News Hub | News Direct

Technology

Artificial Intelligence Big Data Cloud Computing Cyber Security Data Management Electronics Enterprise & Network Technology Financial Technology Hardware Mobile & Wireless Nanotechnology Semiconductor Software Telecommunications
Article thumbnail News Release

Symbl.ai Raises $17 Million in Series A to Scale its Conversation Intelligence Platform for Developers

Symbl.ai

Symbl.ai, a developer-first platform providing a best-in-class Conversation Intelligence (CI) suite of APIs and developer tools, today announced a $17 million Series A funding round led by Great Point Ventures, with additional participation from current investors Gutbrain Ventures, PBJ Capital, Crosscut Ventures and Flying Fish Ventures. This new Series A investment, which is just a year from the company’s product launch and initial seed financing round of $4.7M, will be used to accelerate product development of its end-to-end CI platform, substantially grow Symbl.ai’s engineering and leadership teams, and expand sales and marketing to meet the growing demand for its offering. As part of the financing, Ray Lane, partner at Great Point Ventures and former President and COO of Oracle Corporation, will join Symbl.ai’s board of directors. Adoption of digital communications is scaling at an unprecedented rate. The Communication Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) industry has been at the center of this adoption for builders and is expected to grow from $4.54 billion in 2020 to $26.03 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 34.3%. By 2023, 90% of global enterprises are expected to leverage API-enabled CPaaS offerings to enhance their digital competitiveness. In spite of all this recent growth, businesses of all sizes are looking to differentiate beyond “just” enabling communication and find ways to unlock and activate the value and insights that live within conversations and content across their organizations. Conversation intelligence applications in verticals like sales - such as Gong.io and Chorus.ai - are gaining significant market momentum, which is in turn driving businesses to explore and build conversation intelligence experiences across their organizations for additional vertical use cases like marketing, customer success, support, recruiting, team collaboration, meeting productivity and more. "Products and applications achieve greater adoption by delivering highly personalized user experiences, driven by data and intelligence,” says Surbhi Rathore, CEO at Symbl.ai. "However, for extracting intelligence and insights from conversations, they are faced with complex and limited options: either invest upfront on open source options with high unpredictability and huge data management cycles or use general purpose NLP that weren’t built to truly understand human conversations with context. As a result they either do not find the right partner for their CI journey limiting their innovation, or have to implement text analytics built for documents on voice conversations. Symbl.ai was built for growing B2B and B2C brands, and is run by industry veterans. We know what it takes to scale conversation intelligence in your product and want to bring context and structure to all conversations so that they can be acted upon in real time without losing on critical information.” Symbl.ai is an API-driven, programmable platform, built for forward-thinking B2B and B2C brands, including Rev.ai, Airmeet, Intermedia, Remo, SpectrumVoip, Intuit, Bandwidth and Hubilo. With Symbl.ai, product teams can execute on user experience, without pulling in extensive engineering resources for building and scaling the underlying conversation intelligence infrastructure. Companies can incorporate specific intelligence capabilities into their existing product, including Transcription Plus, Conversation Analytics, Conversation Topics, Contextual Insights, Customer Tracker, Summarization and more. Symbl.ai enables developers to not spend months but just days to integrate, saving time and money with the most accurate and scalable conversation intelligence stack. "The trend of digital conversations, which has increased over the past year, is here to stay. Symbl's platform gives enterprise grade tools to companies who want to effectively use the data generated in these conversations to bring contextual insights to their end customers. Surbhi, Toshish, and their team have built a special engine to deliver this data in a developer friendly way, and we are excited to partner with them in their next leg of growth." said Ray Lane, partner at Great Point Ventures. Following the successful launch of its self-serve experience in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, Symbl.ai will use this latest round of funding to focus on expanding its product offerings, accelerating developer onboarding and integrations, continuing to make it easy for developers to get access to the communication data and for product managers to iterate early on the new user experiences for their product - eliminating the need of building ML models from ground up. The round will also go toward recruiting top talent. To learn more about Symbl.ai, please visit www.symbl.ai About Symbl.ai Symbl.ai is a Conversation Intelligence (CI) platform for developers and app builders to rapidly deploy conversation intelligence (CI) at scale – on any channel of communication. Our comprehensive suite of APIs unlock proprietary machine learning algorithms that can ingest any form of conversation data to identify actionable insights across domains, timelines, and channels (voice, email, chat, social) contextually – without the need for any upfront training data, wake words, or custom classifiers. Press Contact: if you have inquiries about this news or to get in touch with Symbl.ai, contact [pr@symbl.ai] or [425-553-5441] Contact Details Symbl.ai 1201 3rd Avenue, Suite 2200, Seattle, Washington 98101 +1 408-660-0710 pr@symbl.ai

