be met more efficiently by using a cloud-based model.
Take for example the most basic of business functions, the management of company documents and other content related to organizational processes. It’s a need independent of industry, a fundamental requirement of every business: the ability to organize, store, and access critical business content. Today it’s called ECM (Enterprise Content Management), and its purpose is to control company information, from initial creation, through all its forms of use, to ultimate archival and disposal. The idea is to help corporate America get a grasp on the vast amount of unstructured data that is too often difficult or impossible to efficiently utilize due to poor organization and tracking. In some cases, otherwise useful information can be essentially lost, trapped as paper or digital content that has been buried with no reasonable path to access. It’s a little like when a valuable work of art turns up in some university basement, hidden away for decades in a corner simply because nobody knew it was there.
ECM is an industry that has gained a lot of traction in the past decade, because it’s seen as a cost-effective way to increase the efficiency of company operations, providing a continual payback for the life of the organization. But a company called GlobalWise Investments (GWIV), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Intellinetics, has shown how the basic advantages of ECM can be increased through the use of cloud-based technologies. The company has developed the Intellinetics Intellivue™ cloud platform, into which hardware vendors such as Lexmark (LXK), DELL (DELL), and Samsung are now directly integrating, a confirmation that these companies see the cloud as the future of ECM. In fact, IBM (IBM), SAP (SAP), and Oracle (ORCL) have all sought to acquire cloud and SaaS technology companies, the fastest way to establish a presence in one of the hottest fields in IT.
The Intellivue cloud-based platform gives the client the ability to access and manage every piece of content they produce or receive, including but not limited to paper documents, digital content, database print streams, and e-mail, making the data accessible from virtually any PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, from anywhere in the world. Leveraging management and key department heads, GlobalWise Investments has a strong foundation from which to capture significant market share within the lucrative $149 billion Business Software & Services industry.
Central European Distribution Corp. (CEDC) Signs Agreement with Gallo Vineyards
Central European Distribution is Central and Eastern Europe’s largest integrated spirit beverage company and also one of the biggest producers of vodka in the world. Moreover, the company is one of the leading importers of alcoholic beverages in Poland, Hungary, and Russia.
The company today announced that it has signed a 3-year contract with Gallo Vineyards, Inc. (the world’s largest winery) for exclusive distribution of wines from Gallo Vineyards in Poland. CEDC will continue to distribute the leading wine brand – Carlo Rossi – in the Polish market, as well as other brands from the Gallo portfolio of wines, including Barefoot wine.
Central European Distribution is the leader in Poland’s table wine market with over a 13 percent share in terms of value. The Carlo Rossi brand, which was launched by CEDC in Poland, has been the wine market leader in the country in terms of value for the past five years. It alone has been a key contributor to the growth of the wine market in Poland among consumers. CEDC also distributes the Carlo Rossi wines in Russia where it is seeing strong growth in its second year of distribution.
The company has successfully partnered with Gallo Vineyards for the past nine years around the globe. Poland is just the latest example of their successful partnership with, the two companies hope, Russia to follow.
For additional information about Central European Distribution, please visit the company’s website at www.cedc.com
American Standard Energy (ASEN) Posts FY 2011 Financial Results, 80% Revenue Growth
American Standard Energy Corp., a domestic oil and gas exploration and production company, today announced results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2011, reflecting impacts from properties acquired in February and March of last year.
“We believe that the company delivered meaningful growth on multiple fronts in 2011. We completed five acquisitions in 2011, which included both production and key acreage position,” Scott Mahoney, CFO of American Standard stated in the press release. “As a result, we were able to invest almost 80 percent of our capital budget in 2011 for drilling, while increasing our total acreage positions by over 180 percent during the year. This was a key component to our strategy, which enabled us to increase average daily production from 58 barrels of oil equivalent per day (‘BOEPD’) in 2010 to 533 BOEPD in 2011.”
For full-year 2011, American Standard reported an 80 percent increase in revenues to $12.4 million, compared to $6.9 million reported for the year ended December 31, 2010. Excluding the impact from acquisition accounting, full-year 2011 revenues increased 816 percent to $12.4 million, as compared to full-year 2010 revenues of $1.3 million.
The company attributes the increase in revenues to acquisitions of producing properties, higher oil production, and improved realized pricing. Production for the year ended December 31, 2011, was 194,468 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), an increase of 47,799 BOE, or 33 percent, compared to 146,669 BOE for the comparable 12 months of 2010. Excluding the impact of acquisition accounting, production increased 173,235 BOE, or 816 percent in 2011.
Adjusted EBITDA for 2011 increased to $6.5 million, as compared to $3 million in adjusted EBITDA reported for 2010. Excluding the impact of acquisition accounting, adjusted EBITDA increased $7.3 million when compared to negative adjusted EBITDA of $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2010.
The company’s net loss for full-year 2011 was $11.4 million, or $0.32 per share, compared to a net loss of $2.8 million, or $0.12 per share, reported for the 12 months ended December 31, 2010. Excluding the impact of acquisition accounting, American Standard posted a net loss from operations of $5.5 million, or $0.24 per share, primarily related to the recognition of $4.2 million in non-cash stock-based compensation expense and fees related to accounting, legal and consulting services in relation to the formation of the company.
Scott Feldhacker, CEO of American Standard, said the company anticipates that last year’s achievements have set the company on track to generate strong production in the upcoming year.
“We believe that American Standard’s activities in 2011 positioned the company for continued solid growth in 2012,” Feldhacker stated. “I am pleased with our accomplishments to date, along with our recent acquisition. We believe that the company is now well positioned to focus on accelerated development, building proved reserves and driving our production growth in 2012.”
For more information visit www.asenergycorp.com
Magal Security Systems, Ltd. (MAGS) Announces $4.2 Million in Repeat Orders
Magal Security Systems, Ltd., a global provider of security, safety, and site management solutions and products, today announced it has received $4.2 million in repeat orders.
The first order, amounting to $2.9 million, is for expanding the scope of the Mombasa port project, which is an integrated security turnkey project for the Kenya Port Authority. This expansion will include waterways protection and license plate recognition (LPR) at the port entrance, as well as an optical character reader-based (OCR) tracking system for containers flow management.
