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KIRKLAND’S ANNOUNCES EXTENSION OF VOTING DEADLINE FOR UPCOMING SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

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Preliminary Voting Report Shows 94.3% of Votes in Favor of Proposal for Share Issuance to Beyond, Inc.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Kirkland’s, Inc. (Nasdaq: KIRK) (“Kirkland’s” or the “Company”), a specialty retailer of home décor and furnishings, announced its decision to extend the voting deadline for its upcoming special meeting of shareholders originally scheduled for December 23, 2024. The special meeting will be convened as scheduled and adjourned to a later date in order to allow for additional time to satisfy applicable quorum requirements.

Based on the preliminary reports from the votes submitted as of December 19, 2024, approximately 94.3% of votes represented in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting were voted “For” the proposal to approve the issuance of shares of Kirkland’s common stock to Beyond, Inc. in connection with the strategic partnership between the companies and in accordance with applicable Nasdaq Listing Rules, indicating an overwhelming level of support from participating shareholders.  However, at this time, the Company has received proxies representing approximately 37.2% of total shares outstanding as of the record date, less than the majority needed under applicable law and the Company’s bylaws.  

“The strong positive preliminary vote results have confirmed broad shareholder support. We are thankful for our shareholders for their participation in this important process. The approval of the proposal is a key milestone in strengthening our financial position heading into 2025,” commented Amy Sullivan, CEO of Kirkland’s. “Our teams remain committed to furthering the strategic initiatives at Kirkland’s Home and are continuing to work together with the Beyond team to revitalize the iconic Bed Bath and Beyond brand and build the foundation for its brick-and-mortar strategy. We believe through this partnership we will accelerate our growth trajectory and deliver long-term value to our shareholders. We believe that providing more time for the Company to solicit votes and for additional shareholders to participate, especially as we move past the holidays, will secure a quorum.”  

“We support the decision to extend the voting period to ensure all Kirkland’s shareholders have ample opportunity to participate, particularly given the busy holiday season. With the preliminary voting results thus far, we are extremely confident that shareholders understand the merits of our strategic partnership,” said Marcus Lemonis, Executive Chairman of Beyond, Inc. “We have strong conviction in the management team and look forward to working together towards our common goals including enhancing the Bed Bath and Beyond brand with an omni-channel offering for customers.”

Additional information related to revised deadlines for submission of proxies and timing for the reconvened special meeting will be included in an amended notice of meeting and supplemental proxy materials that will be mailed to Kirkland’s stockholders as soon as they are available. The record date for the meeting will continue to be November 5, 2024, and there is no need for shareholders to revote shares if votes have already been cast.

About Kirkland’s, Inc.

Kirkland’s, Inc. is a specialty retailer of home décor and furnishings in the United States, currently operating 326 stores in 35 states as well as an e-commerce website, www.kirklands.com, under the Kirkland’s Home brand. The Company provides its customers an engaging shopping experience characterized by a curated, affordable selection of home décor and furnishings along with inspirational design ideas. This combination of quality and stylish merchandise, value pricing and a stimulating in-store and online environment provides the Company’s customers with a unique brand experience. More information can be found at www.kirklands.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or the Company’s future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “aim,” “believe,” “can,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “forecast,” “plan,” “possible,” “intend,” “target,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions that concern the Company’s expectations, strategy, priorities, plans, or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this communication include, but are not limited to, the Company’s ability to consummate the Transactions and satisfy applicable closing conditions, including the receipt of its shareholders’ approval of the Nasdaq Proposal. The Company’s expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties, including changes in the Company’s plans or assumptions, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include the risk of the Company’s shareholders not approving the Transactions, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could result in the Subscription Agreement being terminated or the Transactions not being completed on the terms reflected in the Subscription Agreement, or at all, and uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the Transactions; the ability of each party to consummate the Transactions; risks related to optional conversion of the convertible note under the Beyond Term Loan; risks related to the Collaboration Agreement and the Trademark License Agreement; the effect of the announcement or pendency of the Transactions on the Company’s business relationships, operating results and business generally; risks related to the Special Meeting diverting management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the Transactions; potential litigation relating to the Transactions that could be instituted against Beyond, the Company or their affiliates’ respective directors, managers or officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; continued availability of capital and financing; the ability to obtain the various synergies envisioned in the Collaboration Agreement; the ability of the Company to successfully open Bed Bath & Beyond stores; the ability of each company to successfully market their products to the other company’s customers and to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to its business after the completion of the transaction and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation; and other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2024 and subsequent filings. All information provided in this communication is as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s assessment as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication.

