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NAVEX 2023 Global Incident Management Benchmark Study Reveals Shifts in Workplace Culture and Reporting Trends

NAVEX Global

NAVEX, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, has released its 2023 Hotline & Incident Management Benchmark Report. The bellwether annual benchmark report provides valuable insight into the workplace culture of 52 million employees across 3,430 organizations, examining the trends of 1.52 million reports from across the globe. "We use NAVEX's annual benchmark report to help inform our risk management strategy," says FedEx Chief Compliance Officer Justin Ross. "As an industry leader, we do our best to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest incident reporting and risk management trends. The insight this report provides helps us do just that." “NAVEX has long been the gold standard for risk and compliance data analytics in the industry. This annual benchmark study is derived from the world’s largest incident reporting database by far,” says Carrie Penman, NAVEX chief risk and compliance officer. “Our expanded analytics in 2023 allowed for a deeper examination of the issues and behaviors that are most impactful to today’s workplaces. Chief among them is workplace civility, which is likely driven by increased societal tension generally.” This year’s analysis of the data revealed four key themes and several notable findings: Reporting at an all-time high, but reporters proceeded with more caution. This year’s analysis revealed the highest median level of Reports per 100 Employees (1.47) in the history of this report. Further, 21% of organizations received five or more Reports per 100 Employees, a positive finding. However, data also showed a return to higher levels of anonymous reporting (56%), indicating more reporter concern about providing their name. HR-related reports are still the majority, but more granular analysis reveals workplace stresses. The median organization had nearly 54% of its reports in the HR, Diversity & Workplace Respect category, up from 50% in 2021. Reviewing the reporting frequency across deeper issue types offers more insight into organizational stresses and behaviors – particularly an increase in workplace civility concerns involving abusive or disrespectful behavior. The data also shows the frequency of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and substance abuse reports in 2022 all increased. These metrics are important to watch as a measure of cultural health and potentially a measure of mental health risks. People want to talk live, but a written web-based report is more likely to be substantiated. While general communications modes move more to texting and instant messaging, this year's data shows an increase in telephonic helpline reports, from 31% in 2021 to 34% in 2022. Hybrid work models have made it easier for employees to make a telephone report from home and more challenging to report in person. However, more thoughtful written reports, submitted via the web, are more likely to be substantiated than phone reports. In 2022, the median Substantiation Rate for web reports was 39% compared to 33% for phone. Size matters – smaller organizations have higher reporting rates; mid-size companies are experiencing some challenges. The 2022 analysis reveals that smaller organizations with fewer than 2,500 employees registered the highest Reports per 100 Employees at 2.99. In contrast, the largest organizations, with over 100,000 employees, had a much lower rate of only 1.20 Reports per 100 Employees. Mid-sized companies with 2,500-49,999 employees had the lowest rate of all, with fewer than 1.0 Reports per 100 Employees. Organizations with 2,500 to 5,999 employees recorded the highest rate of anonymous reporting at 60%. "Data is at the heart of making smart decisions about risk management and spotting potential problems throughout the organization. This is particularly important for issues affecting workplace culture. NAVEX's integrated data platform provides industry-leading insights and a unique window into the performance of their risk and compliance program, which in turn helps them achieve the business outcomes that matter most," says A.G. Lambert, NAVEX chief product officer. Additional notable findings include: The frequency of bribery and corruption reports increased in 2022, as did product quality and safety reports. Conflicts of interest reporting dropped significantly but is still in the top five. Data privacy and protection also made the top five. While overall Substantiation Rates remained steady at 41%, the five issue types with the highest frequency of substantiation were: global trade (76%), imminent threat to a person or property (75%), environment (71%), Data privacy and protection (68%), misuse or misappropriation of assets (67%) and health and safety (65%). More than half of organizations have a median Case Closure Time under 30 days. The largest organizations had the shortest Case Closure Time. Notable, and perhaps concerning, is a median of 18% of cases were closed on the same day they were received. This finding indicates instances that may have been forwarded to a different department and resolved prior to complete resolution, implying that a case classified as "closed" for compliance does not necessarily denote closure for the organization. For more insights on the 2023 Incident Management Benchmark Report, join Justin Ross, FedEx chief compliance officer, Carrie Penman, NAVEX chief risk & compliance officer, and Anders Olsen, NAVEX senior data scientist, for an informative webinar where they will discuss the results of this year’s analysis in detail. Register here or, read our blog, Don’t Miss Out – World’s Leading Hotline Webinar & Report Released March 28. NAVEX is trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to help them achieve the business outcomes that matter most. As the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services, we deliver solutions through the NAVEX One platform, the industry’s most comprehensive governance, risk and compliance (GRC) information system. For more information, visit NAVEX.com and our blog. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact Details NAVEX Scott Levesque +1 617-388-5773 scott.levesque@navex.com Company Website https://www.navex.com