A second $800,000 contract received by Magal is for the expansion of the perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) of a European national airport. This expansion will include installing and commissioning several technologies, including InnoFence decorative smart fence, fiber mesh system to protect the runway end without disturbing sensitive ILS instrumentation, and a virtual fence based on IP CCTV with video motion detection.
The remaining orders are for homeland security sites in Israel for customers that have ordered other solutions from Magal in the past.
Magal S3 is an international security, safety, and site management solutions leader. For four decades, the company has delivered custom solutions to hundreds of customers in more than 80 countries. Magal S3’s numerous innovative products are utilized in the protection of sensitive installations in some of the most demanding locations and harshest climates on earth. The company’s products and solutions cover three categories: perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDS), close circuit TV (CCTV), and physical security information management (PSIM).
For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.magal-s3.com
CUI Global, Inc. (CUI) Announces Inclusion in the Wilshire 5000
CUI Global recently announced that the company has been included in the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index. The inclusion was effective after the market’s close on March 16 and was concurrent with the monthly additions and deletions of the index. CUI also up-listed to the NASDAQ earlier this year.
CUI is focused on acquiring and developing new technologies and companies in industries such as energy, telcon, and electronic components. The company has delved into producing components for technologies such as power, interconnect, motion control, and sound.
The Wilshire 5000 was developed in 1974, and is considered by many to be the optimal tracking metric for both the U.S. equities market, and as a way to estimate market value changes. It is published daily across all major media, including print, television, and via the Internet.
CUI Global’s president and CEO, William Clough, commented, “CUI Global’s addition to the highly respected Wilshire 5000 Index is yet another example of the significance of our listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Wilshire Index specifically excludes ‘penny stocks’ and ‘over-the-counter securities,’ while focusing on nationally listed securities like CUI Global. By being the focus of an index like the Wilshire 5000, CUI Global will be seen by far more sophisticated and institutional investors, specifically broadening our market and thereby enhancing shareholder value and our potential return-on-investment.”
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NBY) Enters Option Agreement with Virbac Animal Health for Aganocides®
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, a promising, clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced yesterday that it has reached a feasibility and option agreement with Virbac Animal Health for the development and potential commercialization of Aganocides: first-in-class, non-antibiotic, anti-infective compounds for the topical treatment and prevention of a wide variety of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections for veterinary use.
The agreement dictates that Virbac will conduct veterinary studies with the Aganocide compounds to determine their feasibility as treatments for several veterinary indications. NovaBay will receive an upfront payment plus additional support for research and development.
The deal becomes even more lucrative for NovaBay if Virbac exercises its option to license exclusive worldwide rights to market Aganocides for one or more of the previously mentioned indications. If exercised, NovaBay may receive additional payments, including an exercise fee in addition to development and pre-commercial milestones for a line of veterinary products. Another exciting feature of this agreement is that NovaBay will receive royalties on sales of any successfully commercialized Aganocide.
Through the development of the proprietary Aganocide compounds, NovaBay seeks to address the substantially unmet medical need in the global anti-infective market. The innovative molecules in the Aganocide® compounds have shown broad antimicrobial activity against highly drug-resistant organisms, without promoting further resistance in the organisms. NovaBay’s primary compound, NVC-422, is in advanced Phase 2 clinical development in ophthalmology, dermatology, and urology.
Conmed Healthcare Management, Inc. (CONM) to Provide Services to Correctional Facility in Kentucky
Conmed Healthcare Management, a correctional healthcare services provider, announced today that it has signed a full-service agreement to provide services for the Marion County Detention Center (MCDC) in Marion County, Kentucky. Conmed expects to generate approximately $0.3 million during the initial 12-month term, which begins on April 1, 2012.
Conmed’s Chairman and CEO, Richard Turner, remarked, “We are very pleased to gain entry to Kentucky, our tenth state, through the Marion County agreement, and look forward to providing cost-effective, compliant healthcare services to Marion County Detention Center detainees at the same high quality that earned the facility its American Correctional Association certification in 2011. We continue to execute our business model, offering quality correctional medical and mental health services, while driving growth organically, both in areas we currently serve and new areas.”
According to the contract, Conmed will provide the facility’s 300-person inmate population with physicians, mid-level providers, nurses, laboratory, x-ray, pharmacy, emergency department, and hospitalization.
Since its founding in 1984, Conmed has provided correctional healthcare services to correctional facilities in ten states: Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and now, Kentucky. Marion County is located in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, equidistant from Louisville, Lexington, and Frankfort. In 2011, the Marion County Detention Center became the first and only detention center in Kentucky to receive American Correctional Association (ACA) certification.
Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) Announces Acquisition of 17,510-Acre Property; Plans to Launch Aggressive Drilling Program in 60 Days
Today, Uranium Energy Corp. announced that it has acquired the rights to explore for uranium on the Burke Hollow Project. Located in eastern Bee County, Texas, the 17,510-acre property is approximately 50 miles to the southeast of the company’s Hobson uranium processing facility, situated on the Goliad trend within the prolific South Texas Uranium Belt.
Amir Adnani, President and CEO, stated, “The Burke Hollow Project makes a significant addition to our expanding hub-and-spoke production strategy in South Texas. The exploration conducted by Total Minerals on this project in the 1990s demonstrated strong intercepts, and we are planning an aggressive drilling program to commence within the next sixty days.”
“The Burke Hollow Project is now our largest project in South Texas in terms of acreage and, with its proximity to our centralized Hobson processing plant, holds the potential of becoming our fifth satellite project,” he continued. “The South Texas Uranium Belt covers a large area, approaching the size of the state of Pennsylvania, and in-situ recovery methods (ISR), the low-cost and environmentally friendly way to recover uranium, have been used to mine most of the uranium in this region. The Company is building a leadership presence in the South Texas Uranium Belt, both in terms of emerging production and acreage for future resource growth.”
