Category: Business

Categories
Business Culture Healthcare

Bayer and Luke Bryan continue partnership to celebrate America’s Farmers and fight hunger with #HeresToTheFarmer campaign

Kroger Joins Campaign; Teams up with Bayer to Launch First-Ever Farm Tour 2022 Sweepstakes, In-Store Displays and More


Bayer Returns to Five-Time Entertainer of the Year’s Annual Farm Tour as Presenting Sponsor; Together with Kroger Asks Fans to Share #HeresToTheFarmer Hashtag on Social Media to Support Feeding America®, the Nation’s Largest Domestic Hunger-Relief Organization

 

WHIPPANY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Bayer today announced it is renewing its multi-year partnership with five-time entertainer of the year Luke Bryan, joining his 2022 Farm Tour as presenting sponsor and continuing their Here’s to the Farmer campaign celebrating America’s farmers and fighting hunger. New this year, Kroger, America’s largest grocer, joins the campaign offering the first-ever Farm Tour 2022 sweepstakes, giving fans across the country the chance to win a Luke Bryan VIP experience, tickets, swag and more. Together Bayer, Kroger and Luke Bryan are encouraging fans to share the hashtag #HeresToTheFarmer on their social media channels. Now through October 31, 2022, for every share, Bayer will help provide one meal* through the Feeding America network, up to 1 million meals to communities in need.*

 

The son of a peanut farmer from Georgia, Bryan launched his Farm Tour in 2009 to highlight and celebrate the contributions of America’s farmers. The Georgia native will set up stages in the fields of local farmers across six states this September 15-24, with tickets now on sale at LukeBryan.com.

 

“I grew up around farming and know the tough work, passion, and grit you need to be an American farmer,” said Luke Bryan. “They play an incredibly important role in all our lives. That’s why I’m excited to again team up with my friends at Bayer to say ‘Here’s to the Farmer’ and give thanks for the work they do to make sure we all have food on the table, and give back to communities around the country.”

 

In 2015, Bayer partnered with Luke Bryan and launched its campaign to thank farmers and help fight hunger throughout the country.

 

“We are excited to continue our commitment to this important campaign and partnership with Luke Bryan and recognize the hard work and dedication from U.S. farmers to feed America and the world,” said Beth Roden, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Communications for Bayer U.S. “#HerestotheFarmer reinforces the vital role that farmers and food banks play in addressing food insecurity by feeding people in need in the U.S. – especially in rural communities. Through Bayer’s vision of Health for All, Hunger for None, and together, with Kroger, we’re striving to raise even more awareness of the critical issue of food insecurity and ensure more Americans have access to healthy food, all while thanking the ones who work so hard to provide for us.”

 

As one of the founding members of Feeding America, the Kroger Family of Companies are proud to collaborate with Bayer and Luke Bryan as they help provide meals to families across the U.S. As part of the #HerestotheFarmer campaign, Kroger will feature in-store signage and the first-ever Farm Tour Sweepstakes. The contest gives fans the chance to win one Grand Prize Luke Bryan VIP experience that includes two VIP tickets to a select Luke Bryan Farm Tour concert, a 3-day/2-night hotel stay, round-trip flights and more. In addition, 100 lucky secondary prize winners will receive Luke Bryan Farm Tour items including branded t-shirts, swag, autographed hats, photos and more.

 

“At Kroger, we believe Fresh starts with farmers. Farmers play a key role in keeping the freshest products on our shelves,” said Dan De La Rosa, Group Vice President, Fresh Merchandising, for Kroger. “That’s why we work with farmers who grow only the best to source locally and bring customers better, fresher options time and again. We’re honored to share our appreciation for farmers during the Luke Bryan Farm Tour, and we applaud Bayer’s support for the Feeding America network of food banks, who help people facing hunger every day. Aligned with Kroger’s commitment to creating a world with Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, we are excited to see Bayer and Luke Bryan shining a light on equitable food access during their #HerestotheFarmer tour.”

 

From now through July 2022, fans can go to www.herestothefarmersweepstakes.com and complete the online entry form by providing their email address. Once registered, they will automatically receive one entry in the sweepstakes. The grand prize winner and secondary prize winners will be selected in July 2022.

 

Since the inception of the #HerestotheFarmer campaign and partnership, nearly 5 million meals have been provided to Feeding America and more than $180,000 has been donated to Feeding America member food banks and local farmers at each of the tour cities.

