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The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the securities that comprise the Index. The Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Index. The Index is developed, maintained and sponsored by IPOX Schuster LLC (the Index Provider). Solactive serves as the index calculation agent. It is the sole responsibility of the Index Provider to decide on all matters relating to the Index methodology and Index constituent selection. The Index Provider may make exceptions to the Index methodology regarding constituent inclusion, exclusion and weighting. The Index seeks to measure the performance of equity securities of the 100 typically largest and most liquid initial public offerings (IPOs) (including spin-offs and equity carve-outs) of U.S. companies. An IPO is a public offering in which the shares of stock in a company are sold to the general public for the first time on an exchange. The Index measures the performance of a companys equity securities for the 1,000 trading days following its IPO. According to the Index Provider, a company is eligible for inclusion in the Index on the close of the 6th trading day following its IPO and is eligible to remain in the Index until the close of the 1,000th trading day. The IPOX Global Composite Index (the Base Index) serves as the initial universe for the Index. The Base Index is a market capitalization-weighted index which seeks to provide exposure to the aftermarket performance of the U.S. IPO market. Securities must meet the size and float standards of the Index. Additionally, companies that experience abnormally large underpricing in their IPO are not eligible for inclusion in the Base Index. According to the Index Provider, the Index is selected by first excluding all securities comprising the Base Index that are issued by non-U.S. companies. The remaining securities are then ranked according to market capitalization. The 100 securities with the largest market capitalizations are included in the Index. While the Index is market-capitalization weighted, individual securities are capped at a weight of 10%. The Index may contain the securities of small, mid and large capitalization companies.

Regeneron Parmaceuticals Inc.

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Carrier Global agreed to sell its Commercial and Residential Fire business for $3 billion to an affiliate of Lone Star Funds, as part of its portfolio transformation. The sale will be used for share repurchases.

Carrier Global Sells Commercial And Residential Fire Business For $3B, Proceeds To Be Utilized For Stock Buybacks

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Buybacks

Carrier Global reported Q2 FY24 results with net sales up 12% but below consensus. Adjusted EPS beat expectations. Company plans to repurchase shares and reiterated FY24 outlook.