November 05, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

CSG Wins Visionary Impact Honour at TM Forum Catalyst Awards

CSG

LONDON, November 5, 2021 – CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced that it was selected as a winner in the 2021 TM Forum Catalyst Awards. The awards celebrate the most revolutionary successes in advancing the telecoms industry, proof-of-concepts for industry standards, impact on global sustainability goals, and noteworthy contributions to the acceleration of digital transformation. Conducted in participation with Axiata Digital Labs, Axiata Group, GETREVE, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the Cross-industry marketplace for CSP collaboration Phase 3 Catalyst was recognised in the Visionary Impact category. “Through the power of collaboration, we can connect, inspire, and ignite change for good to tackle some of the biggest barriers in telecoms,” said John Gillam, Chief Digital Officer, TM Forum. “The TM Forum Catalyst Awards are a chance for us to honour the innovative and creative minds within our industry, and this year we have seen evidence of how we can unite to drive transformation within society, business, and the wider world. I was privileged and proud to be part of the process and I extend my congratulations to this Catalyst team and the proof-of-concept solutions they have developed together.” The Catalyst project builds on the marketplace framework and uses app trading marketplace capabilities to showcase how vendors, communications service providers (CSPs), cloud providers, and application developers can collaborate to quickly roll out a 5G Open RAN network and utilising TM Forum Open APIs to develop an enterprise use case for the network. This third phase of the Catalyst expands functionality in three areas: End-User: Subscription management, settlement record, machine learning, and support. Marketplace Framework: Federation, billing/cost management, entitlements, and cloud provisioning. CSP, Partner or Vendor: Management functions, framework, analytics, and settlement. “The greatest current opportunities for CSPs are in the B2B and B2B2X sectors. CSG constantly looks to collaborate on initiatives that enable CSPs to efficiently capitalise on the B2B market and capture new market segments beyond connectivity,” said Ken Kennedy, COO and head of revenue management and digital monetisation, CSG. “We're honoured to receive this recognition, and I extend a big thank you to Axiata, GETREVE, Infosys, and TSC for including us in the TM Forum Cross-industry marketplace for CSP collaboration Catalyst with them. Our collective expertise and commitment to providing thought leadership for our customers make the next phase of the project exciting and one we look forward to embarking on.” TM Forum announced the Catalyst Award winners during the final day of its global event, Digital Transformation World Series. Honouring the innovation and impact of its members in the industry, TM Forum declared a total of nine Catalyst proof-of-concept projects as ‘Outstanding Catalysts’ for their significant contributions to the acceleration of digital transformation across the industry. # # # About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For nearly 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real-world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Copyright © 2021 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names that are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Kristine Østergaard Public Relations +44 (0)79 2047 7204 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details Kristine Østergaard +44 7500 518412 kristine.ostergaard@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

November 05, 2021 05:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Lensbaby Announces 15% Off Sale In Anticipation of “Shoot Extraordinary” Photography Conference

Lensbaby

Lensbaby, the leader in award-winning creative effect camera lenses, is excited to announce its annual 15% Off Sale through the end of 2021. As the Portland-based company gears up for its “ Shoot Extraordinary ” conference, it will be extending savings opportunities for photographers and videographers. With 16 speakers and top Lensbaby educators from around the globe, the “Shoot Extraordinary” conference has something for everyone. Conference attendees can expect to learn the ethos of the Lensbaby “Shoot Extraordinary” motto, while learning the nuances and uncommon qualities of its photo and video lenses. At Lensbaby, “We empower artists to move through fear to discover extraordinary creative freedom.” Featured Lenses & Accessories // As part of the upcoming event, Lensbaby has hand-selected a few of its most sought-after lenses and accessories to highlight. Whether you’re new to photography or looking to hone a specific skill, Lensbaby’s line of lenses and accessories will give you that much needed boost of creativity. OMNI Creative Filter System Features: Professional & repeatable in-camera effects Use with your existing prime & zoom lenses - both auto & manual focus Available in two sizes - Small & Large Includes three unique effect wands Explore new creative possibilities by adding an Expansion Pack Sol 45 Features: 45mm focal length f/3.5 fixed aperture Sweet Spot effect Lightweight & compact Bokeh blades to add texture Obscura Optic Features: 50mm Zone Plate: f/32; Pinhole Sieve: f/64; Pinhole: f/161 Effects: Zone Plate, Pinhole Sieve, Pinhole Velvet 56 Features: 56mm focal length f/1.6 aperture Velvet effect 1:2 macro capability Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Features: 50mm focal length f/2.5 aperture Sweet Spot effect Includes Composer Pro II Body & removable Sweet 50 Optic Part of our unique Optic Swap System Join us for the Lensbaby “Shoot Extraordinary” Photography Conference 2021 on December 7th! Click here to register and claim your free spot today. Registered conference attendees will be automatically entered to win prizes including a grand prize worth over $2500. About Lensbaby // Lensbaby creates tools that enable photographers and videographers to find their unique visual voice. For over 16 years, they have been manufacturing high-quality creative effects lenses, optics and accessories out of their Portland, Oregon headquarters. Lensbaby sells its products on its website as well as through a worldwide network of retailers and distributors. For more information, visit www.lensbaby.com Lensbaby, “Shoot Extraordinary” Contact Details Lensbaby Michael Anthony, VP Sales and Marketing Michael@lensbaby.com M&P Digital Creative Agency Andrea Larson, PR & Marketing andrea@mcmillanphillips.com Company Website https://lensbaby.com/

