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CarParts.com Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results

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TORRANCE, Calif., July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CarParts.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTS), a leading eCommerce provider of automotive parts and accessories, and a premier destination for vehicle repair and maintenance needs, is reporting results for the second quarter ended June 29, 2024. 

Second Quarter 2024 Summary vs. Year-Ago Quarter

Net sales decreased to $144.3 million, down 18% from the year-ago quarter.Gross profit of $48.4 million vs. $60.4 million, with gross margin of 33.5%.Net loss was ($8.7) million, or ($0.15) per share, compared to a net loss of ($0.7) million, or ($0.01) per share.Adjusted EBITDA of ($0.1) million vs. $6.3 million.Cash of $34.1 million and no revolver debt.Total cumulative mobile app downloads of 450,000, more than double the number from the beginning of the year.

Management Commentary

“Last quarter we discussed our emphasis on financial discipline and profitability by focusing on driving gross and net margins, accelerating efficiency and effectiveness to quickly deliver improved profitability; and achieving sustainable growth with strong long-term free cash flow.

In the second quarter, we made significant progress on gross margin and efficiencies, which reinforces our confidence that we’re on the right track. We are confident in our roadmap and our opportunity as a leading online retailer in a highly fragmented $400 billion automotive aftermarket market. 

In the first half of the year, we updated our pricing and marketing acquisition strategies to target more profitable customers and generate higher gross margins. As a result, in the second quarter, we saw sequential margin improvement with product margins at 54.0%, up 210 bps from Q1. We expect Q3 to be sequentially higher.

We are  forging on a path that we expect will result in achieving sustainable and significantly positive Adjusted EBITDA next year while working towards achieving a 6-8% Adjusted EBITDA margin and enhanced free cash flow generation in the medium term” said David Meniane, CEO. 

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Net sales in the second quarter of 2024 were $144.3 million, down 18% from the year-ago quarter. The decrease was primarily driven by deliberate price increases to drive gross margin expansion combined with softness in consumer demand.

Gross profit in the second quarter was $48.4 million compared to $60.4 million, with gross margin decreasing 70 basis points to 33.5%, but up sequentially from 32.4% in the first quarter of 2024. For fiscal year 2024, the Company is focused on driving gross margin expansion. This improvement was primarily driven by price increases and expanded branded gross margins, offset by higher year-over-year freight costs.

Total operating expenses in the second quarter were $57.1 million compared to $61.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

Net loss in the second quarter was ($8.7) million compared to a net loss of ($0.7) million in the year-ago quarter.

Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter was ($0.1) million compared to $6.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

On June 29, 2024, the Company had a cash balance of $34.1 million and no revolver debt, compared to no revolver debt and a $51.0 million cash balance at prior fiscal year-end December 30, 2023. 

2024 Outlook

For the full year 2024, we are targeting net sales and gross profit to remain within the range we had previously forecasted. The Company expects net sales at the low end in the range of $600 million to $625 million and gross margin to be 33%, plus or minus 100 basis points.

Conference Call

CarParts.com CEO David Meniane, CFO Ryan Lockwood and COO Michael Huffaker will host a conference call today to discuss the results, followed by a question-and-answer period.

Date: Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (2:00 p.m. Pacific time)
Webcast: www.carparts.com/investor/news-events 

To listen to the live call, please click the link above to access the webcast. A replay of the audio webcast will be archived on the Company’s website at www.carparts.com/investor.  

About CarParts.com, Inc.

CarParts.com, Inc. is a technology-driven eCommerce company offering over 1 million high-quality automotive parts and accessories. Operating for over 25 years, CarParts.com has established itself as a premier destination for drivers seeking repair and maintenance solutions. Our commitment lies in placing the customer at the forefront of our operations, evident in our easy-to-use, mobile-friendly website and app. With a commitment to affordability and customer satisfaction, CarParts.com simplifies the automotive repair process, aiming to eliminate the uncertainty and stress often associated with vehicle maintenance. Backed by a robust company-operated fulfillment network, we ensure swift delivery of top-quality parts from leading brands to customers across the nation.

At CarParts.com, our global team is united by a shared vision: Empowering Drivers Along Their Journey.

CarParts.com is headquartered in Torrance, California.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Regulation G, and other provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, define and prescribe the conditions for use of certain non-GAAP financial information. We provide “Adjusted EBITDA” in this earnings release and on today’s scheduled conference call, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA consist of net (loss) income before (a) interest (income) expense, net; (b) income tax provision; (c) depreciation and amortization expense; (d) amortization of intangible assets; (e) share-based compensation expense; (f) workforce transition costs; and (g) distribution center costs. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income is provided below.