 

“No one should have to worry about where they will find their next meal, but more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, face hunger in America. We are thankful to Luke Bryan, Bayer and Kroger for raising awareness of this issue and for their commitment to helping neighbors in need,” said Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “Through the Here’s to the Farmer campaign, we hope people across the country will join together, contribute and help fight hunger in their communities.”

 

To learn more about Bayer’s Here’s To The Farmer campaign visit go.bayer.com/herestothefarmer.

 

Dates and locations for the tour include:

FARM TOUR 2022

9/15 Monroeville, IN – Highland Farms

9/16 Mechanicsburg, OH – SpringFork Farms

9/17 Fowlerville, MI – Kubiak Family Farms

9/22 Murdock, NE – Stock Hay & Grain Farm

9/23 Boone, IA – Ziel Farm

9/24 Eyota, MN – Gar-Lin Dairy

 

For details on show locations and tickets, visit http://www.lukebryan.com/farm-tour.

 

*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks. From 06/15/2022 to 10/31/2022, Bayer guarantees the financial equivalent of up to 1,000,000 meals ($100,000) in conjunction with the promotion.

 

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.us or visit us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

About Luke Bryan

Since his debut, Bryan has garnered 29 No. 1 hits and has more RIAA certified digital singles than any other Country artist with 68.5 million. His worldwide global streams are 17.2 billion and he has sold nearly 13 million albums. His headline concert tours have played sold-out shows for 12 million fans inclusive of 36 stadium concerts, Farm Tours, Spring Break shows, and seven sold-out ‘Crash My Playa’ destination concert events. He launched his “Raised Up Right Tour” last week. Bryan has won over 50 major music awards including five wins as Entertainer of the Year. His third and most recent Entertainer win was awarded by the Academy of Country Music in 2021. Additional awards include six recognitions as a CMT Artist of the Year, NSAI Artist/Songwriter of the Year, the first-ever recipient of the ACM Album of the Decade Award for Crash My Party, seven CMT Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, and four American Music Awards—as well as being named Billboard’s Top Country Artist of the 2010s, the Most Heard Artist of the Decade by Country Aircheck, and the Artist Humanitarian Recipient by the Country Radio Broadcasters last year. Luke, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie just wrapped their fifth season as celebrity judges on ABC’s American Idol.

 

On June 9, Luke kicked off his “Raised Up Right Tour” scheduled to run through October with opening guests Riley Green, Mitchell Tenpenny and DJ Rock. Visit LukeBryan.com, and connect with him on his social channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

 

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

 

About Kroger

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site. Visit Kroger on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

Contacts

Nicole Hayes

Bayer U.S.

nicole.hayes@bayer.com
201-421-5268

Brian Leake

Bayer U.S. Crop Science

brian.leake@bayer.com
314-370-3285

Categories
Business Healthcare Lifestyle

Perion announces Neutronian’s Study of over 110 campaigns demonstrates 2X CTR Lift by using SORTTM targeting technology over traditional third-party cookies

Data confirmed by Stop & Shop demonstrated that SORT significantly contributed to a 33% lift in in-store visits

 

TEL AVIV, Israel & NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Perion Network Ltd. (NASDAQ: PERI) (TASE: PERI) a global advertising technology company that delivers holistic solutions across the three main pillars of digital advertising – ad search, social media and display / video / CTV advertising – and Neutronian, the independent certification platform that brings quality and trust to the marketing ecosystem – today announced the results of a rigorous data review and analysis of 110 campaigns using SORTTM technology.

The side-by-side analysis of over 110 campaigns found that SORTTM consistently outperformed third-party cookies, while protecting consumer privacy and providing total anonymity by not tracking or storing user data. All SORTTM campaigns displayed the “SORT Seal”, a badge of verification allowing brands to signal their respect of user privacy, so that users can instantly determine which ad is “safe to click.”

 

The innovative grocer Stop & Shop, a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, conducted their own side-by-side comparative analysis. “Going into 2022, Stop & Shop wanted to ensure that we were ready for the cookieless future by working with partners that were putting both privacy and innovation first. SORTTM checked all the boxes. We were able to run it alongside our traditional targeting methods, it was scalable across our geo-specific campaigns, it was so easy to activate and best of all, we are seeing it significantly outperform our third-party cookie-based tactics. We now feel confident that when cookies truly are a thing of the past, we are fully prepared!”, said Shoshana Przybylinkski, Media Director, AMP Agency, the agency for Stop & Shop.