Carrier Global Delivers Mixed Q2 Results, Plan To Repurchase $1B Shares In H2

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Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>) disclosed on Thursday its plan to sell Commercial and Residential Fire business to an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/08/n40390337/carrier-announces-agreement-to-sell-commercial-and-residential-fire-business-to-an-affiliate-of-lo" rel="noreferrer noopener">affiliate of </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/08/n40390337/carrier-announces-agreement-to-sell-commercial-and-residential-fire-business-to-an-affiliate-of-lo" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lone Star Funds</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/08/n40390337/carrier-announces-agreement-to-sell-commercial-and-residential-fire-business-to-an-affiliate-of-lo" rel="noreferrer noopener"> for $3 billion</a>.
The sale of Carrier&#8217;s Commercial and Residential Fire business is a key step in its portfolio transformation following the January acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions and the divestiture of its Industrial Fire and Global Access Solutions units.
The transaction, expected to close by the end of 2024, is subject to regulatory approvals and standard conditions.
Following its acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions, Carrier has cut its net debt by over $5 billion, including through last week&#8217;s debt tender.
With significant de-leveraging this year, the company plans to use the estimated $2.2 billion in net proceeds from the sale for share repurchases.
Carrier Chairman &amp; CEO&nbsp;David Gitlin said, &#8220;The sale of our Commercial and Residential Fire business marks a defining step in our planned business exits critical to our transformational journey to becoming a focused, agile, higher-growth, pure-play company dedicated to creating a more sustainable world for generations to come.&#8221;
&#8220;We now have executed deals on all our divestitures, all signed within about a year of announcement, with a combined value of over&nbsp;$10 billion, representing a mid-teens EBITDA multiple in aggregate.&#8221;
In July, Carrier reported that second-quarter net sales rose 12% Y/Y to $6.70 billion, missing the $7.00 billion consensus, and adjusted <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39961444/carrier-global-delivers-mixed-q2-results-plan-to-repurchase-1b-shares-in-h2" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPS of $0.87 beat the $0.84 consensus</a>.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Carbon Collective Climate Solutions U.S. Equity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCSO#NASDAQ">CCSO</a>).
Price Action: CARR shares closed higher by 4.14% at $68.40 on Thursday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo via Shutterstock
Read Next:
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Carrier Global Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>) shares are trading lower after it reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/07/n39952796/carrier-reports-strong-second-quarter-2024-results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-quarter FY24 results</a>.
Net sales rose&nbsp;12%&nbsp;Y/Y to&nbsp;$6.70 billion, missing the consensus of&nbsp;$7.00 billion.
Revenue included 2% organic growth and a 12% boost from the Viessmann Climate Solutions acquisition, partially offset by a 2% decline from divestitures.
GAAP operating profit of&nbsp;$3.7 billion&nbsp;was up over&nbsp;650%&nbsp;from last year, primarily due to the gain on the sale of Access Solutions and the addition of Viessmann Climate Solutions.&nbsp;Adjusted operating profit of&nbsp;$1.2 billion&nbsp;was up&nbsp;26%&nbsp;Y/Y,&nbsp;driven by contribution from Viessmann Climate Solutions.
Carrier Chairman &amp; CEO&nbsp;David Gitlin said, &#8220;We delivered solid sales and roughly&nbsp;30%&nbsp;orders growth as we continue to outperform in our markets. Our strong operational execution drove 200 basis points of adjusted operating margin expansion and double-digit adjusted earnings growth.&#8221;
The company reported adjusted EPS of&nbsp;$0.87, beating<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the consensus of&nbsp;$0.84</a>.
Operating cash flow totaled&nbsp;$660 million, and capital expenditures were&nbsp;$111 million, resulting in a free cash flow&nbsp;of&nbsp;$549&nbsp;million.
The company exited the quarter with cash and cash equivalents worth&nbsp;$2.92 billion.
Gitlin added that, &#8220;Year-to-date, we also closed on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39135922/honeywell-takes-flight-boosts-guidance-closes-carrier-global-transaction" rel="noreferrer noopener">two of our four business exits</a>, and the remaining two continue to track well. The proceeds from the exits, combined with our strong free cash flow performance, have enabled us to reduce net debt by about&nbsp;$5 billion&nbsp;in the quarter and we now plan to repurchase about&nbsp;$1 billion&nbsp;of shares in the second half of 2024.&#8221;
FY24&nbsp;Outlook: Carrier reiterated adjusted EPS outlook of&nbsp;$2.80-$2.90&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">versus the&nbsp;$2.86&nbsp;estimate</a>.&nbsp;
The company reduced its sales&nbsp;outlook&nbsp;to ~$25.5 billion&nbsp;from previously expected ~$26 billion&nbsp;(vs.&nbsp;$25.555 billion estimate), with&nbsp;mid-single-digit organic growth.
Carrier reiterated outlook for an adjusted operating margin of&nbsp;15.5%&nbsp;and a free cash flow of ~$0.4 billion.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Carbon Collective Climate Solutions U.S. Equity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCSO#NASDAQ">CCSO</a>).
Price Action: CARR shares are down 2.73% at $64.19 at the last check Thursday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/39958034" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Honeywell Beats On Q2 Earnings, Thanks To Aerospace Strength; Lowers FY24 EPS Outlook</a></li>
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The cost to ship a standard 40-foot container of goods from Shanghai to New York has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/37014564/red-sea-crisis-hits-maersk-outlook-oversupply-will-cause-price-pressure-impact-results">risen to nearly $10,000</a>.
That&#8217;s because cargo ships are taking the long way around Africa to avoid Houthi rebels in the Suez Canal.
A much longer route puts a squeeze on container vessels and ultimately leads to higher shipping rates on things like toys and auto parts.
The Drewry World Container Index&#8216;s spot rate for such a shipment hit $9,387 on July 11, up more than double the rate from February, Reuters reported. 
Shipping rates may soar even higher. Greg Davidson, CEO of Lalo, told Reuters he expects $20,000 per container.
Importers may also rush to ship goods to the U.S. Fears are spreading that imports could face sweeping tariffs if former President Donald Trump wins the 2024 election in November. 
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/12/36411365/shipping-giant-maersk-eyes-development-of-green-methanol-bunkering-infrastructure-in-yokohama-de">Shipping Giant Maersk Eyes Development Of Green Methanol Bunkering Infrastructure In Yokohama: Details</a>
The closely watched Shanghai Containerized Freight Index rate for Shanghai to the U.S. West Coast topped $8,100 this month to set a new record. Sea cargo volumes remain below early pandemic highs.
Drewry&#8217;s index had the rate on that trade lane at around 60% of its pandemic peak of $12,400 per container.
Price Action: Exchange-traded funds that track shipping container stocks saw modest gains and declines by Monday&#8217;s late-afternoon trading.
First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) gained 0.85%, while Leatherback Long/Short Alternative Yield ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LBAY#NYSE">LBAY</a>) inched up 0.01% and Invesco MSCI Global Timber ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CUT#NYSE">CUT</a>) slipped 0.06%.
Carbon Collective Climate Solutions U.S. Equity ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCSO#NASDAQ">CCSO</a>) declined 0.40% and ProShares UltraShort Materials&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMN#NYSE">SMN</a>) slipped 0.42%.
Read Now:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/39108236/joint-us-and-uk-airstrikes-target-yemens-houthi-rebels-resulting-in-16-fatalities-and-42-injuries">Joint US And UK Airstrikes Target Yemen&#8217;s Houthi Rebels, Resulting In 16 Fatalities And 42 Injuries</a></li>
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Samsara Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IOT#NYSE">IOT</a>) shares are trading lower after the company reported<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/06/b39215530/samsara-reports-first-quarter-fiscal-year-2025-financial-results" rel="noreferrer noopener"> first-quarter FY25 results</a>.
Revenue rose 37% Y/Y to $280.7&nbsp;million, beating the consensus of $266.84 million. Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) surged 37% Y/Y to $1.18 billion.
Adjusted gross profit rose to $215.9 million from $149.7 million a year ago, with a margin of 77% versus 73% prior year.
Adjusted operating income stood at $6.2 million versus a loss of $19.0 million last year. Adjusted EPS of&nbsp;$0.03&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">exceeded the estimate of&nbsp;$(0.01)</a>.
Operating cash flow stood at $23.7 million, and adjusted free cash flow came in at $18.6 million.
Outlook: IOT sees&nbsp;second-quarter adjusted EPS&nbsp;of $0.00-$0.01&nbsp;(versus&nbsp;$0.01&nbsp;estimate) and revenue&nbsp;of $288 million-$290 million&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">versus&nbsp;the estimate of $287.25 million</a>.
The company revises FY25 adjusted EPS outlook to $0.13-$0.15 (from $0.11-$0.13, vs. consensus of $0.12) and revenue to $1.205 billion-$1.213 billion (from $1.186 billion-$1.196 billion, versus an estimate of $1.20 billion).
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and TrueShares Technology, AI &amp; Deep Learning ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRNZ#NYSE">LRNZ</a>).
Price Action: IOT shares are down 12.7% at $30.43 premarket at the last check Friday.
Photo via Shutterstock

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What's Going On With Software Company Samsara Shares Today?

ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZK#NYSE">ZK</a>), the global electric mobility technology solutions brand of Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holding (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GELYY#OTC">GELYY</a>), priced its U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/05/n38754471/zeekr-intelligent-technology-holding-limited-announces-pricing-of-its-initial-public-offering" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">21 million American Depositary Shares (ADS) at $21 per share</a>.
The shares will begin trading on May&nbsp;10, 2024, on the New York Stock Exchange under the&nbsp;ticker symbol&nbsp;&#8220;ZK.&#8221;&nbsp;
The company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1954042/000110465924057064/tm229938-32_f1a.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener">earlier&nbsp;</a>planned to sell 17.50 million ADSs with&nbsp;the&nbsp;price estimated&nbsp;between $18.00 and $21.00 per ADS.
The offering&nbsp;is expected&nbsp;to close on&nbsp;May 14, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.&nbsp;
The company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of the final prospectus,&nbsp;to purchase up to an aggregate of 3.15 million additional ADSs at the IPO price.
The total gross proceeds of the offering&nbsp;are expected&nbsp;to be approximately&nbsp;$441.0 million and $507.2 million&nbsp;if the underwriters choose to&nbsp;exercise their over-allotment option in full.
The IPO gives Zeekr a fully diluted valuation of $5.5 billion, while on a non-diluted basis, the company&nbsp;is valued&nbsp;at about $5.1 billion. The company closed orders from investors a day earlier due to strong demand, according to a report from Reuters.
Strategic investors, including Geely Automobile, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, and&nbsp;Mobileye Global&nbsp;Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MBLY#NASDAQ">MBLY</a>), accounted for $300 million worth of stock sold in the IPO, the report noted.&nbsp;
The IPO was multiple times&nbsp;oversubscribed&nbsp;but analysts&nbsp;doubt&nbsp;an imminent surge of Chinese listings in New York, Reuters noted.&nbsp;
Zeekr&#8217;s strong demand for IPO comes amid a fierce EV price war in China, prompting companies like Zeekr,&nbsp;BYD&nbsp;Company&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>), SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, and Great Wall Motor to expand into Europe.
While Zeekr&#8217;s IPO valuation represents a decrease from its previous valuation, the company has shown growth, delivering its first vehicle in October 2021 and surpassing some competitors&#8217; deliveries in the first four months of 2024, the report mentioned.
Zeekr disclosed a surge in total revenue to ¥51.67 billion ($7.28 billion) in 2023, but its net loss widened to ¥(8.26) billion.&nbsp;
The report mentioned that the listing marks the&nbsp;biggest&nbsp;Chinese flotation on U.S. stock exchanges since 2021.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/05/38733432/tesla-cuts-more-jobs-in-china-as-competition-heats-up" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Cuts More Jobs In China As Competition Heats Up</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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China's Zeekr Prices US IPO At Top End Of Estimated Range - What's On The Cards?

Morgan Stanley&nbsp;analyst Brian Nowak reiterated an Overweight rating on&nbsp;Uber Technologies, Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) with a price target of $90.
Nowak flagged that UBER&#8217;s growth-adjusted multiple is now lower than&nbsp;Lyft, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYFT#NASDAQ">LYFT</a>) and&nbsp;Maplebear Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CART#NASDAQ">CART</a>), which creates an attractive entry point.&nbsp;
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/06122513/newplot-1-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-324368" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/06122513/newplot-1-1.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/06122513/newplot-1-1-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
He highlighted that this pullback has come as investors need more confidence in upward revisions. At the same time, fears around Robotaxi and autonomous driving disruption have re-emerged following the release of&nbsp;Tesla Inc&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) new autonomous capabilities and the announcement of its Robotaxi event on August 8.&nbsp;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38500447/teslas-robotaxi-plans-potential-threat-or-future-partner-for-uber" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla&#8217;s Robotaxi Plans: Potential Threat Or Future Partner For Uber?</a>
Nowak noted that the Morgan Stanley Alphawise Survey shows ample growth runway, and Uber&#8217;s multi-product rides and cross-platform strategies&nbsp;are set&nbsp;to drive adoption, frequency, and profitable growth. He also detailed Uber Eats&#8217; suburb opportunity and the LATAM rides opportunity, given&nbsp;DiDi Global Inc&#8217;s&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIDIY#OTC">DIDIY</a>) potential pullback in investment.&nbsp;
Nowak noted a 30% upside to his $90 Uber price target, which implies paying 22X fiscal 2025 EBITDA or a ~4% fiscal 2025 free cash flow (FCF) yield.&nbsp;
On an FCF to growth basis, Nowak&#8217;s price target implies a 0.8 FCF to growth multiple, in line with&nbsp;DoorDash, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DASH#NASDAQ">DASH</a>)
&nbsp;and a ~10-20% premium to LYFT and CART is justified, given UBER&#8217;s leading scale, market position, and ability to drive growth and FCF.&nbsp;
On LYFT, Nowak noted reasonable forward growth and profitability, with a slightly negative tactical skew (in particular, vs. UBER).&nbsp;&nbsp;He&nbsp;noted&nbsp;reasonable forward growth and profitability on CART but with a somewhat positive skew.
Uber Technologies&nbsp;stock gained over 85% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Global X Millennial Consumer ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MILN#NASDAQ">MILN</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;UBER shares traded higher by 3.22% at $71.46&nbsp;at&nbsp;the last check Monday.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/05/38582907/uber-vs-londons-black-cab-company-faces-310m-claim-from-drivers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uber Vs. London&#8217;s Black Cab: Company Faces $310M Claim from Drivers</a>
Photo by Alex Photo Stock on Shutterstock

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Uber's Low Growth-Adjusted Multiple Creates An Attractive Entry Point: Morgan Stanley

