Connect with us

Technology

5N Plus Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

Published

on

19% growth in annual revenue to $289.3 million39% growth in annual Adjusted EBITDA1 to a record $53.3 millionAnnual Adjusted gross margin percentage1 of 31.6%Backlog1 of $252.8 million, representing 326 days of annualized revenue, as at December 31, 2024Increases 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of $55 to $60 million

MONTREAL, Feb. 25, 2025 /CNW/ – 5N Plus Inc. (TSX: VNP) (“5N+” or “the Company”), a leading global producer of specialty semiconductors and performance materials, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024  (“Q4 2024”) and fiscal year (“FY 2024”) ended December 31, 2024. All amounts in this press release are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

“We had an outstanding year in FY 2024, generating stellar financial and operational results. We generated record annual Adjusted EBITDA representing 39% growth over the previous year, delivered on our margin expansion efforts, and sustained an elevated backlog and a solid balance sheet. We also successfully increased capacity at several sites to meet demand in strategic sectors, with work underway to increase solar cell capacity at AZUR by an additional 30% this year, on top of the 35% achieved last year. Looking at our segments, in Specialty Semiconductors, we continued to benefit from our unique position as the leading supplier outside China and trusted partner in the growing terrestrial renewable energy and space solar power sectors. In Performance Materials, our improved product mix and solid operational execution also contributed to strong profitability,” said Gervais Jacques, President and CEO of 5N+.

“Our strategic focus on higher margin, value-added advanced materials and on being a critical supplier without being a critical cost to customers operating in growing markets continues to pay off. This is further supported by our recognition as a reliable partner and market leader with unique expertise and manufacturing capabilities. With our resilient and agile business model as our foundation, we will continue to leverage our strategic positioning and competitive advantages to build on our FY 2024 momentum as we enter 2025 and forge ahead on our profitable growth path,” concluded Mr. Jacques.

Financial Highlights

Revenue in Q4 2024 increased by 9% to $70.9 million, compared to $65.1 million in Q4 2023, driven by strong growth under Specialty Semiconductors. Revenue in FY 2024 reached $289.3 million, compared to $242.4 million in FY 2023, supported by the terrestrial renewable energy and space solar power sectors under Specialty Semiconductors.Adjusted EBITDA in Q4 2024 increased by 38% to $12.5 million, compared to $9.0 million in Q4 2023, driven by higher volume from the terrestrial renewable energy and space solar power sectors, and better prices over inflation. Adjusted EBITDA was $53.3 million in FY 2024, representing a 39% increase compared to $38.3 million in FY 2023.Adjusted gross margin1 increased by 26% to $23.4 million in Q4 2024, favourably impacted by the same factors as above. Adjusted gross margin as a percentage of sales was 33.0% in Q4 2024, compared to 28.5% in Q4 2023. Adjusted gross margin reached $91.3 million for FY 2024, or 31.6% of sales, compared to $70.2 million in FY 2023, or 29.0% of sales.Net earnings in Q4 2024 were $1.0 million, compared to $2.3 million in Q4 2023. For FY 2024, net earnings were $14.7 million, compared to $15.4 million in FY 2023.Backlog stood at $252.8 million, representing 326 days of annualized revenue as at December 31, 2024, 37 days higher than the previous quarter and 34 days higher than at the end of last year, primarily due to the timing of contract signings and renewals.Net debt1 was $100.1 million as at December 31, 2024, compared to $73.8 million as at December 31, 2023, reflecting an increase in working capital1 and planned capital expenditures in 2024 under Specialty Semiconductors. The Company’s net debt to EBITDA ratio1 stood at 2.02x as at December 31, 2024.

____________________________

1 These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. See Non-IFRS Measures for more information.

Market Outlook

In Specialty Semiconductors, 5N+ continues to benefit from its unique position as the leading global supplier of ultra-high purity semiconductor compounds outside China, with long-term partnerships with key customers. Growing demand remains the rule, particularly in terrestrial renewable energy and space solar power. 5N+ is well-positioned to capitalize on future opportunities in these high-growth sectors.