November 04, 2021 12:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Exchange Listing acts as Advisor to SurgePays, Inc. on its NASDAQ Capital Markets Listing

Exchange Listing

Exchange Listing LLC announced that its client, SurgePays Inc. (OTCQB: SURG), successfully completed its listing to the Nasdaq Capital Markets on November 2, 2021. SurgePays, Inc. is a blockchain fintech company that offers financial services and products for the underbanked population more cost efficiently than traditional distribution models. SurgePays utilizes its proprietary software to distribute its products, including prepaid wireless payments, reloadable debit cards, retail gift cards, subsidized broadband service and consumables to more than 8,000 convenience stores, mini-marts, and bodegas across the United States. Simultaneous with the Nasdaq listing, SurgePays priced an underwritten public offering of 4,600,000 units at a price to the public of $4.30 per unit with gross proceeds of approximately $19.8m. Each unit issued in the offering consists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $4.73. The common stock and warrants are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on November 2, 2021, under the symbols “SURG” and “SURGW,” respectively. SurgePays, Inc. expects to receive gross proceeds of 19.78 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses. Exchange Listing served as advisor to SurgePays on all aspects of the listing including, but not limited to, introduction of the professionals, filing the Nasdaq application and collaborating with legal counsel on the Nasdaq process, and assisting the Company with the corporate governance required for the Nasdaq listing. Maxim Group, LLC acted as the sole book-running manager for the offering. “We brought Exchange Listing on board early in the Nasdaq uplisting process. They provided extraordinary strategic counsel, including the road map which led us to finalize our offering and successfully execute our goal of completing a Nasdaq uplisting,” says Brian Cox, Chairman and CEO, SurgePays. “When we began working with SurgePays in 2019, we were impressed by the growing market potential servicing the underbanked population with new products and increased distribution channels,” says Peter Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer, Exchange Listing. “Our team has enormous respect for and confidence in the experience and strength of the Company’s management.” Goldstein continued. “We worked seamlessly with them and our partners at Maxim and Lucosky Brookman in bringing their listing to the Nasdaq Capital Markets.” Exchange Listing provides companies with cost-effective and efficient direct access to one-stop solutions in the strategic planning and implementation of listing and uplisting on senior exchanges such as the Nasdaq or NYSE. Focusing on company-specific structuring to meet listing requirements, Exchange Listing serves as the primary point of contact with the exchange, investment bankers and lawyers throughout the listing process. With extensive experience in investment banking, securities law, corporate governance and business management, Exchange Listing and its strategic partners facilitate clients' listing and capital markets objectives. About Exchange Listing Exchange Listing provides growth companies with direct access to a one-stop solution in the strategic planning and implementation of listing on a senior exchange such as NASDAQ or NYSE in a cost effective and efficient process. We assist clients in going public whether through an initial public offering, listing from another marketplace, merger or direct offering. We serve as the primary point of contact with the exchange, investment bankers, lawyers and other service providers. Our founders, strategic partners and advisors are entrepreneurs with backgrounds in investment banking, securities law, corporate governance and business management and have served as officers and directors of public and private companies. We pride ourselves in taking a hands-on role with our clients throughout the listing process. For more information, please visit: www.exchangelistingllc.com or contact info@exchangelistingllc.com. Contact Details WantLeverage Communications Julie Livingston +1 347-239-0249 julie@wantleverage.com Company Website https://exchangelistingllc.com/

November 04, 2021 09:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Centerboard Launches Updated Product Offerings via WIN, by Centerboard Technology Platform

