Technology
KLA Corporation Reports Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter Results and Full Year Results
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2 years agoon
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For the quarter, total revenues were $2.569 billion, at the upper end of the guidance range of $2.5 billion +/- $125 million;For the quarter, GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA was $6.18 and non-GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA was $6.60, each finishing above the midpoints of the respective guidance ranges;Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter and fiscal year was $892.6 million and $3.31 billion, respectively, and free cash flow was $831.9 million and $3.03 billion, respectively; andCapital returns for the quarter and fiscal year were $667.8 million and $2.51 billion, respectively.
MILPITAS, Calif., July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KLA Corporation (NASDAQ: KLAC) today announced financial and operating results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. KLA reported GAAP net income attributable to KLA of $836.4 million and GAAP diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) attributable to KLA of $6.18 on total revenues of $2.57 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, KLA reported GAAP net income attributable to KLA of $2.76 billion and GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA of $20.28 on total revenues of $9.81 billion.
“KLA’s June quarter results exceeded expectations, including revenue, gross margin and EPS, which were all above their respective guidance midpoints, demonstrating the enduring power and differentiation of the KLA portfolio,” said Rick Wallace, President and CEO, KLA Corporation. “We are encouraged by the early signs of a strengthening market environment for our customers at the leading edge and are increasingly confident in our plan for steady improvement throughout the remainder of this calendar year and into 2025.”
GAAP Results
Q4 FY 2024
Q3 FY 2024
Q4 FY 2023
Total Revenues
$2,569 million
$2,360 million
$2,355 million
Net Income Attributable to KLA
$836 million
$602 million
$685 million
Net Income per Diluted Share Attributable to KLA
$6.18
$4.43
$4.97
Non-GAAP Results
Q4 FY 2024
Q3 FY 2024
Q4 FY 2023
Net Income Attributable to KLA
$893 million
$715 million
$743 million
Net Income per Diluted Share Attributable to KLA
$6.60
$5.26
$5.40
A reconciliation between GAAP operating results and non-GAAP operating results is provided following the financial statements included in this release. KLA will discuss the results for its fiscal year 2024 fourth quarter and full year, along with its outlook, on a conference call today beginning at 2 p.m. PT. A webcast of the call will be available at: www.kla.com.
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Guidance
The following details our guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 ending in Sept.:
Total revenues is expected to be in a range of $2.75 billion +/- $150 millionGAAP gross margin is expected to be in a range of 59.9% +/- 1.0%Non-GAAP gross margin is expected to be in a range of 61.5% +/- 1.0%GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in a range of $6.69 +/- $0.60Non-GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in a range of $7.00 +/- $0.60
For additional details and assumptions underlying our guidance metrics, please see the company’s published Letter to Shareholders, Earnings Slide Presentation and Earnings Infographic on the KLA investor relations website. Such Letter to Shareholders, Earnings Slide Presentation and Earnings Infographic are not incorporated by reference into this earnings release.