Uber Technologies, Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) is being sued for millions by over 10,500 London black-cab drivers, claiming the company unlawfully secured a license in 2012, which led to their business loss.&nbsp;
The lawsuit, organized by RGL Management and estimated at roughly $312.90 million (250 million Sterling Pounds) in damages, accuses Uber of siphoning business away from local drivers.&nbsp;
Over 10,500 black-cab drivers allege that Uber improperly acquired a license from Transport for London (TfL) in 2012, which&nbsp;they claim&nbsp;enabled Uber to divert business from traditional taxi operators unlawfully, the Financial Times&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/226a1522-cc1f-4c49-b1d0-bdc2798b2401" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
In 2017, TfL refused to renew Uber&#8217;s license, judging it not a &#8220;fit and proper&#8221; operator, which was a decision partly reversed after Uber&#8217;s appeal and subsequent apologies for past mistakes by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.&nbsp;
In 2022, TfL granted Uber a 30-month license, which is up for renewal at the end of September this year. Moreover, in 2021, a high-court ruling forced Uber to reclassify its&nbsp;U.K.&nbsp;drivers as workers rather than independent contractors, providing them with benefits like holiday pay and pensions.
In 2023, Uber&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/23/11/35999215/uber-expands-in-london-by-integrating-iconic-black-cabs" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced plans to</a>&nbsp;integrate London&#8217;s iconic black cabs into its platform by 2024, striving to mend a decade-long rift with the traditional taxi service.&nbsp;
Historically, black cab drivers, who must pass the rigorous &#8220;The Knowledge&#8221; test, have accused Uber of undermining their business.&nbsp;
Known as Hackney carriages, these are the only taxis in London authorized to pick up passengers directly from the street or taxi ranks, and they&nbsp;are also accessible through various other apps.
Analysts&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38500447/teslas-robotaxi-plans-potential-threat-or-future-partner-for-uber" rel="noreferrer noopener">remain optimistic about</a>&nbsp;Uber as their preferred stock in the travel and transportation sector due to its superior bookings and EBITDA growth relative to its peers.&nbsp;
They expect Uber&#8217;s diverse business verticals to continue driving growth above industry norms. Analysts noted growing competition in the autonomous vehicle (AV) sector could benefit Uber. Uber stands out as one of the sector&#8217;s most promising large-cap growth stories and&nbsp;is currently undervalued.
Uber Technologies&nbsp;stock gained 86% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust&nbsp;US&nbsp;Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Global X Millennial Consumer ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MILN#NASDAQ">MILN</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;UBER shares traded higher by 1.22% at $68.62 premarket at&nbsp;the last check Thursday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo via Shutterstock

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Uber Vs. London's Black Cab: Company Faces $310M Claim from Drivers

Carrier Global Corp&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>)&nbsp;shares are trading higher, rebounding from earlier weakness following&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/04/n38425103/carrier-reports-strong-first-quarter-2024-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">first quarter FY24 results</a>.
Net sales rose 17% Y/Y to $6.18 billion, missing the consensus of $6.28 billion.
Adjusted operating profit of $927 million was up 44% Y/Y,&nbsp;driven by&nbsp;strong&nbsp;productivity and the contribution from Viessmann Climate Solutions. Margin expanded to 15.0% from 12.2% a year ago.
The company reported adjusted EPS of $0.62, beating<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;the consensus of $0.51</a>.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $40 million, and capital expenditures were&nbsp;$104 million, resulting in a free cash outflow of&nbsp;$(64) million.
The company exited the quarter with cash and cash equivalents worth $1.31 billion.
David Gitlin, Carrier Chairman &amp; CEO, said, &#8220;We closed on&nbsp;Viessmann Climate Solutions at the beginning of the year, which will be transformational for Carrier and the industry. We are focused on capitalizing on the long-term secular sustainability trends, outperforming the market, and achieving and accelerating revenue and cost synergies.&#8221;
&#8220;The business exits are also on track as we are within months of closing on three of our four transactions and are making significant progress on completing the fourth. We&nbsp;now&nbsp;expect to resume share repurchases in 2024 as the net proceeds from the announced transactions help us return to ~2x net leverage this year.&#8221;
Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/03/37481571/fire-sale-carrier-global-divests-industrial-fire-unit-for-1-425b-in-portfolio-shake-up" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fire Sale: Carrier Global Divests Industrial Fire Unit For $1.425B In Portfolio&nbsp;Shake-Up</a>
FY24 Outlook:&nbsp;Carrier reiterated adj. EPS of $2.80-$2.90&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">versus the $2.84 estimate</a>.&nbsp;
The company revised its sales outlook to ~$26 billion from ~$26.5 billion (vs.&nbsp;$26.205 billion&nbsp;estimate), with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/36959531/carrier-globals-mixed-bag-in-q4-flat-sales-solid-profits-and-big-moves-in-business-strategy" rel="noreferrer noopener">mid-single-digit organic growth</a>.
Carrier now sees an adjusted operating margin of 15.5% (vs. 15%-15.5% earlier) and a free cash flow of ~$0.4 billion.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38317463/carrier-global-invests-in-strategic-thermal-labs-for-data-center-cooling-solutions" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carrier Global Invests In Strategic Thermal Labs For Data Center Cooling Solutions</a>
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Invesco S&amp;P Spin-Off ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSD#NYSE">CSD</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;CARR shares are up 7.3% at $58.77&nbsp;at the last check Thursday.