Ken Barrow, President of Thomson-Barrow Corporation, the mineral owner of the Project, commented, “As a fifth-generation Texan, and as a degreed and trained geologist who’s toured UEC’s Palangana and Hobson operations, we’re very pleased that UEC will be exploring the family’s Burke Hollow project. UEC clearly means business, and has the technical personnel and funding to make the absolute most of this project, one that we believe holds great potential.”
Total Minerals, a division of the Total Group, the France-based global energy company, conducted exploration work and drilling on this Project in 1993 as part of its South Texas Goliad exploration program. Following geophysical and geochemical results, Total drilled 12 holes along a northwest to southeast-oriented line. Eleven of the twelve holes intersected mineralization with drill-hole placement that exceeded several thousand feet in length.
The company owns Total’s South Texas exploration program database, and its historic drill information, which indicates the occurrence of strong eU3O8 intercepts. These intercepts occur in multiple horizons within both the Goliad Formation sands and the Lissie Formation sands at depths ranging from 180 to 400 feet. This is historical information and has not been independently drill verified by company geologists or a qualified person under Canadian NI 43-101 standards. However, knowing the quality of the historic data, the company believes the data could be relevant.
In addition to the exploration information compiled from the prior work completed by Total, the company’s analysis of the Project is additionally guided by a large volume of oil and gas drilling information where gamma ray recordings were made. To date, selected gamma ray well logs from forty oil and gas wells located on the Burke Hollow Project indicate that uranium mineralization may also occur in deeper intervals located below 400 feet in areas undrilled in the past by Total Minerals. The company is still aggregating and studying available oil and gas well log information to enhance its understanding of the mineralization potential of the Project.
Uranium Energy’s geologists are currently developing an aggressive exploration program to include a drilling campaign that will commence once exploration permits from the Railroad Commission of Texas are received. It is anticipated that the drill program will commence in the next 60 days and will consist of a statistical grid covering the entire property. Subsequent offset holes will be drilled based on results, including extending and delineating mineralized zones discovered by Total Minerals.
VistaGen Therapeutics (VSTA) Announces Strategic Drug Screening Collaboration with Vala Sciences
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue and cell therapy, just announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Vala Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company developing and selling next-generation cell image-based instruments, reagents, and analysis software tools. Together the companies aim to advance drug safety screening methodologies in the most clinically relevant human in vitro bioassay systems available to researchers today.
Cardiomyocytes are the muscle cells of the heart that pump blood throughout the body, and as such are the targets of most of the drug toxicities that directly affect the heart. Many of these drug toxicities result in either arrhythmia (irregular, often fatal, beating of the heart) or reduced ability of the heart to pump the blood necessary to maintain normal health and vigor.
“Our collaboration with Vala directly supports the core drug rescue applications of our Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform,” stated Shawn K. Singh, JD, VistaGen’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our high quality human cardiomyocytes combined with Vala’s high throughput electrophysiological assessment capabilities is yet another example of how we are applying our stem cell technology platform within a strategic ecosystem of complementary leading-edge companies and technologies. We seek to drive our drug rescue programs forward and generate a pipeline of new, cardiosafe drug candidates.”
Through the collaboration, Vala will use its Kinetic Image Cytometer platform to demonstrate both the suitability and utility of VistaGen’s human pluripotent stem cell derived-cardiomyocytes for screening new drug candidates for potential cardiotoxicity over conventional in vitro screening systems and animal models. VistaGen’s validated human cardiomyocyte-based bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™, will permit Vala to demonstrate the quality, resolution, applicability and ease of use of its new instrumentation and analysis software to make information-rich, high throughput measurements and generate fundamentally new insights into heart cell drug responses.
Accurate, sensitive and reproducible measurement of electrophysiological responses of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to new drug candidates is a key element of VistaGen’s CardioSafe 3D™ drug rescue programs. VistaGen’s strategic collaboration with Vala is directed towards this goal.
For more information, visit www.VistaGen.com
Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM) is “One to Watch”
As the owner and operator of North America’s largest portfolio of neighborhood and community shopping centers, Kimco Realty docks its successful expansion pattern on strategic acquisition, development, and management.
Kimco is a New Hyde Park, NY-based real estate investment trust (REIT) that began trading in the public market in 1991. With more than 50 years in the commercial real estate market, Kimco has established interests in 946 shopping centers scattered across 44 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and South America, amassing 138 million square feet of leasable space.
In 2011, Kimco acquired 21 shopping centers (17 wholly owned and four joint ventures) for $494 million.
The company also dabbles in solar energy with a portfolio of six solar-powered shopping centers in the state of New Jersey, generating energy production capacity the equivalent of powering 300 households.
As a cash buyer with the ability to assume existing debt, Kimco affords the luxury of seeking out prospective acquisitions that meet select criteria:
• Markets where Kimco has a strong presence, focusing on top 20 metro statistical areas (MSAs), including Puerto Rico, which generates more than 60 percent annual base rate (ABR)
• Anchored by dominant grocer in the established market (approximately 55 percent of Kimco properties contain a grocery/food component)
• Institutional grade assets with long-term leases to market leaders
• Minimum of 75,000 square feet – no maximum size requirement
• Opportunistic properties with re-development and re-tenanting potential
Following this criteria, Kimco attracts tenants with the allure of high-trafficked shopping centers nestled among desirable demographics. Top tenants in regards to ABR and MSA include recognizable brands: Home Depot, TJX Companies, Kmart/Sears Holdings, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, and Best Buy.
In 2011, Kimco executed 2,474 leases, including 487 same-space new leases and 1,169 lease renewals and options; and signed more than 800 new leases. Kimco ended the fourth quarter of 2011 with gross occupancy in the combined and U.S. shopping center portfolios at 93.3 percent and 93.2 percent, respectively.
For investors, Kimco’s acquisition strategy and subsequent financial performance translates into a publicly traded entity well-positioned for the long haul.
In the fourth quarter of 2011, Kimco reported funds from operations (FFO) of $135.4 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, compared to $125.3 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, reported in the fourth quarter of 2010; full-year 2011 FFO was reported at $517.2 million, or $1.27 per diluted share, compared to $493.2 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, reported for 2010.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $31.6 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared to $22.2 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the comparable quarter of 2010. Full-year 2011 net income also increased at $109.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared to 2010 full-year net income of $91.5 million, or $0.22 per diluted share.