Centerboard

Centerboard, the neutral, shipper-centric transportation management solution, is announcing a range of updated solutions to its core platform, WIN, by Centerboard. As the shipping industry navigates challenges presented by disruptions in the supply chain, Centerboard aims to ease shippers’ workload through new technologies that offer a seamless user experience. With these latest updates, shippers of all sizes receive access to modular and flexible solutions powered by real-time data, providing full control over and transparency of their supply chain. “Our business needs are continuously changing as we navigate through the pandemic, shipping delays and driver shortages,” said Nicolas Adam, Executive Vice President at Margarine Thibault. “With the various new features offered on WIN, by Centerboard we’ve been able to navigate all of these challenges while improving our processes, enabling our team to make better shipping decisions and ultimately save time and money.” New features now live in WIN, by Centerboard include: Advanced Shipment Notifications on all order tracking messages, helping to improve efficiency, accuracy and flexibility. Tracking Message on Behalf of Carriers helping to communicate shipping updates in real-time. Activity Tab Added on Order Screen to customize specific items related to an order, ultimately saving time. Added Custom Fields including date and timestamp, helping users to improve their billing process. Tender Response Reminders, including scheduled, automated messages reducing the need for shippers to manually contact carriers. Pallet Labels to auto-generate the paperwork that shippers had to manually create. Pro Sticker Image on BOL, adding greater clarity to the shipping experience by giving the client and carrier a convenient document for real-time tracking. “Centerboard’s best-in-class technology team is powered by 30 years of supply chain expertise and we understand what shippers need most. We’re focused on providing shippers with solutions that are backed with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities enabling more cost-effective, efficient and sustainable programs,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at Centerboard. “It’s important that current and future technology features are nimble and flexible in order to support changing architectures. Centerboard gives shippers control by integrating with their existing and emerging technologies.” To learn more about Centerboard and the new solutions offered through WIN, by Centerboard, Visit www.centerboard.com. About Centerboard Centerboard is a neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management platform supplying shippers with access to a wide range of affordable features needed to take control of operations. Centerboard unlocks business opportunities for shippers, carriers and supply chain stakeholders, through leveraging real-time data. Centerboard is out to make the supply chain more sustainable and efficient to ensure less waste and significant carbon reduction with every trip. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Centerboard Kite Hill PR centerboard@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.centerboard.com/

November 04, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Foxquilt Announces U.S. Expansion

Foxquilt

Foxquilt, a leading North American insurtech company focused on empowering small business owners with customized insurance products uniquely matched to their needs, today announced that its commercial insurance offerings will be available to small business owners in the U.S. for the first time. Launching initially in 45 states, and available nationwide in Canada, the insurtech will ensure that business owners across North America are able to take advantage of its unique insurance offerings and services. In addition, Foxquilt is also announcing a streamlined suite of online insurance options for contractors in Canada. With the geographic and product expansions, Foxquilt is transforming the insurance industry with offerings spanning direct to consumer, along with embedded insurance solutions for larger B2B enterprises and marketplaces - all with a digital-first approach. Through the Foxquilt platform, small business owners, now including contractors, are able to customize their business insurance policies in real time through its intuitive technology-first solution. Foxquilt provides a quick and easy way to create an entirely customized policy online, allowing them to spend less time on their insurance so they can start working on projects sooner. Contractors can also receive their Certificates of Insurance with Foxquilt instantly. This allows contractors to get on the jobsite and start projects faster without having to wait for a broker - saving hours, and even days, of time. “Fresh on the heels of our Series A funding round we are thrilled to show small business owners how we are putting the capital to use in changing how insurance is purchased, not just in Canada, but in the U.S. as well,” said Mark Morissette, CEO and Co-Founder of Foxquilt. “Through our innovative platform and suite of customized products, our mission is to emancipate the small business owner. Whether you are a locksmith or a plumber, we afford each business owner the freedom to build a modular product unique to the needs of their business, saving time and money.” The pandemic has sparked a wave of digital transformation across the business insurance industry, which has historically been inadequate in supporting the work of 21st century business owners, ultimately leading to loss in revenue and hours of time wasted. The company is committed to building technology that empowers small business owners, enabling them to have more control of their insurance buying experience, instead of being restricted to long wait times, extensive paperwork and a lack of autonomy. Foxquilt’s business insurance, which is available completely online 24/7, was specifically built to support business owner’s entire insurance journeys online, while providing a tailored, customized product. The platform is complemented by a unique data and machine learning underwriting infrastructure, that suggests coverages based on a user’s individual profile and specific needs. As the first company to provide business insurance entirely online in Canada, Foxquilt allows small business owners in over 400 professions to quote, buy and instantly receive their business insurance efficiently and more cost-effectively than other solutions available in the marketplace. Excitingly, this current expansion is one of many growth opportunities planned for Foxquilt as they’re continuously adding coverages, professions and geographic areas to their forecast. About Foxquilt: Foxquilt is a leading North American Insurance technology company focused on providing small businesses insurance. Foxquilt develops, underwrites and distributes a complete line of its own commercial insurance products in the United States and Canada. The company uses a combination of data analytics and artificial intelligence to recommend the best insurance coverage and price to meet the individual needs of its small business customers. For more information, visit https://www.foxquilt.com Contact Details N6A for Foxquilt pr@foxquilt.com Company Website https://www.foxquilt.com

November 04, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

CSG Systems International Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results

