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AccuWeather Acquires TOA Lightning Detection Network and Technology to Create Advanced Global Lightning Detection Network

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NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AccuWeather, global leader in weather forecasting, warnings, data and information, is pleased to announce the acquisition of TOA Systems, Inc. lightning network and technology. TOA Systems, Inc. is a premier provider of lightning detection hardware and one of the few global lightning networks in existence. The announcement was made at the American Meteorological Society’s Annual Meeting 2025 in New Orleans.

“The integration of AccuWeather’s expertise in machine learning and weather forecasting with TOA’s advanced hardware will dramatically enhance decision-making processes for industries and individuals at risk from lightning strikes.” Steven R. Smith, AccuWeather CEO

The new AccuWeather Lightning Network™ will enhance global lightning detection capabilities by combining AccuWeather’s proven Superior Accuracy™ in weather forecasting with TOA’s state-of-the-art hardware network to keep people safer and businesses, property, and assets better protected.

The deal was closed in December of 2024 and is AccuWeather’s 16th acquisition since its founding 63 years ago. The integration of TOA’s advanced lightning detection systems with AccuWeather’s proprietary forecasting technology and machine learning expertise will create a comprehensive, one-of-a-kind global lightning detection network to deliver superior value to businesses, governments, and the public, helping them better manage risks and better understand the impact of lightning. AccuWeather’s actionable insights enable the best decisions with real-time lightning data, SkyGuard® warnings for lightning, lightning reports, and historical lightning data.

“We are genuinely thrilled about this meaningful and powerful opportunity to not only advance our lightning forecast expertise, but also to provide a critical, life-saving dataset, and cutting-edge lightning sensing technology to AccuWeather clients and users worldwide,” said Steven R. Smith, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of AccuWeather. “The integration of AccuWeather’s expertise in machine learning and weather forecasting with TOA’s advanced hardware will dramatically enhance decision-making processes for industries and individuals at risk from lightning strikes.”

In the United States, lightning is a significant weather hazard striking the ground over 200 million times (over 2 billion times globally) last year. On average, lightning causes 20-30 fatalities and over 200 injuries annually in the U.S. Globally, the toll is even larger, with some estimates of more than 10,000 lives lost each year due to lightning. AccuWeather said this strategic acquisition will enable the company to offer real-time lightning detection services that further enhance safety and preparedness.

“TOA Systems has been at the forefront of lightning detection technology, providing reliable and precise data to various sectors, including aviation, energy, and outdoor event management,” said Chris Patti, Chief Data and Science Officer at AccuWeather. “By leveraging AccuWeather’s advanced forecasting algorithms, innovative machine learning models and deploying sensors across North America, and then the rest of the world the new AccuWeather Lightning Network™ will deliver enhanced predictive insights and lightning risk assessments.”

Said Tim Bent, formerly of TOA Systems, “This is a significant advancement in the field of meteorology and lightning detection. Our integration with AccuWeather will expand the reach and accuracy of our lightning detection network, providing critical, life-saving information to a global audience.”

A typical lightning bolt carries around 300 million volts and 30,000 amps of electricity, making it extremely powerful compared to household current, which is around 120 volts and 15 amps; essentially, an average lightning bolt packs a punch of about 1 billion joules of energy.

Lightning strikes have a substantial economic impact, causing an estimated $1 billion in total economic loss each year in the U.S. due to property damage, forest fire spread, and infrastructure disruptions. 

Lightning-related fires, electrical surges, and damage to infrastructure, such as power lines and buildings, contribute significantly to these costs (U.S. Fire Administration, 2020). The agricultural sector bears a considerable share of the financial burden, with lightning-induced wildfires and damage to crops and livestock leading to losses that extend beyond the immediate destruction (National Interagency Fire Center, 2021).

Additionally, power outages resulting from lightning strikes disrupt businesses, leading to economic losses in productivity. The cost to insurance companies also rises, driving up premiums for affected homeowners and businesses (Insurance Information Institute, 2020).

The new global lightning detection network will be integrated into AccuWeather’s suite of digital platforms, including AccuWeather.com and mobile apps, making it easily accessible to users. The AccuWeather Lightning Network™ will also provide real-time lightning alerts, detailed risk analysis, and safety recommendations tailored to specific locations designed for enterprise and business clients. AccuWeather Lightning Network™ data will also be available via AccuWeather’s APIs and Data Marketplaces (Databricks + Snowflake).

For more information on this acquisition, high resolution lightning images, or to access the enhanced lightning detection services, visit AccuWeather.com or contact pr@accuweather.com.

About AccuWeather

AccuWeather, recognized and documented as the most accurate and most used source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, has saved over 12,000 lives, prevented injury to over 100,000 people, and saved companies tens of billions of dollars through better planning and decision-making. 