About KLA:
KLA Corporation (“KLA”) develops industry-leading equipment and services that enable innovation throughout the electronics industry. We provide advanced process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging and printed circuit boards. In close collaboration with leading customers across the globe, our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers design solutions that move the world forward. Investors and others should note that KLA announces material financial information including SEC filings, press releases, public earnings calls and conference webcasts using an investor relations website (ir.kla.com). Additional information may be found at: www.kla.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Statements in this press release other than historical facts, such as statements pertaining to total revenues, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin and GAAP and non-GAAP diluted EPS for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2024, are forward-looking statements and are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to: our vulnerability to a weakening in the condition of the financial markets and the global economy; risks related to our international operations; evolving Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce rules and regulations and their impact on our ability to sell products to and provide services to certain customers in China; costly intellectual property disputes that could result in our inability to sell or use the challenged technology; risks related to the legal, regulatory and tax environments in which we conduct our business; increasing attention to ESG matters and the resulting costs, risks and impact on our business; unexpected delays, difficulties and expenses in executing against our environmental, climate, diversity and inclusion or other ESG targets, goals and commitments; our ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel; our vulnerability to disruptions and delays at our third party service providers; cybersecurity threats, cyber incidents affecting our and our business partners’ systems and networks; our inability to access critical information in a timely manner due to system failures; our ability to identify suitable acquisition targets and successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses; climate change, earthquake, flood or other natural catastrophic events, public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or terrorism and the adverse impact on our business operations; the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the war between Israel and Hamas, and the significant military activity in that region; lack of insurance for losses and interruptions caused by terrorists and acts of war, and our self-insurance of certain risks including earthquake risk; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to fluctuations in interest rates and the market values of our portfolio investments; risks related to tax and regulatory compliance audits; any change in taxation rules or practices and our effective tax rate; compliance costs with federal securities laws, rules, regulations, NASDAQ requirements, and evolving accounting standards and practices; ongoing changes in the technology industry, and the semiconductor industry in particular, including future growth rates, pricing trends in end-markets, or changes in customer capital spending patterns; our vulnerability to a highly concentrated customer base; the cyclicality of the industries in which we operate; our ability to timely develop new technologies and products that successfully address changes in the industry; risks related to artificial intelligence; our ability to maintain our technology advantage and protect proprietary rights; our ability to compete in the industry; availability and cost of the materials and parts used in the production of our products; our ability to operate our business in accordance with our business plan; risks related to our debt and leveraged capital structure; we may not be able to declare cash dividends at all or in any particular amount; liability to our customers under indemnification provisions if our products fail to operate properly or contain defects or our customers are sued by third parties due to our products; our government funding for R&D is subject to audit, and potential termination or penalties; we may incur significant restructuring charges or other asset impairment charges or inventory write offs; risks related to receivables factoring arrangements and compliance risk of certain settlement agreements with the government; and risks related to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware being the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions and proceedings. For other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected and anticipated in forward-looking statements in this press release, please refer to KLA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2023, and other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including, but not limited to, the risk factors described therein). KLA assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update these forward-looking statements.
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
June 30, 2024
June 30, 2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 1,977,129
$ 1,927,865
Marketable securities
2,526,866
1,315,294
Accounts receivable, net
1,833,041
1,753,361
Inventories
3,034,781
2,876,784
Other current assets
659,327
498,728
Total current assets
10,031,144
8,372,032
Land, property and equipment, net
1,109,968
1,031,841
Goodwill, net
