AAR to announce second quarter fiscal year 2021 results on December 17, 2020

Wood Dale, Illinois, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR) today announced that it will release financial results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2021, ended November 30, 2020, after the market closes on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

 

On Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 3:45 p.m. CT, AAR will hold a conference call to discuss the results. The conference call can be accessed by calling 866-802-4322 from inside the U.S. or +1-703-639-1319 from outside the U.S.

 

A replay of the conference call will also be available by calling 855-859-2056 from inside the U.S. or +1-404-537-3406 from outside the U.S. (access code 7094273). The replay will be available from 7:15 p.m. CT on December 17, 2020, until 10:59 p.m. CT on December 22, 2020.

 

# # #

 

About AAR

 

AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company with operations in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR’s Aviation Services include Parts Supply; OEM Solutions; Integrated Solutions; and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Services. AAR’s Expeditionary Services include Mobility Systems operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.

 

 

This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which reflect management’s expectations about future conditions. Forward-looking statements may also be identified because they contain words such as ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘likely,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘might,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘seek,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘would,’’ or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company’s control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.



Dylan Wolin
AAR CORP.
6302272000
[email protected]

Sarepta Therapeutics to Share Clinical Update for SRP-5051, its Investigational PPMO for the Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced that on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 at 8:30 am Eastern Time (ET), it will host a webcast and conference call to present interim data from the MOMENTUM study, a multiple-ascending dose clinical trial of SRP-5051 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. SRP-5051 is the first investigational treatment using Sarepta’s next-generation PPMO platform, which is designed around a proprietary cell-penetrating peptide conjugated to Sarepta’s phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) backbone with the goal of increasing drug concentration in muscle tissue.

The presentation will be webcast live under the investor relations section of Sarepta’s website at https://investorrelations.sarepta.com/events-presentations and slides will be archived there following the call for one year. Please connect to Sarepta’s website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (844) 534-7313 for domestic callers and (574) 990-1451 for international callers. The passcode for the call is 6382259. Please specify to the operator that you would like to join the “Sarepta-hosted Clinical Update for MOMENTUM call.”

About Sarepta Therapeutics

At Sarepta, we are leading a revolution in precision genetic medicine and every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people living with rare disease. The Company has built an impressive position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and in gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and other CNS-related disorders, with more than 40 programs in various stages of development. The Company’s programs and research focus span several therapeutic modalities, including RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. For more information, please visit www.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Internet Posting of Information

We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the ‘Investors’ section of our website at 


www.sarepta.com


. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.
Investors:
Ian Estepan, 617-274-4052, [email protected]

Media:
Tracy Sorrentino, 617-301-8566, [email protected]

 



Globus Maritime Limited Reports Financial Results for the Quarter and Nine-Month Period Ended September 30, 2020

GLYFADA, Greece, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Globus Maritime Limited (“Globus,” the “Company,” “we,” or “our”) (NASDAQ: GLBS), a dry bulk shipping company, today reported its unaudited consolidated operating and financial results for the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2020.

  • As of September 30, 2020 the Total Assets of the Company w
    ere
    $76.4 million compared to $55.7 million as of December 31, 2019, an increase of 37%.
  • As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, our cash and bank balances and bank deposits (including restricted cash) were $31.2 and $4.8 million respectively, an increase of 550%.
  • As of September 30, 2020 the Total Liabilities of the Company (including Total Debt) were $42.4 million compared to $45.8 million as of December 31, 2019, a decrease of 7%.
  • For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 the average operating expenses
    decreased to $4,422, per vessel/
    per day, compared to $4,943 for the same period in 2019, a decrease of 11%.


Financial Highlights

  Three months ended Nine
months ended


 
   September 30, September
30,


 
(Expressed in thousands of U.S dollars except for daily rates and per share data) 2020   201
9
2020   201
9
 
Total revenues 3,183   4,946 7,772   11,888  
Adjusted EBITDA (1) 294   1,639 (2,153 ) 2,124  
Total comprehensive income/(loss) (1,267 ) 198 (14,466 ) (3,275 )
Basic earnings/(loss) per share (2) (0.80 ) 4.47 (24.76 ) (83.95 )
Daily Time charter equivalent rate (TCE) (3) 6,404   9,863 4,191   7,539  
Average operating expenses per vessel per day 4,391   5,288 4,422   4,943  
Average number of vessels 5.0   5.0 5.0   5.0  

(1) Adjusted EBITDA is a measure not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). See a later section of this press release for a reconciliation of EBITDA to total comprehensive loss and net cash (used in)/ generated from operating activities, which are the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with the GAAP measures.
(2) Shares and per share data give effect to the 1‐for‐100 reverse stock split that became effective on October 21, 2020. The weighted average number of shares for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 was 584,158 compared to 39,016 shares for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019. The weighted average number of shares for the three-month period ended September 30, 2020 was 1,574,877 compared to 44,191 shares for the three-month period ended September 30, 2019.
(3) Daily Time charter equivalent rate (TCE) is a measure not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). See a later section of this press release for a reconciliation of Daily TCE to Voyage revenues.
   

Current Fleet Profile
As of the date of this press release, Globus’ subsidiaries own and operate six dry bulk carriers, consisting of one Panamax, one Kamsarmax and four Supramax vessels.


Vessel

Year
Built


Yard

Type

Month/Year
Delivered


DWT

F


lag
Moon Globe 2005 Hudong-Zhonghua Panamax June 2011 74,432 Marshall Is.
Sun Globe 2007 Tsuneishi Cebu Supramax Sept 2011 58,790 Malta
River Globe 2007 Yangzhou Dayang Supramax Dec 2007 53,627 Marshall Is.
Sky Globe 2009 Taizhou Kouan Supramax May 2010 56,855 Marshall Is.
Star Globe 2010 Taizhou Kouan Supramax May 2010 56,867 Marshall Is.
Galaxy Globe 2015 Hudong-Zhonghua Kamsarmax Oct 2020 81,167 Marshall Is.
Weighted Average Age: 10.9 Years as of September 30, 2020   381,738  
       

Current Fleet Deployment

All our vessels are currently operating on short-term time charters (“on spot”).

Management Commentary

“During the third quarter we finally had a glimpse of hope in the market. Rates started to slowly pick up even though there were significant headwinds from the pandemic and the ongoing trade war. The company achieved a high fleet utilization rate while it kept the costs under control and managed to return with positive adjusted EBITDA figures.