CSG

Reconfirming All 2021 Financial Guidance Targets; Preliminary 2022 Targets Announced Robust Q3 2021 Revenue & Adjusted Revenue Growth Up 7.8% and 8.5% Year-Over-Year Signed Landmark Charter Communications Contract Extension and Expansion through 2027 Successful Conversion of ~800,000 Charter Communications Customers in Midwest Signed DISH Network Contract Extension Through Mid-2026 CSG (NASDAQ: CSGS) today reported results for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Financial Results: Third quarter 2021 financial results: Total revenue was $263.2 million and total non-GAAP adjusted revenue was $247.0 million. GAAP operating income was $32.8 million, or 12.4% of total revenue, and non-GAAP operating income was $41.6 million, or 16.8% of non-GAAP adjusted revenue. GAAP earnings per diluted share (EPS) was $0.50 and non-GAAP EPS was $0.88. Cash flows used in operations were $46.1 million, with a non-GAAP free cash flow of $38.7 million. Shareholder Returns: In August 2021, CSG declared its quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock, or a total of approximately $8 million, to shareholders. During the third quarter of 2021, CSG repurchased under its stock repurchase program, approximately 143,000 shares of its common stock for approximately $7 million. Business Activities: In September 2021, CSG refinanced its existing credit agreement, extending the term of the agreement through September 2026, and increasing the revolving credit facility from $200 million to $450 million. In October 2021, CSG extended its contract with Charter, its largest client, through December 31, 2027. In October 2021, CSG extended its contract with DISH through June 30, 2026. “Our third quarter results and the landmark Charter contract expansion highlight the excellent momentum we currently have across our global business,” said Brian Shepherd, President and Chief Executive Officer of CSG. “With regards to the six-year Charter contract, which represents the largest deal ever signed in CSG’s history, we are extremely proud to become the revenue management provider of choice for all 32 million Charter subscribers across their residential and small-and-medium-sized business footprints. Additionally, we reported a robust set of financial results highlighted by our best quarterly organic revenue and adjusted revenue growth results since Q3 2010. And on the back of our strong year-to-date 2021 results, our continued sales success in the market, and the exciting renewals at both Charter and DISH Network, we are pleased to issue growth-oriented 2022 preliminary financial guidance targets. Looking ahead, CSG remains well positioned to create meaningful value for our customers, our employees and our shareholders as we lengthen and strengthen our relationships with existing customers, accelerate our organic revenue growth, close good new strategic acquisitions, and diversify into higher growth industry verticals.” Financial Overview (unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages): For additional information and reconciliations regarding CSG’s use of non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the attached Exhibit 2 and the Investor Relations section of CSG’s website at csgi.com. Results of Operations GAAP Results: Total revenue for the third quarter of 2021 was $263.2 million, a 7.8% increase when compared to revenue of $244.1 million for the third quarter of 2020, and a 3.2% increase when compared to revenue of $255.1 million for the second quarter of 2021. These increases in revenue can be primarily attributed to the continued growth of CSG’s revenue management solutions, as substantially all was attributed to organic growth year-over-year. GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2021 was $32.8 million, or 12.4% of total revenue, compared to $28.9 million, or 11.9% of total revenue, for the third quarter of 2020, and $32.2 million, or 12.6% of total revenue, for the second quarter of 2021. The increase in year-over-year operating income can be primarily attributed to the revenue growth in 2021. GAAP EPS for the third quarter of 2021 was $0.50, as compared to $0.42 for the third quarter of 2020, and $0.60 for the second quarter of 2021. GAAP EPS for the third quarter of 2021 was impacted by a $6.2 million loss, or $0.14 per share, recorded on obtaining a controlling interest in a pre-existing equity investment. Non-GAAP Results: Non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the third quarter of 2021 was $247.0 million, an 8.5% increase when compared to non-GAAP adjusted revenue of $227.7 million for the third quarter of 2020, and a 3.6% increase when compared to $238.5 million for the second quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2021 was $41.6 million, or 16.8% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue, compared to $39.1 million, or 17.2% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the third quarter of 2020, and $39.8 million, or 16.7% of total non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the second quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP EPS for the third quarter of 2021 was $0.88 compared to $0.76 for the third quarter of 2020, and $0.82 for the second quarter of 2021. The changes in non-GAAP adjusted revenue and non-GAAP operating income between quarters are primarily due to the factors discussed above. Balance Sheet and Cash Flows Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of September 30, 2021 were $224.5 million compared to $212.1 million as of June 30, 2021 and $240.3 million as of December 31, 2020. CSG had net cash flows from operations for the third quarters ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 of $46.1 million and $65.3 million, respectively, and had non-GAAP free cash flow of $38.7 million and $55.4 million, respectively. Summary of Financial Guidance CSG is reaffirming its financial guidance for the full year 2021 and providing a preliminary financial outlook for certain full year 2022 financial measures, as follows: For additional information and reconciliations regarding CSG’s use of non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the attached Exhibit 2 and the Investor Relations section of CSG’s website at csgi.com. Conference Call CSG will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET, to discuss CSG’s third quarter 2021 earnings results. The call will be carried live and archived on the Internet. A link to the conference call is available at http://ir.csgi.com. In addition, to reach the conference by phone, call 1-888-440-4531 and use the passcode 6134021. Additional Information For information about CSG, please visit CSG’s web site at csgi.com. Additional information can be found in the Investor Relations section of the website. About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For nearly 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that are based on assumptions about a number of important factors and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what appears in this news release. Some of these key factors include, but are not limited to the following items: • CSG’s business may be disrupted, and its results of operations and cash flows adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; • CSG derives over forty percent of its revenue from its two largest customers; • Continued market acceptance of CSG’s products and services; • CSG’s ability to continuously develop and enhance products in a timely, cost-effective, technically advanced and competitive manner; • CSG’s ability to deliver its solutions in a timely