Market Newsdesk

BOCA RATON Fla., Dec. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Motivated by mortgage rates near historic lows and a persistent shortage of homes for sale that’s steadily driving up prices, many middle-income consumers want to buy before values escalate out of reach.

But jumping into the U.S. housing market now isn’t necessarily a no-brainer, said Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D., a real estate economist in Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business.

“The nation is reaching the peak of its current housing cycle,” Johnson said. “I don’t expect prices to crater like they did more than a decade ago. Still, you don’t want to be the last person to buy at the peak of the market.”

Home prices have been rising since 2012 and economists say the end of the run is near. In South Florida, for example, homes are overvalued by close to 20 percent, the highest level in eight years.   

Everyone should have real estate in their retirement portfolios, whether it’s their personal residences or investments in income-producing properties, according to Johnson. Historically, home prices appreciate at about 5 percent a year, making real estate an excellent long-term hold.

If mortgage rates remain low and/or the shortage of homes for sale continues, buying now is the right thing to do because prices likely will rise for the foreseeable future, Johnson said. But consumers should watch for rising rates and/or an increase in properties for sale, which easily could flatten home prices in short order and lead to another downturn, he added.

Even if the market stumbles, the climate remains much healthier than it was during the historic housing bust of 2006-2011. Mortgage underwriting has significantly improved, creating a stronger pool of borrowers and limiting the likelihood of a foreclosure crisis. Individual credit scores are near all-time highs, an indication that homeowners would be more willing to ride out financial issues.

Given the looming peak, the decision to buy in the short term comes down to how long consumers intend to stay in the homes and what kind of values they’re getting, Johnson said. Those who don’t intend to put down roots should consider renting and reinvesting the money they would have spent on owning, such as maintenance, taxes and homeowner association fees, he added. Johnson is the co-author of the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent Index, a national report that covers 23 major metropolitan areas.

“I would be careful about buying near the top of the market, especially if I want to be in the home for only a few years,” Johnson said. “If you look to buy, bargain aggressively and be willing to walk away. Real estate most definitely is a good investment, but don’t just buy now because that’s what everybody else is doing.”

Miami Beach, FL, Dec. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK, BLNKW) (“Blink” or the “Company”), a leading owner, operator, and provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment and services, today announced an agreement with JSC Management Group, a large Burger King franchisee, to deploy numerous EV charging stations at key Burger King locations across the Northeast. Blink will maintain ownership of the charging stations deployed at JSC Burger King locations, and additional JSC locations will be added to the Blink network in late 2020/early 2021.

“These new charging stations are a key example of how Blink creates unique solutions for every partner and at every location,” commented Michael D. Farkas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blink. “Blink works with partners to identify not just the types of charging equipment needed, but also the best business model for the partnership – by determining whether operation and ownership should be by Blink, by the partner, or in collaboration.” Through this agreement, JSC will host the Level 2 IQ 200 fast charging stations while Blink will retain ownership and operate the stations.

“Our charging equipment and services are ideally suited for deployment in retail, commercial, or workplace settings, and are particularly effective for restaurants, as franchise owners are able to provide their customers fast, level 2 experience with little to no out-of-pocket cost via the Blink-owned business model. With our equipment and owernship flexibility model and Burger King’s expansive presence across the U.S., we believe our installations at JSC’s Northeast properties will be the first of many more to come,” continued Michael D. Farkas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blink.

Twenty-six dual-port Level 2 IQ 200 charging stations will be deployed at 10 key Burger King locations across the Northeast. This includes five locations that are currently operational at JSC Rhode Island and New York Burger King’s locations, and continues Blink’s significant expansion in the region. Additional locations will be announced later. JSC owns and operates more than 60 Burger King locations across Connecticut, Massachussetts, New York, and Rhode Island.

“We’re excited to see the continued adoption of EV charging infrastructure across the restaurant industry, and we look forward to working with JSC to bring additional EV charging stations to Burger King locations across the Northeast. They are a partner who truly understands that their customer base will continue to grow in conjuction with the burgeoning market for EVs,” continued Farkas.

James and Sarah Cammilleri Co-CEO’s of Burger King Franchisee JSC, added “JSC Management Group LLC is constantly searching for and implementing solutions and customer amenities to stay ahead of the curve. We are excited to partner with Blink Charging in our new construction sites and current remodeling plans.”

Rhode Island and New York Locations Now Featuring Blink EV Charging

• 130 Prospect Street, Attica, NY
• 1238 State Route 332, Farmington, NY
• 280 Broad Street, Providence, RI
• 45 Pleasant Valley Parkway, Providence, RI
• 60 Hartford Avenue, Providence, RI

The Blink IQ 200 dual-port unit features two of the fastest level 2 AC charging stations available on the market, with a maximum output of 80 amps. The dual-port chargers can be deployed utilizing local load management or each independently on their own circuit.

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ABOUT BLINK CHARGING

Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK, BLNKW) is a leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment and has deployed over 23,000 charging stations, many of which are networked EV charging stations, enabling EV drivers to easily charge at any of the Company’s charging locations worldwide. Blink Charging’s principal line of products and services include its Blink EV charging network (“Blink Network”), EV charging equipment, and EV charging services. The Blink Network uses proprietary, cloud-based software that operates, maintains, and tracks the EV charging stations connected to the network and the associated charging data. With global EV purchases forecasted to rise to 10 million vehicles by 2025 from approximately 2 million in 2019, the Company has established key strategic partnerships for rolling out adoption across numerous location types, including parking facilities, multifamily residences and condos, workplace locations, health care/medical facilities, schools and universities, airports, auto dealers, hotels, mixed-use municipal locations, parks and recreation areas, religious institutions, restaurants, retailers, stadiums, supermarkets, and transportation hubs. For more information, please visit https://www.blinkcharging.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, along with terms such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” and other comparable terms, involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief, or current expectations of Blink Charging and members of its management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in Blink Charging’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by federal securities law, Blink Charging undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions.