We remain optimistic that the dry bulk industry will improve significantly in 2021 and 2022. As the world returns to some form of normality, trade and world GDP are expected to surge dramatically. What is interesting to see at this point in the industry is the historically low order book for new vessels; this means that the increase of new supply introduced in our industry will be also low. These two factors, the increase in world trade activity coupled with the low order book, should increase the worldwide fleet utilization and by extent pressure rates upwards.

In the 3rd Quarter we continued to focus on improving our balance sheet and have remained alert to opportunities for growth. It is along these lines that we completed, as previously announced, an asset acquisition and have taken delivery of a new vessel in October. This is the main theme for the rest of 2020 and the Company is ready to fully take advantage of what we think is going to be an exciting future for our industry. At present, we are looking at several financing options to further expand our fleet in order to fully leverage the operational and technical expertise the company provides.”

Management Discussion and Analysis of the Results of Operations

Recent Developments

Convertible Note

On March 13, 2020, the Company and the holder of the Convertible Note, which is further discussed in the 2019 Annual Report, entered into a waiver regarding the Convertible Note (the “Waiver”). The Waiver waived the Company’s obligation to repay the Convertible Note on the existing maturity date of March 13, 2020 and did not require the Company to repay the Convertible Note until March 13, 2021. The Convertible Note was fully repaid in June 2020.

Firment Shipping Inc.

On May 8, 2020, the Company and Firment Shipping Inc. agreed to enter into an amended and restated agreement. The final maturity of the Firment Shipping Credit Facility was extended to October 31, 2021 and the available amount to be drawn under this Facility increased to $14.2 million. The outstanding amount under the Firment Shipping Credit Facility was fully repaid on July 27, 2020.

Gaining Compliance with NASDAQ Capital Market

On March 6, 2020, the Company received written notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) dated March 2, 2020, indicating that because the closing bid price of its common stock for the last 30 consecutive business days was below $1.00 per share, the Company no longer met the minimum bid price continued listing requirement for the Nasdaq Capital Market, as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rules, the applicable grace period to regain compliance is 180 days, or August 31, 2020, but citing extraordinary market conditions, Nasdaq filed an immediately effective rule change with the Securities and Exchange Commission which, with effect from April 16, 2020, tolled the listing process until July 1, 2020. Consequently, the Company’s compliance period has effectively been extended until November 12, 2020.

On October 19, 2020 the Company determined to effect a 1‐for-100 reverse stock split in order to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market concerning the minimum bid price requirement. On October 21, 2020, the Company had the 1‐for‐100 reverse stock split effected and on November 5, 2020 it received notification from Nasdaq that it had regained compliance with the minimum bid price and the matter is now closed.

The 1-for-100 reverse stock split, reduced number of outstanding common shares from 175,675,651 to 1,756,720 shares (adjustments were made based on fractional shares). Unless otherwise noted, all historical share numbers, per share amounts, including common share, preferred shares and warrants, have been adjusted to give effect to this reverse split.

Issuance of the Series B preferred shares

On June 12, 2020, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement and issued 50 of our newly-designated Series B Preferred Shares, par value $0.001 per share, to Goldenmare Limited, a company controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Athanasios Feidakis, in return for $150,000, which amount was settled by reducing, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the amount payable as executive compensation by the Company to Goldenmare Limited pursuant to a consultancy agreement.

The issuance of the Series B preferred shares to Goldenmare Limited was approved by an independent committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, which received a fairness opinion from an independent financial advisor that the transaction was for a fair value.

Each Series B preferred share entitles the holder thereof to 25,000 votes per share on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Company, provided however, that no holder of Series B preferred shares may exercise voting rights pursuant to Series B preferred shares that would result in the aggregate voting power of any beneficial owner of such shares and its affiliates (whether pursuant to ownership of Series B preferred shares, common shares or otherwise) to exceed 49.0% of the total number of votes eligible to be cast on any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the holders of Series B preferred shares shall have no special voting or consent rights and shall vote together as one class with the holders of the common shares on all matters put before the shareholders. The Series B preferred shares are not convertible into common shares or any other security. They are not redeemable and have no dividend rights. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the Series B preferred shares are entitled to receive a payment with priority over the common shareholders equal to the par value of $0.001 per share. The Series B preferred shareholder has no other rights to distributions upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. All issued and outstanding Series B preferred shares must be held of record by one holder, and the Series B preferred shares shall not be transferred without the prior approval of our Board of Directors. Finally, in the event the Company (i) declares any dividend on its common shares, payable in common shares, (ii) subdivides the outstanding common shares or (iii) combines the outstanding common shares into a smaller number of shares, there shall be a proportional adjustment to the number of outstanding Series B preferred shares.

In July 2020, we issued an additional 250 of our Series B preferred shares to Goldenmare Limited in return for $150,000. The $150,000 was paid by reducing, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the amount payable as compensation by the Company to Goldenmare Limited pursuant to a consultancy agreement.

In addition, we increased the maximum voting rights under the Series B preferred shares from 49.0% to 49.99%. The issuance of the Series B preferred shares to Goldenmare Limited was approved by an independent committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, which received a fairness opinion from an independent financial advisor that the transaction was for a fair value.

Public Offerings

On June 22, 2020, the Company completed its public offering of 342,857 units of the Company, each unit consisting of one common share and one Class A Warrant to purchase one common share (a “Class A Warrant”), for $35 per unit. At the time of the closing, the underwriters exercised and closed a part of their over-allotment option, and purchased an additional 51,393 Common Shares and 51,393 Class A Warrants.

The pre-funded warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance until exercised in full. The Class A Warrants are exercisable at an exercise price of $35 per share at any time after their original issuance up to the date that is five years after their original issuance. Each of the pre-funded warrants and the Class A Warrants will be exercisable, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and, at any time a registration statement registering the issuance of the common shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is effective and available for the issuance of such shares, by payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of common shares purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the issuance of the common shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of common shares determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. The Company may be required to pay certain amounts as liquidated damages as specified in the warrants in the event it does not deliver common shares upon exercise of the warrants within the time periods specified in the warrants.

On June 30, 2020, the Company issued 458,500 of its common shares in a registered direct offering and 458,500 of its June Private Placement (“PP”) Warrants in a concurrent private placement for a purchase price of $27 per common share and June PP Warrant. The exercise price of each June PP Warrant is $30 per share.

The PP Warrants are exercisable for a period of five and one-half years commencing on the date of issuance. The warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice with payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of common shares purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the resale of the common shares underlying the private placement warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available at any time after the six-month anniversary of the date of issuance of the private placement warrants, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the private placement warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of common shares determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. If the Company does not issue the shares in a timely fashion, the warrant contains certain liquidated damages provisions.