The Company also anticipates growth under imaging and sensing applications including in the security, defence and medical sectors. The anticipated transition to photon counting detector (PCD) technology for medical imaging is anticipated to provide a promising growth avenue in the medium term.

Management expects growth in the Performance Materials segment to be primarily driven by the health and pharmaceutical sector, which provides high profitability and predictable cashflows. We expect demand for bismuth chemicals to continue to grow in line with GDP in respective markets.

As a result of increased production capacity and operational flexibility, 5N+ is in a position to efficiently capture additional organic growth opportunities in the near term, while it also actively pursues external growth opportunities.

Based on under-contract and anticipated near-term demand primarily driven by the Specialty Semiconductors segment, management anticipates generating Adjusted EBITDA in a range of $55 to $60 million in 2025, representing an upward revision of its previously disclosed range of $50 to $55 million.

The recent change in administration in the U.S. creates uncertainty in the global economic outlook, particularly regarding potential trade protectionist measures that could trigger retaliatory actions from affected countries. Given the rapidly evolving landscape and the potential impact of these measures, the Company has elected to defer providing guidance for 2026 until it has had the opportunity to further assess the direct and indirect impacts on its business and operations. The Company remains committed to its long-term objectives and the execution of its strategic initiatives.

The Company intends to leverage its strategic positioning and competitive advantages to build on its FY 2024 momentum as it enters 2025 and to navigate any potential headwinds that result from the evolving macro-economic and geopolitical environment.

Conference Call

5N+ will host a conference call on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss Q4 and FY 2024 financial results. All interested parties are invited to participate in the live broadcast on the Company’s website at www.5nplus.com.

To participate in the conference call:

Toronto area: 289-819-1299Toll‐Free: 1-800-990-4777Enter access code: 71321

A replay of the conference call will be available two hours after the event and until March 5, 2025. To access the recording, please dial 1-888-660-6345 and enter access code 71321.

________________________________

1  These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. See Non-IFRS Measures for more information.

About 5N+

5N+ is a leading global producer of specialty semiconductors and performance materials. The Company’s ultra‐pure materials often form the core element of its customers’ products. These customers rely on 5N+’s products to enable performance and sustainability in their own products. 5N+ deploys a range of proprietary and proven technologies to develop and manufacture its products. The Company’s products enable various applications in several key industries, including renewable energy, security, space, pharmaceutical, medical imaging and industrial. Headquartered in Montréal, Quebec, 5N+ operates R&D, manufacturing and commercial centers in strategically located facilities around the world including Europe, North America and Asia.

Forward‐Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be forward‐looking within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward‐looking statements are based on a number of estimates and assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable when made, including that 5N+ will be able to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers and other business partners, that 5N+ will continue to operate its business in the normal course, that 5N+ will be able to implement its growth strategy, that 5N+ will be able to successfully and timely complete the realization of its backlog, that 5N+ will not suffer any supply chain challenges or any material disruption in the supply of raw materials on competitive terms, that 5N+ will be able to generate new sales, produce, deliver, and sell its expected product volumes at the expected prices and control its costs, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. However, there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward‐looking statements. A description of the risks affecting the Company’s business and activities appears under the heading “Risk and Uncertainties” of the Company’s 2024 MD&A dated February 25, 2025, available on www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward‐looking statements can generally be identified by the use of terms such as “may”, “should”, “would”, “believe”, “expect”, the negative of these terms, variations of them or any similar terms. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward‐looking statements in this press release will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that 5N+ will derive therefrom. In particular, no assurance can be given as to the future financial performance of 5N+. The forward‐looking statements contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and the Company has no obligation to publicly update such forward‐looking information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The reader is warned against placing undue reliance on these forward‐looking statements. Forward-looking statements are presented in this press release for the purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding certain key elements of the Company’s expected financial results, as well as the Company’s objectives, strategic priorities and outlook, and in obtaining a better understanding of the Company’s anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