The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per common share, payable April 16, 2012, to shareholders on record at April 4, 2012, with an ex-dividend date of April 2, 2012.
Kimco capitalizes on its retailer relationships with established brands, a strong portfolio, and its 50-year history. Since its initial public offering nearly 20 years ago, Kimco has generated total annualized return for shareholders of more than 13 percent.
Plowing forward through 2012, Kimco expects to increase shareholder value by continuing to implement its current business and acquisition strategy. Though it will maintain its primary focus in the North American commercial real estate market, it also plans to expand its Latin America acquisition portfolio, which currently contributes 5.2 percent annual rental revenue.
Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) Announces Acquisition of 17,510-Acre Property; Plans to Launch Aggressive Drilling Program in 60 Days
Today, Uranium Energy Corp. announced that it has acquired the rights to explore for uranium on the Burke Hollow Project. Located in eastern Bee County, Texas, the 17,510-acre property is approximately 50 miles to the southeast of the company’s Hobson uranium processing facility, situated on the Goliad trend within the prolific South Texas Uranium Belt.
Amir Adnani, President and CEO, stated, “The Burke Hollow Project makes a significant addition to our expanding hub-and-spoke production strategy in South Texas. The exploration conducted by Total Minerals on this project in the 1990s demonstrated strong intercepts, and we are planning an aggressive drilling program to commence within the next sixty days.”
“The Burke Hollow Project is now our largest project in South Texas in terms of acreage and, with its proximity to our centralized Hobson processing plant, holds the potential of becoming our fifth satellite project,” he continued. “The South Texas Uranium Belt covers a large area, approaching the size of the state of Pennsylvania, and in-situ recovery methods (ISR), the low-cost and environmentally friendly way to recover uranium, have been used to mine most of the uranium in this region. The Company is building a leadership presence in the South Texas Uranium Belt, both in terms of emerging production and acreage for future resource growth.”
Ken Barrow, President of Thomson-Barrow Corporation, the mineral owner of the Project, commented, “As a fifth-generation Texan, and as a degreed and trained geologist who’s toured UEC’s Palangana and Hobson operations, we’re very pleased that UEC will be exploring the family’s Burke Hollow project. UEC clearly means business, and has the technical personnel and funding to make the absolute most of this project, one that we believe holds great potential.”
Total Minerals, a division of the Total Group, the France-based global energy company, conducted exploration work and drilling on this Project in 1993 as part of its South Texas Goliad exploration program. Following geophysical and geochemical results, Total drilled 12 holes along a northwest to southeast-oriented line. Eleven of the twelve holes intersected mineralization with drill-hole placement that exceeded several thousand feet in length.
The company owns Total’s South Texas exploration program database, and its historic drill information, which indicates the occurrence of strong eU3O8 intercepts. These intercepts occur in multiple horizons within both the Goliad Formation sands and the Lissie Formation sands at depths ranging from 180 to 400 feet. This is historical information and has not been independently drill verified by company geologists or a qualified person under Canadian NI 43-101 standards. However, knowing the quality of the historic data, the company believes the data could be relevant.
In addition to the exploration information compiled from the prior work completed by Total, the company’s analysis of the Project is additionally guided by a large volume of oil and gas drilling information where gamma ray recordings were made. To date, selected gamma ray well logs from forty oil and gas wells located on the Burke Hollow Project indicate that uranium mineralization may also occur in deeper intervals located below 400 feet in areas undrilled in the past by Total Minerals. The company is still aggregating and studying available oil and gas well log information to enhance its understanding of the mineralization potential of the Project.
Uranium Energy’s geologists are currently developing an aggressive exploration program to include a drilling campaign that will commence once exploration permits from the Railroad Commission of Texas are received. It is anticipated that the drill program will commence in the next 60 days and will consist of a statistical grid covering the entire property. Subsequent offset holes will be drilled based on results, including extending and delineating mineralized zones discovered by Total Minerals.
UEC Announces Acquisition of 17,510-Acre Property; Plans to Launch Aggressive Drilling Program in 60 Days
Today, Uranium Energy Corp. announced that it has acquired the rights to explore for uranium on the Burke Hollow Project. Located in eastern Bee County, Texas, the 17,510-acre property is approximately 50 miles to the southeast of the company’s Hobson uranium processing facility, situated on the Goliad trend within the prolific South Texas Uranium Belt.
Amir Adnani, President and CEO, stated, “The Burke Hollow Project makes a significant addition to our expanding hub-and-spoke production strategy in South Texas. The exploration conducted by Total Minerals on this project in the 1990s demonstrated strong intercepts, and we are planning an aggressive drilling program to commence within the next sixty days.”
“The Burke Hollow Project is now our largest project in South Texas in terms of acreage and, with its proximity to our centralized Hobson processing plant, holds the potential of becoming our fifth satellite project,” he continued. “The South Texas Uranium Belt covers a large area, approaching the size of the state of Pennsylvania, and in-situ recovery methods (ISR), the low-cost and environmentally friendly way to recover uranium, have been used to mine most of the uranium in this region. The Company is building a leadership presence in the South Texas Uranium Belt, both in terms of emerging production and acreage for future resource growth.”
Ken Barrow, President of Thomson-Barrow Corporation, the mineral owner of the Project, commented, “As a fifth-generation Texan, and as a degreed and trained geologist who’s toured UEC’s Palangana and Hobson operations, we’re very pleased that UEC will be exploring the family’s Burke Hollow project. UEC clearly means business, and has the technical personnel and funding to make the absolute most of this project, one that we believe holds great potential.”
Total Minerals, a division of the Total Group, the France-based global energy company, conducted exploration work and drilling on this Project in 1993 as part of its South Texas Goliad exploration program. Following geophysical and geochemical results, Total drilled 12 holes along a northwest to southeast-oriented line. Eleven of the twelve holes intersected mineralization with drill-hole placement that exceeded several thousand feet in length.