fashion within budget, particularly large and complex software implementations; • CSG’s dependency on the global telecommunications industry, and in particular, the North American telecommunications industry; • CSG’s ability to meet its financial expectations; • Increasing competition in CSG’s market from companies of greater size and with broader presence; • CSG’s ability to successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses or assets to achieve expected strategic, operating and financial goals; • CSG’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; • CSG’s ability to maintain a reliable, secure computing environment; • CSG’s ability to conduct business in the international marketplace; • CSG’s ability to comply with applicable U.S. and International laws and regulations; and • Fluctuations in credit market conditions, general global economic and political conditions, and foreign currency exchange rates. This list is not exhaustive, and readers are encouraged to review the additional risks and important factors described in CSG’s reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and other filings made with the SEC. For more information, contact: John Rea, Investor Relations (210) 687-4409 E-mail: john.rea@csgi.com CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS-UNAUDITED (in thousands) CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME-UNAUDITED (in thousands, except per share amounts) CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS-UNAUDITED (in thousands) Beginning with the second quarter of 2021, CSG reclassified certain cash flows related to settlement and merchant reserve assets and liabilities from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from financing activities within the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. EXHIBIT 1 CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE ANALYSIS Revenue by Significant Customers: 10% or more of Revenue Revenue by Vertical Revenue by Geography EXHIBIT 2 CSG SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC. DISCLOSURES FOR NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Limitations To supplement its condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), CSG uses non-GAAP adjusted revenue, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP adjusted operating margin percentage, non-GAAP EPS, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, and non-GAAP free cash flow. CSG believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when reviewed in conjunction with its GAAP financial measures, provide investors with greater transparency to the information used by CSG’s management in its financial and operational decision making. CSG uses these non-GAAP financial measures for the following purposes: • Certain internal financial planning, reporting, and analysis; • Forecasting and budgeting; • Certain management compensation incentives; and • Communications with CSG’s Board of Directors, stockholders, financial analysts, and investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided with the intent of providing investors with the following information: • A more complete understanding of CSG’s underlying operational results, trends, and cash generating capabilities; • Consistency and comparability with CSG’s historical financial results; and • Comparability to similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. Non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of performance under GAAP, and therefore should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financial information. Limitations with the use of non-GAAP financial measures include the following items: • Non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles; • The way in which CSG calculates non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the way in which other companies calculate similar non-GAAP financial measures; • Non-GAAP financial measures do not include all items of income and expense that affect CSG’s operations and that are required by GAAP to be included in financial statements; • Certain adjustments to CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures result in the exclusion of items that are recurring and will be reflected in CSG’s financial statements in future periods; and • Certain charges excluded from CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures are cash expenses, and therefore do impact CSG’s cash position. CSG compensates for these limitations by relying primarily on its GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures as a supplement only. Additionally, CSG provides specific information regarding the treatment of GAAP amounts considered in preparing the non-GAAP financial measures and reconciles each n on-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Basis of Presentation The table below outlines the exclusions from CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures: CSG believes that excluding certain items in calculating its non-GAAP financial measures provides meaningful supplemental information regarding CSG’s performance and these items are excluded for the following reasons: Transaction fees are primarily comprised of interchange and other payment-related fees paid, in conjunction with the delivery of service to customers under CSG’s payment services contracts, to third-party payment processors and financial institutions by CSG. Because CSG controls the integrated service provided under its payment services customer contracts, these transaction fees are presented gross, and not netted against revenue; however, other payments companies who do not provide and/or control an integrated service present their revenue net of transaction fees. The exclusion of these fees in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP adjusted revenue provides management and investors an additional means to use to compare CSG’s current revenue with historical and future periods, as well as with other payments companies. Restructuring and reorganization charges are expenses that result from cost reduction initiatives and/or significant changes to CSG’s business, to include such things as involuntary employee terminations, changes in management structure, divestitures of businesses, facility consolidations and abandonments, and fundamental reorganizations impacting operational focus and direction. These charges are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The exclusion of these items in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. Executive transition costs include expenses incurred related to a departure of a CSG executive officer under the terms of the related separation agreement. These types of costs are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The exclusion of these costs in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. • Acquisition-related expenses include amortization of acquired intangible assets, earn-out compensation, and transaction-related costs. Transaction-related costs, which typically include expenses related to legal, accounting, and other professional services, are direct and incremental expenses related to business acquisitions, and thus, are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. The total amount of acquisition-related expenses can vary significantly between periods based on the number and size of acquisition activities, previously acquired intangible assets becoming fully amortized, and ultimate realization of earn-out compensation. In addition, the timing of these expenses may not directly correlate with underlying performance of the CSG’s