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CLOUD THEORY “ON THE HORIZON” REPORT POINTS TO 153,000 IN “PULL AHEAD” SALES PRIOR TO TARIFF IMPLEMENTATION

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Consumer fears over the cost impact of automotive tariffs led to an additional 153,000 new vehicle sales in March, according to automotive data analytics firm Cloud Theory. The findings are part of Cloud Theory’s quarterly automotive industry report “On the Horizon” (Here’s the link) released today.

New vehicle movement jumped 38% month-over-month, from approximately 960,000 units in February to 1.31 million units in March. While some gains were attributable to seasonality and tax refunds, a significant portion was related to consumer tariff concerns.

“Consumers are well aware of the risks that these tariffs pose in terms of future cost hikes, with price increases potentially moving from in the hundreds of dollars to the thousands,” said Rick Wainschel, Vice President of Data Science and Analytics for Cloud Theory. “Consumers, in anticipation of these higher prices, rushed to buy new vehicles in the current period. While this provided a boost in the short run, the ‘pull ahead’ effect of these accelerated sales runs the risk of leading to a hangover effect that depresses results going forward.”

Cloud Theory also found new vehicle prices were already rising sharply even before tariffs went into effect. From February 23 to March 31, prices rose daily, growing by $1,123 over this time. In addition, manufacturers scaled back on discounts and incentives in March. For the first time in more than a year, Cloud Theory’s Market Adjustment metric pointed to a pullback in aggressiveness, with a decline of $249 for the overall month and $432 when comparing the end of March to the end of February.

“The industry is contending with the potential of much higher costs, which will trigger much higher prices for consumers going forward. While this led to very strong results in the short term as consumers got ahead of the price increase curve, the longer-term effects will likely be highly detrimental to industry prospects. And if the tariffs become entrenched and trigger an all-out trade war, marketplace dynamics could quickly go from worrisome to catastrophic.”

In other findings:

Year-over-year inventory levels increased from 2.76 million in Q1 2024 to 3.03 million in Q1 2025;Turn rate jumped from 34% in February to 42% in March;Toyota Motor Corporation continued its dominance of Cloud Theory’s Inventory Efficiency Index with Lexus and Toyota in the top two spots with scores of 280 and 223, respectively.

About Cloud Theory    

Cloud Theory is more than a concept. It is the eye of the storm, where cutting-edge data, software, and artificial intelligence meet deep industry knowledge and experience. Built for automotive manufacturers, agencies, and affiliates, Cloud Theory enables our customers to understand – in real time – the complex competitive world in which they do business and to make bold decisions that drive them forward. The combination of billions of data points, interactive tools, and expert consulting gives our clients the ability to weather any storm and find their way to clear blue skies. Learn more at cloudtheory.ai. To learn more about our entire portfolio of automotive brands, visit www.advancelocalautomotive.com

About Advance Automotive

Created in 2017, Advance Automotive is a portfolio of automotive, technology, marketing, data, and software businesses providing AI-driven marketing solutions in the automotive industry. Advance Automotive includes independently operated agencies, ZeroSum, Adpearance, and Search Optics, as well as affiliate solutions from Cloud Theory and Hoot Interactive. Advance Automotive is part of Advance Local, a key unit of Advance, a privately held company founded in 1922.

Advance’s portfolio of exceptional companies includes:

Condé Nast

Advance Local

Stage Entertainment

The IRONMAN Group

ACBJ

Leaders Group

Turnitin

POP

For media inquiries, please contact:
Mike DeVilling
(248) 875-4207
mdevilling@westshorepr.com

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SOURCE Cloud Theory

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Ningbo’s “Eco+” Integration Practice showcased at SCO forum

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NINGBO, China, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Green and Sustainable Development Forum was held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, April 28–30. At this international event focused on green, low–carbon transition, Ningbo showcased concrete examples of harmonious coexistence between people and nature.

