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Smartkem Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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MANCHESTER, England, Aug. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Smartkem (Nasdaq: SMTK), a company that has the potential to power the next generation of displays using its disruptive organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), today provides a business update and reports financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024.

Recent Business Highlights

During Q1 and Q2 2024, Smartkem:

Announced that it had uplisted to The Nasdaq Stock Market.Commenced a project with RiTdisplay, with whom it entered into a joint development agreement in 2021, to develop the world’s first commercially ready active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) display using OTFT technology. This new project is funded by Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)), as part of the Taiwan-UK Research & Development Collaboration.Entered into a technology collaboration agreement with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan.Began collaborating with FlexiIC to develop low-cost, rapid turnaround custom circuits using OTFT technology.Entered into a joint development agreement with Tianma to develop OTFT biosensors.Joined the Hi-Accµracy Project to develop active-matrix printed Q-LED displays.Exhibited and gave company presentations at key trade industry conferences including Touch Taiwan 2024 and Display Week 2024 in San Jose, where CEO Ian Jenks gave a keynote speech at the DSCC / SID Business Conference.

Q2 2024 Financial Highlights:

Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2024, were $4.4 million compared to $8.8 million as of December 31, 2023.Operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024, were $3.0 million compared $2.5 million for the same period of 2023.Revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2024, were $40.0 thousand compared to $8.0 thousand for the same period of 2023.In May 2024, Smartkem received approval to list its common stock on the Capital Market tier of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “SMTK”. Trading on Nasdaq commenced with the open of trading on Friday, May 31, 2024.

CEO Outlook Commentary:

Smartkem Chairman and CEO, Ian Jenks, comments,

“The most exciting 2024 milestone for the company so far is the recent announcement of our uplist to Nasdaq. We are proud to now be trading on the world’s premier technology stock exchange and believe that it will result in increased marketability and liquidity.”

“In the first half of 2024, we delivered against our commitment to increase our marketing efforts and participation in the major global technology conferences, and, crucially, believe we have continued to demonstrate company success and viability through the delivery of our robust three-pillared commercialization strategy that has remained consistent: continuous improvement of our proprietary materials, the development of electronic design automation (EDA) tools, and access to foundry services.”

“We are committed to continuous improvement of our best-in-class materials, supported by ongoing confidence from both the industry and investor communities. We intend to deploy EDA tools to the market through our partnership with FlexiIC, enabling customers to rapidly develop circuitry at low cost for new applications in sensors, internet-of-things (IOT) or other applications. We also intend to grant our customers access to foundry services and have entered into a technology transfer agreement with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan to enable product prototyping on its Gen2.5 line for customers as they approach product commercialization.

“We remain confident that our continued efforts to pursue our three-pillared strategy will lead to commercialization and the sale of our materials to both foundry services and to our customers who have transferred our technology to their own fabrication lines.”

Q2 2024 Results:

Revenue and Cost of revenue

Smartkem had revenue of $40.0 thousand and cost of revenue $32.0 thousand in the three months ended June 30, 2024. Smartkem had revenue of $8.0 thousand and cost of revenue of $6.0 thousand in the same period of 2023. Both revenues and related cost of revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and 2023 are a result of sales of OTFT backplanes and TRUFLEX® materials for customer assessment and development purposes.

Other operating income

Other operating income was $0.2 million in the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $0.2 million in the same period of 2023. The primary source of the income is related to a research grant and research and development tax credits.

Operating expenses

Operating expenses were $3.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $2.5 million in the same period of 2023, an increase of $0.5 million.

Research and development expenses are incurred for the development of TRUFLEX® inks to make OTFT circuits and consist primarily of payroll and technical development costs. The research and development expenses represent 38.4% and 49.5% of the total operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Research and development expenses decreased $98 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to the same period for the prior year. This decrease is primarily related to lower personnel expenses due to a reduction in force in 2023 and additional personnel resignations in 2024, offset in part by higher technical service costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of payroll and professional services such as accounting, legal services and investor relations. These expenses represent 61.0% and 52.2% of our total operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $0.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to the same period for the prior year. This increase was primarily a result of an increase in personnel expenses related to salary increases and bonus payouts and professional service fees related to the NASDAQ uplisting.

Non-Operating income /Expense

We recorded a loss of $81 thousand related to the valuation of the warrant liability for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to a gain of $3 thousand for the same period in 2023. We had transaction costs of $0.2 million related to a private placement financing for the three months ended June 30, 2023, with no similar costs in the same period of 2024. We recorded a loss on foreign currency transactions of $0.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to gain of $0.5 million in the same period on 2023.