The company owns Total’s South Texas exploration program database, and its historic drill information, which indicates the occurrence of strong eU3O8 intercepts. These intercepts occur in multiple horizons within both the Goliad Formation sands and the Lissie Formation sands at depths ranging from 180 to 400 feet. This is historical information and has not been independently drill verified by company geologists or a qualified person under Canadian NI 43-101 standards. However, knowing the quality of the historic data, the company believes the data could be relevant.
In addition to the exploration information compiled from the prior work completed by Total, the company’s analysis of the Project is additionally guided by a large volume of oil and gas drilling information where gamma ray recordings were made. To date, selected gamma ray well logs from forty oil and gas wells located on the Burke Hollow Project indicate that uranium mineralization may also occur in deeper intervals located below 400 feet in areas undrilled in the past by Total Minerals. The company is still aggregating and studying available oil and gas well log information to enhance its understanding of the mineralization potential of the Project.
Uranium Energy’s geologists are currently developing an aggressive exploration program to include a drilling campaign that will commence once exploration permits from the Railroad Commission of Texas are received. It is anticipated that the drill program will commence in the next 60 days and will consist of a statistical grid covering the entire property. Subsequent offset holes will be drilled based on results, including extending and delineating mineralized zones discovered by Total Minerals.
VistaGen Therapeutics (VSTA) Announces Strategic Drug Screening Collaboration with Vala Sciences
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue and cell therapy, just announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Vala Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company developing and selling next-generation cell image-based instruments, reagents, and analysis software tools. Together the companies aim to advance drug safety screening methodologies in the most clinically relevant human in vitro bioassay systems available to researchers today.
Cardiomyocytes are the muscle cells of the heart that pump blood throughout the body, and as such are the targets of most of the drug toxicities that directly affect the heart. Many of these drug toxicities result in either arrhythmia (irregular, often fatal, beating of the heart) or reduced ability of the heart to pump the blood necessary to maintain normal health and vigor.
“Our collaboration with Vala directly supports the core drug rescue applications of our Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform,” stated Shawn K. Singh, JD, VistaGen’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our high quality human cardiomyocytes combined with Vala’s high throughput electrophysiological assessment capabilities is yet another example of how we are applying our stem cell technology platform within a strategic ecosystem of complementary leading-edge companies and technologies. We seek to drive our drug rescue programs forward and generate a pipeline of new, cardiosafe drug candidates.”
Through the collaboration, Vala will use its Kinetic Image Cytometer platform to demonstrate both the suitability and utility of VistaGen’s human pluripotent stem cell derived-cardiomyocytes for screening new drug candidates for potential cardiotoxicity over conventional in vitro screening systems and animal models. VistaGen’s validated human cardiomyocyte-based bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™, will permit Vala to demonstrate the quality, resolution, applicability and ease of use of its new instrumentation and analysis software to make information-rich, high throughput measurements and generate fundamentally new insights into heart cell drug responses.
Accurate, sensitive and reproducible measurement of electrophysiological responses of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to new drug candidates is a key element of VistaGen’s CardioSafe 3D™ drug rescue programs. VistaGen’s strategic collaboration with Vala is directed towards this goal.
VSTA Announces Strategic Drug Screening Collaboration with Vala Sciences
VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue and cell therapy, just announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Vala Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company developing and selling next-generation cell image-based instruments, reagents, and analysis software tools. Together the companies aim to advance drug safety screening methodologies in the most clinically relevant human in vitro bioassay systems available to researchers today.
Cardiomyocytes are the muscle cells of the heart that pump blood throughout the body, and as such are the targets of most of the drug toxicities that directly affect the heart. Many of these drug toxicities result in either arrhythmia (irregular, often fatal, beating of the heart) or reduced ability of the heart to pump the blood necessary to maintain normal health and vigor.
“Our collaboration with Vala directly supports the core drug rescue applications of our Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube™ platform,” stated Shawn K. Singh, JD, VistaGen’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our high quality human cardiomyocytes combined with Vala’s high throughput electrophysiological assessment capabilities is yet another example of how we are applying our stem cell technology platform within a strategic ecosystem of complementary leading-edge companies and technologies. We seek to drive our drug rescue programs forward and generate a pipeline of new, cardiosafe drug candidates.”
Through the collaboration, Vala will use its Kinetic Image Cytometer platform to demonstrate both the suitability and utility of VistaGen’s human pluripotent stem cell derived-cardiomyocytes for screening new drug candidates for potential cardiotoxicity over conventional in vitro screening systems and animal models. VistaGen’s validated human cardiomyocyte-based bioassay system, CardioSafe 3D™, will permit Vala to demonstrate the quality, resolution, applicability and ease of use of its new instrumentation and analysis software to make information-rich, high throughput measurements and generate fundamentally new insights into heart cell drug responses.
Accurate, sensitive and reproducible measurement of electrophysiological responses of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to new drug candidates is a key element of VistaGen’s CardioSafe 3D™ drug rescue programs. VistaGen’s strategic collaboration with Vala is directed towards this goal.
Brigus Gold Corp. (BRD) Offers Report on Black Fox Mine Project in Ontario, Expects Output Increase by Year’s End to 25k Ounces
Today, Brigus Gold, the rapidly emerging mid-tier Canadian gold developer, offered a status and operational update report for the year, revealing a strong focus on improving output at the company’s Black Fox Mine in Timmins, Ontario.
The company has slated a 25k ounce per quarter target for steady state output from Black Fox by year’s end, and this project, combined with BRD’s several other projects in North America, places the company squarely among the forefront of emerging Canadian mid-tier precious metal developers. From the head office in Halifax, BRD administrates a growing network of projects, with the Goldfields Project outside Uranium City, Saskatchewan, and interests in the Dominican Republic/Mexico amply reinforcing an aggressive, select acquisition strategy’s effectiveness.
President and CEO of BRD, Wade Dawe, was very pleased about today’s report, with underground operation ore grades handsomely living up to expectations as tonnage just continues to increase. Dawe cited the effect of decreased dilution and improved geological model of the underground ore body as being particularly encouraging, projecting that output from the underground operation would indeed increase steadily as the company opens up more faces to mine.