The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide important supplemental information to management and investors. These non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of the Company’s operations that, when viewed with the GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures, provides a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting the Company’s business and results of operations.

Management uses Adjusted EBITDA as measures of the Company’s operating performance because it assists in comparing the Company’s operating performance on a consistent basis by removing the impact of stock compensation expense as well as other items that we do not believe are representative of our ongoing operating performance. Internally, these non-GAAP measures are also used by management for planning purposes, including the preparation of internal budgets; for allocating resources to enhance financial performance; and for evaluating the effectiveness of operational strategies. The Company also believes that analysts and investors use these non-GAAP measures as supplemental measures to evaluate the ongoing operations of companies in our industry.

These non-GAAP financial measures are used in addition to and in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP and should not be relied upon to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. Management strongly encourages investors to review the Company’s consolidated financial statements in their entirety and to not rely on any single financial measure. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies’ non-GAAP financial measures having the same or similar names. In addition, the Company expects to continue to incur expenses similar to the non-GAAP adjustments described above, and exclusion of these items from the Company’s non-GAAP measures should not be construed as an inference that these costs are all unusual, infrequent or non-recurring.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements which are based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s business and its industry, as well as certain assumptions made by the Company. These statements are forward looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Words such as “anticipates,” “could,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “believes,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “will likely continue” and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our future operating results and financial condition, our potential growth, our ability to innovate, our ability to gain market share, and our ability to expand and improve our product offerings. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors.

Important factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, competitive pressures, our dependence on search engines to attract customers, demand for the Company’s products, the online market and channel mix for aftermarket auto parts, the economy in general, increases in commodity and component pricing that would increase the Company’s product costs, the operating restrictions in its credit agreement, the weather and any other factors discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the Risk Factors contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10–K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10–Q, which are available at www.carparts.com/investor and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements in this release and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Unless otherwise required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Relations:

Ryan Lockwood, CFA
IR@carparts.com

Summarized information for the periods presented is as follows (in millions):

Thirteen
Weeks
Ended

Thirteen
Weeks
Ended

Twenty-Six
Weeks
Ended

Twenty-Six
Weeks
Ended

June 29, 2024

July 1, 2023

June 29, 2024

July 1, 2023

Net sales

$

144.27

$

176.98

$

310.56

$

352.47

Gross profit

$

48.39

$

60.44

$

102.31

$

122.99

33.5

%

34.2

%

32.9

%

34.9

%

Operating expense

$

57.12

$

61.29

$

117.56

$

123.20

39.6

%

34.6

%

37.9

%

35.0

%

Net (loss) income

$

(8.69)

$

(0.67)

$

(15.17)

$

0.38

(6.0)

%

(0.4)

%

(4.9)

%

0.1

%

Adjusted EBITDA

$

(0.12)

$

6.30

$

0.93

$

15.67

(0.1)

%

3.6

%

0.3

%

4.4

%

The table below reconciles net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented (in thousands):

Thirteen
Weeks
Ended

Thirteen
Weeks
Ended

Twenty-Six
Weeks
Ended

Twenty-Six
Weeks
Ended

June 29, 2024

July 1, 2023

June 29, 2024

July 1, 2023

Net (loss) income

$

(8,687)

$

(671)

$

(15,165)

$

380

Depreciation & amortization

4,455

4,247

8,480

8,166

Amortization of intangible assets

13

9

21

20

Interest (income) expense, net

(68)

(221)

(205)

126

Income tax provision

27

141

125

282

EBITDA

$

(4,260)

$

3,505

$

(6,744)

$

8,974

Stock compensation expense

$

3,328

$

2,797

$

5,910

$

6,696

Workforce transition costs(1)

108

—

591

—

Distribution center costs(2)

706

—

1,177

—

Adjusted EBITDA

$

(118)

$

6,302

$

934

$

15,670

(1)

We incurred workforce transition costs, primarily related to severance, as part of our recent workforce reductions.

(2)

We incurred certain non-recurring costs, primarily overlapping rent expense, attributable to moving to our new Las Vegas, Nevada distribution center.