5N PLUS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
Years ended December 31
(in thousands of United States dollars, except per share information)

2024

2023

$

$

Revenue

289,281

242,371

Cost of sales

211,413

184,833

Selling, general and administrative expenses

34,026

29,410

Other expenses (income), net

11,614

756

257,053

214,999

Operating earnings

32,228

27,372

Financial expenses

Interest on long-term debt

8,210

8,262

Imputed interest and other interest expense

959

572

Foreign exchange gain

(549)

(136)

8,620

8,698

Earnings before income taxes

23,608

18,674

Income tax expense (recovery)

Current

6,945

6,674

Deferred

1,991

(3,399)

8,936

3,275

Net earnings

14,672

15,399

Basic earnings per share

0.17

0.17

Diluted earnings per share

0.16

0.17

Net earnings are completely attributable to equity holders of 5N+.

5N PLUS INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
(in thousands of United States dollars)

December 31

2024

December 31

2023

$

$

Assets

Current

Cash

22,142

34,706

Accounts receivable

42,172

33,437

Inventories

137,823

105,850

Income tax receivable

1,811

1,672

Derivative financial assets

6,978

591

Other current assets

6,469

5,707

Total current assets

217,395

181,963

Property, plant and equipment

85,995

84,600

Right-of-use assets

28,583

29,290

Intangible assets

22,929

29,304

Goodwill

10,665

11,825

Deferred tax assets

7,358

8,261

Other assets

3,982

4,959

Total non-current assets

159,512

168,239

Total assets

376,907

350,202

Liabilities

Current

Trade and accrued liabilities

42,116

37,024

Income tax payable

5,207

4,535

Current portion of deferred revenue

11,206

13,437

Current portion of lease liabilities

1,952

1,811

Current portion of long-term debt

25,000

Total current liabilities

60,481

81,807

Long-term debt

122,203

83,500

Deferred tax liabilities

5,737

5,284

Employee benefit plan obligations

12,624

13,393

Lease liabilities

27,450

28,328

Deferred revenue

8,688

5,629

Other liabilities

706

3,669

Total non-current liabilities

177,408

139,803

Total liabilities

237,889

221,610

Equity

139,018

128,592

Total liabilities and equity

376,907

350,202

Non‐IFRS Measures

EBITDA means net earnings (loss) before interest expenses, income tax expense (recovery), depreciation and amortization. 5N+ uses EBITDA because it believes it is a meaningful measure of the operating performance of its ongoing business, without the effects of certain expenses. The definition of this non-IFRS measure used by the Company may differ from that used by other companies.

EBITDA is reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure:

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

Q4 2024

Q4 2023

FY 2024

FY 2023

$

$

$

$

Net earnings

1,006

2,284

14,672

15,399

Interest on long-term debt, imputed interest and other interest expense

2,446

2,129

9,169

8,834

Income tax expense (recovery)

2,415

(734)

8,936

3,275

Depreciation and amortization

4,373

4,057

16,791

16,110

EBITDA

10,240

7,736

49,568

43,618

EBITDA margin is defined as EBITDA divided by revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA means operating earnings (loss) as defined before the effect of impairment of inventories, share-based compensation expense (recovery), loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment, loss (gain) on remeasurement of financial instrument, impairment (reversal of impairment) of non-current assets, litigation and restructuring costs (income), and depreciation and amortization. 5N+ uses Adjusted EBITDA because it believes it is a meaningful measure of the operating performance of its ongoing business without the effects of certain expenses. The definition of this non-IFRS measure used by the Company may differ from that used by other companies.

Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure:

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

Q4 2024

Q4 2023

FY 2024

FY 2023

$

$

$

$

Revenues

70,854

65,063

289,281

242,371

Operating expenses

(64,701)

(61,023)

(257,053)

(214,999)

Operating earnings

6,153

4,040

32,228

27,372

Share-based compensation expense

309

414

906

1,432

(Gain) loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

(2,089)

1,051

Loss on remeasurement of financial instrument

1,000

1,000

(Reversal of impairment) impairment of non-current assets

(120)

64

2,706

672

Litigation and restructuring costs (income)

769

458

1,790

(8,314)

Depreciation and amortization

4,373

4,057

16,791

16,110

Adjusted EBITDA

12,484

9,033

53,332

38,323

Adjusted EBITDA margin

17.6 %

13.9 %

18.4 %

15.8 %

Adjusted gross margin is a measure used to monitor the sales contribution after paying cost of sales, excluding depreciation and inventory impairment charges. 5N+ also expressed this measure in percentage of revenues by dividing the adjusted gross margin value by the total revenue.

Adjusted gross margin is reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure:

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

Q4 2024

Q4 2023

FY 2024

FY 2023

$

$

$

$

Total revenue

70,854

65,063

289,281

242,371

Cost of sales

(51,104)

(49,677)

(211,413)

(184,833)

Gross margin

19,750

15,386

77,868

57,538

Depreciation included in cost of sales

3,643

3,189

13,445

12,656

Adjusted gross margin

23,393

18,575

91,313

70,194

Adjusted gross margin percentage

33.0 %

28.5 %

31.6 %

29.0 %

Backlog represents the expected orders the Company has received, but has not yet executed, and that are expected to translate into sales within the next twelve months, expressed in dollars and estimated in number of days not to exceed 365 days. Bookings represent orders received during the period considered, expressed in number of days, and calculated by adding revenues to the increase or decrease in backlog for the period considered, divided by annualized year revenues. 5N+ uses backlog to provide an indication of expected future revenues in days, and bookings to determine its ability to sustain and increase its revenues.

Net debt is calculated as total debt less cash. Any introduced IFRS 16 reporting measures in reference to lease liabilities are excluded from the calculation. 5N+ uses this measure as an indicator of its overall financial position.

The net debt to EBITDA ratio is defined as net debt divided by the trailing 12 months EBITDA.

Total debt and Net debt are reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure:

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

As at December 31, 2024

As at December 31, 2023

$

$

Bank indebtedness

Long-term debt including current portion

122,203

108,500

Lease liabilities including current portion

29,402

30,139

Subtotal Debt

151,605

138,639

Lease liabilities including current portion

(29,402)

(30,139)

Total Debt

122,203

108,500

Cash

(22,142)

(34,706)

Net Debt

100,061

73,794

Working capital is a measure of liquid assets that is calculated by taking current assets and subtracting current liabilities. Given that the Company is currently indebted, it uses it as an indicator of its financial efficiency and aims to maintain it at the lowest possible level. 

Working capital ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities.

Working capital is reconciled to the most comparable IFRS measure:

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

As at December 31, 2024

As at December 31, 2023

$

$

Inventories

137,823

105,850

Other current assets excluding inventories

79,572

76,113

Current assets

217,395

181,963

Current liabilities

(60,481)

(81,807)

Working capital

156,914

100,156

Working capital ratio

3.59

2.22

SOURCE 5N Plus Inc.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Purina Films Docuseries A Different Breed Earns Three Daytime Emmy® Award Nominations

Published

on

By

Emmy®-nominated series celebrates the extraordinary bond between people and pets through the world of canine competition

ST. LOUIS, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When pet lovers see the human-pet bond in action, it creates connection and deepens the appreciation they have for the animals in their own lives. That connection recently led Purina to dive deeper into the world of canine competition through a docuseries that is now receiving critical acclaim. Today, Purina is celebrating three Daytime Emmy® Award nominations for A Different Breed, its original nine-episode documentary series produced through Purina Films in partnership with InkBlot Narratives and WPP Media, including recognition for Outstanding Lifestyle Program, Outstanding Editing and Outstanding Directing.