March 28, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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NAFA LAUNCHES TWO NEW PROGRAMS TO SPARK INNOVATION AT UPCOMING 2023 INSTITUTE & EXPO CONFERENCE

NAFA Fleet Management Association

NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA), the vehicle fleet industry’s largest membership association, just announced the addition of two new programs at their 2023 Institute & Expo (I&E) Conference. The first is a special Innovations Showcase where attendees can experience new products from I&E exhibitors. NAFA is also excited to connect with Braindates, a networking experience that gives attendees the opportunity to spark meaningful conversations with peers at I&E. “I&E has long been the can’t miss event for those in the fleet and mobility world, and given the rapid pace of evolution happening in this space right now, the all-new Innovations Showcase is designed to highlight the newest products and services changing the game in our industry,” said Mike Camnetar, CAFM, NAFA Board President. “On top of that, we’ll be enhancing the I&E attendee experience through our new Braindate Lounge, which will drive authentic and meaningful networking opportunities.” NAFA’s first ever I&E Innovations Showcase invites attendees into an interactive innovation zone where they can explore the exciting new products and product updates being launched by exhibiting companies. Attendees will get to experience innovation like never before, and will have the opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice award for most innovative product. The following companies will be participating in the I&E 2023 Innovations Showcase: AssetWorks Cipia Clean Fuels Alliance America Derive Systems Digital Ally, Inc Fermata Energy Fleetio Forward Thinking Systems, LLC Industrial Propane Service IntelliShift Monro Auto Service and Tire Centers ReviverMX, Inc. Scent Renu TigerTough Utilimarc Wagan Corporation NAFA will also be partnering with Braindate – a peer learning experience – to give attendees the opportunity to intentionally network during I&E. Taking place one-on-one or in a small group, attendees can participate in conversations focused on a topic of their choice at I&E’s Braindate Lounge. Braindates are innovating the way people brainstorm, solve challenges and share experiences by giving I&E attendees the chance to connect with like-minded fleet professionals over meaningful, and authentic conversations. Attendees can use a Braindate to learn from others, to brainstorm and find solutions to the unique challenges they are facing at work. Attendees will be able to sign up for Braindates ahead of I&E starting on April 3, 2023. To learn more about how to make the most of this exciting opportunity at I&E, visit: https://www.nafainstitute.org/program-schedule/braindates/ To explore all of the networking opportunities available at I&E, visit: https://www.nafainstitute.org/networking-events/ NAFA’s I&E will take place from April 17-19, 2023 in Baltimore, MD. For more information, visit: https://www.nafainstitute.org/ About NAFA Fleet Management AssociationNAFA Fleet Management Association is the membership organization for professionals who manage the mobility requirements of vehicle fleets that include commercial, public safety, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for corporations, governments, universities, utility fleets, and law enforcement in North America and across the globe. NAFA’s members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance, repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 4.8 million vehicles that drive an estimated 84 billion miles each year. NAFA’s members control assets and services well above $122 billion each year.For more information, please visit www.nafa.org, and communicate with NAFA on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Contact Details Colleen Gallagher +1 315-447-2331 cgallagher@onwrdupwrd.com Company Website https://www.nafa.org/

March 27, 2023 05:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Saietta Group "super proud and privileged" to sign AVTEC supply agreement

Saietta Group PLC

Saietta Group PLC (AIM:SED) executive chairman Tony Gott speaks to Proactive after announcing a supply agreement with Indian automotive powertrain manufacturer AVTEC to market complete electric drive (eDrive) solutions in the country. Gott says he he feels "super proud and privileged" to be working with AVTEC in India, adding that the market for eDrive lightweight vehicles in the country is "exploding." He adds that "the mission behind" Saietta is to reduce air pollution in the world's major cities. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