 

Unlike cookie-free solutions that continue to compile user data, SORTTM targets consumers based on the behaviors they exhibit at the time of an advertising encounter – without utilizing their personal identities – through real-time data signals gathered when a user lands on any page in its network.

 

“In the past, marketers faced a tough choice between privacy and performance, with the latter meaning compromise on return on advertising spend (ROAS),” said Doron Gerstel, CEO of Perion. “SORTTM is a paradigm shift that combines privacy, performance and profits. The analysis of real-time behavior – which changes as emotions, desires, and context are in constant motion – means that we don’t use often misleading historical data to drive automation. We expect to significantly increase the number of SORTTM-Based campaigns by the end of the year as more and more marketers seek our innovative platform.”

 

“Perion asked us to provide an objective, no-punches-pulled analysis of SORTTM, and we did exactly that” said Timur Yarnall, CEO of Neutronian. “SORTTM significantly outperformed traditional third-party cookies. The lifts were at their highest level when SORTTM was paired with Undertone’s high impact formats. SORTTM is a scalable, cookieless solution capable of delivering powerful results. As companies prepare for the deprecation of third-party cookies, I believe that marketers will benefit from evaluating SORTTM as a core solution to achieving campaign performance in a cookieless world.”

 

The superior performance of SORTTM over third-party cookies is shown in the following data for Q1 2022 Undertone campaigns and verified by Neutronian:

 

Format

Targeting Tactic

Impressions

Clicks

CTR

Lift

Page Grabber

SORT™

30,463,379

1,498,711

4.92%

Over 2X Increase (117% Lift)

Page Grabber

Third-Party Cookie-Based

11,854,357

268,898

2.27%

 

SORTTM -based campaigns for consumer-focused categories such as consumer goods, utilities and technology, had the greatest increases in display CTR. Importantly, SORTTM and Undertone’s high impact solutions can be readily implemented across all platforms, screens, and devices; no integrations are needed.

 

Find more information on SORTTM visit Perion’s website here.

 

About Perion Network Ltd.

Perion (Nasdaq: PERI) is a global technology company that delivers holistic strategic business solutions that enable brands and advertisers to efficiently “Capture and Convince” users across multiple platforms and channels, including interactive connected television – or iCTV. Perion achieves this through its Synchronized Digital Branding capabilities, which are focused on high impact creative; content monetization; its branded search network, in partnership with Microsoft Bing; and social media management that orchestrates and optimizes paid advertising. This diversification positions Perion for growth as budgets shift across categories.

 

About SORTTM

SORTTM, or Smart Optimization of Responsive Traits, is a technology outcome of Perion’s investment in its “Intelligent HUB” – a platform for pulling in signals across all advertising channels and optimizing traffic at scale, yielding superior engagement metrics and KPIs. SORT is being offered by Undertone, a Perion company and the leader in data-driven, intelligent high impact campaigns. The multi-dimensional targeting technology identifies otherwise unrecognized similarities between users and creates different groups – which is the “Responsive Traits” component of the platform.

 

About Neutronian

Neutronian is a SaaS company providing the industry’s most comprehensive independent data certification. Offering a quality and compliance “credit score” of MarTech data, Neutronian brings much-needed clarity and trust to the ecosystem. Their comprehensive definition of data quality includes more than just performance and accuracy – it includes everything that a marketer or brand needs to know about a dataset before using it. Neutronian’s thorough approach to data certification provides marketers and brands with the transparency they need to make data-driven marketing decisions. High-quality, privacy-compliant data providers can be rewarded for their efforts via faster sales cycles and increased trust from customers by acquiring a Neutronian certification. For more information, please visit neutronian.com

 

About Undertone

Undertone creates memorable ad experiences by thoughtfully orchestrating solutions across video, advanced TV, rich media, and social, to drive unmatched brand lift and audience engagement on virtually every screen, and every device. Their award-winning creative team uses the company’s 20 years of experience, and billions of impressions worth of data to intelligently craft campaigns that can drive full-funnel KPIs while making meaningful connections with the 200M+ unique users they can reach every month. Undertone brings the art and science of advertising together to intelligently craft campaigns that uplift consumers, brands, and publishers alike. Visit undertone.com to learn more.