On July 21, 2020, the Company issued 833,333 of its common shares in a registered direct offering and 833,333 of its July PP Warrants to purchase common shares in a concurrent private placement for a purchase price of $18 per common share and July PP Warrant. The exercise price of each July PP Warrant is $18 per share. Concurrently with this offering the exercise price of the June PP Warrants was reduced to $18 per share.

The PP Warrants are exercisable for a period of five and one-half years commencing on the date of issuance. The warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice with payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of common shares purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the resale of the common shares underlying the private placement warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available at any time after the six-month anniversary of the date of issuance of the private placement warrants, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the private placement warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of common shares determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. If the Company does not issue the shares in a timely fashion, the warrant contains certain liquidated damages provisions.

From June 22, 2020 through to date, the Company issued 5,550 common shares pursuant to exercises of outstanding Class A Warrants. As of December 4, 2020, no PP Warrants had been exercised.

Acquisition of new vessel

On October 29, 2020, the Company took delivery of the M/V “Galaxy Globe”, a 2015-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, it acquired for a purchase price of $18.4 million. The M/V “Galaxy Globe” was built at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in China and has a carrying capacity of 81,167 DWT. Following this acquisition, the fleet of Globus comprises of six dry bulk carriers with a total carrying capacity of 381,738 DWT.

Results of Operations


Third


quarter of the year


20


20


c


ompared to the


third


quarter


of the


y


ear 201


9

Total comprehensive loss for the third quarter of the year 2020 amounted to $1.3 million or $0.8 basic and diluted loss per share based on 1,574,877 weighted average number of shares, compared to total comprehensive income of $198 thousand for the same period last year or $4.47 basic and diluted earnings per share based on 44,191 weighted average number of shares.

The following table corresponds to the breakdown of the factors that led to the increase in total comprehensive income during the third quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter of 2019 (expressed in $000’s):

3

rd

Quarter
of 20
20
vs
3

rd

Quarter
of 201
9

Net
income
for
the
3

rd

quarter
of 201
9
198  
Decrease in voyage revenues (1,764 )
Decrease in Voyage expenses 173  
Decrease in Vessels operating expenses 412  
Decrease in Depreciation 672  
Decrease in Depreciation of dry docking costs 191  
Increase in Total administrative expenses (182 )
Decrease in Other expenses, net 18  
Decrease in Interest income (18 )
Decrease in Interest expense and finance costs 296  
Decrease in Gain on derivative financial instruments (1,135 )
Decrease in Foreign exchange gains (128 )
Net
loss
for the
3

rd

quarter
of 20
20
(1,267 )
     


Voyage expenses


Voyage expenses reached $0.2 million during the third quarter of 2020 compared to $0.4 during the same period in 2019. Voyage expenses include commissions on revenues, port and other voyage expenses and bunker expenses. Bunker expenses mainly refer to the cost of bunkers consumed during periods that our vessels are travelling seeking employment. Voyage expenses for the third quarter of 2020 and 2019 are analyzed as follows:

In $000’s 20
20
201
9
Commissions 47 77
Bunkers expenses 190 283
Other voyage expenses 50
Total 237 410
     


Vessel operating expenses


Vessel operating expenses, which include crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oils, insurance, maintenance, and repairs, decreased by $0.4 million or 17% to $2 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2020 compared to $2.4 million during the same period in 2019. The breakdown of our operating expenses for the quarters ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

  20
20 
201
9 
Crew expenses 55 % 48 %
Repairs and spares 19 % 27 %
Insurance 8 % 6 %
Stores 10 % 9 %
Lubricants 5 % 6 %
Other 3 % 4 %
         

Average daily operating expenses during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 were $4,391 per vessel per day and $5,288 per vessel per day respectively, corresponding to a decrease of 17%.


Depreciation


Depreciation charge during the three-month period ended September 30, 2020, reached $0.6 million compared to $1.2 million during the same period in 2019. This is mainly attributed to the impairment loss of $4.6 million and $29.9 million we recognized in the 1st quarter of 2020 and in December 2019, respectively, as the recoverable amounts of the vessels were lower than their respective carrying amounts.


Interest expense and finance costs


Interest expense and finance costs reached $0.9 million for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $1.2 million for the same period of 2019. Interest expense and finance costs for the third quarter of 2020 and 2019 are analyzed as follows:

In $000’s 20
20
2
01
9
Interest payable on long-term borrowings 836 1,149
Bank charges 7 7
Operating lease liability interest 11 13
Amortization of debt discount 75 65
Other finance expenses 11 2
Total 940 1,2
36
     

This decrease is mainly due to the decrease of interest payable to EnTrust loan facility attributed to the decrease of LIBOR from 2.3% during the three-month period ended September 30, 2019, compared to 0.3% three-month period ended September 30, 2020.


Gain on derivative financial instruments


For the three-month period ended September 30, 2020 the gain on the derivative financial instruments is attributed to the repayment of the total outstanding amount under the Firment Shipping Credit Facility on July 27, 2020. For the three-month period ended September 30, 2019 the gain on the derivative financial instruments is mainly attributed to the valuation of the Convertible Note. As per the conversion clause included in this agreement, the Company has recognized it as a hybrid instrument which includes an embedded derivative. This embedded derivative was separated to the derivative component and the non-derivative host. The derivative component is shown separately from the non-derivative host at fair value. The changes in the fair value of the derivative financial instrument are recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss. For the three-month period ended September 30, 2019 the Company recognized a gain on this derivative financial instrument amounting to $1.2 million.


Nine





month period ended September 30


,


20


20


compared to


the nine





month period ended September 30,


2019

Total comprehensive loss for the nine-month period ended September 2020 amounted to $14.5 million or $24.76 basic and diluted loss per share based on 584,158 weighted average number of shares, compared to total comprehensive loss of $3.3 million for the same period last year or $83.95 basic and diluted loss per share based on 39,016 weighted average number of shares.