Why Carrier Global Shares Are Surging Today

Airbnb Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>) shares are trading lower after Needham analyst Bernie McTernan <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ABNB/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">downgraded the stock</a> from Buy to Hold.
The market has an overly optimistic view of Airbnb&#8217;s potential to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to disrupt the global online travel agency (OTA) industry, McTernan says. 
The analyst projected first-quarter revenue and EPS of $2.05 billion and $0.73.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky spoke on a February earnings call about expanding beyond the company&#8217;s core business.
McTernan inferred this as AI-enabled OTA, where consumers could book an entire trip, not just a short-term rental. This makes a lot of sense, as it leverages Airbnb&#8217;s scale. Consumers will likely come to the platform earlier in the booking journey. Plus, the emergence of generative AI can provide a differentiated product.
However, he also flagged that the shift is coming at a time when Airbnb growth is slowing and converging with Booking Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>) and Expedia Group, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXPE#NASDAQ">EXPE</a>) after the pull-forward from the pandemic, which resulted in 2023 bookings that were nearly double 2019 levels. 
Despite the lower growth outlook, Airbnb trades at a premium to peers relative to growth. The market, he noted, is too bullish on the near-term potential for the AI OTA app.
Airbnb also faces potential challenges in generating the global scale necessary to impact estimates. There&#8217;s potential for price competition with incumbents and the need to unlock hotels that likely see Airbnb as an existential threat. 
Meanwhile, Benchmark analyst Daniel L. Kurnos initiated coverage on Airbnb with a Buy rating and a price target of $190.
Even as competition has increased in conjunction with growing awareness and adoption of alternative accommodations within the broader travel market, research shows that Airbnb has retained its number 1 position with consumers, hosts, and unaffiliated travel experts, as per the analyst.&nbsp;
He noted that a lot of the low-hanging share price fruit has been picked at current levels but still views Airbnb as a sound momentum play, with potentially material upside to fundamentals over the next 12-36 months through a combination of market expansion and existing market penetration gains, notable global events this year, including Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics, growth in service fees, ranging from the previously announced cross-border fee to upcoming incremental service launches and the oft-discussed but still vague timing around a potential foray into advertising via sponsored listings.&nbsp;
The analyst projected first-quarter revenue and EPS of $2.06 billion and $0.17.
Airbnb stock gained over 40% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;Global X PropTech ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PTEC#NASDAQ">PTEC</a>) and&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>).
Price Action: ABNB shares traded lower by 0.95% at $158.76 on the last check Thursday.
Image: Shutterstock

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Airbnb Faces Growth Hurdles Despite Strong Consumer Preference, Analysts Warn

Uber Technologies, Inc&#8217;s&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) Uber Eats is introducing a&nbsp;TikTok-style short-form video feature to enhance food discovery and enable restaurants to highlight their offerings more vividly.&nbsp;
This feature, which is currently undergoing testing in New York, San Francisco, and Toronto, represents Uber Eats&#8217; foray into the burgeoning realm of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37981584/linkedin-enters-short-form-video-battle-with-new-tiktok-style-feed-targets-professional-growth-conte" rel="noreferrer noopener">short-form video content</a>, aligning with a trend popularized by platforms like&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)&nbsp;Instagram,&nbsp;Alphabet Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)&nbsp;YouTube,&nbsp;Snap Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>)&nbsp;Snapchat,&nbsp;Netflix Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), and recently&nbsp;Microsoft Corp&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;LinkedIn.&nbsp;
The feature showcases videos in a swipeable format, visible in carousels throughout the app, including the home screen, TechCrunch&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/08/uber-eats-launches-tiktok-like-video-feed/" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.&nbsp;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/36980065/uber-technologies-clocks-strong-q4-performance-ceo-terms-it-profitable-growth-at-scale" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uber Technologies Clocks Strong Q4 Performance, CEO Terms It &#8216;Profitable Growth At Scale&#8217;</a>
These videos aim to give users a closer look at food preparation, textures, portion sizes, and dish compositions, ultimately boosting consumer confidence in trying new dishes.&nbsp;
Notably, the content is offered to users based on the proximity of the restaurants, ensuring relevance and delivery feasibility.
Uber Eats&#8217; approach differentiates from typical advertising; it doesn&#8217;t charge merchants for these video placements, offering a unique platform for restaurants to connect directly with potential customers.&nbsp;
This move is particularly significant as many restaurants leverage social media to attract new patrons and showcase their culinary creations.&nbsp;
Introducing this feature into the Uber Eats app aims to streamline the discovery process and encourage users to seek culinary inspiration within the app itself.
Uber Eats is also enhancing its support for merchants by revamping the Uber Eats Manager software with personalized growth recommendations and preparing to launch a new app for restaurant managers to facilitate on-the-go business management.
Prior reports indicated Microsoft&#8217;s LinkedIn testing a TikTok-like short-form video feed enabling users to interact with vertical short videos by liking, commenting, and sharing. This move by LinkedIn focuses on career-oriented and professional content.
Reports also suggested that&nbsp;Spotify Technology SA&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) explore full-length music videos to appeal to the Gen Z audience. Meta expanded its short video offerings with the global launch of &#8220;Reels&#8221; in February 2022, while Google reported in June 2022 that YouTube &#8220;Shorts&#8221; had garnered over 1.5 billion logged-in monthly viewers.&nbsp;Amazon.Com Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) also entered the fray in August 2022, trialing a TikTok-like photo and video feed within its shopping app to facilitate product discovery.
Uber stock gained over 136% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Global X Millennial Consumer ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MILN#NASDAQ">MILN</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;UBER shares traded lower by 0.05% at $75.00 on the last check Tuesday.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/03/37624971/uber-freight-targets-european-market-for-10x-expansion-push-by-2028" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uber Freight Targets European Market For 10X Expansion Push By 2028</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

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Uber Eats Embraces TikTok Wave with New Short-Form Video Discovery Tool