2,015,726
2,278,820
Deferred income taxes
915,241
816,899
Purchased intangibles, net
668,764
935,303
Other non-current assets
692,723
637,462
Total assets
$ 15,433,566
$ 14,072,357
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 359,487
$ 371,026
Deferred system revenue
985,856
651,720
Deferred service revenue
501,926
416,606
Current portion of long-term debt
749,936
—
Other current liabilities
2,063,569
2,303,490
Total current liabilities
4,660,774
3,742,842
Long-term debt
5,880,199
5,890,736
Deferred tax liabilities
486,690
529,287
Deferred service revenue
294,460
176,681
Other non-current liabilities
743,115
813,058
Total liabilities
12,065,238
11,152,604
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock and capital in excess of par value
2,280,133
2,107,663
Retained earnings
1,137,270
848,431
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(49,075)
(36,341)
Total stockholders’ equity
3,368,328
2,919,753
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 15,433,566
$ 14,072,357
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Operations
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Revenues:
Product
$ 1,954,837
$ 1,816,524
$ 7,482,679
$ 8,379,025
Service
613,898
538,613
2,329,568
2,117,031
Total revenues
2,568,735
2,355,137
9,812,247
10,496,056
Costs and expenses:
Costs of revenues
1,010,551
962,949
3,928,073
4,218,307
Research and development
325,759
317,110
1,278,981
1,296,727
Selling, general and administrative
255,106
250,857
969,509
986,326
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets
—
—
289,474
—
Interest expense
82,836
73,491
311,253
296,940
Loss on extinguishment of debt
—
—
—
13,286
Other expense (income), net
(50,560)
(24,776)
(155,075)
(104,720)
Income before income taxes
945,043
775,506
3,190,032
3,789,190
Provision for income taxes
108,597
90,852
428,136
401,839
Net income
836,446
684,654
2,761,896
3,387,351
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest
—
—
—
74
Net income attributable to KLA
$ 836,446
$ 684,654
$ 2,761,896
$ 3,387,277
Net income per share attributable to KLA:
Basic
$ 6.22
$ 5.00
$ 20.41
$ 24.28
Diluted
$ 6.18
$ 4.97
$ 20.28
$ 24.15
Weighted-average number of shares:
Basic
134,462
136,873
135,345
139,483
Diluted
135,342
137,654
136,187
140,235
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Cash Flows
Three Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 836,446
$ 684,654
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
101,001
104,813
Unrealized foreign exchange loss and other
4,214
17,602
Asset impairment charges
11,307
—
Stock-based compensation expense
58,621
49,907
Deferred income taxes
(30,634)
23,567
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business acquisitions:
Accounts receivable
(221,958)
105,096
Inventories
(32,843)
(144,654)
Other assets
(65,884)
(90,591)
Accounts payable
24,177
(105,844)
Deferred system revenue
(8,613)
117,928
Deferred service revenue
74,096
52,672
Other liabilities
142,685
143,965
Net cash provided by operating activities
892,615
959,115
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures
(60,745)
(78,683)
Purchases of available-for-sale securities
(602,081)
(481,096)
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities
36,816
50,079
Proceeds from maturity of available-for-sale securities
488,779
434,819
Purchases of trading securities
(21,635)
(18,852)
Proceeds from sale of trading securities
18,644
19,249
Proceeds from other investments
1,430
—
Net cash used in investing activities
(138,792)
(74,484)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of common stock
96,501
90,939
Common stock repurchases
(470,266)
(388,825)
Payment of dividends to stockholders
(197,521)
(179,510)
Tax withholding payments related to vested and released restricted stock units
(47,508)
(21,102)
Payment of contingent consideration payable
(67)
(12,823)
Net cash used in financing activities
(618,861)
(511,321)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(6,000)
(13,958)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
128,962
359,352
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
1,848,167
1,568,513
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$ 1,977,129
$ 1,927,865
Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
Income taxes paid, net
$ 65,553
$ 43,858
Interest paid
$ 25,171
$ 25,049
Non-cash activities:
Contingent consideration payable – financing activities
$ —
$ (29)
Dividends payable – financing activities
$ 1,953
$ 2,047
Unsettled common stock repurchase – financing activities
$ 5,500
$ 11,000
Accrued purchase of land, property and equipment – investing activities
$ 13,849
$ 18,445
KLA Corporation
Segment Information (Unaudited)
The following is a summary of results for each of our three reportable segments and reconciliation to total revenues for the indicated periods:
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Revenues:
Semiconductor Process Control
$ 2,307,994
$ 2,097,479
$ 8,733,556
$ 9,324,190
Specialty Semiconductor Process
121,268
129,008
528,701
543,398
PCB and Component Inspection
140,017
128,977
552,491
631,604
Total revenues for reportable segments
2,569,279
2,355,464
9,814,748
10,499,192
Corporate allocations and effects of changes in foreign exchange rates
(544)
(327)
(2,501)
(3,136)
Total revenues
$ 2,568,735
$ 2,355,137
$ 9,812,247
$ 10,496,056
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Supplemental Information
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income
Three Months Ended
Twelve Months Ended
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
June 30, 2024
March 31, 2024
June 30, 2023
June 30, 2024
June 30, 2023
GAAP net income attributable to KLA