Cash Flow from Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $4.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $3.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, an increase of $1.5 million. The increase is primarily related to the timing of payments made to vendors and the payout of bonuses.

Smartkem’s Nasdaq information can be found on the Nasdaq website: https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/smtk

 

 

SMARTKEM, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except number of shares and per share data)

June 30, 

December 31, 

2024

2023

Assets

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$

4,351

$

8,836

Accounts receivable

268

Research and development tax credit receivable

967

610

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

1,186

811

Total current assets

6,504

10,525

Property, plant and equipment, net

327

455

Right-of-use assets, net

226

285

Other assets, non-current

6

7

Total assets

$

7,063

$

11,272

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

Current liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

$

1,903

$

1,178

Lease liabilities, current

209

230

Other current liabilities

347

360

Total current liabilities

2,459

1,768

Lease liabilities, non-current

16

19

Warrant liability

1,372

Total liabilities

2,475

3,159

Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)

Stockholders’ equity:

Preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 10,000,000 shares authorized,
1,106 and 13,765 shares issued and outstanding, at June 30, 2024 and
December 31, 2023, respectively

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 300,000,000 shares authorized,
1,721,900 and 889,668 shares issued and outstanding, at June 30, 2024 and
December 31, 2023, respectively*

Additional paid-in capital

112,965

104,757

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(1,422)

(1,578)

Accumulated deficit

(106,955)

(95,066)

Total stockholders’ equity

4,588

8,113

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

7,063

$

11,272

 * reflects a one-for-thirty-five (1:35) reverse stock split effected on September 21, 2023

 

 

SMARTKEM, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

(Unaudited)

(in thousands, except number of shares and per share data)

Three Months Ended June 30, 

Six Months Ended June 30, 

2024

2023

2024

2023

Revenue

$

40

$

8

$

40

$

24

Cost of revenue

32

6

32

22

Gross profit

8

2

8

2

Other operating income

236

169

438

438

Operating expenses

Research and development

1,158

1,257

2,434

2,536

Selling, general and administrative

1,844

1,324

3,206

2,757

Loss on foreign currency transactions

19

(43)

32

68

Total operating expenses

3,021

2,538

5,672

5,361

Loss from operations

(2,777)

(2,367)

(5,226)

(4,921)

Non-operating income/(expense)

Gain/(loss) on foreign currency transactions

(243)

533

(249)

1,035

Transaction costs allocable to warrants

(198)

(198)

Change in fair value of the warrant liability

(81)

3

672

3

Interest income

3

2

9

6

Total non-operating income/(expense)

(321)

340

432

846

Loss before income taxes

(3,098)

(2,027)

(4,794)

(4,075)

Income tax expense

(1)

(1)

Net loss

$

(3,099)

$

(2,027)

$

(4,795)

$

(4,075)

Net loss

$

(3,099)

$

(2,027)

$

(4,795)

$

(4,075)

Other comprehensive loss:

Foreign currency translation

174

(517)

156

(973)

Total comprehensive loss

$

(2,925)

$

(2,544)

$

(4,639)

$

(5,048)

Common share data:

Basic net loss per common share*

$

(0.98)

$

(1.82)

$

(1.63)

$

(4.18)

Diluted net loss per common share*

$

(0.98)

$

(1.82)

$

(4.04)

$

(4.18)

Dividend per common share

$

$

$

(2.41)

$

Weighted average number of basic shares outstanding*

3,157,334

1,111,954

2,946,354

974,599

Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding*

3,157,334

1,111,954

2,946,354

974,599

 * reflects a one-for-thirty-five (1:35) reverse stock split effected on September 21, 2023

 

About Smartkem

Smartkem is seeking to reshape the world of electronics with its disruptive organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) that have the potential to drive the next generation of displays. Smartkem’s patented TRUFLEX® semiconductor and dielectric inks, or liquid electronic polymers, can be used to make a new type of transistor that has the potential to revolutionize the display industry. Smartkem’s inks enable low temperature printing processes that are compatible with existing manufacturing infrastructure to deliver low-cost displays that outperform existing models. The company’s electronic polymer platform can be used in a number of display technologies including microLED, miniLED and AMOLED displays for next generation televisions, laptops, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, smartwatches and smartphones.