Additional Information and Where to Find it

In connection with the Special Meeting to approve the Nasdaq Proposal, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A with the SEC on November 8, 2024. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. The definitive proxy statement was mailed or made available to shareholders of the Company on or about November 8, 2024. Shareholders will be able to obtain the documents (when they become available) free of charge at the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. In addition, shareholders may obtain free copies of the documents (when they become available) on the Company’s website, https://ir.kirklands.com/or by contacting Investor Relations by mail at Attn: Investor Relations, 5310 Maryland Way, Brentwood, TN 37027.

Participants in the Solicitation

The Company and certain of its directors, executive officers and other employees, under the SEC’s rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of the Company’s shareholders in connection with the Special Meeting to approve the Nasdaq Proposal. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the Transactions and their respective direct and indirect interests in the Transactions, by security holdings or otherwise, will be if any, is included in the definitive proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transactions (if and when they become available). Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

Contact:                   

Kirkland’s Home                               

ICR

Mike Madden                                 

Caitlin Churchill

1-615-872-4800                             

KIRK@icrinc.com 

1-203-682-8200

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SOURCE Kirkland’s, Inc.

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Wondershare Demonstrates AI-Powered Document Workflows with PDFelement at Microsoft AI Tour Hong Kong

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HONG KONG, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wondershare, a global leader in digital productivity and creativity software, showcased its latest AI-powered solutions at the Microsoft AI Tour Hong Kong, highlighting how its flagship product, Wondershare PDFelement, integrates with Microsoft technologies to enable smarter, more secure, and more efficient document workflows for enterprises.

As Microsoft’s flagship global AI event, the Microsoft AI Tour brings together partners and industry leaders to explore how AI is transforming business operations. At the Hong Kong stop, Wondershare demonstrated its deep collaboration with Microsoft across key solution areas, showcasing how its product ecosystem aligns with Microsoft technologies to deliver integrated, end-to-end AI workflows.

At the center of the showcase was Wondershare PDFelement, an AI-powered, all-in-one PDF solution designed to streamline document-centric processes in enterprise environments. Through deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, PDFelement enables seamless interoperability with widely used applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, allowing users to convert PDFs into fully editable formats while preserving original layout and structure. With built-in Office plugins, users can also generate standardized PDFs directly within Microsoft applications. PDFelement further supports deployment in Microsoft Azure environments, enabling Single Sign-On (SSO) for streamlined access management, while maintaining compatibility with Microsoft Rights Management Services (RMS) to securely manage protected documents.

Beyond its ecosystem integration, PDFelement also introduces a suite of AI-powered capabilities to enhance productivity across document workflows. Smart Redact enables automatic detection and masking of over 70 types of sensitive data to support compliance requirements, while Professional AI Translation delivers accurate, industry-specific language output for cross-border collaboration. The Admin Console provides enterprise-grade centralized access and permission control, allowing IT teams to manage AI, cloud, and eSign features with real-time visibility into license usage. At the event, attendees can also experience a range of enhanced AI features, including AI Summarize, Chat with PDF, AI Translate, AI Detect and Rewrite, as well as AI Proofread, Voice, Explain, Grammar Check, and Mind Map Generation.