Significant change-up in the personnel and equipment mix at Black Fox, along with major process improvements towards the end of last month have resulted in a serious performance boost, with the underground operation being the largest benefactor.
Selective mining methodologies and advancing process technology, fused with a continual recruitment process of veteran ore raisers with vast experiential knowledge in conventional mining, supports the push to open up more faces of the resource, and the underground operation really takes center stage here:
• Grades – continual material improvement since the start of the year, with the average grade of ore from the underground up 99.3% to 5.96 grams per tonne for the first 75 days on 2012 (compared to Q4 2011)
• High-grade Tonnage – with 20 stopes open and another 10 planned in order to bring operational activity to 10-12 in operation at any one time; daily tonnage is expected to advance healthily from the average 400 tonnes plus per day that has come out in the first half of March. Projections of 800 tonnes per day for Q3 are serious as more faces are opened up and efficiencies improve
Chinese growth worries over potential flagging have shoved metals and commodities lower, but the obvious trailing concerns over more easing from the world’s central banks should catch up with this vector. Gold and silver are in prime stacking territory again, taking another dip today to trade around $1645 and $31.80 as optimism from fund managers about the lack of need for more easing (Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey for March released Tuesday). It is very clear that the world’s taste for precious metals is heating up on many fronts though and if consumers get their hands on more spending money, as the Chinese government in particular would like to see, the long-term growth vector should resolve clearly higher for producers like BRD.
For more information on Brigus Gold, visit www.brigusgold.com
Delcath Systems, Inc. (DCTH) Receives First Commercial Order for CHEMOSAT in Europe
Delcath Systems, Inc. today announced it has received its first commercial order for the Hepatic CHEMOSAT Delivery System from the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), which is one of Europe’s premier cancer treatment and research centers. Delcath announced in November 2011 an initial launch and training agreement with IEO.
This milestone order of Delcath’s CHEMOSAT system marks the company’s transition from a research and development company to a commercial enterprise. Moving forward with its European launch plans, Delcath also recently announced its fifth training center in the European Union, and the company expects to announce additional center agreements over the course of 2012. The hiring and training of Delcath’s direct sales force is accelerating, and the staffing of the company’s contract medical science liaison team is also going forward. Delcath is additionally evaluating potential third-party distribution partners to cover each of its Southern Europe target markets.
Delcath’s present goal is to establish CHEMOSAT as a new treatment option in Europe for patients with cancers in the liver. CHEMOSAT is a proprietary product utilizing chemosaturation technology, which is a minimally invasive, repeatable procedure administering high-dose chemotherapy directly to the liver while minimizing systemic exposure of the drug. CHEMOSAT was given CE Mark approval in April of 2011.
Delcath Systems is a specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company with its focus on oncology. The company’s proprietary chemosaturation system is designed to administer high-dose chemotherapy and other therapeutic agents to diseased organs or body regions while simultaneously controlling the systemic exposure of those agents. Delcath’s initial focus is treating primary and metastatic liver cancers.
For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.delcath.com
GlobalWise Investments, Inc. (GWIV) Expanded Sales Strategy to Boost National Presence and Capitalize on Industry Trends
GlobalWise Investments and its wholly owned subsidiary Intellinetics, Inc., a leading-edge technology company focused on the design, implementation, and management of cloud-based Enterprise Content Management (“ECM”) systems in both the public and private sectors, today discussed how the convergence of technologies in the ECM industry and cellular industries has created a “greenfield” opportunity within the Small and Medium Business (SMB) marketplace.
While Intellinetics was an early pioneer in the ECM industry and has been in business since 1994, the past two years have been the most dynamic in the company’s history. With the recent launch of the company’s web-services based Intellivue™ ECM software platform which enables clients to access and manage digital assets from virtually any PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone from anywhere in the world; the company has completed its transition to a fully integrated, cloud-enabled ECM service provider.
Over the past two years the company has integrated the Intellivue™ software platform into Lexmark, Samsung, and Dell hardware printer products via OEM relationships, as well as successfully integrated the software with other enterprise software packages. Intellivue’s intelligent design has role flexibility — easily bundled as an integrated component of capture hardware platforms such as it is with Lexmark’s DocMP offering (
United Online, Inc. (UNTD) NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband Service Goes Online
NetZero Wireless, Inc., a subsidiary of United Online, yesterday announced the launch of NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband, a fast, affordable, and secure Internet service for netbooks, laptops, iPads, and other tablets.
This exciting new service launched in over 80 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Users will have the capability to create their own personal Internet connections without being tied to unsecure public hotspots at places like coffee shops, airports, and hotels, hotspots where personal information may be exposed to hackers and data thieves. Unlike these public hotspots, NetZero’s service delivers a protected, private Internet connection anytime, anywhere within its coverage area.
Starting at just $9.95 per month, NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband Data Plans are affordable and flexible, as customers are not required to sign a contract, and can upgrade their data plan at any time. The 4G service is also incredibly fast, delivering download speeds up to 10Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1.5Mbps.
Customers will be excited to hear that there are no overage charges, and they cannot accidently exceed monthly data allotments. When customers reach their monthly data limit, they are alerted and presented the 3 options of not using the service until next month, buying extra data “Top Ups” that they can use through the current billing cycle, or upgrading to a higher capacity data plan.
All data plans, including the free plan, require the purchase of one of two affordable access devices: the NetZero 4G HotSpot™ ($99.95) and the NetZero 4G Stick™ ($49.95). The NetZero 4G HotSpot simultaneously supports up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including iPads and other tablets, within a 150-foot range. The NetZero 4G Stick supports a single desktop, laptop, or netbook via a USB port.
One innovative feature included in all NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband plans is the ability to alternate between two maximum data speeds depending on customer needs at the time of use. When looking to conserve data, users can change to LightSpeed (1Mbps), or when a customer needs maximum speed, the data speed setting can be set to the appropriately named WarpSpeed (10 Mbps).
Chairman, President, and CEO of United Online, Mark R. Goldston sums up this exciting new service well in this statement, “NetZero is bridging the digital divide by letting consumers purchase a secure, quality, mobile broadband service at very affordable prices with plans designed to meet the consumers’ data needs. Our service gives customers the freedom to take the Internet anywhere in our coverage area, without being tied to public Wi-Fi service or having to purchase higher-cost, sometimes multi-year plans offered by other mobile broadband providers. With NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband, there are no contracts or commitments, and our customers can even try our service for up to one year for free.”