Blink Media Contact 


[email protected]

Blink Investor Relations Contact 


[email protected]


855-313-8187

Attachment

• Burger King

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Dec. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Golder Associates Corporation’s parent company, Enterra Holdings Ltd. (“Golder” or the “Company”) announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement”) with a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Global Inc. (“WSP”), pursuant to which WSP will acquire Golder (the “Transaction”) by way of a plan of arrangement under the Companies Act (Nova Scotia) for aggregate consideration of $1.14 Billion (USD).

The Transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to obtaining the final approval of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, the approval of the Golder shareholders (“Shareholders”), certain regulatory approvals and satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions.

Shareholder Approval

The Transaction must be approved by the Shareholders at a meeting duly called for such purpose (the “Meeting”), which is expected to be held on January 13, 2021. The requisite approval will be the affirmative vote at the Meeting of not less than three-fourths of the votes cast by all Shareholders present in person or by proxy at the Meeting.

Superior Proposal and Termination of the Arrangement Agreement

The Arrangement Agreement provides for a non-solicitation covenant on the part of Golder. The non-solicitation covenant is subject to a customary “fiduciary out” provision that entitles Golder to consider and accept a superior proposal prior to receipt of Shareholder approval at the Meeting, subject to a matching right in favour of WSP. Golder can only exercise its fiduciary out if it is in compliance with its obligations under certain provisions of the Arrangement Agreement and it must terminate the Arrangement Agreement and pay WSP a break fee of US$25 million in order to do so. The Arrangement Agreement contains a customary definition of “Acquisition Proposal”. Golder is entitled to advise persons that submit an Acquisition Proposal to Golder on an unsolicited basis of the restrictions in the Arrangement Agreement, and, if a person submitting an Acquisition Proposal enters into a confidentiality agreement with Golder on terms no less onerous or more beneficial to such person than the current confidentiality agreement between Golder and WSP, a redacted copy of the Arrangement Agreement can be provided to that person. Golder is required to advise WSP of any Acquisition Proposal that it receives prior to the Meeting and provide WSP with copies of the relevant documentation.

In the event that the Board of Directors of the Company determines that an Acquisition Proposal received prior to the Meeting is, or could reasonably be expected to constitute, a Superior Proposal, Golder may engage in discussions with the party making such proposal and provide such party with confidential information provided that Golder is in compliance with certain provisions of the Arrangement Agreement and Golder and the proposing party enter into a confidentiality agreement, if they have not already done so, in the form described above.

For an Acquisition Proposal to be a Superior Proposal, it must be for all of Golder’s shares or substantially all of its assets and meet the following criteria: (a) complies with securities laws and did not result from or involve a breach of Golder’s non-solicitation covenants; (b) is reasonably capable of being completed without undue delay, taking into account, all financial, legal, regulatory and other aspects of such proposal (including the expected timing and risks) and the person making such proposal; (c) is not subject to any financing contingency; (d) is not subject to any due diligence condition; and (e) that Golder’s board of directors determines, in its good faith judgment, after receiving the advice of its outside legal and financial advisors and after taking into account all of the terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal including all legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of such Acquisition Proposal (including the expected timing and risks, including in respect of the level of certainty of the financing of such person), would, if consummated in accordance with its terms, taking into account the risk of non-completion, result in a transaction which is in the bests interests of Golder and more favourable, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders than the Transaction.

Regulatory Approvals

Golder and WSP have identified several jurisdictions where competition or foreign investment merger control filings will be required or are advisable. The making of such filings and receipt of the requisite approvals, or the expiry or termination of the applicable waiting periods, is a condition to closing the Transaction.

About Golder

Renowned for technical excellence, Golder is a leading global specialized engineering and consulting firm with over 60 years of successful service to its clients. With 155 offices in more than 30 countries, Golder’s professionals are driven by a passion to deliver results, offering unique specialized skills to address the ever-evolving challenges that earth, environment, and energy present to clients across the infrastructure, mining, oil & gas, manufacturing and power sectors.

For more information, please contact Wendy Stoveland, Director of Global Communications by email at [email protected].

This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to,
timing of closing of the Transaction, timing for the Meeting,
and
completion
of proceedings under the Act. The statements are dependent on a number of assumptions and risk factors, including the ability of the Company to obtain the approval of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court,
the ability of the Company to obtain the approval of its Shareholders
,
the ability of the Company and WSP to obtain the required
r
egulatory
a
pprovals and to complete certain steps required under the Act
in order for the Transaction to be completed
. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or devel
opments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected effects on
Golder
.
T
he
Company’s
Information
C
ircular
that will be distributed to Shareholders in connection with the Transaction
has further information
on the risks and uncertainties relating to the completion of the Transaction in the section “Forward-Looking Statements”.
The
se forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable securities legislation, the Company assumes no obligation to update publicly or revise any
forward
looking
statements to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances.

No securities regulatory authority has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.