In addition to PDFelement, Wondershare also showcased how its broader product portfolio integrates with Microsoft technologies. EdrawMax offers full compatibility with Microsoft Visio through bidirectional .vsdx import and export, along with Office add-ins, OLE embedding, and data-driven diagram generation from Excel, while also featuring AI-powered capabilities such as the Edraw Agent, natural language-driven diagram generation, and text-to-diagram conversion across platforms. EdrawMind enables one-click conversion of mind maps into PowerPoint and supports intelligent analysis of Office documents to generate structured knowledge frameworks, alongside AI features including webpage summarization, node-based note generation, and AI-powered search. Filmora is optimized for the Windows AI PC ecosystem, leveraging on-device NPU acceleration for AI-powered video processing, supporting Windows on Arm, and enabling natural language interaction with RAG-based asset matching, while also incorporating AI Extend, AI Portrait, and Smart Cutout. Reelmate provides an AI-powered, agent-driven platform covering the full content production pipeline from generation to post-production for creating premium comic series.

Through live demonstrations, attendees were able to experience how Wondershare’s AI-powered solutions can be applied across real-world enterprise scenarios, from document processing and knowledge management to visual communication and content creation. The showcase attracted strong interest from professionals across industries such as finance, education, information technology, and telecommunications, particularly around capabilities related to document security, automation, and cross-language collaboration.

Wondershare’s participation in the Microsoft AI Tour Hong Kong highlights its continued commitment to advancing practical AI adoption through deep ecosystem integration. By combining AI capabilities with seamless compatibility across Microsoft technologies, Wondershare is helping enterprises build more secure, connected, and efficient workflows for the future.

About Wondershare:

Wondershare is a globally recognized software company founded in 2003, known for its innovative solutions in creativity and productivity. Driven by the mission “Creativity Simplified”, Wondershare offers a range of tools, including PDFelement for document management; EdrawMax, EdrawMind for diagraming, Filmora and SelfyzAI for video editing. With over 2 billion cumulative active users across all products and a presence in over 200 countries and regions, Wondershare empowers the next generation of creators with intuitive software and trendy creative resources, continually expanding the possibilities of creativity worldwide.

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SOURCE Wondershare Technology

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TCL Solar Highlights Groundbreaking Solar Products at Korea Green Energy Expo 2026

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Booth No: K-450

DAEGU, South Korea, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TCL Solar is currently exhibiting its latest photovoltaic solutions at the Korea Green Energy Expo, reinforcing its commitment to advancing South Korea’s renewable energy market. As South Korea is poised to become a key global player in the solar energy sector, the country is on track to achieve a cumulative installed solar capacity of 55.7GW by 2030, with over 5GW set to be installed annually. Among the growing demand, distributed and floating photovoltaic systems are driving significant market expansion.

TCL Solar is actively supporting South Korea’s renewable energy goals by offering high-efficiency, reliable solar modules and localized services that are integral to helping the country meet its solar installation targets and accelerate its transition to sustainable energy.

TCL Solar is showcasing its T5 Pro TOPCon Multi-Cut Product, which utilizes advanced TOPCon technology with overlapping cell architecture, offering a maximum power output of up to 670W、755W. This cutting-edge solution represents the pinnacle of high-efficiency solar energy.

Additionally, the C2 BC Module, powered by Back Contact technology, delivers significantly higher energy yields, making it perfect for complex applications with high BOS costs, low ground reflectivity, limited land availability, partial shadow scenarios, or aesthetic requirements.

The BC module with its no busbar design and no front metal lines present a more visually appealing aesthetic, meeting Korean architectural requirements. Offering a power output 20W higher than TOPCon modules, it also maintains significantly better hot spot resistance and a degradation rate of just 0.35%.

Additionally, the company introduced the lightweight modules (5.4kg/m², reducing weight by 49%) that are particularly suitable for low-load rooftops of aging factories in Korea.