The following table corresponds to the breakdown of the factors that led to the increase in total comprehensive loss during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 compared to the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 (expressed in $000’s):

9

month period of 2020 vs
9

month period of 2019

Net loss and total comprehensive loss for the
9

month period of 2019
(3,275 )
Decrease in voyage revenues (4,116 )
Increase in Voyage expenses (615 )
Decrease in Vessels operating expenses 689  
Decrease in Depreciation 1,845  
Decrease in Depreciation of dry docking costs 245  
Increase in Total administrative expenses (174 )
Increase in Impairment loss (4,615 )
Decrease in Other income, net (61 )
Decrease in Interest income (15 )
Decrease in Interest expense and finance costs 332  
Decrease in Gain on derivative financial instruments (4,574 )
Decrease in Foreign exchange gains (132 )
Net loss and total comprehensive loss for the
9

month period of 2020
(14,466 )
     


Voyage revenues


During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, our Voyage revenues reached $7.8 million and $11.9 million respectively. The 35% decrease in Voyage revenues was mainly attributed to the decrease in the average time charter rates achieved by our vessels during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Daily Time Charter Equivalent rate (TCE) for the nine-month period of 2020 was $4,191 per vessel per day against $7,539 per vessel per day during the same period in 2019 corresponding to a decrease of 44%, which is attributed to the outbreak of COVID-19 virus.


Voyage expenses


Voyage expenses reached $2.2 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, compared to $1.6 million during the same period last year. Voyage expenses include commissions on revenues, port and other voyage expenses and bunker expenses. Bunker expenses mainly refer to the cost of bunkers consumed during periods that our vessels are travelling seeking employment. Voyage expenses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, are analyzed as follows:

In $000’s 2020 2019
Commissions 108 170
Bunkers expenses 2,035 1,247
Other voyage expenses 69 180
Total 2,212 1,597
     

Bunkers expenses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 reached $2 million compared to $1.2 million for the same period in 2019. This increase is attributed to the more expensive low sulphur fuel we needed to procure for our vessels in order to comply with the IMO’s low sulphur fuel oil requirement, which cuts sulphur levels from 3.5% to 0.5% and became effective as of January 1, 2020. Another factor that contributed to the increase was the considerably longer periods that our vessels were travelling seeking employment due to the decrease of demand, which is attributed to the outbreak of COVID-19 virus.


Vessel operating expenses


Vessel operating expenses, which include crew costs, provisions, deck and engine stores, lubricating oils, insurance, maintenance, and repairs, reached $6.1 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, compared to $6.7 million during the same period last year. The breakdown of our operating expenses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

  2020  2019 
Crew expenses 56 % 52 %
Repairs and spares 18 % 22 %
Insurance 8 % 7 %
Stores 10 % 9 %
Lubricants 5 % 6 %
Other 3 % 4 %

Average daily operating expenses during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 were $4,422 per vessel per day and $4,943 per vessel per day respectively, corresponding to a decrease of 11%. This is partly attributed to the decrease of Crew traveling expenses as due to COVID-19 there are restrictions on travelling on many jurisdictions and it is increasingly hard, if not restrictive, for our crews to be relieved by new crew members.


Depreciation


Depreciation charge during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, reached $1.7 million compared to $3.6 million during the same period in 2019. This is mainly attributed to the impairment loss of $4.6 million and $29.9 million we recognized in the 1st quarter of 2020 and in December 2019, respectively, as the recoverable amounts of the vessels were lower than their respective carrying amounts.


Impairment loss


During the 1st quarter of 2020, the Company concluded that the recoverable amounts of the vessels were lower than their respective carrying amounts and recognized an impairment loss of $4.6 million. No further impairment was recorded during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2020.


Interest expense and finance costs


Interest expense and finance costs reached $3.2 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, compared to $3.5 million in 2019. Interest expense and finance costs for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, are analyzed as follows:

In $000’s 2020 2019
Interest payable on long-term borrowings 2,897 2,492
Bank charges 19 21
Operating lease liability interest 34 39
Amortization of debt discount 216 314
Other finance expenses 16 648
Total 3,182 3,514
     

As of September 30, 2020, and 2019 we and our vessel-owning subsidiaries had outstanding borrowings under our Loan agreements of an aggregate of $37 million and $42.3 million, respectively, gross of unamortized debt discount. The increase in interest payable is mainly attributed to the increase of the weighted interest rate from 8% during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 to 9.7% for the same period in 2020. Other finance expenses for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019 include approximately $600 that were the loan prepayment fee and expenses relating to the prepayment of Macquarie Loan Agreement.


Gain/(Loss) on derivative financial instruments


For the period ended September 30, 2020 the loss on the derivative financial instruments is mainly attributed to the conversions and the repayment of the “Convertible Note”. Further to the conversion clause included into the Convertible Note during the 1st half of 2020 a total amount of approximately $1,168, principal and accrued interest, was converted to share capital with the conversion price of $100 per share and a total number of approximately 11,677 new shares issued in name of the holder of the Convertible Note. These conversions resulted to a loss of approximately $0.3 million recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss. Furthermore, with the repayment of the Convertible Note on June 25, 2020, we recognized a loss of $1.3 million in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss. For the period ended September 30, 2019, the gain on the derivative financial instruments is mainly attributed to the valuation of the Convertible Note. As per the conversion clause included in this agreement, the Company has recognized it as a hybrid instrument which includes an embedded derivative. This embedded derivative was separated to the derivative component and the non-derivative host. The derivative component is shown separately from the non-derivative host at fair value. The changes in the fair value of the derivative financial instrument are recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss. As of September 30, 2019 the Company recognized a gain on this derivative financial instrument amounting to $2.6 million.

Liquidity and capital resources

As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, our cash and bank balances and bank deposits (including restricted cash) were $31.2 and $4.8 million respectively.

Net cash
used in
operating activities for
the three-
month period ended
September
30, 20
20 was $0.6 million compared to $0.8 million Net cash generated from operating activities for the three-month period ended September 30, 2019. The decrease in our cash from operations was mainly attributed to the decrease in our Voyage revenues from $4.9 million during the third quarter of 2019 to approximately $3.2 million during the three-month period under consideration.

Net cash used in operating activities for the
nine

month period ended September 30, 2020 was $4.6 million compared to $1 million during the respective period in 2019. The increase in our cash used in operating activities was mainly attributed to the decrease in our Voyage revenues from $11.9 million during the nine month period ended September 30, 2019 to $7.8 million during the nine month period under consideration.

Net cash
generated from
/(used in)
financing activities during the three-month and nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

  Three months ended

September
30,


  Nine
months ended

September
30,
 
In $000’s 20
20
  201
9
  2020   201
9
 
Proceeds from loans       43,700  
Proceeds from issuance of share capital 13,950     38,158    
Proceeds from issuance of warrants     194    
Transaction costs on issue of new common shares (355 )   (888 )  
Prepayment of long term debt (800 )   (3,040 ) (33,833 )
Repayment of long term debt       (1,830 )
Increase in restricted cash (356 ) (138 ) (439 ) (947 )
Payment of financing costs       (880 )
Repayment of lease liability (160 ) (17 ) (160 ) (47 )
Interest paid (1,467 ) (1,026 ) (3,195 ) (2,859 )
Net cash
(used in)/generated from
financing activities
10,
812
  (1,181 ) 30,
630
  3,304  
                 

As of September 30, 2020 and 2019 we and our vessel-owning subsidiaries had outstanding borrowings under our Loan agreements of an aggregate of $37 million and of $42.3 million, respectively, net of unamortized debt discount.