 

CARPARTS.COM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONS
(Unaudited, In Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

Thirteen Weeks Ended

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended

June 29,

July 1,

June 29,

July 1,

2024

2023

2024

2023

Net sales

$

144,270

$

176,978

$

310,559

$

352,470

Cost of sales (1)

95,877

116,536

208,247

229,477

Gross profit

48,393

60,442

102,312

122,993

Operating expense

57,121

61,286

117,557

123,201

Loss from operations

(8,728)

(844)

(15,245)

(208)

Other income (expense):

Other income, net

354

639

791

1,553

Interest expense

(286)

(325)

(586)

(683)

Total other income, net

68

314

205

870

(Loss) income before income taxes

(8,660)

(530)

(15,040)

662

Income tax provision

27

141

125

282

Net (loss) income

(8,687)

(671)

(15,165)

380

Other comprehensive gain:

Foreign currency adjustments

—

—

87

—

Unrealized gain on deferred compensation trust assets

—

24

—

48

Total other comprehensive gain

—

24

87

48

Comprehensive (loss) income

$

(8,687)

$

(647)

$

(15,078)

$

428

Net (loss) income per share:

Basic net (loss) income per share

$

(0.15)

$

(0.01)

$

(0.27)

$

0.01

Diluted net (loss) income per share

$

(0.15)

$

(0.01)

$

(0.27)

$

0.01

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

Shares used in computation of basic net (loss) income per share

56,851

56,532

56,677

55,789

Shares used in computation of diluted net (loss) income per share

56,851

56,532

56,677

58,028

(1)

Excludes depreciation and amortization expense which is included in operating expense.

 

CARPARTS.COM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited, In Thousands, Except Par Value Data)

June 29,

December 30,

2024

2023

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

34,065

$

50,951

Accounts receivable, net

6,147

7,365

Inventory, net

109,289

128,901

Other current assets

8,154

6,121

Total current assets

157,655

193,338

Property and equipment, net

34,622

26,389

Right-of-use – assets – operating leases, net

29,530

19,542

Right-of-use – assets – finance leases, net

12,929

15,255

Other non-current assets

3,303

3,331

Total assets

$

238,039

$

257,855

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

62,701

$

77,851

Accrued expenses

17,571

20,770

Right-of-use – obligation – operating, current

5,692

4,749

Right-of-use – obligation – finance, current

3,897

4,308

Other current liabilities

4,742

5,308

Total current liabilities

94,603

112,986

Right-of-use – obligation – operating, non-current

26,166

16,742

Right-of-use – obligation – finance, non-current

10,517

12,327

Other non-current liabilities

2,863

2,969

Total liabilities

134,149

145,024

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000 shares authorized; 57,088 and 56,303 shares issued and outstanding as of June 29, 2024 and December 30, 2023 (of which 3,786 are treasury stock)

61

60

Treasury stock

(11,912)

(11,912)

Additional paid-in capital

319,010

312,874

Accumulated other comprehensive income

870

783

Accumulated deficit

(204,139)

(188,974)

Total stockholders’ equity

103,890

112,831

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

238,039

$

257,855

 

CARPARTS.COM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited, In Thousands)

Twenty-Six Weeks Ended

June 29,

July 1,

2024

2023

Operating activities

Net (loss) income

$

(15,165)

$

380

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization expense

8,480

8,166

Amortization of intangible assets

21

20

Share-based compensation expense

5,910

6,696

Stock awards issued for non-employee director service

19

11

Stock awards related to officers and directors stock purchase plan from payroll deferral

4

—

Gain from disposition of assets

—

(75)

Amortization of deferred financing costs

32

32

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

1,217

(1,090)

Inventory

19,613

22,286

Other current assets

(2,032)

(4)

Other non-current assets

15

60

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

(17,802)

28,630

Other current liabilities

(566)

925

Right-of-use obligation – operating leases – current

1,169

380

Right-of-use obligation – operating leases – long-term

(790)

(398)

Other non-current liabilities

(107)

342

Net cash provided by operating activities

18

66,361

Investing activities

Additions to property and equipment

(14,567)

(4,669)

Payments for intangible assets

(40)

—

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment

—

83

Net cash used in investing activities

(14,607)

(4,586)

Financing activities

Borrowings from revolving loan payable

127

117

Payments made on revolving loan payable

(127)

(117)

Payments on finance leases

(2,157)

(2,467)

Repurchase of treasury stock

—

(1,052)

Net proceeds from issuance of common stock for ESPP

202

221

Statutory tax withholding payment for share-based compensation

(429)

—

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

—

1,969

Net cash used in financing activities

(2,384)

(1,329)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

87

—

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

(16,886)

60,446

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

50,951

18,767

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

$

34,065

$

79,213

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:

Right-of-use operating asset acquired

$

12,857

$

—

Accrued asset purchases

$

888

$

408

Share-based compensation expense capitalized in property and equipment

$

431

$

411

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

Cash paid during the period for income taxes

$

48

$

155

Cash paid during the period for interest

$

586

$

683

Cash received during the period for interest

$

791

$

557

 

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SOURCE CarParts.com, Inc.