Housing Permits Near 3 1/2 Year High
The latest piece of economic data suggests that the recovery of the U.S. economy continues to gather steam, even in the stagnant housing market. Permits for home building in February edged near a 3 1/2 year high. New building permits surged 5.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 717,000 units last month. This was the highest reading since October 2008 and exceeded most economists’ expectations.
Actual housing starts in February slipped 1.1% to a rate of 698,000 units, which was somewhat below expectations of 700,000 units. January’s housing starts were revised upward a bit from 699,000 units to 706,000 units. However, residential construction was up year-on-year by 34.7%, the biggest such increase since April 2010.
This latest batch of data suggests we are seeing the beginnings of a recovery in the housing market and sentiment among home builders is near a 5-year high. But one problem remains – a large oversupply of unsold homes, which has the effect of depressing house prices. But economists remain optimistic. Gary Thayer of Wells Fargo Securities said, “The data we see now indicates housing activity has stabilized and we could be in the early stages of improvement.”
But if the economists are correct, we could see residential construction actually adding to economic growth this year for the first time since 2005. Although housing only makes up about 2.5% of GDP, it is still a major force in the U.S. economy. Economists estimate that for every one house built, about 2.5 jobs are created.
Car Charging Group, Inc. (CCGI) and Kettler Ink Agreement to Provide Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Car Charging Group, a nationwide provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging services, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Kettler Inc., a leading multifamily housing developer, in which CCGI will provide EV charging services at various Kettler properties on the east coast.
CCGI will install its Level II EV charging stations in select Kettler housing properties, providing 240 volts with 32 amps of power to quickly refuel an EV’s battery. CCGI’s EV charging stations utilize the industry-wide standard connector adopted by nearly all automobile manufacturers.
The agreement positions CCGI and Kettler as property partners; as such, the two companies plan to share the proceeds generated by the charging services at those properties.
“Kettler manages nearly 20,000 apartments in 82 locations from New York to the Carolinas, which makes this partnership an excellent fit for both our companies,” Michael D. Farkas, CEO of CCGI stated in the press release. “More and more EV drivers like the convenience of charging at home and we are working with Kettler to provide this important amenity to their residents. This partnership will further highlight and expand our convenient EV charging services and network.”
Participating EV driver registers will first create a CCGI account, at which time they will receive a small RFID card that attaches to their keychain. This card simplifies the usage and payment of every intelligent CCGI charging station. If an EV driver does not own an RFID card, CCGI stations also allow for direct payment via credit card.
As the auto industry expands the make and model of available EVs, CCGI and Kettler also plan on providing more services to customers. Future plans for the charging stations include the ability for drivers to reserve a time slot, guaranteeing them access to the station to recharge their car.
“We are committed to supporting the ever changing needs of our customers, and more and more are now driving EVs,” said Laurel Howell, senior vice president of marketing at Kettler. “Providing our residents and other travelers with a green fueling option is an important step in our sustainability and addition to the other green practices we implement in our properties.”
For more information visit www.CarCharging.com or www.Kettler.com
Recon Technology, Ltd. (RCON) Brings Revolutionary Baker Hughes Frac-Point, Multi-Stage Fracturing Technology to Sinopec
Today, Recon Technology, which has built a strong reputation within China’s burgeoning oil field services industry as a 10-year veteran, non-state owned, broad spectrum provider of ingenious software and field service equipment engineered to improve efficiency/automation, reported debut of the Baker Hughes Frac-Point™ Completion System 3 to Sinopec’s Zhongyuan oilfield (China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.) via one of the company’s variable interest entities, Beijing BHD Petroleum Technology Co., Ltd.
This powerful horizontal fracturing technology allowed Sinopec to bring in a dense sandstone horizontal well which required multi-state fracking, thus placing BHD in a prime position to benefit off Sinopec’s continuous fracturing requirements. BHS has signed several contracts (as of Mar 19) totaling some $4.75M (RMB 30M) in accumulated contract value, slated for incremental completion that should wrap up during the first half of this year.
CTO of RCON, Chen Guangqiang remarked on the prioritization of this key technology by Sinopec within their 12th Five-Year Plan, citing projections that China’s largest producer and supplier of oil and petrochemical products would roll the technology out across some 1,100 of its wells every year for the next three. At some $475k of investment per well (RMB 3M) on average, this is a huge market for the company to sink its teeth into. RCON aims to tackle as much of the opportunity as possible while advancing the overall service envelope in anticipation of increasing market share, both at Zhongyuan and throughout China’s thriving hydrocarbon sector.
These developments are well in line with RCON’s drive to become a leading oilfield provider of safe, efficient full-service support, secure in the knowledge that now, as always, the evolution of the demands called for by clients would guide the company’s own development.
Oil prices were up over two percent Friday on sustained tensions in the Middle East, with Iran taking center stage over disputes about that country’s nuclear program, despite plans by the US/UK to release from strategic oil reserves this year. Although this reserve release report was officially denied, waning consumer prices and sovereign debt in the US and Europe, combined with a flagging dollar, have placed energy at the forefront.
As a smaller company operating in the sector, RCON will gather further knowledge and technical expertise by cooperating with leading international entities to advance the technology which has already seen use in some 2,200 wells worldwide (150 of which are in China). With results of the installation at Zhongyuan showing a 4.6 increase over the previous gas production levels, RCON is pleased that BHD has signed contracts to provide the technology of at least ten wells in the Zhongyuan.
Spearheading the emergence of this important horizontal multistage fracturing technology in China, after having so shrewdly anticipated its adoption, RCON stands poised to deliver results from the task force originally established to cultivate the technology.
For more information on Recon Technology, Ltd. please visit the Company’s English website at: www.recon.cn
SPAR Group, Inc. (SGRP) Posts Q4, Full-year 2011 Financial Results
SPAR Group Inc., a global supplier of retail merchandising and other marketing services, today announced its 2011 fourth quarter and year-end financial results.