 

About Stop & Shop

A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, Stop & Shop offers a wide assortment with a focus on fresh, healthy options at a great value. Stop & Shop’s GO Rewards loyalty program delivers personalized offers and allows customers to earn points that can be redeemed for gas or groceries every time they shop. Stop & Shop customers can choose how and where they want to shop – whether in-store or online for delivery or same day pickup. The company is committed to making an impact in its communities by fighting hunger, supporting our troops, and investing in pediatric cancer research to help find a cure. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize USA Company and employs 58,000 associates and operates more than 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit our website here.

 

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains historical information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the business, financial condition and results of operations of Perion. The words “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “should” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and our preliminary results also constitute forward looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views, assumptions and expectations of Perion with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Perion to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, or financial information, including, among others, the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of companies and businesses we acquired and may acquire in the future, risks entailed in integrating the companies and businesses we acquire, including employee retention and customer acceptance; the risk that such transactions will divert management and other resources from the ongoing operations of the business or otherwise disrupt the conduct of those businesses, potential litigation associated with such transactions, and general risks associated with the business of Perion including intense and frequent changes in the markets in which the businesses operate and in general economic and business conditions, loss of key customers, unpredictable sales cycles, competitive pressures, market acceptance of new products, inability to meet efficiency and cost reduction objectives, changes in business strategy and various other factors, whether referenced or not referenced in this press release. Various other risks and uncertainties may affect Perion and its results of operations, as described in reports filed by Perion with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC on March 16, 2022. Perion does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

 

Contacts

Dudi Musler

VP Investor Relations

+972 54 787 6785

dudim@perion.com

Categories
Business

AM Best affirms credit ratings of members of Farmers Insurance Group

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance—AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a” (Excellent) of the members of Farmers Insurance Group (Farmers). At the same time, AM Best has affirmed the Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Long-Term IR) of “bbb+” (Good) on the outstanding surplus notes of Farmers Insurance Exchange (Woodland Hills, CA) and Farmers Exchange Capital (Wilmington, DE). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. (Please see link below for a detailed listing of the companies and ratings.)

The ratings of Farmers reflect the group’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. Farmers continues to deliver adequate operating results with some volatility related to exposure to catastrophe losses. The management has implemented considerable measures to enhance its underwriting performance through targeted pricing actions and risk-mitigation strategies, revised product offerings and strengthening of underwriting controls. In addition, AM Best believes the acquisition of MetLife’s property/casualty operations will be a significant contributor to underwriting profitability going forward. Partially offsetting these strengths is Farmers’ high exposure to catastrophe losses and reliance on over $2 billion of surplus notes.

 

A complete listing of Farmers’ FSRs, Long-Term ICRs and Long-Term IRs is available.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Contacts

Edin Imsirovic
Associate Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5740
edin.imsirovic@ambest.com

Robert Raber

Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5696

robert.raber@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204
jeffrey.mango@ambest.com

Categories
Business

AM Best upgrades Issuer Credit Ratings of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, a Mutual Insurance Company and Bluebonnet Life Insurance Company

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — AM Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to “a+” (Excellent) from “a” (Excellent) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company (BCBSMS), and Bluebonnet Life Insurance Company. The outlook of the Long-Term ICRs has been revised to stable from positive while the outlook of the FSR is stable. All companies are domiciled in Flowood, MS, and collectively are known as Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Group.

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Group’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

 

The primary driver of the rating upgrades is Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Group’s maintenance of the strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The organization has shown the ability to grow capital and surplus regularly, driven primarily through stable earnings. Balance sheet strength is supplemented by favorable liquidity metrics and a high-quality, conservative investment portfolio.

 

Operating performance is assessed as adequate. The group has shown a modestly favorable trend in premium growth in recent years. Its business strategy is to underwrite to breakeven results and have investment and fee-based income drive net earnings, which it has done consistently. AM Best assesses Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Group’s business profile as neutral. It has strong market position in the Mississippi commercial health insurance segment, operating in all counties of the state. Offsetting the group’s strong market presence is business and geographic concentration risk, as revenue is derived principally from the commercial group segment in Mississippi. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Group has a focus on cost-effective, quality health care models that are linked with outcome-based provider reimbursement. Additionally, the group maintains an appropriate ERM assessment. The ERM program is developed and mature, and is integrated in its organizational strategy.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Timothy Willey
Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5473
timothy.willey@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Bridget Maehr
Associate Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5321
bridget.maehr@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204
jeffrey.mango@ambest.com

Categories
Business

AM Best to join panel discussion on product innovation at Retiretech Forum

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — AM Best will participate in a panel discussion at the inaugural Retiretech Forum, scheduled for June 22, 2022, and hosted by Nassau Re/Imagine in Hartford, CT.