operations. Therefore, the exclusion of acquisition-related expenses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. • Stock-based compensation results from CSG’s issuance of equity awards to its employees under incentive compensation programs. The amount of this incentive compensation in any period is not generally linked to the level of performance by employees or CSG. The exclusion of these expenses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to evaluate the non-cash expense related to compensation included in CSG’s results of operations, and therefore, the exclusion of this item allows investors to further evaluate the cash generating capabilities of CSG’s business. • The convertible notes OID is the result of allocating a portion of the principal balance of the debt at issuance to the equity component of the instrument, as required under current accounting rules. This OID is then amortized to interest expense over the life of the respective convertible debt instrument. The interest expense related to the amortization of the OID is a non-cash expense, and therefore, the exclusion of this item allows investors to further evaluate the cash interest costs of CSG’s convertible notes for cash flow, liquidity, and debt service purposes. Gains and losses related to the extinguishment of debt are a result of the refinancing of CSG’s credit agreement and/or repurchase of CSG’s convertible notes. These activities are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. Any resulting gain or loss is generally non-cash income or expense, and therefore, the exclusion of these items allows investors to further evaluate the cash impact of these activities for cash flow and liquidity purposes. In addition, the exclusion of these gains and losses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP EPS allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current operating results with historical and future periods. Gains or losses related to the acquisition or disposition of certain of CSG’s business activities are not considered reflective of CSG’s recurring business operating results. Any resulting gain or loss is generally non-cash income or expense, and therefore, the exclusion of these items allows investors to further evaluate the cash impact of these activities for cash flow and liquidity purposes. In addition, the exclusion of these gains and losses in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP EPS allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current operating results with historical and future periods. Unusual items within CSG’s quarterly and/or annual income tax expense can occur from such things as income tax accounting timing matters, income taxes related to unusual events, or as a result of different treatment of certain items for book accounting and income tax purposes. Consideration of such items in calculating CSG’s non-GAAP financial measures allows management and investors an additional means to compare CSG’s current financial results with historical and future periods. CSG also reports non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP free cash flow. Management believes non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA is a useful measure to investors in evaluating CSG’s operating performance, debt servicing capabilities, and enterprise valuation. CSG defines non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA as income before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, foreign currency transaction adjustments, acquisition-related expenses, and unusual items, such as restructuring and reorganization charges, executive transition costs, gains and losses related to the extinguishment of debt, and gains and losses on acquisitions or dispositions, as discussed above. Additionally, management uses non-GAAP free cash flow, among other measures, to assess its financial performance and cash generating capabilities, and believes that it is useful to investors because it shows CSG’s cash available to service debt, make strategic acquisitions and investments, repurchase its common stock, pay cash dividends, and fund ongoing operations. CSG defines non-GAAP free cash flow as net cash flows from operating activities less the purchases of software, property and equipment. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Non-GAAP Adjusted Revenue: The reconciliations of GAAP revenue to non-GAAP adjusted revenue for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands): Non-GAAP Operating Income: The reconciliations of GAAP operating income to non-GAAP operating income for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands, except percentages): (1) Stock-based compensation included in the tables above and following excludes amounts that have been recorded in restructuring and reorganization charges. Non-GAAP EPS: The reconciliations of GAAP EPS to non-GAAP EPS for the indicated periods are as follows (in thousands, except per share amounts): (2) During the third quarter of 2021, CSG acquired a controlling interest in a mobile money fintech payment company that it previously held only an equity interest in. Upon acquisition of the controlling interest, CSG recognized a non-cash loss in other income (expense) related to the fair value remeasurement of the pre-existing equity investment. (3) For the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2021 the GAAP effective income tax rate was approximately 28% for both periods, and the non-GAAP effective income tax rate was approximately 27% for both periods. For the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2020 the GAAP effective income tax rates were approximately 40% and 31%, respectively, and the non-GAAP effective income tax rate was approximately 27% for both periods. The difference between the GAAP and non-GAAP effective income tax rates was due primarily to the unfavorable GAAP basis tax impact related to the separation agreement entered into during the third quarter of 2020 with CSG’s then CEO. (4) The outstanding diluted shares for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were 32.0 million and 32.3 million for both periods, respectively. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA measure to GAAP net income is provided below for the indicated periods (in thousands, except percentages): (5) Interest expense includes amortization of deferred financing costs as provided in Note 5 below. (6) Amortization on the statement of cash flows is made up of the following items for the indicated periods (in thousands): (7) Included in interest and investment income and other, net is the $6.2 million loss on acquisition of controlling interest, discussed above. Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow: CSG’s calculation of non-GAAP free cash flow and the reconciliation of CSG’s non-GAAP free cash flow measure to cash flows from operating activities are provided below for the indicated periods (in thousands): Non-GAAP Financial Measures – 2021 Financial Guidance Refer to the “Non-GAAP Financial Measures – 2021 Financial Guidance” in Exhibit 2 to CSG’s earnings release dated August 4, 2021, which can be found on the Investor Relations page of CSG’s website at csgi.com for the reconciliation of our 2021 financial guidance. Non-GAAP Financial Measures – 2022 Preliminary Financial Outlook Non-GAAP Adjusted Revenue: The reconciliation of GAAP revenue to non-GAAP adjusted revenue, as included in CSG’s 2022 full year preliminary financial outlook, is as follows: Contact Details CSG John Rea +1 210-687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