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL & OPERATING DATA

  Three months ended


  Nine
months ended


 
  September
30,


  September
30,
 
  20
20
  201
9
  20
20
  201
9
 
(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data) (unaudited) (unaudited)
Consolidated s
tatement of comprehensive
loss
data:
       
Voyage revenues 3,183   4,946   7,772   11,888  
Total Revenues 3,183   4,946   7,772   11,888  
         
Voyage expenses (237 ) (410 ) (2,212 ) (1,597 )
Vessel operating expenses (2,020 ) (2,433 ) (6,058 ) (6,747 )
Depreciation (549 ) (1,222 ) (1,725 ) (3,570 )
Depreciation of dry-docking costs (222 ) (413 ) (1,078 ) (1,323 )
Administrative expenses (538 ) (359 ) (1,358 ) (1,186 )
Administrative expenses payable to related parties (95 ) (89 ) (279 ) (277 )
Share-based payments (10 ) (10 ) (30 ) (30 )
Impairment loss     (4,615 )  
Other (expenses)/income, net 11   (6 ) 12   73  
Operating profit
/(loss)
before financing activities
(477 ) 4   (9,571 ) (2,769 )
Interest income 3   21   15   30  
Interest expense and finance costs (940 ) (1,236 ) (3,182 ) (3,514 )
Gain on derivative financial instruments 221   1,355   (1,647 ) 2,927  
Foreign exchange gains/(losses), net (74 ) 54   (81 ) 51  
Total finance costs, net (790 ) 194   (4,895 ) (506 )
Total comprehensive
income/(loss)
for the period
(1,267 ) 198   (14,466 ) (3,
275
)
         
Basic & diluted (loss)/earnings per share for the period (1) (0.80 ) 4.47   (24.76 ) (83.95 )
Adjusted EBITDA (2) 294   1,639   (2,153 ) 2,124  

(1) Shares and per share data give effect to the 1‐for‐100 reverse stock split that became effective on October 21, 2020. The weighted average number of shares for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020 was 584,158 compared to 39,016 shares for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2019. The weighted average number of shares for the three-month period ended September 30, 2020 was 1,574,877 compared to 44,191 shares for the three-month period ended September 30, 2019.

(2
) Adjusted EBITDA represents net earnings before interest and finance costs net, gains or losses from the change in fair value of derivative financial instruments, foreign exchange gains or losses, income taxes, depreciation, depreciation of dry-docking costs, amortization of fair value of time charter acquired, impairment and gains or losses on sale of vessels. Adjusted EBITDA does not represent and should not be considered as an alternative to total comprehensive income/(loss) or cash generated from operations, as determined by IFRS, and our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is not a recognized measurement under IFRS.

Adjusted EBITDA is included herein because it is a basis upon which we assess our financial performance and because we believe that it presents useful information to investors regarding a company’s ability to service and/or incur indebtedness, and it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry.

Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under IFRS. Some of these limitations are:

  • Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;
  • Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;
  • Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in or cash requirements for our working capital needs; and
  • Other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

Because of these limitations, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered a measure of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business.


The following table sets forth a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to total comprehensive


income/


(loss)


and net cash


generated from


/


(used in)


operating activities for the periods presented:

  Three months ended

September 30,


  Nine months ended

September 30,


 
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars) 20
20
  201
9
  20
20
  201
9
 
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
         
Total comprehensive
(loss)/
income
for the period
(1,267 ) 198   (
14,466
) (3,
275
)
Interest and finance costs, net 940   1,236   3,182   3,514  
Interest income (3 ) (21 ) (15 ) (30 )
(Loss)/Gain on derivative financial instruments (221 ) (1,355 ) 1,647   (3,009 )
Foreign exchange losses/(gains) net, 74   (54 ) 81   (51 )
Depreciation 549   1,222   1,725   3,570  
Depreciation of dry-docking costs 222   413   1,078   1,323  
Impairment loss     4,615    
Adjusted EBITDA 294   1,639   (2,153 ) 2,124  
Share-based payments 10   10   30   30  
Payment of deferred dry-docking costs (491 ) (369 ) (984 ) (850 )
Net (increase)/decrease in operating assets (492 ) 186   (127 ) (715 )
Net increase/(decrease) in operating liabilities 58   (626 ) (1,356 ) (1,499 )
Provision for staff retirement indemnities 1   1   4   (62 )
Foreign exchange (losses)/gains net, not attributed to cash & cash equivalents (24 ) 6   (27 ) 1  
Net cash
(used in)/
generated from
operating activities
(
644
) 847   (
4,
613
) (
971
)
                 

  Three months ended


  Nine
months ended


 
  September 30,


  September
30,


 
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars) 20
20
  201
9
  2020   2019  
  (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
Statement of cash flow data:      
Net cash generated from/(used in) operating activities (644 ) 847   (4,613 ) (971 )
Net cash generated from/(used in) investing activities (54 ) 21   (42 ) 17  
Net cash (used in)/generated from financing activities 10,812   (1,181 ) 30,630   3,304  

  As of
September
30
,
As of December 31,
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars) 20
20
201
9
  (Unaudited)  
Consolidated condensed statement of financial position:    
Vessels, net 42,523 48,242
Other non-current assets 1,820 1,925
Total non-current assets 44,343 50,167
Cash and bank balances and bank deposits 29,965 3,551
Other current assets 2,065 1,938
Total current assets 32,030 5,489
Total assets 76,373 55,656
Total equity 34,022 9,879
Total debt net of unamortized debt discount 36,474 37,746
Other liabilities 5,877 8,031
Total
l
iabilities
42,351 45,777
Total equity and liabilities 76,373 55,656

Consolidated statement of
changes in equity
:

(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars) Issued share Share   (Accumulated   Total  
  Capital Premium   Deficit ) Equity  
As at December 31, 201
9
145,527   (135,648 ) 9,879  
Loss for the period   (14,466 ) (14,466 )
Issuance of common shares due to conversion 815     815  
Issuance of new common shares 7 38,151     38,158  
Issuance of new common shares due to exercise of Warrants 194     194  
Issuance of Class B preferred shares 300     300  
Transaction costs on issue of new common shares (888 )   (888 )
Share-based payments 30     30  
As at
September
3
0
, 20
20
7 184,129   (150,114 ) 34,022  