Billions of people around the world rely on AccuWeather’s proven Superior Accuracy™ across our consumer digital platforms. AccuWeather.com is the #1 weather destination and one of the top 100 most-visited websites in the world, and our award-winning AccuWeather app delivers detailed real-time forecasts to millions of smartphones.

AccuWeather forecasts also appear on digital signage, in 700 newspapers, are heard on over 400 radio stations, and viewed on 100 television stations. The AccuWeather Network and AccuWeather NOW® reach an audience of over 125 million on cable and streaming platforms including DirecTV, Charter Communications – Spectrum, Verizon, Philo, Frndly TV, Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Stream, Roku, Xumo, Rockbot, LG, and Amazon Freevee.

AccuWeather For Business serves more than half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of other businesses and government agencies globally who pay for the most accurate weather forecasts from any source.

AccuWeather’s story is one of a fanatical dedication to Superior Accuracy™, detail, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the loyalty and commitment of many people who have joined AccuWeather’s center of excellence, including many others who have dedicated their entire careers to AccuWeather.

Dr. Joel N. Myers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, established AccuWeather in 1962 and is considered the “father of modern commercial meteorology.” Myers, a leading creative thinker and visionary, has been named “the most accurate man in weather” by The New York Times and one of the top entrepreneurs in American history by Entrepreneur’s Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs.

Visit accuweather.com for the most accurate hyperlocal forecasts, weather news, and information, and download the free AccuWeather app for Android or iOS.

Contact: Rhonda Seaton Rhonda.Seaton@accuweather.com 310-508-0799 or pr@accuweather.com

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SOURCE AccuWeather

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SK hynix Announces 3Q26 Financial Results

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Reports revenues of 104.6155 trillion won, operating profit of 83.3338 trillion won, net profit of 39.7756 trillion won; Quarterly sales surpass 100 trillion won for the first timeSales of HBM4 and high-value-added server products expanded; HBM4 expected to be the mainstream product from the fourth quarterLong-term agreements secured for more than 50% of 2027~2028 production capacity; A structure that reflects market conditions and ensures stable profitabilityMost of the gains from the Kioxia investment to be shared with shareholders, with  approximately 100 trillion won in shareholder returns to be executed this year

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK hynix Inc. (or “the company”, www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has recorded 104.6155 trillion won in revenues, 83.3338 trillion won in operating profit (with an operating margin of 80%), and 39.7756 trillion won in net profit (with a net margin of 38%) in the third quarter.

Record quarterly results in both revenue and operating profit and revenue surpasses 100 trillion won for the first time

In a market environment in which prices of key products have risen on the back of growing demand for AI memory, the company once again posted all-time-high quarterly results in both revenue and operating profit, underpinned by the competitiveness of its high-value-added products. In particular, revenue exceeded 100 trillion won for the first time in the company’s history. Revenue and operating profit increased by 32% and 38%, from the previous quarter, respectively.

– Q2 2026: Revenue of 79.3187 trillion won, Operating Profit of 60.5426 trillion won

By product, DRAM results were driven by a significant increase in sales of server DDR5 while HBM4 shipments began in earnest. In NAND, sales of 321-layer TLC eSSD expanded, and high-value-added products for data centers continued to grow across the board.

The company’s financial structure has also become significantly concrete. At the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents stood at 114.5 trillion won, up 26.5 trillion won from the end of the previous quarter, while borrowings decreased by 2.8 trillion won to 15.8 trillion won. As a result, net cash increased to 98.7 trillion won.

Memory supply shortage to persist through 2030

SK hynix analyzed that a virtuous cycle has taken hold in which AI-driven productivity gains and new revenue generation in areas such as software development, customer service, and search lead to greater AI adoption, which in turn drives increased investment in infrastructure. It also projected that, as the drivers of AI investment move beyond the early stage, when a small number of companies accounted for most of it, and broaden to include general enterprises and nation-level initiatives, the global AI data center infrastructure market will continue to grow steadily.

The company likewise expects the memory market to sustain its growth, led in the short term by enterprise and personal AI and, over the mid-to-long term, by physical AI such as autonomous driving and robotics.

The company assessed that supply, on the other hand, is not keeping pace with the growth of the market. Given technical difficulty of leading-edge processes and the long lead time required to build new production facilities, it expects the structure in which demand exceeds supply to persist through 2030.

Expanding production capacity and strengthening product competitiveness to achieve a further step up in growth next year

Building on these favorable conditions, the company plans to accelerate the expansion of production capacity and the strengthening of product competitiveness in order to sustain the current growth momentum, and to scale up revenue and profit one step further next year.