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) shares are trading <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher in the morning session on Friday.</a>
Yesterday, the company entered into a new nationwide partnership with&nbsp;The Vitamin Shoppe, bringing the New Jersey-based health and wellness retailer&#8217;s selection to the Uber Eats app.
About 700 locations of The Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements are now available for ordering on Uber Eats across the U.S.
Read More:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38091557/health-on-demand-uber-eats-partners-with-the-vitamin-shoppe" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Health On Demand: Uber Eats Partners With The Vitamin Shoppe</a>
Earlier this month, Uber Health collaborated with Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACHC#NASDAQ">ACHC</a>) to improve access to life-saving behavioral health care and addiction treatment.
The companies will initially focus on Acadia&#8217;s national Comprehensive Treatment Centers (CTCs) network, which will provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies for those struggling with opioid addiction.&nbsp;
The collaboration will provide patients with transportation to begin treatment quickly and efficiently. Acadia and Uber Health plan to roll out the program to 19 facilities across several states.
Related:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38071488/breaking-barriers-uber-health-and-acadia-healthcare-partner-to-enhance-behavioral-health-access" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Breaking Barriers: Uber Health And Acadia Healthcare Partner To Enhance Behavioral Health Access</a>
Last month, the company&#8217;s smaller segment&nbsp;Uber Freight&nbsp;was in the headlines for aggressively pursuing growth in Europe&#8217;s diverse logistics sector, targeting a tenfold increase in its freight management to 2 billion euros by 2028 through a comprehensive digital platform that oversees companies&#8217; entire supply chains.&nbsp;
Check This Out:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/03/37624971/uber-freight-targets-european-market-for-10x-expansion-push-by-2028" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uber Freight Targets European Market For 10X Expansion Push By 2028</a>
In February, Uber reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2023 revenue growth of 15% year-on-year to $9.94 billion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37130853/ubers-stock-is-on-a-ride-wednesday-heres-why" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating the consensus of $9.76 billion.&nbsp;</a>
Uber&#8217;s GAAP EPS of 29 cents beat the consensus of 17 cents. Trips grew 24% year-over-year to 2.60 billion, equivalent to 28 million per day.&nbsp;
Investors can gain exposure to Uber via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Global X Millennial Consumer ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MILN#NASDAQ">MILN</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;UBER shares are trading higher by 2.369% to $76.69 on the last check Friday.&nbsp;
Photo via Shutterstock

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What's Going On With Uber Technologies Shares Friday?

Uber Freight&nbsp;is aggressively pursuing growth in Europe&#8217;s diverse logistics sector, targeting a tenfold increase in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/01/30550961/uber-freight-bows-down-to-macro-uncertainties-lets-go-of-150-employees" rel="noreferrer noopener">freight management to</a>&nbsp;2 billion euros by 2028 through a comprehensive digital platform that oversees companies&#8217; entire supply chains.&nbsp;
Despite being a smaller segment of&nbsp;Uber Technologies Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>), contributing 14% of its total revenue in 2023, Uber Freight&#8217;s revenue dipped nearly 25% from the previous year, primarily due to declining trucking rates.&nbsp;
However, the situation shows improvement as supply chain issues are resolved, and excess inventories normalize, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-12/uber-freight-eyes-tenfold-boost-in-european-market-by-2028?srnd=technology-vp&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/37130641/why-is-uber-rival-stock-lyft-shooting-higher-wednesday" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lyft&#8217;s Q4 Earnings Beat Raises Stakes: Analyst Upgrades and First Positive Cash Flow Expected in 2024</a>
Lior Ron, the founder and CEO of Uber Freight, cites the success of major companies in North America as a critical driver for digital expansion in Europe, leveraging Uber&#8217;s technological and brand infrastructure and the demand from global customers for support in Europe. 
Uber Freight recently announced that it is managing 200 million euros in freight within Europe, aiming to capture a more significant share of the 1.2 trillion euros logistics market, as estimated by McKinsey &amp; Co.
Experts like McKinsey&#8217;s Florian Neuhaus see potential in standardizing transport management systems (TMS) across Europe.&nbsp;
In February, Uber reported&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37130853/ubers-stock-is-on-a-ride-wednesday-heres-why" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter fiscal 2023</a>&nbsp;revenue growth of 15% year-on-year to $9.94 billion, beating the consensus of $9.76 billion.&nbsp;
Uber&#8217;s GAAP EPS of 29 cents beat the consensus of 17 cents. Trips grew 24% year-over-year to 2.60 billion, equivalent to 28 million per day. 
Investors can gain exposure to Uber via&nbsp;First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FPX#NYSE">FPX</a>) and&nbsp;Global X Millennial Consumer ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MILN#NASDAQ">MILN</a>).
Price Action: UBER shares traded higher by 0.50% at $77.86 premarket on the last check Tuesday.
Now Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37614564/bitcoin-etf-investment-frenzy-500m-rushes-in-but-wheres-the-money-going">Bitcoin ETF Investment Frenzy: $500M Rushes In, But Where&#8217;s The Money Going?</a>
Photo: Unsplash