  Three months ended

September
30,


  Nine
months ended

September
30,


 
  20
20
  201
9
  20
20
  201
9
 
         
Ownership days (1) 460   460   1,370   1,365  
Available days (2) 460   460   1,327   1,365  
Operating days (3) 436   457   1,292   1,343  
Fleet utilization (4) 94.7%   99.3%   97.4%   98.4%  
Average number of vessels (5) 5.0   5.0   5.0   5.0  
Daily time charter equivalent (TCE) rate (6) 6,404   9,863   4,191   7,539  
Daily operating expenses (7) 4,391   5,288   4,422   4,943  

Notes:  
(1) Ownership days are the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been owned by us.
(2) Available days are the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to scheduled repairs or repairs under guarantee, vessel upgrades or special surveys.
(3) Operating days are the number of available days less the aggregate number of days that the vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances but excluding days during which vessels are seeking employment.
(4) We calculate fleet utilization by dividing the number of operating days during a period by the number of available days during the period.
(5) Average number of vessels is measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was part of our fleet during a relevant period divided by the number of calendar days in such period.
(6) TCE rates are our voyage revenues less net revenues from our bareboat charters less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our available days during the period excluding bareboat charter days, which is consistent with industry standards. TCE is a measure not in accordance with GAAP.
(7) We calculate daily vessel operating expenses by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant time period excluding bareboat charter days.
   


Voyage Revenues to Daily Time Charter Equivalent (“TCE”) Reconciliation

  Three months ended

September
30,
Nine
months ended

September
30,
  20
20
201
9
20
20
201
9
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
         
Voyage revenues 3,183 4,946 7,772 11,888
Less: Voyage expenses 237 410 2,212 1,597
Net revenues 2,946 4,536 5,560 10,291
Available days net of bareboat charter days 460 460 1,327 1,365
Daily TCE rate (1) 6,404 9,863 4,191 7,539

(1) Subject to rounding.

About Globus Maritime Limited

Globus is an integrated dry bulk shipping company that provides marine transportation services worldwide and presently owns, operates and manages a fleet of six dry bulk vessels that transport iron ore, coal, grain, steel products, cement, alumina and other dry bulk cargoes internationally. Globus’ subsidiaries own and operate six vessels with a total carrying capacity of 381,738 Dwt and a weighted average age of 10.9 years as of September 30, 2020.


Safe Harbor Statement


This communication contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements provide the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about the Company’s expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts or that are not present facts or conditions. Words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “will” or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements for many reasons specifically as described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Globus undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should, however, review the factors and risks Globus describes in the reports it will file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission after the date of this communication.

 
For further information please contact:
   
Globus Maritime Limited +30 210 960 8300
Athanasios Feidakis, CEO [email protected] 
   
Capital Link – New York +1 212 661 7566
Nicolas Bornozis [email protected] 



HealthEquity Expands Board of Directors

DRAPER, Utah, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HealthEquity, Inc. (NASDAQ: HQY) (“HealthEquity” or the “Company”), the largest independent health savings account (HSA) custodian and leader in consumer directed benefits (CDB), announced today that Stuart Parker has been elected to the Company’s Board of Directors effective immediately and appointed to serve on the Compensation Committee and Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Audit and Risk Committee. Mr. Parker has more than 15 years of executive leadership in the insurance and financial planning industry, including most recently as President and CEO of USAA and is a distinguished veteran of the United States Air Force. Mr. Parker’s appointment returns the Board to 10 members with 8 (including Mr. Parker) being independent.

“We are delighted that Stuart has joined our Board,” said Robert Selander, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HealthEquity. “Stuart’s record of driving growth at scale, built on a culture of service, strong customer loyalty, and technology transformation, resonates with our growth objectives at HealthEquity.”

Commenting on his new appointment, Mr. Parker said, “I am thrilled to be joining the Board of HealthEquity. The Company has created an impressive reputation among its partners, clients and HSA and CDB members through product innovation and passion to help every American family connect health and wealth.”

Mr. Parker currently serves as a member of the board of directors for Kemper Corporation (NYSE: KMPR), a specialized insurance company, and served as Chief Executive Officer for USAA from 2015 until his retirement in February 2020. He spent more than 21 years with USAA in roles including Chief Operating Officer (2014 – 2015), Chief Financial Officer (2012 – 2014), President of the Property & Casualty Insurance Group (2007 – 2012), and President of Financial Planning Services (2004 -2007). He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Valdosta State University and an MBA from St. Mary’s University. Mr. Parker is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program and served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 10 years, including service in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

About HealthEquity

HealthEquity administers Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and other consumer-directed benefits for our more than 12 million accounts in partnership with employers, benefits advisors, and health and retirement plan providers who share our mission to connect health and wealth and value our culture of remarkable “Purple” service. For more information, visit www.healthequity.com.

Investor Relations Contact:

Richard Putnam
801-727-1209
[email protected]



Cimarex Energy Approves Dividend on Preferred Stock

PR Newswire

DENVER, Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Cimarex Energy Co. (NYSE: XEC) today announced that its Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $20.3125 per share on its 8⅛ percent Series A Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable on January 15, 2021, to holders of record at the close of business on January 1, 2021, and is for the period beginning on October 16, 2020 and ending on January 15, 2021.

About Cimarex Energy 
Denver-based Cimarex Energy Co. is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with principal operations in the Permian Basin and Mid-Continent areas of the U.S.

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cimarex-energy-approves-dividend-on-preferred-stock-301186691.html

SOURCE Cimarex Energy Co.

Blueprint Medicines Announces Inducement Grants Under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

PR Newswire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ: BPMC), a precision therapy company focused on genomically defined cancers, rare diseases and cancer immunotherapy, today announced that, effective on December 1, 2020, the Compensation Committee of Blueprint Medicines’ Board of Directors granted non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 16,354 shares of its common stock and an aggregate of 8,174 restricted stock units (RSUs) to eight new employees under Blueprint Medicines’ 2020 Inducement Plan.

The 2020 Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously an employee or non-employee director of Blueprint Medicines, as an inducement material to such individual’s entering into employment with Blueprint Medicines, pursuant to Rule 5635(c)(4) of the NASDAQ Listing Rules.