$ 836,446
$ 601,541
$ 684,654
$ 2,761,896
$ 3,387,277
Adjustments to reconcile GAAP net income to non-GAAP net income:
Acquisition-related charges
a
58,777
58,573
64,564
239,901
271,563
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
17,721
2,042
8,135
21,033
22,035
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets
c
—
70,474
—
289,474
—
Loss on extinguishment of debt
d
—
—
—
—
13,286
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments
e
(23,227)
(19,879)
(20,892)
(86,311)
(90,409)
Discrete tax items
f
3,092
2,386
6,203
7,630
(46,074)
Non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA
$ 892,809
$ 715,137
$ 742,664
$ 3,233,623
$ 3,557,678
GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA
$ 6.18
$ 4.43
$ 4.97
$ 20.28
$ 24.15
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA
$ 6.60
$ 5.26
$ 5.40
$ 23.74
$ 25.37
Shares used in diluted net income per share calculation
135,342
135,856
137,654
136,187
140,235
Pre-tax Impact of GAAP to Non-GAAP Adjustments Included in Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Operations
(In thousands)
Acquisition-Related
Charges
Restructuring,
Severance and
Other Charges
Goodwill
Impairment
Total Pre-tax GAAP to
Non-GAAP
Adjustments
Three Months Ended June 30, 2024
Costs of revenues
$ 45,937
$ 2,240
$ —
$ 48,177
Research and development
—
2,230
—
2,230
Selling, general and administrative
12,840
13,251
—
26,091
Total in three months ended June 30, 2024
$ 58,777
$ 17,721
$ —
$ 76,498
Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
Costs of revenues
$ 44,839
$ 805
$ —
$ 45,644
Research and development
867
922
—
1,789
Selling, general and administrative
12,867
315
—
13,182
Impairment of goodwill
—
—
70,474
70,474
Total in three months ended March 31, 2024
$ 58,573
$ 2,042
$ 70,474
$ 131,089
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023
Costs of revenues
$ 45,437
$ 2,570
$ —
$ 48,007
Research and development
—
2,727
—
2,727
Selling, general and administrative
19,127
2,838
—
21,965
Total in three months ended June 30, 2023
$ 64,564
$ 8,135
$ —
$ 72,699
Free Cash Flow Reconciliation
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 892,615
$ 959,115
$ 3,308,575
$ 3,669,805
Capital expenditures
(60,745)
(78,683)
(277,384)
(341,591)
Free cash flow
$ 831,870
$ 880,432
$ 3,031,191
$ 3,328,214
Capital Returns Calculation
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Payments of dividends to stockholders
$ 197,521
$ 179,510
$ 773,041
$ 732,556
Common stock repurchases
470,266
388,825
1,735,746
1,311,864
Capital returns
$ 667,787
$ 568,335
$ 2,508,787
$ 2,044,420
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Guidance
Reconciliation of GAAP Diluted EPS to Non-GAAP Diluted EPS
Three Months Ending Sept. 30, 2024
(In millions, except per share amounts)
Low
High
GAAP net income per diluted share
$6.09
$7.29
Acquisition-related charges
a
0.40
0.40
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
0.05
0.05
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments
e
(0.14)
(0.14)
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share
$6.40
$7.60
Shares used in net income per diluted share calculation
135.0
135.0
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross Margin to Non-GAAP Gross Margin
Three Months Ending Sept. 30, 2024
Low
High
GAAP gross margin
58.9 %
60.9 %
Acquisition-related charges
a
1.5 %
1.5 %
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
0.1 %
0.1 %
Non-GAAP gross margin
60.5 %
62.5 %
The non-GAAP and supplemental information provided in this press release is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, KLA’s financial results presented in accordance with United States GAAP.
To supplement our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we provide certain non-GAAP financial information, which is adjusted from results based on GAAP to exclude certain gains, costs and expenses, as well as other supplemental information. The non-GAAP and supplemental information is provided to enhance the user’s overall understanding of our operating performance and our prospects in the future. Specifically, we believe that the non-GAAP information, including non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA, non-GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA, non-GAAP gross margin and free cash flow, provides useful measures to both management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our financial performance by excluding certain costs and expenses that we believe are not indicative of our core operating results to help investors compare our operating performances with our results in prior periods as well as with the performance of other companies. The non-GAAP information is among the budgeting and planning tools that management uses for future forecasting. However, because there are no standardized or generally accepted definitions for most non-GAAP financial metrics, definitions of non-GAAP financial metrics are inherently subject to significant discretion (for example, determining which costs and expenses to exclude when calculating such a metric). As a result, non-GAAP financial metrics may be defined very differently from company to company, or even from period to period within the same company, which can potentially limit the usefulness of such information to an investor. The presentation of non-GAAP and supplemental information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared and presented in accordance with United States GAAP. The following are descriptions of the adjustments made to reconcile GAAP net income attributable to KLA to non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA:
a.