First, the company plans to rapidly increase the portion of its 10nm-class 6th generation (1c) process technology and expand sales of DDR5 and LPDDR5 SOCAMM for AI servers, thereby further strengthening its DRAM portfolio centered on high-value-added products.

To respond to surging HBM demand, the company will ramp up M15X to maximum capacity by the end of the year to increase HBM4 production. Accordingly, the company expects HBM4 to surpass HBM3E in both shipment volume and revenue in the fourth quarter and to establish itself as a mainstream product.

In NAND, the company will raise the ratio of its 321-layer process to more than half of its domestic production capacity in the fourth quarter, and thereby increase the supply of high-performance, high-capacity eSSD. Over the mid-to-long term, the company intends to develop NAND into a core solution that enhances the throughput and economic efficiency of AI services, based on HBF and system optimization technologies.

Long-term agreements secured for more than 50% of 2027~2028 production capacity and the company to drastically expand investment next year

To improve mid-to-long term demand visibility and solidify its growth foundation, SK hynix is expanding long-term agreements (LTAs) with customers. The company has currently signed LTAs with 14 major customers, including leading global cloud service providers (CSPs), and is also proactively discussing with a number of customers the possibility of extending the contract terms, which are typically five years.

The LTA volume secured to date corresponds to more than 50% of total production capacity for 2027 and 2028. In particular, by introducing a mechanism that reflects market conditions within a price range agreed upon with customers, the company has established a structure that secures stable profitability while allowing flexible responses to market changes.

Backed by the demand visibility, the company is also moving to expand its production capabilities. Next year, with the Yongin Phase 1 entering full-scale operation and domestic and overseas infrastructure investment gaining momentum, investment is expected to increase significantly. The company nevertheless plans to adjust the scale and timing of its investment flexibly, after carefully weighing customer demand, product competitiveness, profitability and investment efficiency.

Most of the gains from the Kioxia investment to be shared with shareholders, with approximately 100 trillion won in shareholder returns to be executed this year

As previously indicated in August, SK hynix announced its additional shareholder return plan. For fiscal year 2026, the company will pursue shareholder returns totaling approximately 100 trillion won, comprising cash dividends of 30 trillion won or more and share repurchases and cancellations of 60 trillion won or more in total, including the 40 trillion won announced in August. Through this, the company intends to fulfill its commitment to return 50% or more of free cash flow (FCF). Of this, the 40 trillion won share repurchase announced in August was completed last week, and the shares will be cancelled shortly.

The company also set out its principles: the dividend amount will be determined on the basis of operating results; if significant investment gains arise, they will be returned additionally through special dividends; and share repurchases will continue every quarter.

At today’s meeting, the Board of Directors resolved on a third-quarter cash dividend of 14 trillion won and a share repurchase of 20 trillion won. Of the shares to be repurchased, 10 trillion won, earmarked for shareholder returns, will be cancelled in full, while the remaining approximately 10 trillion won will be used for employee compensation and is not included in the shareholder return total.

The third-quarter dividend is 20,000 won per share, consisting of a 10,000-won dividend reflecting improved earnings and a 10,000 won special dividend that shares the gains from the Kioxia investment. The company has decided to return to shareholders most of the gains realized from its Kioxia investment this year.

SK hynix emphasized that it will deliver stable results based on robust memory demand growth and technological competitiveness and the company will consistently share financial achievements with our shareholders.

 3Q26 Financial Results (K-IFRS)

*Unit: Billion KRW

3Q26

QoQ

YoY

2Q26

Change

3Q25

Change

Revenues

104,615.5

79,318.7

32 %

24,448.9

328 %

Operating Profit

83,333.8

60,542.6

38 %

11,383.4

632 %

Operating Margin

80 %

76 %

3%p

47 %

33%p

Net Income

39,775.6

93,922.6

-58 %

12,597.5

216 %

* Financial information of the earnings is based on K-IFRS

* Please note that the financial results discussed herein are preliminary and speak only as of October 28, 2026. Readers should not assume that this information remains operative at a later time.

* Percentage changes are calculated on the basis of unrounded figures.

Disclaimer

This material has been prepared by the Company for informational purposes only, and the information contained herein has not undergone any separate, independent verification process. No representations or warranties are made regarding the fairness, accuracy, or completeness of the information contained in this material, and such information should not be relied upon. Neither the Company nor its employees bear any civil, criminal, or administrative liability for any damages arising from this material or from its use.

Review of the FY2026 Q3 financial results has not been finalized. Figures in this earnings release are subject to changes during the independent auditing process.

All financial information contained in this document is based on consolidated K-IFRS.

This material contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are generally identified words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” and similar expressions, or the negative of such expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. SK hynix undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.