November 03, 2021 02:05 PM Mountain Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

CSG selected by Charter as Billing Solution Provider of Choice for Residential and Small and Medium Business Internet, Video and Voice Customers

CSG

CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS), the leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions, today announced a six-year contract renewal and extension with Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR). The deal marks a milestone in the nearly 25-year relationship as CSG’s revenue management platform becomes Charter’s billing solution of choice for its residential and small and medium business internet, video and landline voice customers. “CSG’s partnership, willingness to innovate at the speed of our business, and operational reliability align well with how we operate,” said Cliff Hagan, executive vice president of customer operations, Charter Communications. “Our number one goal is to deliver the best experience for our customers, while also providing the best tools for our employees. CSG’s platform helps make both a reality.” “CSG’s unwavering commitment to put our customers first and deliver results are what earned us the right to do more for Charter and become their provider of choice,” said Ken Kennedy, COO and president of revenue management, CSG. “This renewal is a testament to the dedication of our collective teams, who worked side-by-side, day in and day out to help bring Charter’s innovative products and meaningful experiences to its customers. CSG is proud and humbled by Charter’s continued confidence in us to serve and transform its business. We will keep investing in our people and solutions to deliver agile, game-changing technologies that ensure Charter and other leading brands are poised and ready for future growth.” CSG is a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for its Revenue and Customer Management solutions, which help companies around the world digitally transform their business to monetize and enable exceptional customer experiences. Through this transformation process, CSG empowers companies to focus on core business functions, reduce costs, and increase the reliability, scalability, security, and overall performance of their business and network operations to drive new revenues. For more information on CSG revenue management, visit https://www.csgi.com/capabilities/revenue-and-customer-management/. # # # About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For nearly 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready solutions that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Charter Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 31 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice. For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach® delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage, sports and high-quality original programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks and Spectrum Originals. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com. Copyright © 2021 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names that are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved. Contacts: Tammy Hovey Public Relations +1 (917) 520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details CSG Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

November 03, 2021 02:01 PM Mountain Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Symphony showcases front office, operations, and wealth workflows at Innovate 2021

Symphony Communication Services

Symphony - the leading markets’ technology and infrastructure platform - showcased front office, operations, and wealth workflows that are solving for markets industry challenges in its flagship conference Innovate 2021, held yesterday in New York City. Symphony showcased for the first time how its secure and compliant collaboration platform is integrating the technology of the two companies it acquired earlier this year: StreetLinx’s counterparty mapping platform and Cloud9’s markets voice and electronic communication platform into one powerful inter-firm workflow. Symphony CEO Brad Levy said: “Harnessing networks and connecting with purpose has never been more important. This year’s Innovate gave us the opportunity to highlight how we can help bridge this gap across workflows and client segments, bringing finance and tech together for the benefit of users, clients and counterparties.” The hundreds of financial professionals that joined the day’s sessions in person and online learned about the innovation and digital transformation taking place across markets directly from Symphony partners, customers, developers and innovators. Innovate 2021’s highlights included discussion panels with industry leaders and live demonstrations of Symphony’s platform and partnerships. Chief product officer Michael Lynch added: “We were thrilled to showcase such a diverse set of innovations, all meant to help our customers be more connected and efficient—moving beyond legacy disparate systems into a holistic ecosystem of interoperability and collaboration.” Videos from all the sessions will be posted on innnovate.symphony.com. About Symphony Symphony is the most secure and compliant markets’ infrastructure and technology platform, where solutions are built or integrated to standardize, automate and innovate financial services workflows. It is a vibrant community of over half a million financial professionals with a trusted directory and serves over 1000 institutions. Symphony is powering over 2,000 community built applications and bots. For more information, visit www.symphony.com. Contact Details Symphony Communication Services Odette Maher +44 7747 420807 odette.maher@symphony.com Company Website https://symphony.com/

November 03, 2021 03:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time

1 ... 499500501502503 ... 595