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Texas Athletics and McCombs School of Business Launch New Bevo Lab, Bringing Together Sports, AI and Analytics

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Dell Technologies, Google Cloud and SHI International join Texas Athletics to power a first-of-its-kind hub for sports intelligence, data analytics, research, and talent development

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — University of Texas Athletics and the Business of Sports Institute (BOSI) in the McCombs School of Business, in cooperation with Longhorn Sports Properties, today announced the launch of Bevo Lab, a unique collaboration that will serve as higher education’s premier sports intelligence platform and living laboratory—bringing together sports, technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to elevate human performance while expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students.
 

Joined by Dell Technologies, Google Cloud, and SHI International, Texas Athletics is building the premier sports intelligence platform in higher education, creating a standard of excellence that spans 21 intercollegiate teams and over 500 student-athletes. Bevo Lab will leverage AI-driven research and data analytics to deliver real-world solutions to help athletes and coaches become more efficient in their training and preparation while developing a pipeline of students with hands-on experience for sought-after careers in technology and sports analytics.

“With the help of our nationally ranked academic leaders and cutting-edge technology brand sponsors, Bevo Lab will become the global benchmark for innovation in sports AI and data analytics, making Texas Athletics the most data-driven athletic program in the country,” said Chris Del Conte, vice president and Folger Family Athletics Director at The University of Texas. “What starts here changes the world, and this vision will transform collegiate athletics. There is no bigger stage, no more powerful brand and no better time than now to lead in this new evolution of sports technology.”

Del Conte will officially announce Bevo Lab today at Texas’ Business of College Sports Summit.

Named for the university’s esteemed and powerful live mascot, Bevo Lab will be a part of BOSI, an academic and research center in McCombs that combines business education, on-field/on-court performance analytics, applied research, and industry participation. The lab will engage as many as 40 student researchers annually in managing the modeling and data projects under the direction of acclaimed sports data analyst, author, and BOSI executive director Kirk Goldsberry, Ph.D.

“The AI and emerging technologies provided by our industry partners will empower our students and researchers to deliver improved efficiency and increased speed in data analysis to boost performance and improve success,” added Goldsberry. “Bevo Lab will reinforce Texas as a leader in sports analytics and AI and will serve as the blueprint for the future of sports.”

Key innovations driving the Bevo Lab:

Bevo Lakehouse: A unified data warehouse that consolidates previously siloed sports-specific data such as game film and wearable technology into a single platform—starting with football, before expanding across all 21 varsity sports.Predictive AI & analytics models: Custom machine learning frameworks, including “transfer AI” for roster evaluation, designed to give coaches actionable insights for game strategy, scouting, and player development.Tailored front-end applications: Intuitive visual and natural language interfaces built specifically for the distinct daily workflows of athletes, coaches and athletic executives.Next-generation skills training: A hands-on program for UT students to gain AI skills and deploy live applications alongside athletic teams. Through a first-of-its-kind Google Public Sector ambassador program, students will also get to work directly with engineering teams, gaining high-stakes industry experience to launch careers in tech and sports analytics.

Dell Technologies: Powering a New Era in College Athletics

Dell Technologies is deepening its decadeslong relationship with The University of Texas as the premier founding sponsor and the Official Technology Infrastructure Sponsor of Bevo Lab. Building on a broad history of collaboration that spans groundbreaking research at the Texas Advanced Computing Center and technology innovation across Texas Athletics, Dell is providing the secure AI-ready infrastructure that powers Bevo Lab, enabling students, researchers, coaches and student-athletes to transform data into actionable insights, accelerate innovation and elevate human performance.

“Bevo Lab represents the next chapter in Dell Technologies’ longstanding relationship with The University of Texas and our shared commitment to innovation,” said Geraldine Tunnell, chief marketing officer, Dell Technologies. “By providing the secure, AI-ready infrastructure that powers this initiative, we’re enabling students, researchers, coaches and student-athletes to turn data into insight, accelerate innovation and unlock new possibilities for human performance. Together, we’re helping shape the future of sports analytics, research and education.”