Acquisition-related charges primarily include amortization of intangible assets, transaction costs associated with our acquisitions and dispositions, as well as intangible asset impairment charges. Although we exclude the effect of amortization of all acquired intangible assets from these non-GAAP financial measures, management believes that it is important for investors to understand that such intangible assets were recorded as part of purchase price accounting arising from acquisitions, and such amortization of intangible assets related to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. Investors should note that the use of these intangible assets contributed to our revenues earned during the periods presented and are expected to contribute to our future period revenues as well.
b.
Restructuring, severance and other charges primarily include costs associated with employee severance including associated acceleration of recognition of certain stock-based and other compensation expenses, gains and losses from exiting non-core businesses, write downs of certain right of use assets and fixed assets that were abandoned and adjustments related to non-controlling interest. Restructuring, severance and other charges in the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 include a gain on the sale of Orbograph, Ltd. (“Orbograph”), which was sold in the first quarter of fiscal 2023, partially offset by certain transaction bonuses triggered by the sale of Orbograph.
c.
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets included non-cash expense recognized in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2023, following the downward revision of financial outlook for the PCB and Display reporting units in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 and the subsequent decision to exit the Company’s Display business that was based on many factors, including the cancellation of a significant new technology project by a major customer, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Management believes that it is appropriate to exclude these impairment charges as they are not indicative of ongoing operating results and therefore limit comparability. Management also believes excluding this item helps investors compare our operating performance with our results in prior periods as well as with the performance of other companies.
d.
Loss on extinguishment of debt during the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 included a pre-tax loss on early extinguishment of the $500 million 4.650% Senior Notes due in Nov. 2024.
e.
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments includes the income tax effects of the excluded items noted above.
f.
Discrete tax items in the twelve months ended June 30, 2024 included a one-time tax benefit resulting from changes made to our international structure to better align ownership of certain intellectual property rights with how our business operates. Discrete tax items in all periods presented included a tax impact relating to the amortization of the aforementioned tax benefit or similar tax benefits recorded in other periods. Discrete tax items in the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 also include the following: an adjustment of the net benefit of the Orbotech Ltd. 2012 to 2018 Israel tax audit settlement, for which the net benefit includes the liability on the audit settlement less reductions in unrecognized tax positions and deferred tax assets and liabilities; a tax expense of $19.8 million from an internal restructuring; and a tax impact from the sale of Orbograph.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kla-corporation-reports-fiscal-2024-fourth-quarter-results-and-full-year-results-302205684.html
SOURCE KLA Corporation
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VisionWave (NASDAQ: VWAV) and Meteor Aerospace Leadership Advance Integration Planning for AI-Enabled Multi-Domain Defense Technologies Following Previously Announced Acquisition Agreement — VisionWave Holdings Inc. (“VisionWave” or the “Company”) a defense technology company developing advanced artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and next-generation security technologies, today announced that its executive leadership team has completed a strategic technology and integration working session with the leadership of Meteor Aerospace Ltd. in Israel following the Company’s previously announced acquisition agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Meteor Aerospace. Completion of the transaction remains subject to the closing conditions described below.
The executive meetings represent an important milestone in the transaction process as both companies continue advancing technical, operational and commercial integration planning while progressing toward satisfaction of the closing conditions described below.
During the visit, VisionWave executives conducted comprehensive reviews of Meteor Aerospace’s expanding portfolio of advanced defense technologies, including tactical and strategic unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), electronic warfare (EW) and SIGINT technologies, precision strike systems, C4ISR platforms and integrated sovereign defense architectures.