Bruno Caron, associate director, AM Best, will join the session, titled, “How Will Key Product Categories Evolve over the Next Five Years?” which will focus on retirement product innovation. Topics during the panel discussion will include growth in the registered index-linked and fixed index annuity markets; how the SECURE Act is redefining the role of annuities and 401(k) plans; increased interest in the pension risk transfer market; and a look at potential changes to Social Security and the provisions of financial advice. The discussion will take place at 1:15 p.m. (EDT). Caron has been with AM Best since 2016 and is responsible for monitoring the credit ratings of a diverse portfolio of stock and mutual life and annuity insurers that are located in Bermuda, Canada and the United States. He also is the author of Lifetime Income to Retire with Strength.

 

Nassau Re/Imagine is an insurtech incubator based in Nassau Financial Group’s headquarters, and it provides resources and support to insurtech startups and scale-ups focused on the life insurance, annuity and reinsurance industries. For more information about this event, please visit the event webpage.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204

jeffrey.mango@ambest.com

Categories
Business Healthcare Science

Dr. Michael Skolnick, DMD of Abra Health receives Unity Award from Union County Human Relations Commission

ROSELAND, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — At its 19th annual Unity Achievement Award presentation, the Union County Human Relations Commission (UCHRC) awarded Dr. Michael Skolnick, DMD, Founder and CEO of Abra Health (recently rebranded from The ChildSmiles Group) the 2020 Unity Award for achievement by a corporation/business. Given the restrictions on events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization had been unable to convene and publicly recognize the awardees with the usual public ceremony. On Thursday, June 9, 2022, after two long years, the organization, created by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, was finally able to hold its annual ceremony awarding 20 recipients with the Unity Achievement Award. The award seeks to honor individuals and organizations that have contributed in an extraordinary manner to promote respect for human rights, human dignity, and cultural diversity throughout Union County in New Jersey.

 


Dr. Michael Skolnick, shared, “I am honored to have been chosen for the award I want to thank the Commission for having selected me and am humbled to be part of such a phenomenal group of awardees.”

 

Abra Health operates two practices in Union County: a multi-specialty dental practice in Berkeley Heights and another in Elizabeth. Other Abra Health dental practices are in neighboring Morris, Essex, and Hudson counties, as well as in Northeast Pennsylvania.

 

As an integrated health provider, Abra Health also provides pediatric primary care services to underserved communities across two locations in Newark, NJ. Providing both dental and primary care enables Abra Health patients to have easy access to a broad range of services. Abra Health is slated to open new additional large-footprint multi-specialty dental and pediatric primary care offices in 2022 and early 2023 in northern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

 

About Abra Health

Founded in 2008 by the Skolnicks, a husband-and-wife dental team, Abra Health, the group formerly known as The ChildSmiles Group, is a rapidly expanding family of health practices. With multiple recent acquisitions and new locations opening regularly, Abra Health includes several pediatric primary care and dental clinics for patients of all ages in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Our singular mission is to provide access to high-quality, affordable care to underserved communities. By firmly placing our patients first, we aim to deliver an exceptional experience as we improve their well-being, from teeth to toes. Our vision is to become a leading provider of integrated medical and dental care to underrepresented communities in the areas that we serve. Our founders and leadership teams are mostly comprised of dentists. With over 700 employees, our large-footprint practices can accommodate hundreds of patients every day in an inviting, comfortable environment for both patients and staff alike.

 

Contacts

Media Contact Information:
Emmy Ansinelli

Abra Health

Email: eansinelli@smilehealthnow.com

Categories
Business Culture Lifestyle

Skechers Elite Athlete Brooke Henderson wins ShopRite LPGA Classic

Wearing Skechers GO GOLF footwear, Canada’s Top-Winning Golfer Earns 11th Career Pro Victory

 

LOS ANGELES — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Elite golfer Brooke Henderson earned her first victory of the season wearing Skechers GO GOLF® footwear and apparel with an exciting come-from-behind playoff victory Sunday at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on the Seaview, Bay Course in Galloway, New Jersey. The golf pro finished 12 under par to achieve her 11th career LPGA title—expanding her record as Canada’s winningest golfer in the history of the LPGA and PGA Tours.