An abandoned quarry has been converted into an international racetrack, whose engine roars have stimulated a growing cultural and tourism sector. A once–barren “firewood trail” has been upgraded into a national mountaineering route, spawning distinctive local industries now known as the “Hometown of China’s Sports Walking Sticks” and the “Capital of China’s Flashlights.” Ningbo continues to advance its “Eco+” integration model, turning ecological assets into industrial momentum, development potential and measurable gains in shared prosperity. The city has developed a practical path for realizing the value of lucid waters and lush mountains, offering a replicable “Ningbo model” for green, low–carbon urban transformation worldwide.

In Beilun, more than 500 species have been recorded, and the district has been designated a UN “Biodiversity Charming City.” From the revitalized Meishan Bay in Beilun to the misty expanse of Dongqian Lake in Yinzhou and the historic allure of Moon Lake in Haishu, local authorities are using the “golden key” of ecological governance to revive dormant green mountains and clear waters. Notably, Ningbo’s ecological governance goes beyond mountain repair and water treatment: it integrates “Eco+” development from the source through unified planning and coordinated implementation—protecting ecological foundations while preserving space for industry. This forward–looking approach has produced a win–win outcome for ecology and development; along Meishan Bay’s shore, cultural tourism and leisure industries have rapidly clustered, receiving more than 2 million visitors annually.

In Fenghua, the “Common Prosperity Studio” initiative has built a full–chain platform integrating “5G + IoT + Agriculture,” and introduced a model that combines village–collective fixed–rent leasing, professional enterprise operation and flexible farmer participation. In Yuyao, Hemudu pioneered China’s first ecological integrated farming of breeding soft–shelled turtles in water oat fields, balancing ecological protection, food security and farmers’ income growth. Zhenhai Refining & Chemical has established China’s first “Zero–Waste Petrochemical Base,” recognized as a national model case of a “Zero–Waste Industrial Park.”

Leveraging its mountain and sea resources, Ningbo has deepened chain–based integration of “Ecology + Cultural Tourism + Sports + Manufacturing,” continuously converting ecological value into tangible benefits for residents. Ninghai has transformed abandoned ancient paths into a 500–km national mountaineering trail and established a national sports–industry demonstration base. Xiangshan has used the Asian Games to invigorate coastal tourism and open channels for converting marine ecological value. Yinzhou and Haishu have developed biodiversity–friendly districts and townships, fostering new sectors such as educational tourism and cultural–creative industries.

To ensure green development proceeds steadily and sustainably, Ningbo is building a multi–stakeholder governance system that includes government, enterprises and the public. Ninghai has pioneered a “Soil and Forestland Bank,” using financial instruments to unlock the value of forestry resources. Yinzhou, Cixi and other areas have mobilized broad public participation in ecological protection, creating a co–construction and shared–benefits model that supports ongoing ecological value realization.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2968174/Ningbo_Meishan_Port.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2968173/Ningbo_Logo.jpg

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ningbos-eco-integration-practice-showcased-at-sco-forum-302756146.html

SOURCE Ningbo International Communication Center

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Hyde Park Capital Advises DevRefactory on its Sale to Capacity

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TAMPA, Fla., April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyde Park Capital announced today that its client, DevRefactory, a leading customer experience software platform specializing in omnichannel journey orchestration, embedded middleware, and integrated managed services, has been acquired by Capacity. Hyde Park Capital served as the exclusive investment banker to DevRefactory for this transaction. Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick served as legal counsel to DevRefactory.

DevRefactory’s platform orchestrates customer interactions across voice, chat, web, and social channels, enabling seamless transitions while preserving context. It centralizes knowledge, powers self-service and chatbot experiences, and streamlines engagement across the customer lifecycle. These capabilities are complemented by a specialized managed services team supporting implementation, optimization, and ongoing performance improvement.

Marcus Alexander, CFO and Head of Corporate Development at Capacity, stated, “The DevRefactory team have built an incredible business in the telecom space and this acquisition allows us to scale that innovation across the entire Capacity platform. Together, we’re accelerating a future where contact centers can unify their customer interactions, reduce costs and deliver consistently better experiences, without the complexity of fragmented tools.”

James Ramey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of DevRefactory, commented, “After rapidly establishing Refactory as a leader in AI enablement—delivering enterprise-grade solutions to Fortune 50 organizations—we are excited to announce that Refactory has been acquired by Capacity AI. This partnership will expand our ability to deliver true omnichannel AI experiences at scale, leveraging Capacity AI’s platform and reach across more than 20,000 customers worldwide.”