March 27, 2023 05:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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VinFast delivers first VF 9 vehicles to customers in Vietnam

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 27 March 2023 - VinFast celebrated the delivery of the first 27 VF 9 all-electric SUVs to its customers at an event in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The delivery events took place approximately 1 year after introducing the VF 9 model to the public, which is a testament to VinFast’s expertise and speed in developing and delivering vehicles. The first batch of VF 9s, produced and delivered to customers in Vietnam, has a 6-seat configuration. The 6-seat design is equipped with two captain's seats in the second row, combined with a large armrest to bring a luxurious and spacious feel to the ample business class cabin. The VinFast VF 9 brings a classy, comfortable and technologically-advanced experience to all passengers. The all-electric VF 9 SUV offers a panoramic glass roof (Plus version), integrated massage function with heated and ventilated front seats, (Plus version), a 15.6-inch central infotainment screen, an 8-inch infotainment screen for the second row (Plus version), windshield HUD, auto-dimming outside rearview mirrors (Plus version) and many other premium options. The VF 9 is also equipped with level 2 ADAS and Smart Services. The electric motor has a maximum power of up to 300kW (402 hp), maximum torque of 620Nm providing a powerful and exhilarating performance. The 92kWh battery pack has a range of up to 438km for the Eco version and 423km for the Plus version on a full charge (WLTP target). Following the initial delivery events, VinFast will continuously to deliver to other individual customers nationwide in accord with their reservation order. Customers can also choose to receive their vehicles at a VinFast showroom or at their home. In addition to the 6-seat configuration, the VinFast VF 9 also has a 7-seat option, which is expected to be delivered to customers in the near future. VinFast will continue to offer EV test drive opportunities at VinFast showrooms nationwide to allow customers the opportunity to experience the VF 8 and VF 9 all-electric vehicles. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup, CEO of VinFast Holdings shared: "Today's VF 9 delivery event is the beginning of VinFast’s series of events that will be consistently held on a global basis. We expect to export the VF 8 standard edition models to the U.S. and Canadian markets in April 2023 and expect to soon deliver the VF 5 Plus model to customers in the Vietnamese market. Following that, we expect to export the VF 9 and open reservation for the VF 6 and VF 7 in the coming months. I am confident that VinFast's high-quality electric vehicles will meet the needs of our customers, bringing a high-level of satisfaction to customers around the world." Along with a high-quality passenger vehicle lineup, VinFast has also developed an infrastructure of 150,000 charging ports for electric vehicles and e-scooters; a system of 89 showrooms; as well as dealers and service centers across 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam. With three core values (1) High-quality product, (2) Good price, (3) Excellent services, VinFast is the only automotive company in Vietnam providing a “non-stop” service, along with dedicated customer care options such as Mobile Service, Mobile Charging and 24/7 roadside assistance. About VinFast VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.us. VinFast Safe Harbor Disclosure This news release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include VinFast’s expectations. Forward-looking statements typically can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. While these forward-looking statements represent VinFast’s current judgment on what the future holds, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the automotive industry, competition in certain markets, the volatility of battery prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and timing of our electric vehicle projects. VinFast undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause VinFast’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect VinFast’s future results. Contact Details VinFast Media Contact v.chidqd1@vingroup.net Company Website https://vinfastauto.us

March 27, 2023 04:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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VinFast will deliver the first VF 9 batch on March 27, 2023