Eurozone

Uber Freight Targets European Market For 10X Expansion Push By 2028

KKR &amp; Co Inc&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/kkr#NYSE">KKR</a>) backed&nbsp;BrightSpring Health Services, Inc.&nbsp;filed for an initial public offering (<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1865782/000119312524000734/d251968ds1.htm" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">IPO</a>) in the U.S. on Tuesday.
BrightSpring Health Services is a home and community-based healthcare services platform that offers complementary pharmacy and provider services to complex patients.
The company serves over 400,000 patients daily through its about 10,000 clinical providers and pharmacists, across 50 states.
Walgreen Co., an affiliate of&nbsp;Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wba#NASDAQ">WBA</a>) holds stake in the company, as per the filing.
BrightSpring Health Services plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to pay off debt. The company&#39;s total debt as of September 30, 2023, was $3.5 billion.
In the nine months ending September 2023, the company reported a revenue increase of 12.2% to $6.451 billion, led by volume growth and rate increases in the Home Health Care and Community and Rehab Care segments. BrightSpring reported a net loss attributable of $(148.1) million vs. a profit of $2.3 million a year ago.
The company had been aiming to pursue an IPO since 2021 but shelved it in November 2022 amid an uncertain economy, as per Reuters.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/12/36279355/kkr-secures-7-2b-prime-rv-loan-portfolio-in-strategic-move-with-bmo-collaboration" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">KKR Secures $7.2B Prime RV Loan Portfolio In Strategic Move With BMO Collaboration</a>
Photo via Company

KKR-Backed BrightSpring Health Services Sets Sail For IPO, Aiming To Curtail Debt

<ul>
<li>Flex Ltd&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/flex#NASDAQ">FLEX</a>) owned solar technology firm&nbsp;Nextracker Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nxt#NASDAQ">NXT</a>) raised $638.4 million via an upsized initial public offering of&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/02/n30826144/nextracker-announces-pricing-of-upsized-initial-public-offering" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">26.6 million shares at $24 per share</a>.</li>
<li>Nextracker upsized the offering from 23.3 million shares it chose to offer&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/02/n30677150/nextracker-announces-launch-of-initial-public-offering" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">at $20.00 - $23.00 per share.</a></li>
<li>Nextracker will likely trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol &quot;NXT&quot; on February 9, 2023.</li>
<li>The underwriters have 30 days to purchase up to 3.99 million shares.</li>
<li>Nextracker provides intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used worldwide in utility-scale and distributed-generation solar power plants.</li>
<li>Price Action:&nbsp;FLEX shares closed lower by 1.23% at $24.15 on Wednesday.</li>
</ul>

FLEX

Flex's Nextracker Raises Over $638M Via Upsized IPO; To Begin Trading Today

<ul>
<li>Flex Ltd&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/flex#NASDAQ">FLEX</a>) subsidiary,&nbsp;Nextracker Inc, filed for a proposed&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/01/n30419495/nextracker-files-registration-statement-for-proposed-initial-public-offering" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">initial public offering of shares</a>.</li>
<li>Nextracker aims to list its common stock on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol &quot;NXT.&quot;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Nextracker provides intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used in utility-scale and ground-mounted distributed generation solar projects worldwide.</li>
<li>Nextracker has yet to fix the proposed offering&#39;s timing, number of shares, and price range.</li>
<li>Nextracker disclosed annual revenue of about $1.46 billion with a net income of $50.9 million for its last fiscal year.</li>
<li>Nextracker parent Flex will continue to control the company after the IPO, Bloomberg&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-14/solar-energy-firm-nextracker-files-for-ipo-with-market-warming?sref=TBDibEcD" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">reports</a>.</li>
<li>The IPO came after the U.S. passed a landmark climate law providing tax credits to solar installations, including the large fields of panels that use the company&#39;s trackers.</li>
<li>Separately, Flex&#39;s factory site in Sorocaba, Brazil, won the distinction of Sustainability Lighthouse under the World Economic Forum&#39;s Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). This is the first factory in Brazil to receive a&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/01/n30436303/flex-factory-in-sorocaba-recognized-as-the-first-sustainability-lighthouse-in-brazil-by-the-world-" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">Sustainability Lighthouse recognition</a>.</li>
<li>The Flex team in Sorocaba, Brazil, exhibited a substantial reduction in their environmental footprint.</li>
<li>Price Action:&nbsp;FLEX shares traded higher by 1.96% at $24.50 on the last check Tuesday.</li>
</ul>

Flex-Owned Solar Solutions Supplier Nextracker Files For US IPO

<ul>
<li>Short video app&nbsp;Triller Inc&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/06/g27922164/triller-inc-announces-confidential-submission-of-draft-registration-statement-for-proposed-listing" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">has confidentially filed</a>&nbsp;for an initial public offering with the U.S. SEC.</li>
<li>Recently, Triller&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/06/g27692033/seachange-and-triller-mutually-agree-to-terminate-proposed-merger" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">terminated its&nbsp;</a>merger with video advertising software provider&nbsp;SeaChange International, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/seac#NASDAQ">SEAC</a>) when it shared plans to pursue an IPO with a potential listing&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/06/g27702328/triller-announces-plan-for-direct-listing-through-an-initial-public-offering-ipo" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">under the ticker</a>&nbsp;symbol &quot;ILLR&quot; by September.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Also Read:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/21/12/24737748/triller-merging-with-seachange-international-what-investors-should-know" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">Triller Merging With SeaChange International: What Investors Should Know</a></li>
<li>Triller, launched in 2015, has looked to take on larger rival TikTok.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Triller offers similar video sharing, editing, and social networking features to users on its platform.</li>
<li>Needham&nbsp;analyst and TikTok President&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/06/27763107/needham-considers-it-futile-for-meta-to-compete-with-tiktok-youtube-amazon-google-reserves-concerns" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">recently shared how</a>&nbsp;they felt that&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc&#39;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meta#NASDAQ">META</a>) attempts to emulate TikTok would be futile as it continued to lose subscribers to the Chinese counterpart.</li>
<li>The filing&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/22/06/27905990/why-amd-and-nvidia-shares-are-nosediving-today" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">comes amid a</a>&nbsp;largely volatile market due to the tech selloff over macro uncertainties.</li>
<li>Recently, the Federal Communications Commission&#39;s&nbsp;Brendan Carr&nbsp;urged&nbsp;Apple, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and&nbsp;Alphabet, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/goog#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/googl#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/22/06/27896589/fccs-carr-asks-apple-google-to-take-out-tiktok-from-app-stores-calls-platform-a-sophisticated-survei" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">to take down</a>&nbsp;the TikTok app from their respective app stores over national security issues.</li>
</ul>