Ramey continued, “Following strong inbound acquisition interest, we partnered with Hyde Park Capital as our exclusive financial advisor to evaluate strategic opportunities. Their team brought exceptional focus, deep alignment with our vision, and a disciplined process that prioritized both enterprise impact and employee value. Hyde Park Capital curated a highly complementary group of potential partners and guided us through a transaction that positions our team and technology for long-term success. Together, we selected Capacity AI as the ideal partner to accelerate our mission and extend the reach of Refactory’s platform globally. We are incredibly grateful to the Hyde Park Capital team and the Capacity AI team for their partnership throughout this process, and we are excited for the next chapter as part of Capacity AI.”

Michael Johnson, Managing Director at Hyde Park Capital, reflected on the transaction, “It has been a privilege to advise JC, Brian, and Dustin, the founders of DevRefactory, throughout this process. From day one, it was clear that they built something truly differentiated, a platform rooted in deep technical expertise and a genuine passion for reimagining how enterprises engage with their customers. DevRefactory’s capabilities are a natural fit within Capacity’s platform, and we are excited to see the impact this combination will have for their clients and the broader customer experience market.”

Trevor Mumford, Vice President at Hyde Park Capital, added, “It was genuinely refreshing to work with a founding team that has been close friends since high school and has spent years building technology together. Working alongside entrepreneurs who combine that kind of personal conviction with serious technical innovation makes for a truly rewarding engagement. We’re proud of the outcome and confident Capacity is the right home to take DevRefactory’s mission to the next level.”

About DevRefactory

Founded in 2020, DevRefactory is a customer experience software platform that enables enterprises to deliver seamlessly connected, omnichannel customer journeys at scale. Through its OCX (Omnichannel Customer Experience) suite, DevRefactory provides embedded middleware, managed services, and practical AI frameworks that orchestrate engagement across voice, web chat, SMS, mobile apps, email, and social media. The Company’s solutions empower customers to interact on their own terms while eliminating the complexity of managing disparate channel technologies independently. Partnering with leading platforms, DevRefactory serves as an innovation accelerator, helping enterprises prove value rapidly and integrate modern omnichannel capabilities into their existing ecosystems. For additional information, please visit www.refactory.dev.

About Capacity

Founded in 2017, Capacity is an AI-powered support automation platform that gives organizations the capacity to do more with less. Its unified platform combines intelligent virtual agents, conversational AI, agent assist and live support tools, campaigns and workflow automation, and advanced analytics, enabling businesses to automate customer inquiries, reduce handle times, and drive consistent, high-quality experiences across every channel, including voice, chat, email, SMS, and web. Trusted by more than 20,000 organizations and powering over 36 billion automated interactions, Capacity serves leading brands across financial services, healthcare, retail, education, insurance, and more. With over 250 pre-built integrations and enterprise-grade security, Capacity delivers seamless deployment into existing technology ecosystems. Proudly headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Capacity is part of the Equity.com incubator. For additional information, please visit https://capacity.com/main.

About Hyde Park Capital

Hyde Park Capital is a boutique investment banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions of successful founder and family-owned companies. Hyde Park Capital’s principals have extensive investment banking experience, including managing sell-side and buy-side transactions, recapitalizations, financial advisory assignments, fairness opinions, raising growth and acquisition capital for companies, including equity, mezzanine, senior debt, and project finance. Hyde Park Capital has bankers who specialize in numerous industry sectors, including healthcare, industrials, business services, technology, consumer, and cleantech/power finance particularly in connection with data centers. This transaction represents another successful engagement closed by Hyde Park Capital within the technology sector. Hyde Park Capital is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with additional offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and San Francisco, California, and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For additional information, please visit www.hydeparkcapital.com.

Media Contacts:

Michael Johnson

Managing Director

johnson@hydeparkcapital.com

813-769-3284

Trevor Mumford

Vice President

mumford@hydeparkcapital.com

813-209-9071

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyde-park-capital-advises-devrefactory-on-its-sale-to-capacity-302756148.html

SOURCE Hyde Park Capital

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Micro Center Launches Retail Media Offering to Reach Tech Enthusiasts and Builders

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Powered by Epsilon, Micro Center Retail Media combines AI, person-level identity, and closed-loop measurement to deliver provable, measurable impact for advertisers.