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 23 March 2023 - VinFast announced it will officially deliver the first batch of full-size VF 9 SUVs to customers on March 27, 2023. The delivery ceremony will be held simultaneously in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City, and deliveries will be continued at all VinFast stores across Vietnam in the following days. Belonging to the E segment, VF 9 is the largest SUV in VinFast’s current electric vehicle lineup with overall dimensions (LxWxH) of 5,118 x 2,254 x 1,696 (mm). Its wheelbase of up to 3,150 mm and refined structure allow ample interior space, optimal for full-size 7-seater or 6-seater configurations (Captain Seat options). The VinFast VF 9 also has two trims, the Eco and Plus. The first VF 9 batch, produced for the Vietnamese market, is equipped with electric motors that boast a maximum power of 300kW (402 hp), maximum torque of 620Nm, and usable battery capacity of 92kWh enabling a target estimate of range per full charge of 438km for the Eco and 423km for the Plus (WLTP). VinFast VF 9’s fastest charging time, from 10% to 70%, is 26 minutes. As VinFast’s most premium EV model, the VF 9 comes with high-class amenities such as two front seat rows integrated with massage, ventilation, and heating features (Plus trim), a 15.6-inch infotainment screen, an 8-inch rear screen on the center console for the second seat row (Plus trim), windshield heads up display (HUD), panoramic glassroof (Plus trim), outside rearview mirror with auto-dimming (Plus), 11 airbags, and more. The VF 9 is also integrated with a wide range of advanced technologies, including the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and Smart Services. In addition, the regular firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates will also continuously enhance vehicle functionality and performance to provide customers with more enjoyable experiences. The first delivery ceremonies will be held simultaneously on March 27, 2023, in the Northern – Central – Southern regions of Vietnam at different VinFast stores, including VinFast Ocean Park (Hanoi), VinFast Ngo Quyen (Da Nang), and VinFast Landmark 81 (Ho Chi Minh City). The VF 9 delivery will be continued at other VinFast stores and dealers’ showrooms or through a home-delivery service across Vietnam according to the order of the reservations in the following days. Madam Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and CEO of VinFast Holdings, said: “Following VF e34 and VF 8, the VF 9 delivery, as planned and committed to customers, has affirmed VinFast’s capabilities in applying technologies and optimizing vehicle development and production process. I believe that, along with VinFast’s attractive initial ownership cost and outstanding after-sale services, the VF 9 will win the hearts of those who have put trust in VinFast through their reservations and waiting for more than a year. ” Following the Vietnamese market, VinFast expects to roll out the export plan of the first VF 9 batch to international markets in the upcoming time. In addition, VinFast is in preparation for its VF 5 Plus delivery in April 2023, according to its initial plan. About VinFast VinFast - a member of Vingroup – envisioned to drive the movement of global smart electric vehicle revolution. Established in 2017, VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.Strongly committed to the mission for a sustainable future for everyone, VinFast constantly innovates to bring high-quality products, advanced smart services, seamless customer experiences, and pricing strategy to inspire global customers to jointly create a future of smart mobility and a sustainable planet. Learn more at: https://vinfastauto.com/ Contact Details Media Contact v.chidqd1@vingroup.net

March 23, 2023 11:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CleverTap Gaming Unveiled at GDC 2023

CleverTap

CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, today at Game Developers Conference 2023 unveiled CleverTap Gaming – soon to go live in the summer of 2023. Through full player management, the latest offering will help boost revenue from LiveOps, Lifecycle Marketing, and Remote Configuration by 3x with personalization across the entire player journey. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™, CleverTap's proprietary data engine, which is built for real time triggering & segmentation with high performance, low latency, and massive economies of scale. CleverTap Gaming brings holistic and sophisticated multi-channel campaigns inside and outside the in-game experience. With a simplified UI, it reduces the dependence on technical teams and increases operational efficiency. By leveraging CleverTap’s proprietary TesseractDB™, it offers rich granularity with unlimited data points and no restrictions on lookback period. Previously, the lack of these features could have been a limiting factor for game studios trying to maximize retention and lifetime value, but CleverTap Gaming unlocks these use cases enabling game studios to scale their personalization efforts to new heights. Also, given its versatility, CleverTap Gaming offers a vast array of benefits within various functions in typical game studios: LiveOps: With over 2000 unique player attributes (10x more than the industry average), LiveOps Managers can improve the relevance of their offers with much more granular insights into user behavior and preferences. Marketing: Consumers have vastly different preferences and a single journey does not fit each and every one of them. As such, conditional logic, advanced branching, and unified composition flow across all channels can help marketers plan campaigns with contingencies in mind. The advanced segmentation feature can also help marketers create better-targeted campaigns from the outset. Development: The ability to integrate with existing backend solutions lowers the barrier to transition for gaming studios with other solutions. Native Unity SDK means the platform can enhance developer productivity and shorten release cycles considerably. “Modern gaming is evolving. They are no longer static endpoints – and with features like LiveOps and Remote Configuration, developers are empowered to make changes in real-time without the constraints of approvals and a relaunch.” said Lawrence Hsieh, Principal Product Manager at MobilityWare. “CleverTap Gaming gives us an all-in-one cost-effective solution that ensures consistency and efficiency while not only developing but also promoting an update.” “With over 2.6 billion mobile game players globally, it is only a matter of time before the growth trajectory flattens out and retention becomes a bigger area of focus. We hope that CleverTap Gaming can accompany those studios looking to stay ahead of the curve by maximizing their pre-existing user base via personalized and relevant messaging,” said Sunil Thomas, Co-founder and Executive Chairman at CleverTap. “When we acquired Leanplum last year, we looked to strengthen our footprint within various verticals and geographies. CleverTap Gaming is another step in this direction, and we are confident that it will further accelerate our growth journey.” About CleverTap Gaming, powered by Leanplum CleverTap Gaming is powered by Leanplum and helps gaming studios achieve engagement and revenue goals by providing the tools and expertise to deliver more personalized player experiences at scale. Learn more about what CleverTap can do for your brand at clevertap.com. For a platform demo, visit clevertap.com/live-product-demo/ About CleverTap CleverTap is the all-in-one customer engagement platform that helps brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and lifetime value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ – the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale. CleverTap is trusted by 2000 customers, including Electronic Arts, TiltingPoint, Gamebasics, Big Fish, MobilityWare, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa Johns, and Tesco. Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, São Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