The working sessions included executive strategy meetings, engineering reviews, technology demonstrations, manufacturing assessments and product roadmap discussions focused on identifying opportunities to accelerate innovation, expand international commercialization and strengthen VisionWave’s multi-domain defense technology platform.
Meteor Aerospace presented video documentation of field tests and demonstrations of its products, including flights of the Impact-700 UAV at the Bar Yehuda airfield near the Dead Sea in Israel, that were done with the regulatory monitoring and approval of the Israeli Aviation Authority.
For operational security reasons, the meetings were conducted at a confidential location, and additional details regarding attendees and facilities are not being disclosed.
Douglas Davis, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of VisionWave Holdings, stated: “Visiting Meteor Aerospace and working directly alongside its leadership and engineering teams reinforced what we recognized when we entered into the acquisition agreement. Meteor has developed a highly differentiated portfolio of autonomous systems, electronic warfare technologies, and integrated battlefield capabilities supported by a team with decades of aerospace engineering experience. Seeing these technologies firsthand further strengthened our confidence in the strategic opportunity this transaction represents.”
Mr. Davis continued: “Our integration planning, in preparation for a potential closing, is well underway. By bringing together VisionWave’s expertise in artificial intelligence, advanced sensing and computational technologies with Meteor’s capabilities across autonomous platforms, C4ISR, precision defense technologies and sovereign defense architectures, we believe we are building a next-generation defense technology platform positioned to address rapidly growing global demand for integrated battlefield solutions, autonomous systems and national security modernization.”
Throughout the visit, executives from both organizations evaluated opportunities to align technology development, manufacturing capabilities, international business development initiatives and long-term product strategies as part of VisionWave’s integration planning process.
The meetings also provided both leadership teams with the opportunity to establish integration priorities across engineering, operations, commercialization and future product development while preparing for the successful completion of the proposed transaction.
As previously announced, completion of the acquisition remains subject to a number of conditions for VisionWave’s satisfactory completion of legal, financial, operational, technical, aerospace, cybersecurity, export control, intellectual property and commercial due diligence, receipt of any applicable regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance that the closing conditions will be satisfied, or that the transaction will be completed on the anticipated timeline or at all. Continued… Read this full release and additional news for VWAV by visiting: https://www.vwav.inc/newsroom/
Why Investors Are Watching the UAV / Autonomous / AI Military Operations Industries:
Autonomous AI-powered UAVs becoming standard assets for ISR and combat support missionsRising global defense spending focused on artificial intelligence and autonomous warfareGrowing adoption of autonomous drone swarms and collaborative mission capabilitiesIncreased demand for real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)Continued advances in machine learning, computer vision, edge computing, and autonomous navigationExpansion of electronic warfare, cybersecurity, and secure battlefield communicationsDefense modernization programs accelerating across North America, Europe, and the Indo-PacificGrowing opportunities for companies developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms
Other recent developments in the autonomous, defense/military/UAV/drone industries of note include:
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a technology company in the defense, national security and global markets, recently announced it has been awarded a sole-source, single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for approximately $156 million, by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Secure Transportation (OST), in support of Project Solar Shield.
Under this new contract award, Kratos will provide mobile Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) platforms designed to support OST’s critical National Security mission. The Office of Secure Transportation is responsible for the safe and secure ground and air transportation of nuclear weapons, weapon components, and special nuclear materials, as well as other missions supporting U.S. national security.
AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain autonomous systems, recently announced it has been awarded a $117.3 million contract by the U.S. Army for its P550™ electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) unmanned aerial system in support of the Army’s Long Range Reconnaissance program, advancing the Army’s push to field scalable, adaptable capabilities for modern warfare.
The award was issued under a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) through a competitive Call for Solutions (C4S) under the U.S. Army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Marketplace initiative, a centralized digital platform designed to accelerate the procurement of vetted drone technologies.
AEVEX Corp. (NYSE: AVEX) recently announced it has been awarded a $17.5 million follow-on contract under its Global Solutions portfolio to continue delivering critical services in support of U.S. national security objectives.