“Starting Sunday in ninth place, I thought I was too far back, but I felt comfortable, strong and ready to go,” said Brooke Henderson. “My parents were on the course supporting me, along with my sister who was caddying for me, and I wanted to stay aggressive after coming so close last year. It was definitely a well-fought victory.”

 

“Brooke is a strong competitor, and her dedication is an inspiration to her fanbase in North America and around the world,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “She’s an incredible asset to our brand and we love that she’s finding success wearing Skechers GO GOLF in the 2022 season. We’re proud to be on her team as she illustrates how our golf footwear can help elevate anyone’s game—whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro.”

 

Henderson has become a prominent face in women’s golf since turning professional in December 2014. She won her first LPGA Tour event in 2015 at the Cambia Portland Classic, a title she would defend in 2016. She went on to become the second youngest player to capture a major championship with her win at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Brooke also represented Canada at the Olympic games in Brazil and again in Tokyo in 2021. In 2018, she won the Lotte Championship, and she also became the first Canadian in 45 years to win the national championship at the CP Women’s Open. Now with 11 titles including the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open in April 2021, Henderson owns the record for most professional golf wins by a male or female Canadian, and in 2019 won the ESPY for Best Female Golfer. She is currently ranked #8 in the World Golf Rankings.

 

Henderson joined the Skechers elite golf team in 2016, wears Skechers GO GOLF footwear and apparel on tour and has been featured in ongoing marketing campaigns for the brand. She has competed in recent tournaments wearing Skechers GO GOLF Elite 4 HYPER™ footwear. Additional pros wearing Skechers GO GOLF on tour include Matt Fitzpatrick, Colin Montgomerie and Billy Andrade. Known for its lightweight, high-quality, stable and comfortable designs, Skechers GO GOLF has achieved prominence within the golf category alongside the brand’s award-winning running, walking and training collections.

 

Skechers GO GOLF footwear is available at Skechers retail stores and skechers.com as well as select retail partners, including specialty golf pro shops.

 

About Skechers USA, Inc.

Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company™ based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in over 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through digital stores and 4,308 Company- and third-party-owned physical retail stores. The Company manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

 

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, Skechers’ future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “could,” “may,” “might,” or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the disruption of business and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; delays or disruptions in our supply chain; international economic, political and market conditions including the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States and the impact of Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers’ annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Taking these and other risk factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration, the dynamic nature of these circumstances means that what is stated in this press release could change at any time, and as a result, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

 

Contacts

Media Contact:
Jennifer Clay

Skechers

jennc@skechers.com

Categories
Business Healthcare Science

Organon enters into global license agreement to commercialize Henlius’ Investigational Perjeta® (Pertuzumab) and Prolia®/Xgeva® (Denosumab) biosimilar candidates

Collaboration expands and underscores commitment to biosimilars portfolio and focus on women’s health with biosimilar candidates for osteoporosis and breast cancer

 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Organon (NYSE: OGN), a global women’s health company with deep expertise in biosimilar commercialization, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. (2696.HK), whereby Organon will license commercialization rights for biosimilar candidates referencing Perjeta® (pertuzumab, HLX11) and Prolia®/Xgeva® (denosumab, HLX14). Organon will acquire exclusive global commercialization rights except for China; including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Pertuzumab is used for the treatment of certain patients with HER2+ breast cancer in combinations with trastuzumab and chemotherapy. In the US, 20% of people with breast cancer are HER2+. Denosumab is used for the treatment of certain patients with osteoporosis with high risk of fracture and for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with multiple myeloma and in patients with bone metastasis from solid tumors. Osteoporosis affects over 20% of women over the age of 50 globally.

 

“Biosimilars are a key growth pillar for Organon, and this collaboration represents the successful execution of our strategy to expand our biosimilars portfolio leveraging our strong global footprint and deep commercial expertise,” said Kevin Ali, CEO of Organon. “With our experience in biosimilars and women’s health, our goal is to help more patients gain access to treatments for breast cancer and osteoporosis, two areas that significantly impact the health of women.”

 

The agreement also includes an option to negotiate an exclusive license for global commercialization rights for a biosimilar candidate referencing Yervoy ® (ipilimumab, HLX13). Ipilimumab is used for the treatment of certain patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, as adjuvant treatment of certain patients with cutaneous melanoma, certain patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma, Colorectal Cancer, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma and Esophageal Cancer.