The Daytime Emmy® Awards recognize excellence in daytime television and streaming programming across lifestyle, documentary, instructional, travel, culinary and children’s content. A Different Breed is nominated alongside productions from some of the entertainment industry’s leading studios, networks and streaming platforms.

Streaming on Prime Video, A Different Breed follows 18 teams on the road to the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge National Finals, putting the spotlight on the competitors, their dogs and the extraordinary relationships that drive them. The series marks an intentional shift from traditional brand-led content toward storytelling that entertains, inspires and fosters meaningful connections – all in new channels and formats that resonate with the viewing habits of today’s consumer.

“The way people discover and engage with content continues to evolve, and we’re evolving with them,” said Andrea Faccio, President and Chief Growth Officer at Purina. “At Purina, we’ve always believed the bond between people and pets is full of inspiring stories. A Different Breed gave us the opportunity to share those stories in a way people actively choose to experience, and we’re incredibly proud to see them recognized alongside some of the industry’s most celebrated programs.”

Through Purina Films, Purina is evolving how it connects with pet lovers taking a more entertainment-led approach to storytelling, creating premium content that highlights the meaningful role pets play in people’s lives. By inviting viewers behind the scenes of the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge and into competitors’ lives and homes, A Different Breed tells the kinds of emotionally rich stories today’s audiences actively seek out.

The backdrop of the series is the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge, a premier canine performance sports competition that has showcased extraordinary canine athletes and their handlers for nearly 30 years. The competition features a variety of events, including high-flying disc routines, agility courses, weave pole racing and diving dog competitions.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will announce the winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards on October 30, 2026.

All nine episodes of A Different Breed are available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in the U.S. at no additional cost with a Prime membership. The second season of the Emmy®-nominated series is in production, continuing Purina’s commitment to bring audiences authentic stories that celebrate the incredible bond between people and pets.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare 
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations.

Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Dog Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Friskies and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. Nearly 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.

Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive.

Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-films-docuseries-a-different-breed-earns-three-daytime-emmy-award-nominations-302831018.html

SOURCE Purina

Continue Reading

Technology

Toy Foundation Partners with Build-A-Bear & Chuck E. Cheese to Raise $100,000 for Children in Need

Published

on

By

The International Day of Play-themed cause marketing campaigns engaged consumers through promotions, exclusive product, & pin pad donations.

NEW YORK, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Toy Foundation™, the philanthropic arm of The Toy Association™, celebrated the United Nation’s International Day of Play (June 11) with two cause marketing campaigns with Build-A-Bear Foundation and Chuck E. Cheese. Together, the campaigns raised over $100,000, as families across the country and around the world supported The Toy Foundation’s mission to deliver the power of play to children in need.

The Toy Foundation’s partnership with Chuck E. Cheese included a three-part fundraising campaign throughout the month of June. At nearly 500 Chuck E. Cheese locations, families who donated $5 at checkout received 500 tickets to use toward prizes, turning a charitable gift into extra fun. Families also had the option to make a $1 or $3 donation directly at the pin pad, powered by FreedomPay’s Gateway to Giving™ — a charitable program that enables seamless giving at the point of sale, creating another opportunity to support a child in need. At select fun centers, families could also purchase a Chuck E. Cheese x Crazy Aaron’s Limited-Edition Thinking Putty, with one hundred percent of the purchase price benefitting The Toy Foundation.

“Partnering with The Toy Foundation this International Day of Play allowed us to make a real difference through the power of play,” said Scott Drake, CEO of CEC Entertainment. “Play is at the heart of everything we do, and we are deeply grateful to the families that joined us in supporting this great cause. Together, we are giving back in a meaningful way that inspires pride across our entire community.”