Google Cloud: Pioneering AI Breakthroughs from Campus to Game Day

Google Cloud joins Bevo Lab as the Official Cloud Provider and Enterprise AI Provider, establishing a secure, powerful data foundation built for the future of collegiate athletic performance. By leveraging Google Cloud and Gemini, Google’s advanced multimodal, agentic AI, student researchers and athletic staff members can quickly unify vast athletic datasets to generate real-time sports intelligence. Google Public Sector’s Rapid Innovation and Specialty Engineering Teams will collaborate directly with UT coaches and students to prototype new sports technology while mentoring future sports and technology leaders. In fact, early collaboration with Google Public Sector has already introduced AI-driven workflows that save UT coaches more than 15 hours per week in game preparation, giving them critical time back to focus on strategy and player development.

“As a proud UT alum, I am thrilled to see my alma mater leading the charge at the intersection of collegiate sports, academic research, and artificial intelligence,” said Matt Renner, president and chief revenue officer of Google Cloud. “Bevo Lab will establish a new global benchmark for sports innovation, directly enhancing how the Longhorns will train, game plan, and compete on the field while providing a premier launchpad for the next generation of tech and sports analytics leaders. By putting our advanced data analytics platforms and Gemini models into the hands of UT students, coaches, and researchers, we are building a secure foundation for sports intelligence that will define the future of the industry.”

SHI International: Uniting Strategy and Integration for the Win

Founding sponsor SHI will serve as the strategic technology and solutions integrator of Bevo Lab, translating Texas Athletics’ vision into a secure, scalable technology architecture. Drawing on its deep expertise across IT infrastructure, cloud, AI and cybersecurity, SHI will orchestrate the partner ecosystem, ensuring multiple technologies across Bevo Lab operate as one unified platform for sports innovation that will evolve with the university’s athletic performance and provide research and workforce development opportunities for students managing the data analytics projects.

“For nearly four decades, customers have trusted SHI to bring together the right technologies, partners and expertise to build, manage and secure some of the world’s most complex IT environments,” said Jack Hogan, vice president of Advanced Growth Technologies at SHI International. “As the strategic technology and solutions integrator of Bevo Lab, we are thrilled to turn best-of-breed infrastructure, cloud, data, AI and security technologies into one trusted, scalable environment that enables Texas Athletics, coaches, student-athletes and researchers to achieve greatness on the playing field, in the lab, in the classroom and throughout their post-college careers.”

Strategic Collaboration Across Athletics and Industry

Longhorn Sports Properties, the Austin-based division of college media and technology leader Learfield, assisted in the development of Bevo Lab and secured its founding corporate sponsors.

“Bevo Lab is a cutting-edge collaboration that will make a tremendous positive impact on our coaches, our student-athletes and the university,” said Lucas Motta, vice president of Longhorn Sports Properties. “We are excited to lock arms with Dell Technologies, Google Cloud and SHI as leaders within their industry, and together we will help power Texas Athletics to even more championships while preparing our students for the new era in the tech workforce.”

Bevo Lab will be housed in Innovation Tower adjacent to the UT campus and in the heart of Austin’s Innovation District. A dedicated microsite that details Bevo Lab and its research will be available at texaslonghorns.com/bevolab.

About Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era.
 

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud offers a powerful, optimized AI stack—including AI infrastructure, leading models like Gemini, data management capabilities, multicloud security solutions, developer tools and platform, as well as agents and applications—that enables organizations to transform their business for the Agentic Era. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

About SHI International
SHI International is a $16 billion transformational technology solutions integrator serving the needs of more than 17,000 corporate, enterprise, public sector and academic customer organizations around the world. It helps companies achieve business goals through the use of technologies ranging from software licensing and end user computing devices to innovative cloud and edge solutions. With over 7,000 employees worldwide, SHI is the largest Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the U.S.

About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative revenue generation solutions, student-athlete marketing initiatives, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions. 

Media contacts:
University of Texas Athletics: John Bianco, john.bianco@athletics.utexas.edu, 512-471-1346

Longhorn Sports Properties/Learfield: Tammy Purves, tammy.purves@learfield.com, 404-932-3266

McCombs School of Business: Judie Kinonen, Judie.Kinonen@mccombs.utexas.edu, 409-356-3324

Dell Technologies: Lauren Mauro, media.relations@dell.com.

Google Cloud: press@google.com

SHI: Kaitlynn Cooney, SHI-PR@walkersands.com

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SOURCE Learfield

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XbotGo Named World’s No. 1 Consumer Team Sports AI Tracking Camera Brand

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XbotGo recognized as the market leader in consumer team sports AI tracking technology based on 2025 unit sales.  