 

Consideration for the transaction includes an upfront payment of $73 million as well as additional payments upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones. Henlius will be responsible for development and, if approved, will supply the products to Organon.

 

As stated on Organon’s first quarter conference call, to align with views expressed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, beginning in 2022 Organon will no longer exclude expenses for upfront and milestone payments related to collaborations and licensing agreements, or charges related to pre-approval assets obtained in transactions accounted for as asset acquisitions, from its non-GAAP results. Organon’s financial guidance does not assume an estimate for these expenses associated with business development not yet executed, and accordingly, the $73 million upfront payment and an approximate $30 million for milestones expected to be achieved in 2022 were not included in the full year 2022 guidance the company provided on May 5, 2022. The company does not plan to update its guidance inter-quarter based solely on these items.

 

About HLX11 (pertuzumab biosimilar candidate)

HLX11 (anti-HER2 domain II humanized monoclonal antibody injection) is a biosimilar candidate of pertuzumab and is independently developed by Henlius. Pertuzumab is used in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy as neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment for HER2 positive early breast cancer and in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel in certain patients with HER2 positive metastatic or unresectable locally recurrent breast cancer. To date, HLX11 has met the primary endpoint in a Phase 1 clinical trial, showing similar pharmacokinetic and safety profiles to the reference drugs from different sources.

 

About HLX14 (denosumab biosimilar candidate)

HLX14 (recombinant anti-RANKL human monoclonal antibody injection) is a biosimilar candidate of denosumab and is independently developed by Henlius. Denosumab is used for a range of indications including for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, certain patients with giant cell tumor of bone, and skeletal-related events in patients with multiple myeloma and in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors.

 

About Organon

Organon is a global healthcare company formed to focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Organon has a portfolio of more than 60 medicines and products across a range of therapeutic areas. Led by the women’s health portfolio coupled with an expanding biosimilars business and stable franchise of established medicines, Organon’s products produce strong cash flows that will support investments in innovation and future growth opportunities in women’s health. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets.

 

Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 9,300 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

For more information, visit http://www.organon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

 

About Henlius

Henlius (2696.HK) is a global biopharmaceutical company with the vision to offer high-quality, affordable and innovative biologic medicines for patients worldwide with a focus on oncology, autoimmune diseases and ophthalmic diseases. Up to date, 5 products have been launched in China, 1 in Europe, 13 indications approved worldwide, and 2 New Drug Application (NDA) accepted for review in China. Since its inception in 2010, Henlius has built an integrated biopharmaceutical platform with core capabilities of high-efficiency and innovation embedded throughout the whole product life cycle including R&D, manufacturing and commercialization. It has established global innovation centers and a Shanghai-based manufacturing facility certificated by China and the EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

 

Henlius has pro-actively built a diversified and high-quality product pipeline covering over 20 innovative monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and has continued to explore immuno-oncology combination therapies with proprietary HANSIZHUANG (anti-PD-1 mAb) as backbone. Apart from the launched products HANLIKANG (rituximab), the first China-developed biosimilar, HANQUYOU (trastuzumab, Zercepac® in Europe), the first China-developed mAb biosimilar approved both in China and Europe, HANDAYUAN (adalimumab) and HANBEITAI (bevacizumab), the innovative product HANSIZHUANG has been approved by the NMPA for the treatment of MSI-H solid tumors and its NDA for the treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer and extensive small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) are under review. What’s more, Henlius has conducted over 20 clinical studies for 12 products and 10 combination therapies.

 

Forward-Looking Statement of Organon

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements about the potential therapeutic benefits of HLX11 and HLX14; Organon’s ability to improve the lives of women; Henlius’ ability to offer high-quality, affordable and innovative biologics for patients worldwide; Henlius’ ability to advance the clinical development of HLX11 and HLX14; and the potential benefits of the Henlius License and Supply Agreement. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “will” or words of similar meaning. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Organon’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

 

Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of variant strains; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances; new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Organon’s ability to accurately predict its future financial results and performance; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; difficulties developing and sustaining relationships with commercial counterparties; dependence on the effectiveness of Organon’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

 

Organon undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Organon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including Organon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and subsequent SEC filings, available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Contacts

Organon Media Contacts:

Karissa Peer

(614) 314-8094

Kate Vossen

(732) 675-8448

Organon Investor Contacts:

Jennifer Halchak

(201) 275-2711

Edward Barger

(267) 614-4669

Categories
Business Lifestyle News Now!