March 23, 2023 04:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Traveling on a Budget in 2023

YourUpdateTV

While prices for flights, hotels and rental cars are all up across the board, demand for travel isn’t slowing. A recent survey from pay over time provider, Affirm, revealed that despite record-high costs, the average person plans to take three trips this year and spend over $3,000 on travel. Furthermore, 3 in 4 of Millennial and Gen-Z respondents plan to take up to 6 trips this year, with over half planning to spend up to $5,000 on travel. Traveling on a budget can help ensure that people are spending responsibly while also providing ways to make their money go further. Affirm SVP and Financial Health Expert, Katrina Holt, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour, offering her top tips for financially-conscious travelers in 2023: Don’t forget to set a budget. The recent Affirm survey found that nearly 1 in 5 plan to travel this year without setting a budget beforehand, which can easily lead to overspending. When creating a budget, be sure to consider expenses across accommodation, meals, transportation and shopping. Use a transparent, flexible pay over time option like Affirm to spread out your costs and stick to your budget. By selecting Affirm at checkout, approved travelers can split travel costs into biweekly or monthly payments. Travelers will see the total cost of their purchase and will never pay more than they agree to upfront Affirm does not charge late or hidden fees. Watch out for gimmicks that come with travel credit cards. Early sign up bonuses might be enticing, but can easily lead to overspending as you try to hit the minimum. 0% APR credit card promotions can come with deferred interest and surprise you with balloon payments down the line. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/2ZCQtGXL7y8 Affirm is helping travelers by offering a smarter way to pay at some of the largest travel merchants in the US and Canada, including American Airlines, Expedia, Hotels.com, KAYAK, Vrbo, Priceline, and more. For more information, visit Affirm.com About Katrina Holt Katrina Holt is the SVP, Operations and Financial Health Expert at Affirm. Affirm is a new kind of payment network — one based on trust, transparency and putting people first. As a technology and financial services executive, Katrina brings more than 27 years of financial services, operations, and risk management leadership. Prior to Affirm, she was the Chief Compliance Officer at GE Capital Bank and WebBank, respectively. Earlier in her career, Katrina served as the Audit Director for GE Capital, as well as a commissioned bank examiner with the FDIC. She holds an Executive MBA from the University of Utah and a BS in Accounting from Weber State University. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 21, 2023 02:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Meet Graze: The All-Electric, Fully Autonomous Mower That Wants to Make The Commercial Landscaping Industry More Eco-Friendly