Penny Stocks

AAPL

SEAC

TikTok's Smaller US Rival Files For IPO

<ul>
<li>Phoenix Motor Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pev#NASDAQ">PEV</a>) has priced&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/06/b27601201/phoenix-motor-inc-announces-pricing-of-15-750-000-initial-public-offering" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">its initial public offering</a>&nbsp;of 2.1 million shares at $7.50 per share.</li>
<li>The offer price falls around the low end of its&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1879848/000110465922061549/tm2122230-23_s1a.htm" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">predicted range of $7 - $9 per share</a>.</li>
<li>Phoenix Motor is a California-based company that designs, assembles, and integrates electric drive systems and light and medium-duty electric vehicles.</li>
<li>The company aims to raise $15.8 million&nbsp;before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.</li>
<li>The shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq capital market and will commence trading on June 8, 2022, under the ticker symbol &quot;PEV.&quot;</li>
<li>Phoenix has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 0.3 million shares at the offer price.</li>
<li>The offering is expected to close on June 10, 2022.</li>
</ul>

Offerings

EV Company Phoenix Motor Hits The IPO Path - Checkout For Details

<ul>
<li>Digital freight operator&nbsp;Convoy Inc&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/22/04/b26731087/convoy-raises-260-million-to-accelerate-digital-freight-transformation" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">raised $160 million</a>&nbsp;in new funding that values the load-matching business at $3.8 billion positioning it for a potential IPO.</li>
<li>Convoy substantially completed the Series E funding round led by Baillie Gifford &amp; Co, T. Rowe Price Associates Inc, and others during the fourth quarter of 2021.</li>
<li>Convoy also bagged a $150 million line of credit from JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co and a $100 million loan from a specialty finance company Hercules Capital Inc in March.</li>
<li>The new backing will help tap the surging customer demand within the nation&#39;s $800 billion trucking industry.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The backing will help tech startup Convoy looking to use digital tools to make freight marketplaces more efficient, add workers, and expand services while bringing the business closer to profitability,&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/digital-freight-broker-convoy-weighs-potential-ipo-after-hitting-3-8-billion-valuation-11650531600?mod=hp_lista_pos1" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">the Wall Street Journal reports</a>.</li>
<li>It will also help to bolster a &quot;drop and hook&quot; service in which drivers pick up shippers&#39; preloaded trailers. Convoy looks to expand its fleet of trailers for the service, called Convoy Go, by 35% to 40% by the end of 2022.</li>
<li>The funding round followed a $400 million round in November 2019 that valued the company at $2.75 billion, WSJ notes.</li>
<li>The new funds brought Convoy&#39;s total equity and venture debt raised to $928 million.</li>
<li>Convoy acknowledged that half its 200 job openings were in data science and engineering.</li>
<li>Convoy&#39;s 2021 revenue surpassed $750 million and was on track to exceed $1 billion in 2022, as per WSJ.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Convoy was profitable on a per-unit basis, making a profit on individual shipments, but unprofitable overall due to its fixed costs.</li>
</ul>

Financing

This Digital Freight Operator Raises Funds At $3.8B Valuation, Positioning It For Potential IPO

<ul>
<li>Vietnam-based electric vehicle maker&nbsp;VinFast&rsquo;s&nbsp;Singapore-based holding company had filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with U.S. securities regulators,<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/vietnamese-automaker-vinfast-files-us-ipo-2022-04-07/" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">&nbsp;Reuters reported</a>.</li>
<li>VinFast looks to raise about $2 billion from the offering.</li>
<li>The company first launched in 2017 and became Vietnam&rsquo;s first domestic car manufacturer when its gas-powered models reached consumers in 2019.</li>
<li>VinFast is planning to build its first U.S. factory in North Carolina and spend $4 billion for the same.</li>
<li>The report noted that the company is betting big on the U.S. market, hoping to compete with legacy automakers and startups with electric SUVs and a battery leasing model.</li>
</ul>

LCID

RIVN

EV Maker VinFast Files for US IPO: Reuters

Bausch &amp; Lomb Corp&nbsp;filed S-1 for its initial public offering, nearly 1.5 years after its parent company,&nbsp;Bausch Health Companies Inc&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bhc#NYSE">BHC</a>) said it would spin off the eye-care company.
<ul>
<li>The company said it plans to&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001860742/000119312522008667/d178785ds1.htm" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">raise $100 million in its IPO</a>. It didn&#39;t disclose the number of shares, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday.</li>
<li>On August 6, 2020, Bausch Health said it planned a spin-off of the eye-care business from its core pharmaceutical operations.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Also See:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/21/08/22296575/bausch-health-misses-on-q2-sales-cuts-fy21-outlook-plans-ipo-for-medical-aesthetics-business" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">Bausch Health Misses On Q2 Sales, Cuts FY21 Outlook, Plans IPO For Medical Aesthetics Business</a>.</li>
<li>Bausch Health plans to sell Bausch &amp; Lomb shares through its wholly-owned subsidiary, which will retain all proceeds from the sale. Bausch Health will remain the majority owner of the new public company.</li>
<li>Bausch &amp; Lomb made $2.76 billion in revenue in the nine months ended September 30, 2021, and $131 million in profit.</li>
<li>The company plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BLCO.</li>
<li>Price Action:&nbsp;BHC shares are up 2.43% at $27.40 during the market session on the last check Thursday.</li>
</ul>

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