HILLIARD, Ohio, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Micro Center, a leading national retailer of computers and electronic devices, today announced the launch of its retail media offering, Micro Center Retail Media. The offering gives brands access to more than 20 million highly engaged Micro Center customers—tech enthusiasts including PC builders, small businesses, IT professionals and creators—audiences that are difficult to reach at scale through mass-market retail media networks. Using first party data and deep category insights, advertisers can influence purchase decisions where technical guidance, compatibility, and performance matter most.

“For more than 40 years, Micro Center has earned the trust of tech enthusiasts and builders by pairing deep expertise with an unmatched in-store experience,” said Steve Rado, Chief Marketing Officer of Micro Center. “Our retail media offering builds on that foundation, giving advertisers a powerful way to engage our customers with relevance, credibility and clear measurement.”

Developed in partnership with global technology, data, and services company Epsilon, Micro Center Retail Media couples AI with person level identity in the ad server to help advertisers engage high intent shoppers with greater precision. The offering intelligently determines when, where, and how often to engage customers, optimizing media investment to maximize performance.

Brands can activate campaigns across Micro Center’s digital and physical touchpoints to influence both online and in-store purchases. Available channels include onsite display and sponsored product placements as well as offsite display, video and CTV—all supported by closed-loop measurement that quantifies incremental sales across digital and physical environments.

“Micro Center Retail Media connects advertisers with some of the most knowledgeable, high-intent tech buyers in retail,” said Rado. “It’s a best-in-class offering designed to help advertisers engage serious tech buyers with confidence.”

Named PCMag’s Best Tech Retailer for three consecutive years, Micro Center is widely recognized for its expert-led customer experience and technical credibility. Instore offerings such as the Knowledge Bar, Insider credit card benefits, and exclusive instore only “loss leader” bundles create high-impact moments for brands at the point of decision. Customers rely on Micro Center associates to identify compatibility issues and recommend better builds—trust that translates directly to advertiser performance.

“Micro Center boasts one of the most informed and intentional audiences in retail,” said Chris Wissing, Chief Product Officer at Epsilon. “Our data and technology help identify more of these niche shoppers, follow their journey from online to in-store, and connect media directly to purchase outcomes for Micro Center and its brand partners.”

About Micro Center

Micro Center operates thirty large computer and electronics stores in major markets nationwide. Founded in 1979 in Columbus, Micro Center is designed to satisfy the dedicated computer and electronics user. Uniquely focused on computers and related products, Micro Center offers more computers and related items (more than 20,000 items in stock) than any other retailer. Micro Center is passionate about offering a high level of customer service, with a knowledgeable and tenured sales team. Customers can visit Micro Center’s 30 stores (with more locations coming soon) from coast-to-coast or microcenter.com for thousands of computer-related items, electronics, and other technology products.

Micro Center stores are located in:

Atlanta (2), Baltimore, Boston, Chicago (2), Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (5), Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, Washington, D.C. (2), Santa Clara, and coming soon, Austin.

About Epsilon

Epsilon is a global technology, data, and services company that the world’s leading brands use to harmonize consumer engagement across their paid, owned, and earned channels.

The Epsilon PeopleCloud platform includes capabilities such as data, identity resolution, customer data platforms, clean rooms, digital media, retail media, site personalization, direct mail, loyalty, email marketing, and measurement. By applying artificial intelligence against privacy-centric identity resolution—embedded in data-enriched analytic, marketing, and media solutions and services—Epsilon allows marketers to bridge the divide between marketing and advertising technology, engaging consumers with 1 View, 1 Vision, and 1 Voice. For more information, visit www.epsilon.com.

Media Contact

Meg Adrion, Micro Center, 1 614-850-3000, madrion@microcenter.com, microcenter.com
Dan Ackerman, Micro Center, dackerman@microcenter.com, microcenter.com

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/micro-center-launches-retail-media-offering-to-reach-tech-enthusiasts-and-builders-302755943.html

SOURCE Micro Center

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