The options have an exercise price of $105.65 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Blueprint Medicines’ common stock on December 1, 2020. Each option will vest as to 25% of the shares underlying such option on the first anniversary of the grant date and as to an additional 1/48th of the shares underlying the option monthly thereafter, in each case, subject to each such employee’s continued employment on each vesting date. Each RSU will vest as to 25% of the shares underlying the RSU award on the first anniversary of the grant date and as to an additional 25% of the shares underlying the RSU award annually thereafter, subject to each such employee’s continued employment on each vesting date. The options and RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of Blueprint Medicines’ 2020 Inducement Plan, and the terms and conditions of the stock option and RSU agreement covering the grant.

About Blueprint Medicines

Blueprint Medicines is a precision therapy company striving to improve human health. With a focus on genomically defined cancers, rare diseases and cancer immunotherapy, we are developing transformational medicines rooted in our leading expertise in protein kinases, which are proven drivers of disease. Our uniquely targeted, scalable approach empowers the rapid design and development of new treatments and increases the likelihood of clinical success. We have two approved precision therapies and are currently advancing multiple investigational medicines in clinical and pre-clinical development, along with a number of earlier-stage research programs.  For more information, visit www.BlueprintMedicines.com and follow us on Twitter (@BlueprintMeds) and LinkedIn.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blueprint-medicines-announces-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4-301186687.html

SOURCE Blueprint Medicines Corporation

Arcos Dorados Participates in Investor Conferences

Arcos Dorados Participates in Investor Conferences

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ARCO) (“Arcos Dorados” or the “Company”), Latin America’s largest restaurant chain and the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee, today announced its participation in the following investor conferences:

  • Itaú Latin America Conference for equity investors. The conference was held virtually from Monday, November 23 through Wednesday, November 25, and the Company participated in all three days.
  • J.P. Morgan Brazil Opportunities Conference for equity investors. The conference was held virtually from Tuesday, December 1 through Thursday, December 3 and the Company participated on December 3.
  • Emerging Markets Investors Alliance ESG Conference. The conference will be held virtually on Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10 and the Company will participate on December 10.

About Arcos Dorados

Arcos Dorados is the world’s largest independent McDonald’s franchisee, operating the largest quick service restaurant chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. It has the exclusive right to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonald’s restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories with more than 2,200 restaurants, operated by the Company or by its sub-franchisees, that together employ over 100 thousand people (as of 09/30/2020). The Company is also committed to the development of the communities in which it operates, to providing young people their first formal job opportunities and to utilize its Scale for Good to achieve a positive environmental impact. Arcos Dorados is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ARCO).

Investor Relations Contact

Dan Schleiniger

VP of Investor Relations

Arcos Dorados

[email protected]

Media Contact

David Grinberg

VP of Corporate Communications

Arcos Dorados

[email protected]

KEYWORDS: New York North America United States Brazil South America Uruguay

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Retail Restaurant/Bar Food/Beverage

MEDIA:

Logo
Logo

Galapagos increases share capital through subscription right exercises

Mechelen, Belgium; 4 December 2020, 22.01 CET; regulated information – Galapagos NV (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG) announces a share capital increase arising from subscription right exercises.

Galapagos issued 70,925 new ordinary shares on 4 December 2020, for a total capital increase (including issuance premium) of €2,615,857.50.

Pursuant to the subscription right exercise program of Galapagos’ management board, members of the management board automatically are committed to exercise a minimum number of subscription rights, subject to certain conditions. In accordance with the rules of this program, CEO Onno van de Stolpe exercised 15,000 subscription rights. Three other management board members exercised an aggregate number of 15,000 subscription rights.

In accordance with Belgian transparency legislation1, Galapagos notes that its total share capital currently amounts to €353,819,443.97, the total number of securities conferring voting rights amounts to 65,411,767, which is also the total number of voting rights (the “denominator”), and all securities conferring voting rights and all voting rights are of the same category. The total number of rights (formerly known as warrants) to subscribe to not yet issued securities conferring voting rights is (i) 6,928,337 subscription rights under several outstanding employee subscription right plans, which equals 6,928,337 voting rights that may result from the exercise of those subscription rights, and (ii) one subscription right issued to Gilead Therapeutics to subscribe for a maximum number of shares that is sufficient to bring the shareholding of Gilead and its affiliates to 29.9% of the actually issued and outstanding shares after the exercise of the subscription right. Galapagos does not have any convertible bonds or shares without voting rights outstanding.

About Galapagos

Galapagos (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG) discovers and develops small molecule medicines with novel modes of action, several of which show promising patient results and are currently in late-stage development in multiple diseases. Our pipeline comprises Phase 3 through to discovery programs in inflammation, fibrosis, and other indications. Our ambition is to become a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines. More information at www.glpg.com.

Contacts

Investors:

Elizabeth Goodwin
VP Investor Relations
+1 781 460 1784

Sofie Van Gijsel
Senior Director Investor Relations
+32 485 19 14 15
[email protected]

Media:

Carmen Vroonen
Global Head of Communications & Public Affairs
+32 473 824 874

Anna Gibbins
Senior Director Therapy Areas Communications
+44 7717 801900
[email protected]

Forward-looking statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. Galapagos expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this document, unless specifically required by law or regulation.



 

1     Belgian Act of 2 May 2007 on the disclosure of major shareholdings in issuers whose shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market

 

 

Attachment



Fate Therapeutics Reports Positive Interim Data from its Phase 1 Study of FT516 in Combination with Rituximab for B-cell Lymphoma

3 of 4 Patients Evaluable for Efficacy in Dose
Escalation Cohorts 2 and 3 Show Objective Response, with 2 Patients Achieving Complete Response

No Observed Events of Any Grade of Cytokine Release Syndrome, Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome, or Graft-vs-Host Disease

Six Doses of FT51
6 were Well-tolerated with No FT516-related Grade 3 or Greater Adverse Events Reported by Investigators

Management to Host Virtual Event Entitled “The Power of hnCD16” Today at 4:30 PM Eastern Time

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders, today announced positive interim data from the Company’s dose escalation Phase 1 study of FT516 in combination with rituximab for patients with relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma. FT516 is the Company’s universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell product candidate derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with a novel high-affinity, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which is designed to maximize antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells.

“We are highly encouraged by these Phase 1 data, which clearly demonstrate that off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK cells can drive complete responses for cancer patients and that our proprietary hnCD16 Fc receptor can effectively synergize with and enhance the mechanism of action of tumor-targeted antibodies,” said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. “Importantly, the safety profile of FT516 continues to suggest multiple doses of iPSC-derived NK cells can be administered in the outpatient setting, and supports potential use across multiple lines of therapy, including as part of early-line CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody regimens, for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma.”