Best’s Special Report: Despite fair results for U.S. property/casualty industry in 2021, certain lines still lagging behind

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Despite premium growth of more than 9%, U.S. property/casualty (P/C) insurers still incurred an $3 billion underwriting loss in 2021, reflecting the challenges in specific lines of business, including private passenger auto, which experienced a 24% increase in incurred losses, according to an AM Best report.

The 2021 financial results on each individual line of P/C business, along with corresponding analysis, are detailed in a new Best’s Special Report, titled, “Property/Casualty Snapshot: Insurers Navigate Pandemic and Elevated Secondary Perils,” and the data is derived from companies’ statutory statements that were received by May 19, 2022.

 

The report notes that underwriting loss in 2021 followed a $4.4 billion underwriting gain in 2020. Catastrophe losses remained elevated, adding eight points to the P/C industry’s combined ratio of 99.5. “Property/casualty insurers’ enterprise risk management skills have been put to the test the last couple of years,” said David Blades, associate director, industry research and analytics. “Property underwriters are facing primary and secondary peril catastrophe risks that have reverberated throughout the reinsurance market, further pressuring underwriters of homeowners/farmowners coverage and of commercial property.”

 

Numerous factors specific to the auto, medical professional liability, and general (other) liability (occurrence and claims-made) lines of business continue to pose notable challenges to underwriters. Loss severity in the private passenger and commercial auto segments show no signs of abating, with personal auto writers suffering their second-worst underwriting results in five years. Although the medical professional liability line improved its underwriting results, the segment still posted an $834 million loss on an 8% increase in incurred losses. Loss costs continue to plague the general liability lines, though years of rate increases have enabled carriers to grow top line premium.

 

“Across the industry, claims costs, social inflation and nuclear verdicts continue to pressure results,” said Christopher Graham, senior industry analyst, AM Best. “Other issues such as social unrest, cyber attacks and extreme climate-related events have made setting year-end reserves more challenging. Together with economic inflation and the possibility of a recession, many P/C insurers’ bottom-line profitability could suffer in 2022.”

 

To access the full copy of this special report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=320760.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Christopher Graham
Senior Industry Analyst, Industry
Research and Analytics
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5743
christopher.graham@ambest.com

David Blades
Associate Director, Industry
Research and Analytics
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5422
david.blades@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204
jeffrey.mango@ambest.com

Categories
Business News Now!

AM Best upgrades credit ratings of Anchor General Insurance Company and Pacific Star Insurance Company

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance—AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B+ (Good) from B (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to “bbb-” (Good) from “bb+” (Fair) of Anchor General Insurance Company (Anchor General) (San Diego, CA) and Pacific Star Insurance Company (Pacific Star) (Madison, WI), which is a subsidiary of Anchor General. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from positive.

The ratings of Anchor General reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings of Pacific Star reflect its balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as adequate operating performance, limited business profile, appropriate ERM, and rating drag due to its direct ownership by Anchor General.

 

The revision of Anchor General’s ratings is based on its increased balance sheet strength in recent years, primarily driven by improved policyholders’ surplus growth, stabilized loss reserving trends and reduced underwriting leverage measures over a five-year period. However, Anchor General’s net premium written is projected to increase significantly in 2022 due to a change in its quota share retention to 55% versus 15% in prior years. Management’s decision is to retain more of the profitable business, which presents the opportunity to take rate increases on the new renewal book of business and the focus continues to be on core historically profitable producers. The revision of Pacific Star’s ratings is based on reduced rating drag from its parent, Anchor General.

 

The management of Anchor General and Pacific Star has implemented numerous corrective initiatives and strategies in earlier part of the past five-year period, which included significant rate increases, agency management and risk mitigation initiatives. As a result, the impact of these changes has materially improved Anchor General and Pacific Star’s underwriting and operating results, surplus position, along with the companies’ risk-adjusted capitalization. These positive rating factors are partially offset by Anchor General and Pacific Star’s limited business profiles, primarily due to geographic and product concentration as predominantly California private passenger non-standard auto writers, which exposes both companies to market, regulatory, legislative and judicial risks.

 

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Adib Nassery
Senior Financial Analyst
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5205
adib.nassery@ambest.com

Brian O’Larte
Director
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5138
brian.o’larte@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jeff Mango
Managing Director,
Strategy & Communications
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204
jeffrey.mango@ambest.com