Build-A-Bear brought its signature warmth to workshops across the U.S. and the UK with a weeklong fundraising campaign held June 8 to 12. Shoppers made donations in amounts of their choosing at checkout, both in stores and online, with every dollar supporting The Toy Foundation’s work to deliver play to children in need.

“Build-A-Bear Foundation is proud to partner with The Toy Foundation in advancing the shared belief that play has the power to positively impact children’s lives,” said David Henderson, president of Build-A-Bear Foundation. “From toy donations and sponsorship support to this International Day of Play fundraising campaign, we are committed to helping create more moments of joy for children and families in need. We are so grateful to our guests and partners whose generosity continues to make that impact possible.”

These fundraising campaigns complimented The Toy Foundation’s International Day of Play toy collection initiative, which resulted in nearly 20 companies donating $5.7 million in toys. The toy donations are being distributed to more than 450,000 children in under-resourced communities, schools, and hospitals around the world.

“We are grateful to Build-A-Bear Foundation and Chuck E. Cheese for their support, collaboration, and partnership in hosting two successful cause marketing campaigns, and to the companies that generously donated toys in honor of International Day of Play,” said Pam Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “Together, we are making a lasting impact, transforming children’s lives with the power of play.”

The Toy Foundation partners with companies and retailers to create tailored cause marketing campaigns that engage consumers and support children through play.

Campaign opportunities include:

Retail campaigns that donate a portion of proceeds from select productsPoint-of-sale donation campaignsCo-branded products featuring cause-related messagingCustomized campaigns tailored to a company’s goals

To learn more and get involved in advancing the toy industry’s collective impact, visit toyfoundation.org or contact The Toy Foundation team.

About The Toy Foundation™ www.toyfoundation.org
The Toy Foundation™ is a 501(c)(3) children’s charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association. The uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry, The Toy Foundation is dedicated to creating a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary benefits of play. The Toy Foundation works toward this vision through two program areas, Toy Chest, a toy distribution initiative, and Play Fund, a grant distribution initiative. By working together, The Toy Foundation has delivered the power of play to 38 million children in need worldwide. To learn more about The Toy Foundation, visit toyfoundation.org.

About Build‑A‑Bear Workshop, Inc.
Founded in 1997, Build‑A‑Bear is a leading global retailtainment brand on a mission to add a little more heart to life. At Build-A-Bear, guests are invited to create personalized furry friends through a unique stuffing, dressing, accessorizing and naming process, accentuated by a memorable “heart ceremony” that creates moments of connection for people of all ages.

Over the years, Build‑A‑Bear has grown into a multi‑generational phenomenon, positioned at the intersection of pop‑culture trends. Beyond its signature retail experience, the brand also offers pre‑stuffed plush, gifting, partnerships with best‑in‑class licensed and collectible characters, and original storytelling through Build‑A‑Bear Entertainment, LLC. Build‑A‑Bear’s current brand platform and message, “The Stuff You Love,” crosses ages and cultures while celebrating nearly 30 years of helping people mark life’s meaningful moments.

Today, Build‑A‑Bear operates more than 650 company-owned, partner-operated and franchise experience locations across more than 30 countries, complemented by buildabear.com. Build‑A‑Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) reported $529.8 million in total revenues for fiscal 2025, representing the company’s 5th consecutive year of record results. Learn more at the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

About Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese is where over 550,000 happy birthdays are celebrated every year. For nearly 50 years, Chuck E. Cheese has been the place Where A Kid Can Be A Kid®, making birthday kids the star of the show through its interactive experiences, arcade games and the beloved Chuck E. Cheese character. The brand operates more than 500 locations globally and remains committed to providing a fun, safe and inclusive environment through industry-leading programs such as Kid Check® and its partnership with Autism Speaks. As a strong advocate for local communities, Chuck E. Cheese has donated more than $24 million to schools and nonprofits through its fundraising programs. For more information, visit www.chuckecheese.com.