Smartkem develops its materials at its research and development facility in Manchester, UK and its semiconductor manufacturing processes at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Sedgefield, UK, It has a field application office in Taiwan. The company has an extensive IP portfolio including 125 granted patents across 19 patent families and 40 codified trade secrets. For more information, visit: www.smartkem.com and follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/smartkem-limited and Twitter @SmartkemOTFT.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements relating to the Smartkem’s expectations regarding its market position and market opportunity, expectations and plans as to its product development, manufacturing and sales, and relations with its partners and investors. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on Smartkem Inc.’s current expectations, estimates, and projections regarding its business, operations and other similar or related factors. Words such as “may,” will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” and other similar or elated expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult or impossible to predict and, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.

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SOURCE SmartKem, Inc.

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Galaxy Digital Inc. Announces Pricing of $3.507 Billion of Senior Secured Notes

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NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GLXY) (“Galaxy” or the “Company”), a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, today announced that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Galaxy Helios Data Centers II LLC (the “Issuer”), has priced a $3.507 billion private offering (the “Offering”) of 9.875% senior secured notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Offering is expected to close on July 28, 2026, subject to market and other conditions.

The Issuer intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to finance a portion of the development and construction of two buildings containing eight data halls with a combined total of 400 megawatts (“MW”) of utility capacity and 260 MW of critical IT capacity (the “Project”) to be built on an approximately 260-acre property in Dickens County, Texas and to fund debt service reserves.

The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 9.875% per annum payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2027 and will mature on August 1, 2031. The Notes will amortize at a rate of 4.00% per annum of the original principal amount subject to adjustment, with amortization payments payable semi-annually with the first payment date to occur at least ten months after the completion of the Project.

The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Galaxy Helios II LLC, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of the Issuer (the “Guarantor”), and will constitute the senior secured obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantor. The Notes and related note guarantee will be secured by first-priority liens on (i) substantially all assets of the Issuer and the Guarantor, other than certain excluded property and (ii) all equity interests of the Issuer held by the direct parent company of the Issuer.

The Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether, when or on what terms the Offering may be completed.

The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Galaxy

Galaxy Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: GLXY) is a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, delivering solutions that accelerate progress in finance and artificial intelligence. Our digital assets platform offers institutional access to trading, advisory, asset management, staking, self-custody, and tokenization technology. In addition, we develop and operate cutting-edge data center infrastructure to power AI and HPC workloads. Our 1.63 GW Helios campus in Texas positions Galaxy among the largest and fastest-growing data center developers in North America. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the completion, size and timing of the Offering, the terms of the Notes and the intended use of proceeds. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the Offering and risks relating to the Company’s business, including those described in periodic reports that the Company files from time to time with the SEC. The Issuer may not consummate the proposed Offering described in this press release and, if the proposed Offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the Offering or the Notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update the statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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SOURCE Galaxy Digital Inc.

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The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an

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BEIJING, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the Long March, and what it means for China today:

 

Every journey has a destination.

But some destinations become the beginning of something even greater.

This is Yan’an.

Over 90 years ago, an army of soldiers embarked from Yudu, Jiangxi Province, on a journey that would go down in history.

They crossed snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands and raging rivers, eventually arriving in northern Shaanxi.

Across this grueling 12,500-kilometer journey, they wrote a magnificent epic in human history with willpower and courage.

Here, their Long March came to a victorious end. But a new chapter of history was only beginning.

In Yan’an, the Red Army found time to recover and rebuild, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China regrouped, gathering strength for the next chapter.

Here, new ideas were debated, new strategies were shaped, and a vision for China’s future gradually took form.

Today, while preserving its revolutionary legacy, Yan’an has grown into a vibrant, modern city — with a greener environment, thriving industries and happier lives for its people.

Nearly 90 years ago, American journalist Edgar Snow came to northern Shaanxi, seeking to uncover a story that few outside China knew. He later chronicled it in his book “Red Star Over China,” which carried the story of the Long March to the world.

Today, people from around the world are once again retracing those steps.

As part of China International Communications Group (CICG)’s “Together on the Long March” international communication project, participants have spent more than a month retracing the route across six key regions.

From Jiangxi to Shaanxi, they followed the Red Army’s journey and witnessed the remarkable changes that have taken place along the way.

I asked them one simple question: What does this journey mean to you?

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League, said conversations with local residents and descendants of the Red Army made history feel far more immediate than he had expected.

He said history isn’t as distant as we often think. “We’re only one or two generations from these great sacrifices that led to the development and the greatness that we see from the Communist Party of China and China as a whole.”

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press under CICG and a recipient of the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award, said the journey deepened his understanding of the Long March.

He said the journey helped him understand not only the historical facts, but also what the Red Army endured. “If you see the Long March merely as a military campaign, it ended in Yan’an. But as a spirit, it has never truly come to an end.”