Graze

By Rachael Green, Benzinga Interested in investing in Graze Mowing? Click here to get started! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour of operating a standard gas-powered lawn mower produces the same amount of air pollutants as driving a car for 45 miles. Adding to that, the process of refilling the gas tank on a lawn mower can result in accidental spills which release those pollutants into the air via evaporation and into the groundwater via seepage. While those spills may look small, the EPA estimates that about 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilled each year as a result of refueling lawn equipment. While one household typically spends just 25 hours per year mowing their lawn, a single commercial landscaper will use lawnmowers for 406 hours per year on average. finding a way to curb the commercial use of gas-powered lawn equipment could be a key to addressing this contributor to carbon emissions. That’s what the team behind Graze Mower set out to accomplish. The tech start-up is currently raising capital via a crowdfunding campaign to scale production of its eco-friendly all-electric autonomous lawn mower. The Graze Mower Aims To Make Eco-Friendly Landscaping A Reality One of the simplest solutions to the pollution problem of gas-powered mowers is to switch to electric equipment. An all-electric mower produces zero emissions during operation and doesn’t need to be refilled with gas, eliminating the risk of gasoline spills seeping into the groundwater. No internal combustion engine also means less noise pollution. A standard gas-powered mower produces about 95 decibels of noise on average, a volume equivalent to a motorcycle. Meanwhile, the average electric mower produces 75 decibels, which is equivalent to a washing machine. Graze’s autonomous lawn mower is 100% electric and powered by rechargeable batteries. Designed with large-scale landscaping jobs in mind, Graze can professionally mow up to three acres per hour and lasts up to eight hours on a single charge. So commercial landscapers can tackle large jobs without worrying about the machine running out of power before it’s done. This makes switching to an electric mower and slashing carbon emissions and fuel costs a viable option for more landscapers. To add to its eco-friendly benefits, Graze is a mulching mower, meaning it chops the grass clippings up into small pieces and returns them to the soil as it goes so that they can serve as mulch for the lawn. Mulching recycles the nutrients locked in the clippings so that they can be reabsorbed by the lawn, allowing the lawn’s owner to rely less on environmentally-hazardous fertilizers. The simple practice is so effective, in fact, that a lawn can get up to 25% of its annual nitrogen requirements from recycled grass clippings alone. That’s about one full fertilizer application per year that can be skipped. Mulching also conserves soil moisture by preventing evaporation and releasing the moisture locked in the clippings themselves back into the soil. This can reduce the amount of irrigation needed by as much as two-thirds. That layer of clippings on the soil even reduces weed growth by blocking the sunlight weed seeds need to grow, meaning fewer toxic herbicide treatments are needed to control weeds. Plus, because Graze is fully autonomous, landscapers can slash labor costs while they’re at it. Workers can focus on the higher value tasks while Graze handles the mowing on its own, meaning jobs can get done by smaller teams or in fewer hours. Graze estimates landscapers cut labor costs by as much as 50% with one of its automated mowers. Learn more about Graze’s autonomous mower and how to invest in the crowdfunding campaign here. This article was originally published on Benzinga here. Grazie is a fully autonomous and electric commercial lawnmower. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details John Vlay invest@grazemowing.com

March 21, 2023 09:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Transportation Stocks Every Investor Should Have On The Radar