Contact: Erin Wright
The Toy Foundation
646.520.4851
ewright@toyfoundation.org

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toy-foundation-partners-with-build-a-bear–chuck-e-cheese-to-raise-100-000-for-children-in-need-302831086.html

SOURCE The Toy Foundation

Continue Reading

Technology

Play a Video Game Against a Dish of Living Neurons: Intactis Bio Launches “Biostack”

Published

on

By

Served from a rack mountable Biohybrid Processing Unit (BPU) to lower AI energy usage. 

SALT LAKE CITY, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Intactis Bio launched the Biostack Alpha, a video game in which allows anyone to compete against living human neurons grown in the lab. A player sits on one side of the web-browser. On the other is Biohybrid Intelligence: a small population of neurons in a dish that receives the game board as patterns of electrical stimulation. These neurons then answer, move by move, where to drop the next piece.

 

Play a video game against living neurons in rack mountable Biohybrid Processing Unit (BPU) to lower AI energy usage.

Biocomputation is a field focused on curbing the AI energy crises by replacing inefficient silicon chips with low energy biological processors. Biostack is the most tactile and publicly accessible demonstration yet to emerge from the field of biocomputation. Play today at play.intactis.bio. 

A biocomputer you can rack

Biostack runs on the Intactis BPU (Biohybrid Processing Unit), a biocomputer built into the same form factor as the GPUs widely distributed in data centers today. Living neurons at its core are wrapped in the cooling, life support, and signal hardware needed to keep the neurons healthy while they compute. The unit pairs the living substrate with silicon and rack mountable networking, which allows the systems to scale out using existing data center infrastructure.

The map that makes neurons playable

What makes the tissue controllable is a computational neuroscience model. Intactis ran a comprehensive screen to map how electrical stimulus drives neural outputs, cataloguing more than 150 statistically significant relationships and accounting for up to 96% of the tissue’s response. “Biocomputation is not a black box. We have the actual equation,” said Daniel Rodriguez-Granrose, PhD, Founder and CEO of Intactis Bio. This design space lets the company map neural responses onto specific game controls, so the biocomputer can directly learn the Biostack board state and ideal responses in a closed loop.

How a dish of neurons plays

Each turn, Biostack compresses the board (the current piece, the height of every column, and any gaps) into a compact code and delivers it to the tissue as a timed sequence of electrical pulses. The neurons respond, and the system reads their answer as a six-bit placement: four bits choose one of ten columns, two bits choose one of four rotations. Together this represents over 1000 unique electrical inputs to encode the board space and up to 40 possible destinations for every piece. Intactis has successfully transmitted this information to the neurons, and mapped their response back to the live game. In this demo, game performance held and even improved across overnight gaps between sessions. The living network is genuinely shaped by use.

Why a game matters

The stakes reach well beyond the screen. AI’s appetite for electricity is on track to outrun global electricity production. A supercomputer can draw on the order of 20 megawatts; a human brain runs on about 20 watts. The company projects energy-cost reductions around 95%, total-cost reductions around 90%, and data center footprint reductions around 88% versus exaflop-scale silicon.

From demo to business

Intactis sells the capability as Cloud Biocompute as a Service, targeting gaming, robotics, AI and LLM developers already spending $20,000 or more per month on GPUs. The company has secured more than $1 million in early capital and non-dilutive support and is raising a $5 million seed round to bring the BPU to data center partners. Intactis is built by a team with more than $900 million in prior exits.

About Intactis Bio

Intactis Bio builds biohybrid computers that run living human neurons alongside silicon to deliver compute with dramatically lower energy, cost, and footprint. Its rack-mountable Biohybrid Processing Unit (BPU) targets the widening gap between AI compute demand and available power. Learn more at intactis.bio.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/play-a-video-game-against-a-dish-of-living-neurons-intactis-bio-launches-biostack-302831095.html

SOURCE Intactis Bio Corp

Continue Reading

Trending