The contract reinforces the company’s role in providing mission focused, data-driven services and solutions that help decision makers act with speed and confidence. AEVEX’s Global Solutions capabilities integrate technology and multi-domain expertise to transform complex data into actionable insight for time sensitive missions.
“Our teams are trusted to support some of the nation’s most important missions,” said Roger Wells, Chief Executive Officer at AEVEX. “This award reflects continued confidence in AEVEX to deliver the specialized expertise required to advance essential national security interests.”
Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU) (“Sidus” or the “Company”), an innovative space and defense technology company, recently announced that its next LizzieSat® has successfully completed vibration testing, a key environmental qualification milestone for SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, currently scheduled for launch no earlier than October 2026.
Vibration testing simulates the intense mechanical loads a spacecraft experiences during launch and ascent. The testing was conducted at Element U.S. Space & Defense’s facility in Orlando, Florida, an accredited independent provider of product qualification and environmental testing services. Completing this testing is designed to confirm that the satellite’s structure, components, and integrated payloads can withstand the stresses of liftoff and remain fully operational on orbit, a critical step in clearing the spacecraft for final integration and shipment to the launch site.
DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU’S market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. This press release was distributed on behalf of VisionWave Holdings, Inc. For current services performed MNU was compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by VisionWave Holdings, Inc. by the Company. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.
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Technology
atQor Earns Microsoft Frontier Partner Status for AI Delivery
Published
24 seconds agoon
July 23, 2026By
The recognition validates atQor’s ability to unite Cloud & AI Platforms, AI Business Solutions and Security for customers in financial services, manufacturing, retail, healthcare and public sector.
AHMEDABAD, India, MISSISSAUGA, ON and SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — atQor, a Microsoft-focused AI and data platform company, today announced it has achieved Microsoft Frontier Partner status, with its nomination led by Microsoft India and recognition extending across Canada, the United States and India.
atQor holds all six Microsoft Solutions Partner designations, the Support Services designation, Azure Expert MSP status, Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner recognition and ten Advanced Specializations.
“Our engineers do not wait for a mandate to use AI, they build with it every day, and that is what Microsoft recognized,” said Pushkaraj Kale, CEO of atQor India. “Earlier this year, our teams built and deployed more than two hundred production AI agents in a single seventy-two-hour engineering event, and twenty-five of those are now live on Microsoft Marketplace. This nomination was led by Microsoft India, and it reflects the discipline our customers see across every industry we serve.”
“The Frontier Partner designation recognizes organizations that are helping customers move beyond AI experimentation and into business transformation. atQor has consistently invested across Microsoft’s AI, data, cloud, and security stack while building the Go-To-Market and delivery capabilities required to create measurable customer outcomes. We are pleased to see atQor join this distinguished group of partners and look forward to their continued contribution to AI adoption across industries,” said Om Batra, Channel Partner Sales Leader, India and South Asia, Microsoft.
“The most successful AI partners are those that can bridge innovation with operational excellence. atQor has built competencies spanning Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI, Security, and Copilot while maintaining a strong focus on delivery quality and governance. Their Frontier Partner recognition reflects the technical maturity and execution capability needed to help customers scale AI with confidence,” said Sanjeev Sharma, Director Tech Sales and Partner CTO, India and South Asia, Microsoft.
For customers, the recognition means fewer handoffs: one firm carrying the work from the first Microsoft Fabric workshop through the AI agent in production, instead of a customer coordinating several vendors to get there. atQor applies this across financial services, manufacturing, retail, healthcare and public sector organizations in Canada, the United States and India, continuing the relationship through managed Azure operations once systems are live.
Pushkaraj and the India team led this global recognition, according to Kartik Shah, Founder of atQor, who said Canada and U.S. teams, led by Co-Founder and Global COO Greg Kachhadiya, already hold themselves to that same standard.
About atQor: atQor is a Microsoft-focused AI and data platform company that helps enterprises move AI from pilot to production. Founded in 2002, the company operates across Canada, the United States and India, and holds CSP Direct authorization including Azure Gov Cloud in US. atQor maintains ISO 9001, ISO 20000, ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 certifications. Learn more at atQor.com.