RazorPitch/Transportation

The transportation industry is a vital component of the global economy, with a staggering valuation of $875.5 billion, according to the American Trucking Association (ATA). As the industry continues to experience impressive growth rates around 2.8–3.2%, key sector stocks are making strategic moves to reward their shareholders. Top performers in the sector are declaring higher cash quarterly and annual dividends, offering stock buybacks, and outperforming industry growth rates. The trucking transportation industry has evolved significantly with the introduction of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, intermodal transportation strategies, logistics protocols, last-mile delivery skills, new fuels, IoT devices for predictive maintenance, and onboard sensors. These developments have made the trucking and transportation sector, a new and exciting industry. However, the industry also faces several challenges, such as increased wages for employees and drivers, benefits, rents, fuel, and operating costs. Additionally, finding enough qualified drivers, offsetting higher fuel costs, and dealing with less imported freight due to decreased shipments from Asia in the short term are other challenges the industry is facing. Moreover, port delays and other operating expenses increase the need for intermodal multi-transportation truck/rail/sea/air logistics for greater efficiency Forbes Says Technology Will Make Transportation More Profitable Forbes recently published an analysis that highlighted how new technology strategies in transportation are promoting sustainability while also driving profitability in the industry. However, these rapid changes make it difficult for investors to accurately value fast-changing transportation stocks. Despite this challenge, the transportation sector remains a viable investment option. According to SimplyWallSt., analysts are particularly optimistic about the trucking industry, predicting 34% annual earnings growth over the next five years. In contrast, the earnings growth rate for railroads is expected to be only 3.2% over the same period. Investors looking for that growth potential may want to keep an eye on the transportation sector, which seems to have a promising future. Here’s a look at some industry winners. Werner Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WERN) trades at a PE ratio (TTM) of 11.41 and a market cap of $2.7 billion. It is one of the nation’s largest trucking and logistics companies. Its board just declared another quarterly dividend, this time $0.13 per common share, as it has every quarter since July 1987. Last year, Werner paid dividends of $32.2 million and repurchased shares worth $110.40 million. Both had similar payouts in 2021. It serves clients in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Its revenues in 2022 were greater than $3.3 billion, and its net income was $241.2 million. WERN’s services include truckload brokerage, freight management, intermodal, and final mile logistics. Its shares have grown 3.1% over the past three months. outperforming the 2.8%–3.2% projected rise of the trucking transportation industry. However, the company’s expenses grew 15.9% in Q4 2022. Higher expenses included driver wages, benefits (5.9% higher), fuel up (55.1% increase), plus more rent and purchased transportation expenses (a 13.7% jump). Analyst Zacks is impressed with its cash dividend payouts and share buyback program, designed to boost shareholder value and reinvest in its business. Zacks ranks its stock as a ‘hold’. Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE: SNDR) trades at a TTM PE ratio of 10.18 and a market cap of $4.6 billion. Last year's revenues were $6.6 billion, up 6.6% from the prior year, and its net income in 2022 rising 13% to $457.8 million from FY 2021. However, its profit margin dropped to 6.9% in 2022 from 7.2% in FY 2021. That was because SNDR's expenses increased. SimplyWall St. says it forecasts Schneider’s fiscal performance to stay flat over the next three years vs. a 5.1% jump in Transportation Industry sector revenue seen for the same period. SNDR is increasing its dividend in April for a 1.2% annual payment to its stock price—unfortunately, that dividend is less than what others in this industry sector are paying, according to analyst SimplyWallSt. In 2022, SNDR paid $56 million in dividends, well above 2021 levels, the company said on its Q4 earnings call. Its new intermodal Western partner is Union Pacific. Trucking activity was down in Q4 2022 because import activity from Asia waned, an industry-wide headwind. Even with SNDR’s disappointing performance, which missed analysts’ estimates by just 1.5%, SimplyWallSt. calculates that SNDR stock is still trading close to its estimated fair value. This analyst uses a proprietary two-stage free cash flow calculation method to determine its fair value estimate per share of $25.98. The stock currently trades at $29+ per share. That valuation strategy uses future cash flows and discounts them for their current value today. Heartland Express (NASDAQ: HTLD) has a PE ratio (TTM) of 9.11. It has a market cap of $1.25 billion. Its fiscal performance for the full year 2022 beat analysts' expectations. Revenue was up 59% from FY 2021 to $968 million in FY 2022. Net income increased by 69% to $133.6 million. Its profit margin of 14% in FY 2022 stayed in line with FY 2021. As a result, it declared a cash dividend of $0.02 per share, payable on April 7, 2023. That means the company has paid out $544.2 million in cash dividends, including this most recent dividend payment. SimplyWallSt. estimates 13% revenue growth for HTLD on average over the next three years vs. a 5.1% forecast for the transportation sector in the US over this period. However, Zacks rates this stock a ‘hold’ after its slight fiscal miss of analyst expectations for Q4 2022 performance. Marten Transport, Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRTN) has a strong PE ratio (TTM) of 14.66 and trades at a market cap of $1.64 billion. In 2022, MRTN reported revenues of $1.26 billion, 30% higher than the previous year. Net income rose 29% to $110.4 million in the full year 2022. But like other companies in transportation trucking, MRTN showed a slight