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XbotGo is proud to announce that it has officially been recognized as the World’s No. 1 Consumer Team Sports AI Tracking Camera Brand by China Insights Consultancy (CIC), a premier independent market research and consulting firm.  

The certification, issued in October 2026 under research registration number ⁠CIC-2026-985176⁠, is based on a comprehensive evaluation of global unit sales volume throughout the 2025 calendar year. The market research specifically measures consumer-grade camera devices designed for team sports, such as basketball and football, that leverage advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically track athletes and capture dynamic gameplay without manual operation.  

“This global market recognition is a powerful testament to the hard work of our engineering teams and the trust our community places in us every day,” said Dr. David Tan, CEO of XbotGo. “From everyday parents and local youth coaches to elite amateur athletes, our mission has always been to make professional-grade sports analysis and hands-free recording accessible to everyone. Being named the global sales leader proves that our vision is resonating worldwide.”

The XbotGo Falcon series combines ultra-sharp 4K resolution, intelligent multi-player tracking, instant highlight creation, and seamless livestreaming capabilities into a compact, subscription-free device. By eliminating the need for a dedicated camera operator, XbotGo empowers teams and families to preserve and analyze every pivotal moment effortlessly.

To learn more about the XbotGo Falcon and explore its award-winning AI tracking technology, visit xbotgo.com.

About XbotGo

XbotGo was founded in 2021 by Dr. David Tan—a computer vision expert, hardware innovator, and devoted soccer dad. Like every parent on the sidelines, he found traditional cameras either too complex or too costly to capture his child’s moments on the field. That frustration sparked a vision: to make sports recording accessible to all through AI. Today, XbotGo is a global AI sports technology company owned by Blink Tech, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with R&D centers across Silicon Valley, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Suzhou.

Media Contact:
XbotGo
Gabriel Roxas
PR@xbotgo.com

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DataBeyond Showcases PICKINGMAN in Global Livestream from Operating Waste-Sorting Facility

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DONGGUAN, China, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DataBeyond showcased PICKINGMAN, its embodied AI robot for mixed municipal solid waste sorting, during the robot’s first global public livestream at 8 a.m. Beijing time on October 22. The broadcast took place at the Liaobu Municipal Solid Waste Integrated Treatment Center in Dongguan.

Built for Waste-Sorting Conditions

The broadcast demonstrated the robot working on an operating sorting line, highlighting the application of embodied AI to demanding industrial tasks involving mixed materials, dirty conditions and repetitive manual labor. PICKINGMAN began operating at the facility on September 22.

PICKINGMAN features dual arms with a total of 14 degrees of freedom, IP65-rated dust and water protection, and a maximum picking rate of 3,600 picks per hour. Designed to support continuous 24/7 operation, it can sort recyclables including PET bottles and trays, PP containers, PE items, aluminum cans and glass. It coordinates perception, decision-making and motion control to identify and pick target materials on a moving conveyor.

Project Results

Jointly developed by DataBeyond and Guangdong Dongshi Environment Co., Ltd., the Liaobu project combines robotic picking with AI optical sorting and other processing equipment. According to project data, the complete sorting line can process 50 metric tons of mixed municipal solid waste in four hours, achieving approximately 35% waste reduction and 25% resource recovery. Previously, sorting recyclables from the same volume required four skilled workers working for eight hours.

The integrated line separates recyclables for downstream recovery before residual waste is compressed and sent for further treatment, connecting resource recovery with existing waste management operations.

Workforce Benefits and Next Steps

For operators facing recruitment and retention challenges, robotic picking offers an alternative to repetitive manual sorting. The project aims to reduce workers’ direct contact with waste and enable personnel to focus on equipment inspection, production coordination and other technical roles.

“During the livestream, we identified areas where the robot still needs improvement,” said DataBeyond’s Mo Zhuoya. “Bridging the gap between R&D and industrial deployment requires engineering experience. We will accelerate product iteration and conduct longer global livestreams.”

About DataBeyond

DataBeyond develops AI-powered optical sorting equipment and robotic solutions for recycling and solid waste processing. The company integrates AI and multisensor technologies to improve material separation and support resource recovery.

Media Contact

Felix WU
marketing@databeyond.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/databeyond-showcases-pickingman-in-global-livestream-from-operating-waste-sorting-facility-302918041.html

SOURCE DataBeyond

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