Media Contact: Ramanuj Zawar, 419311@email4pr.com. United States: +1-844-294-5383. Canada: +1-289-290-4490. India: +91-706-904-3269.
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Technology
Carrier Accelerates Intelligent Building Strategy with Acquisition of 75F
Published
25 seconds agoon
July 23, 2026By
Cloud-native building automation strengthens Carrier’s digital ecosystem to enable increasingly intelligent and autonomous buildings
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, today announced it has acquired 75F, a leading innovator in cloud-native, wireless, AI-enabled building automation systems. The acquisition strengthens Carrier’s intelligent building capabilities across applications — from complex applied systems and high-growth data centers to light commercial and retrofits.
“Buildings are becoming intelligent and autonomous systems that continuously learn, adapt and optimize performance,” said David Gitlin, Chairman & CEO, Carrier. “Through Carrier ClimaVision™, we have already seen firsthand the power of 75F’s cloud-native, AI-enabled platform. This acquisition accelerates our strategy to create increasingly autonomous and self-optimizing buildings by bringing together connected equipment, intelligent controls and digital solutions in a unified platform that simplifies deployment, connects building data and enables agentic AI.”
The combination of Carrier’s WebCTRL® building controls install base, Abound™ predictive analytics capability and the Nlyte® operational intelligence platform with 75F’s unified data layer and AI capabilities will create a differentiated end-to-end offering spanning equipment, controls, analytics and outcomes for buildings globally. Together, these integrated capabilities enable building operators to transition from traditional building management to fully autonomous operations that proactively identify maintenance opportunities, optimize energy consumption, intelligently manage assets and improve occupant comfort.
“75F was founded to fundamentally rethink building automation using cloud-native software, AI and wireless technologies,” said Deepinder Singh, founder and CEO, 75F. “Joining Carrier enables us to accelerate that vision on a global scale. Together, we can help make intelligent buildings simpler to deploy, easier to operate and more accessible to customers everywhere.”
75F’s platform combines wireless sensors, intuitive controls, cloud software and AI-enabled automation designed to reduce installation time and simplify commissioning while optimizing energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Carrier plans to integrate 75F’s generative and agentic AI as well as auto-commissioning capabilities into its large commercial platforms, including its Carrier QuantumLeap™ thermal management suite, improving deployment and real-time thermal performance for the rapidly growing data center market.
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acted as external legal counsel to Carrier in connection with the transaction. Avisen Legal, PA acted as external legal counsel to 75F in connection with the transaction.
About Carrier
Carrier Global Corporation, global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, is committed to creating innovations that bring comfort, safety and sustainability to life. Through cutting-edge advancements in climate solutions such as temperature control, air quality and transportation, we improve lives, empower critical industries and ensure the safe transport of food, life-saving medicines and more. Since inventing modern air conditioning in 1902, we lead with purpose: enhancing the lives we live and the world we share. We continue to lead because of our world-class, inclusive workforce that puts the customer at the center of everything we do. For more information, visit carrier.com or follow Carrier on social media at @Carrier.
Carrier. For the World We Share.
Cautionary Statement
This communication contains statements which, to the extent they are not statements of historical or present fact, constitute “forward-looking statements” under the securities laws. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management’s current expectations or plans for Carrier’s future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “expectations,” “plans,” “strategy,” “prospects,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “anticipate,” “will,” “should,” “see,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “confident,” “scenario” and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements may include, among other things, statements relating to the acquisition of the 75F business, the integration of such business into Carrier’s existing operations, strategies or transactions of Carrier, Carrier’s plans with respect to its indebtedness and other statements that are not historical facts. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. For additional information on identifying factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those stated in forward-looking statements, see Carrier’s reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Carrier assumes no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
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Autonomous Defense Technologies Set to Ignite a Nearly $200 Billion Global Market
atQor Earns Microsoft Frontier Partner Status for AI Delivery
Carrier Accelerates Intelligent Building Strategy with Acquisition of 75F
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