This material does not constitute a solicitation for the acquisition or purchase of securities, and no part of this material should serve as the basis for any contract, agreement, or investment decision, nor should it be relied upon in connection therewith.

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”) and flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

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DealLabs Builds Travel AI Data Layer with 280,000 Verified Local Records Across Seven Asian Cities

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SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Seoul-based travel data company DealLabs announced that it has built a database of verified local travel information for seven Asian cities: Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Taipei, and Singapore. As of October 13, the database contained more than 280,000 records, each accompanied by its source and verification date. It powers more than 23,000 guide pages and is published in formats AI systems can read directly.

It covers what travelers look for after arriving: subway station exits, timetables, first and last trains, fares, restaurants, tourist attractions, hospitals, closing days for Singapore’s hawker centers, and business hours for Taipei’s night markets. In Osaka alone, the database contains more than 114,000 records, including more than 42,000 medical institutions and pharmacies and more than 30,000 restaurant permits. In Taipei, it contains more than 63,000 records, including 7,200 station-to-station fares.

The number of times generative AI search and answer services accessed DealLabs’ data increased from around 600 times per day on a seven-day average in late September to more than 11,000 times per day in mid-October, nearly 20-fold in less than a month.

Travel information changes rapidly. On the same day, public event listings and organizers’ own notices gave different end dates for three of 25 pop-up stores in Seoul, up to 10 days apart. Business hours, closing days, last train times, and fares are among the areas where AI travel answers are most frequently inaccurate. DealLabs continuously updates this information using official sources.

All seven cities have AI-ready guide files (llms.txt) and data APIs, while Seoul also provides a standard API specification (OpenAPI). The seven cities are run using a single common engine, allowing a new city to be added simply by incorporating that city’s data and sources.

DealLabs is also piloting “Visit Plan Check,” which checks travel AI itineraries against official sources daily.

Young Cho, founder and CEO of DealLabs, said, “When travelers ask AI a question, what matters is whether the answer is accurate for that city today. We will establish a standard for local data that travel AI can rely on.”

DealLabs plans to expand its coverage to 10 cities by the end of 2026 and to 30 cities, including New York and Paris, by 2028.

For more information, please visit https://deallabs.net.

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SOURCE DEALLABS

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Teijin Selects Kharon to Strengthen Export Controls Compliance Across Global Operations

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Kharon ClearView will support Teijin teams in Japan, the United States, and Europe as they navigate Japanese and U.S. export controls requirements.

DENVER, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kharon, a data and technology company that provides risk intelligence solutions to help organizations manage regulatory and business risk, announced that Teijin Limited has selected Kharon ClearView to support its export controls compliance program.

Headquartered in Japan, Teijin operates a global materials business that includes carbon fiber and other advanced materials used in aerospace and industrial applications. Its international operations require compliance teams to navigate export control requirements across multiple jurisdictions, including Japan and the United States.

“As a global company, we need an export controls approach that can support our teams across markets,” said Hitoshi Onodera, General Manager of the Quality Assurance and Security Export Control Department and Manager of the Security Export Control Group at Teijin. “We selected Kharon because of the depth of its risk intelligence, ease of use, and its ability to give our teams greater visibility into the entities and relationships that matter to our reviews. ClearView will help us bring that context consistently into our due diligence processes across our operations.”

Teijin will deploy ClearView across its operations globally. ClearView enables compliance teams to investigate complex entity relationships, including ownership and commercial connections to parties subject to export controls and other trade restrictions.

“Advanced materials companies operate in an increasingly complex export controls environment, where understanding the parties behind a transaction can be just as important as screening the names directly involved,” said Ethan Woolley, Global Director of Strategy at Kharon. “Teijin’s decision to deploy ClearView across its operations reflects the importance of having that level of insight. We are pleased to support its teams as they strengthen their approach to export controls compliance.”

About Teijin

Teijin Limited is a Japan-based global technology company providing products and solutions across advanced materials, healthcare, and other technology-driven fields. Founded in 1918, Teijin’s businesses include high-performance materials such as aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and composites, serving applications across mobility, infrastructure, industry, and other markets. The Teijin Group comprises 126 companies and approximately 15,700 employees worldwide.

For more information, visit https://www.teijin.co.jp/.

About Kharon

Kharon’s intelligence supports compliance, trade, risk, and national security programs at organizations around the world, including seven of the 10 largest U.S. banks, six of the 10 largest EU banks, and over 35 Fortune 100 companies. Kharon’s data can also be directly integrated with AI applications and agentic operations through Kharon’s API, MCP, and agent gateway infrastructure, enabling organizations to embed Kharon’s sourced, structured insights into automated workflows alongside their teams.

Visit kharon.com and follow Kharon on LinkedIn to stay connected.

Media contact

Kharon
media@kharon.com

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