For the three months ended December 31, 2011, SPAR reported revenues of $23.6 million, a 26 percent increase compared to $18.7 million reported for the comparable period of 2010. International revenues for the quarter increased 55 percent to $13.4 million compared to $8.7 million for the same quarter of 2010.
Fourth-quarter gross profit increased 11 percent to $7.3 million in 2011, compared to $6.6 million in the same period of 2010. Domestic gross profit margin was 36.5 percent for the fourth quarter 2011 compared to 39 percent in 2010. International gross profit margin was 26.4 percent for the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to 30.4 percent for the same period in 2010.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $1.2 million, or $0.06 per share, compared to $1.2 million, or $0.06 per share, reported for the same period of 2010. Domestic net income for the fourth quarter was $991,000 compared to net income of $1.1 million for the same period in 2010. International net income for the fourth quarter of 2011 totaled $213,000 compared to a net income of $52,000 for the same period in 2010.
“Having exceeded our revenue guidance for FY2011, SPAR Group is extremely pleased with the Company’s significant growth during both the fourth quarter and fiscal year for 2011,” Gary Raymond, CEO of SPAR stated in the press release. “Due to our strategic business model for global expansion, our international division now accounts for nearly half of SPAR Group’s total revenue. Through the use of our proprietary technology, our ability to enter new markets and quickly operate in a profitable manner provides us with a strong competitive advantage. We are currently evaluating several additional expansion opportunities which will be accretive to our earnings and provide increased market opportunities for future growth.”
Revenue for the fiscal year 2011 increased 16 percent to $73.5 million compared to $63.1 million in 2010. Domestic revenue for 2011 was $37.8 million compared to $36.6 million during the same period in 2010. International revenue for full year 2011 was $35.7 million compared to $26.6 million during the same period 2010.
Gross profit for the fiscal year 2011 increased 7 percent to $22.5 million compared to $21.0 million for the same period in 2010. Domestic margins for the fiscal year 2011 were 33.3 percent compared to 35.9 percent during the same period 2010. International gross profit margins for 2011 were 27.7 percent compared to 29.6 percent in the previous year.
SPAR reported net income for the fiscal year 2011 at $2.2 million, or $0.10 per share, compared to net income of $2.2 million, or $0.11 per share, for the fiscal year 2010. Domestic 2011 net income totaled $2.3 million compared to net income of $2.7 million for the same period in 2010. The company reported international net loss for the fiscal year 2011 at $119,000 compared to a net loss of $506,000 for the same period in 2010.
As of December 31, 2011, SPAR’s working capital improved to $7.2 million; current ratio increased to 1.7 to 1; total current assets and total assets were $18.0 million and $21.5 million, respectively; and cash and cash equivalents totaled $1.7 million at December 31, 2011. The company reported total current liabilities and total liabilities at $10.8 million and $11.1 million, respectively, and total equity was $9.3 million at December 31, 2011.
Raymond said the company anticipates continued growth in both domestic and international operations.
“In addition to the strong growth in our international division, we are pleased with continued consistent success in our domestic business. In both divisions we expect additional contract awards that will lead to consistent growth throughout 2012 and beyond,” Raymond stated. “With numerous profitable opportunities available to us, and expectations for additional domestic and international acquisitions in the coming year, 2012 looks to be one of our strongest growth years ever.”
For more information visit www.sparinc.com
Tuscows, Inc. (TCX) Reinstates Stock Buyback Program
On Friday, Tucows announced the reinstatement of the stock buyback program that the company had previously put on suspension. The suspension was enacted when Tucow undertook its most recent Dutch Auction Tender, which was completed on January 20, 2012. The buyback program allows Tucows to repurchase its outstanding common shares.
Tucows, an Internet services company, manages millions of domain name and email boxes through its network of 12,000 web hosts and ISPs. The company controls subsidiaries Hover, Ting.com, and YummyNames, which deal in the sale of domain names and provision of mobile phone service.
The buyback program stipulates that Tucows is able to repurchase up to 3,840,000 shares of its common stock. This is equal to 10% of the public float of Tucows when the program had originally started. Any purchases made on the TSX may only total up to 1,000 shares per daily trading session.
Tucows does not intend to purchase its shares from its management team or other insiders, however sales by such persons through the facilities of NYSE AMEX or the TSX may occur if the circumstances of any such person or entity change or any such person or entity makes a decision unrelated to these normal course purchases.
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVNR) Appoints Mr. Rohan Palekar to Senior VP and CCO
Today, Avanir Pharmaceuticals announced that the company has appointed Rohan Palekar to the position of senior vice president and chief commercial officer. In his new role, Mr. Palekar will lead all of the company’s commercial activities.
“I am excited to be joining the Avanir team and working with this talented group to help make NUEDEXTA available to patients and physicians worldwide,” said Mr. Palekar. “The growth opportunity that lies ahead for Avanir is incredible and I look forward to the chance to positively affect the lives of patients suffering from pseudobulbar affect and other CNS disorders.”
Mr. Palekar has over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and has worked with notable brands including Remicade® and Stelara®. Mr. Palekar’s most recent commercial leadership role was as CCO for Medivation, where he oversaw all commercial activities, CMC & manufacturing, and public relations functions. Prior to his tenure at Medivation, Mr. Palekar spent over 16 years at Johnson & Johnson in various senior commercial and strategic management roles. He also recently served as vice president of sales & marketing at Centocor, where he successfully launched two new indications for Remicade.
Prior to these positions, Mr. Palekar held a position as worldwide vice president of immunology and held marketing leadership roles at McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Palekar earned his MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration Dartmouth College and his BA/BS in Law and Accounting from the University of Bombay.
“Rohan has an outstanding track record of success in biopharmaceutical sales and marketing,” said Keith A. Katkin, president and CEO of Avanir. “I am delighted that we were able to attract someone of Rohan’s caliber to spearhead our global commercial activities. His comprehensive background in healthcare sales and marketing, new product planning and strategic analysis, as well as his leadership capabilities, will be pivotal to the continued commercial success of Avanir.”