decrease in profit margin—to 8.7% in 2022—as higher expenses, from fuel to payroll, cut into the bottom line. This company is also forecast to outperform the transportation industry over the next two years with a 5.4% growth in revenue. Perhaps due to its fiscal performance, MRTN’s shares have risen YTD. Now analysts are gleefully watching its improved return on capital (ROCE) trends. SimplyWallSt. discovers that it has increased by 15% over the last five years and that its stock has increased by 72% over the same period. Its ROCE has outperformed the industry sector average. For investors willing to take more risk for a potentially higher gain, smaller up-and-coming companies may provide that action. One stock that is virtually unknown and flying under the radar in this sector is APSI. Let’s take a closer look at what makes APSI a high-potential opportunity. Last year, Aqua Power Systems, Inc. (OTC: APSI) purchased 100% of transportation trucking company Tradition Transport and all of its subsidiaries. For the full fiscal year 2022, sales are expected to be in the $125 million range, with a net profit of $4.5 million. In 2021, Tradition reported revenue of $87,695,384 and a net profit of $2,986,945. In 2020, the company generated $49,992,274 and a net income of $1,738,623. APSI moved from a shell OTC company to a bona fide asset-based transport/trucking firm with seven subsidiaries. Yet, APSI trades at a market cap of only $5.7 million. Tradition Debuts New Intermodal Services Tradition, through its subsidiary Freedom Freight Solutions, added new intermodal services through its drayage inbound and outbound freight business at its facility in the Port of Savannah. The seamless intermodal strategy is designed to make freight movement faster and more efficient for the customer. Tradition is adopting new technology for its large base of some 500 active customers. It serves a diversified base of industries such as building materials, automotive, manufacturing, containers, and food. This broad spectrum gives Tradition a stable client footprint. APSI also owns an asset-based fleet of 162 company-owned tractors, some 303 trailers, and six warehouses totaling two million sq. ft. In terms of assets, Tradition Transport is a solid investment that delivers revenue and net income via this fleet. It also acquired Anchor Bolts & Fasteners, LLC, a company that manufactures bolts and fasteners as well as custom plates, cages, and embeds. Tradition's goal is to acquire another 200+ tractors and some 400 trailers in 2023 and 2024. More deployment centers for Tradition are scheduled to open in Savannah, Nashville, Dallas, and Indianapolis. M&A is on the horizon. In addition to its organic growth structure, Tradition Transport is already reviewing future potential buyout candidates related to the businesses. Tradition is also planning to grow its international business, and already serves freight to and from Mexico and Canada. APSI Stock Is Undervalued: A Significant Opportunity For Investors Tradition's parent, APSI, has just 17,204,180 shares outstanding, and its pricing remains undervalued in the transportation industry. By any measurement of revenue, net income, or assets, it deserves better. In fact, it should trade at well above $1 per share—and perhaps closer to $6-7 per share. Financial experts would agree that the APSI market cap makes no mathematical sense as it currently stands. A valuation based on industry standards compared to 10 competing publicly traded transportation companies finds that the median enterprise LFY valuation in this sector is 1.6X revenues. That would translate into an APSI market cap of some $200 million, based on 2022 full year sales of $125 million. A valuation based on typical sector multiples — such as the average enterprise based on LFY having 3.2 times revenues — means APSI would have a market cap of $400 million with a share price of $23.25. Even a one-time revenue share price at the estimated 2020 sales of $125 million would translate into $7.26 per share. APSI May Be One Of Most Undervalued Companies Publicly Listed APSI may be one of the most undervalued companies publicly listed when industry or sector multiples are applied. APSI has already filed an application with the SEC for an uplist to the OTCQB exchange. A NASDAQ listing is its ultimate goal. When this stock uplists, investors will notice. Investors should keep APSI on their watch lists because of the company’s asset-based acquisitions in the hot transport business — freight, logistics, warehousing, brokerage, leasing, and more. Disclaimers: RazorPitch Inc. is not operated by a licensed broker, a dealer, or a registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides investors a safe harbor in regard to forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Forward looking statements in this action may be identified through use of words such as projects, foresee, expects, will, anticipates, estimates, believes, understands, or that by statements indicating certain actions & quote; may, could, or might occur. Understand there is no guarantee past performance will be indicative of future results. Investing in micro-cap and growth securities is highly speculative and carries an extremely high degree of risk. It is possible that an investors investment may be lost or impaired due to the speculative nature of the companies profiled. RazorPitch Inc has been retained by Aqua Power Systems and is responsible for the production and distribution of this content. It should be expressly understood that under no circumstances does any information published herein represent a recommendation to buy or sell a security. This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained in this article constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by RazorPitch or any third party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments. All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in this article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. RazorPitch is not a fiduciary by virtue of any persons use of or access to this content. 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March 21, 2023 08:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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