Besides, the company proudly congratulate Prana Solution Co., Ltd. on winning the 2025 TCL Solar Top Sales Award on site. This remarkable achievement highlights the strong partnership between Prana Solution and TCL Solar, built on a shared commitment to innovation and sustainable energy.

Backed by TCL Zhonghuan’s (TCL Solar parent company) advanced manufacturing capabilities including the launch of the industry’s first 4.0 silicon wafer factory in 2020, TCL Solar guarantees excellent quality and technical support. TCL Solar will continue to collaborate with local partners to help South Korea achieve its renewable energy goals, while advancing its global expansion through partnership with the Korean market for mutual growth.

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SOURCE TCL Solar

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BCG Reports $14.4 Billion in Revenue, Marking 22nd Consecutive Year of Growth

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Tech- and AI-Focused Services Now Represent More than 40% of Total RevenueBCG Grew to 33,500 Employees

BOSTON, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has reported 7% global revenue growth, rising to $14.4 billion in 2025 from $13.5 billion in 2024, marking its 22nd consecutive year of growth. The firm expanded across all regions, reflecting client demand globally for large-scale transformation and applied AI impact.

Growth in 2025 was driven by clients seeking to harness technology and AI, pursue new avenues of growth, achieve cost excellence, and redesign their organizations for sustained results. AI- and tech-focused services now represent over 40% of BCG’s total revenue, driven by 25% year-over-year growth in AI services. BCG’s applied AI approach, embedding technology in real business operations at enterprise scale, enabled exponential impact for clients including IBM, Reckitt, and Foxconn.

“Our growth reflects the ambition of our clients and the dedication of our teams,” said Christoph Schweizer, BCG’s CEO. “We partner with leaders at defining moments to navigate uncertainty, embrace AI, and turn strategy into sustained advantage. As AI reshapes business, it is also reshaping how we operate as a firm. AI is now woven into every offering, client relationship, and daily case team experience to drive transformation and multiply impact for our clients.”

Building Up BCG’s Team to Deliver Transformational Results
BCG continued to expand its global talent base in 2025, growing its workforce to 33,500 employees. The firm added AI engineers, data scientists, IT architects, and deep-industry specialists, while continuing to develop its consulting teams to lead complex end-to-end transformations.

AI upskilling efforts have further accelerated across the firm, equipping teams to combine human judgment with AI-powered tools. BCG employees now use AI tools daily, with nearly 4,000 BCG employees actively developing and scaling AI workflows through advanced coding and automation. LinkedIn’s AI Talent Maturity Index places BCG’s workforce as leaders in the industry.

“Our people are at the center of our performance,” Schweizer said. “Their judgment, empathy, and ability to combine applied AI with strategic clarity are what enable us to deliver lasting impact for clients.”

Serving Clients in an Applied AI World
As AI reshapes industries, BCG is embedding AI directly into how it designs and delivers client solutions. Over the past year, the firm has reimagined its offerings by integrating AI into core consulting workflows—embedding proprietary knowledge, data, and proven delivery approaches into reusable, human-led agentic processes that accelerate impact.

Through BCG X, the firm builds bespoke AI solutions where differentiation matters most, deploying industry-specific platforms such as Auto AI, Retail AI, and Deep Customer Engagement AI directly into client systems. In 2025, BCG launched the BCG X AI Science Institute to advance frontier applications across industries, strengthening its work at the intersection of science, technology, and business transformation. BCG also serves as an ecosystem orchestrator working to deliver integrated solutions in collaboration with its tech alliance partners.

To best serve clients, BCG remains a leader in developing and using AI in a manner that is secure, responsible, and trusted by clients, partners, and regulators. BCG was among the first 100 organizations globally, and the only premium consulting firm, certified for ISO/IEC 42001 International Standard for AI Management Systems.

Media Contact:
Brian Bannister
Bannister.Brian@bcg.com

About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

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SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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