As of a November 16, 2020 data cutoff, three patients in the second dose cohort of 90 million cells per dose and one patient in the third dose cohort of 300 million cells per dose were available for assessment of safety and efficacy. All four patients were heavily pre-treated, having received at least two prior rituximab-containing regimens. Each patient received two 30-day treatment cycles, with each cycle consisting of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide lympho-conditioning followed by three once-weekly doses of FT516, IL-2 cytokine support, and rituximab.


Safety Data


All four relapsed / refractory patients were administered FT516 in an outpatient setting with no requirement for inpatient monitoring. No dose-limiting toxicities, and no cases of any grade of cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, or graft-versus-host disease, were observed. The multi-dose, two-cycle treatment regimen was well-tolerated with no FT516-related grade 3 or greater adverse events reported by investigators. In addition, no evidence of anti-product T- or B-cell mediated host-versus-product alloreactivity was detected, supporting the potential to safely administer up to six doses of FT516 in the outpatient setting without patient matching. All grade 3 or greater treatment emergent adverse events were not related to FT516 and were consistent with lympho-conditioning chemotherapy and underlying disease.


Activity Data


Three of four relapsed / refractory patients achieved an objective response, including two complete responses (CR), following the second FT516 treatment cycle as assessed by PET-CT scan per Lugano 2014 criteria. A CR was achieved in one patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who was most recently refractory to a rituximab-containing treatment regimen, and a CR was achieved in one patient with follicular lymphoma (FL) who had previously been treated with four rituximab-containing treatment regimens. Notably, in one patient for which an interim tumor assessment showed a partial response following the first FT516 treatment cycle, the response deepened to a CR following administration of the second FT516 treatment cycle, suggesting that additional FT516 treatment cycles can confer clinical benefit.

FT516 Dose
Cohort

Subject
#

Lymphoma
Type

Prior Systemic Therapy Protocol-defined
Response


1

Rituximab-containing
Therapies
Relapsed /
Refractory
90M cells
2005 DLBCL 2 Refractory CR
2006 DLBCL 2 Relapsed PR
2007 DLBCL 3 Relapsed PD
300M cells 2008 FL 4 Relapsed CR

M = million; CR = Complete Response; PR = Partial Response; PD = Progressive Disease
As of November 16, 2020 database entry. Data subject to cleaning and source document verification.
1 Day 29 of the second FT516 treatment cycle as assessed per Lugano 2014 criteria

Dose escalation is continuing in the current dose cohort of 300 million cells per dose in combination with rituximab, and a fourth dose cohort of 900 million cells per dose in combination with rituximab is planned. The Company previously reported that two patients treated in the first dose cohort of 30 million cells per dose in combination with rituximab showed a protocol-defined response assessment of progressive disease. No events of cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, or graft-versus-host disease were observed in either patient.

About Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC Product Platform

The Company’s proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that can be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Company’s first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Company’s platform is uniquely capable of overcoming numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics’ iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 300 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.

About FT516

FT516 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies. CD16 mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. ADCC is dependent on NK cells maintaining stable and effective expression of CD16, which has been shown to undergo considerable down-regulation in cancer patients. In addition, CD16 occurs in two variants, 158V or 158F, that elicit high or low binding affinity, respectively, to the Fc domain of IgG1 antibodies. Scientists from the Company have shown in a peer-reviewed publication (Blood. 2020;135(6):399-410) that hnCD16 iPSC-derived NK cells, compared to peripheral blood NK cells, elicit a more durable anti-tumor response and extend survival in combination with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies in an in vivo xenograft mouse model of human lymphoma. Numerous clinical studies with FDA-approved tumor-targeting antibodies, including rituximab, trastuzumab and cetuximab, have demonstrated that patients homozygous for the 158V variant, which is present in only about 15% of patients, have improved clinical outcomes. FT516 is being investigated in an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-targeted monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma (NCT04023071). Additionally, FT516 is being investigated in an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with avelumab for the treatment of advanced solid tumor resistant to anti-PDL1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy (NCT04551885).

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.

Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Company’s immuno-oncology product candidates include natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell cancer immunotherapies, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The Company’s immuno-regulatory product candidates include ProTmune™, a pharmacologically modulated, donor cell graft that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease, and a myeloid-derived suppressor cell immunotherapy for promoting immune tolerance in patients with immune disorders. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit www.fatetherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the safety and therapeutic potential of the Company’s iPSC-derived NK cell product candidates, including FT516, its ongoing and planned clinical studies, and the expected clinical development plans for FT516. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management’s current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that results observed in studies of its product candidates, including preclinical studies and clinical trials of any of its product candidates, will not be observed in ongoing or future studies involving these product candidates, the risk that the Company may cease or delay clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials or to support regulatory approval, difficulties or delays in subject enrollment in current and planned clinical trials, difficulties in manufacturing or supplying the Company’s product candidates for clinical testing, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), and the risk that its product candidates may not produce therapeutic benefits or may cause other unanticipated adverse effects. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company’s most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Company’s press releases and other investor communications. Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Christina Tartaglia
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
212.362.1200
[email protected]



Intellia Therapeutics Announces Closing of $201 Million Public Offering of Common Stock, Including Full Exercise of Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Shares

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTLA), a leading genome editing company focused on developing curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology both in vivo and ex vivo, announced today the closing of an underwritten public offering of 5,513,699 shares of its common stock, including the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase an additional 719,178 shares, at the public offering price of $36.50 per share. The gross proceeds raised in the offering, before underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses of the offering, were approximately $201 million.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Jefferies LLC and SVB Leerink LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The shares of common stock were offered by Intellia pursuant to a shelf registration statement that was previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and automatically became effective upon filing. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the offering was filed with the SEC on December 2, 2020. The final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, by mail at 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, Attention: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or by email at [email protected]; or Jefferies LLC, by mail at 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, by telephone at (877) 547-6340, or by email at [email protected]; or SVB Leerink LLC, by mail at One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, Attention: Syndicate Department, by telephone at (800) 808-7525, ext. 6132, or by email at [email protected]; or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Intellia Therapeutics

Intellia Therapeutics is a leading genome editing company focused on developing proprietary, curative therapeutics using the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding Intellia’s anticipated public offering. The words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, uncertainties related to market conditions. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Intellia’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Intellia’s other filings with the SEC, including those contained or incorporated by reference in the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the public offering filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent Intellia’s views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Intellia explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.


Intellia Contacts: 
       

Investors:

Lina Li
Associate Director
Investor Relations
+1 857-706-1612
[email protected]

Media:

Jennifer Mound Smoter
Senior Vice President
External Affairs & Communications
+1 857-706-1071
[email protected]