We came to retrace history. We leave with something more: a deeper understanding of China’s past, a clearer view of its present, and perhaps a greater appreciation for the stories that connect us across cultures.

Edgar Snow called the Long March “an Odyssey unequalled in modern times.” He believed that what sustained it was a flame — consisting of an undimmed ardor, an undying hope and an amazing revolutionary optimism.

Ninety years later, that flame still burns.

Passed down through generations, the spirit of the Long March continues to light China’s path forward.

And as it crosses borders and cultures, it offers the world a glimpse of a nation defined by resilience, perseverance and an enduring drive to move forward.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-07/23/content_118614941.shtml

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SOURCE China.org.cn

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Visa and Lianlian Advance Trusted B2B Agentic Commerce Through LoopXPay’s First Live B2B Agentic Transaction

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First live B2B agentic transaction in Greater China highlights how AI-enabled commerce can help SMBs streamline purchasing and payments, supported by Visa’s Agentic Directory for trusted AI agent interactions

SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian”), an AI-native global financial infrastructure provider, today announced the first live B2B agentic transaction completed using LoopXPay, Lianlian’s AI agent. 

Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) often lack dedicated procurement teams and spend valuable time sourcing, purchasing and making payments themselves. In the transaction, the LoopXPay agent was used to source a product sample from a supplier and complete the purchase in a single workflow. The agent identified the purchasing requirement, recommended suitable suppliers, compared options, placed the order and securely executed the payment within a single workflow, while operating within pre-defined spending controls and approval parameters.

The milestone highlights how AI-powered commerce experiences can help SMBs simplify purchasing and payment activities while maintaining appropriate controls and oversight. By enabling AI agents to operate within pre-defined spending parameters and approval controls, businesses can reduce manual effort while retaining visibility into commercial decision-making.

As AI agents become more involved in purchasing and payment activities, businesses will require confidence that transactions are being executed by verified participants, within approved parameters and with appropriate oversight. Capabilities aligned with Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol can help provide the identity, transparency and controls needed to support these interactions.

As part of the collaboration, LoopXPay has been registered in Visa’s Agentic Directory, enabling participating businesses and merchants to identify verified AI agents within the ecosystem. Supporting the implementation of Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, the Agentic Directory helps provide greater transparency into agent-driven interactions and confidence that participating agents have met Visa’s requirements.

“AI-powered commerce experiences can help businesses simplify purchasing and payments while maintaining the controls and oversight they require,” said Darren Parslow, Global Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, Visa. “For SMBs, that means less complexity in managing day-to-day commercial activities and more time focused on growth. As businesses increasingly look to embed intelligence into purchasing and payment experiences, trust will become a critical enabler of adoption. Through our collaboration with Lianlian, we are helping advance the trusted foundations that businesses will need to participate in this next era of commerce with confidence.”

Building on this milestone, Visa and Lianlian are exploring how AI agents can support a broader range of commercial activities, including procurement, digital advertising optimisation and B2B platform payments, helping advance trusted commerce through greater efficiency, transparency and control.

Zhang Zhengyu, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Lianlian DigiTech, said, “AI is reshaping the entire commercial value chain, where a growing number of business activities will be autonomously executed by AI agents, with payments serving as the critical infrastructure connecting them to global commerce. Leveraging its experience in global cross-border payments, compliance, as well as payment network, LianLian is actively building AI-native financial infrastructure, delivering an integrated suite of capabilities for the Agent Economy, spanning identity verification, transaction authorisation, intelligent payment, and global fund settlement. Through this collaboration with Visa, we aim to combine Lianlian’s AI-native capabilities with Visa’s trusted global network and commercial payment expertise to help businesses transact more securely, intelligently and efficiently in an increasingly agent-driven commerce environment.”

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Lianlian

Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian DigiTech” or “Lianlian”) was founded in 2009 and listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2024 (stock code: 2598.HK). As China’s leading global provider of digital and intelligent payment services, Lianlian adheres to its mission of “Connecting the world, empowering global commerce” and pursues an “AI-Native + Globalization” strategy. The Company is committed to building a trusted global intelligent financial infrastructure, enabling seamless connectivity between Chinese enterprises and global businesses.  As of now, Lianlian has established a global licensing portfolio comprising 68 payment licenses and related qualifications, and holds a VATP license issued by the Hong Kong SFC. It supports services in more than 200 countries and regions and enables transaction settlement in over 140 currencies, connecting over 180 global e-commerce platforms and serving a cumulative total of over 13.3 million customers. Learn more at www.lianlian.com.

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SOURCE Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited

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