Connect with us

Technology

Tencent Music Entertainment Group Announces First Quarter 2026 Unaudited Financial Results

Published

on

SHENZHEN, China, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Music Entertainment Group (“TME,” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TME and HKEX: 1698), the leading online music and audio entertainment platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

First Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights

Total revenues were RMB7.90 billion (US$1.15 billion), representing a 7.3% year-over-year increase, primarily due to strong growth in revenues from music related services[1].Revenues from music related services[1] were RMB6.51 billion (US$944 million), representing 12.2% year-over-year growth. Revenues from membership services[2] were RMB4.57 billion (US$662 million), representing 6.6% year-over-year growth. Revenues from music related services other than membership services were RMB1.94 billion (US$282 million), representing 28.0% year-over-year growth.On an IFRS basis:Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB2.09 billion (US$303 million), compared with RMB4.29 billion in the same period of 2025, as the Company has recognized a gain of RMB2.37 billion on deemed disposal of an associate in the first quarter of 2025.Diluted earnings per ADS was RMB1.34 (US$0.19), compared with RMB2.77 in the same period of 2025.On a non-IFRS basis:Adjusted EBITDA[3] was RMB2.83 billion (US$410 million), representing 10.5% year-over-year growth.Non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company[3] was RMB2.27 billion (US$330 million), representing 7.0% year-over-year growth.Non-IFRS diluted earnings per ADS was RMB1.46 (US$0.21), up from RMB1.37 in the same period of 2025.Total cash, cash equivalents, term deposits and short-term investments as of March 31, 2026 were RMB41.00 billion (US$5.94 billion).

Mr. Cussion Pang, Executive Chairman of TME, commented, “This quarter’s steady results reflect the effectiveness of our holistic approach to the music ecosystem. By expanding how we serve and engage our audience, we have built a more diversified and resilient model, supported by continued strong growth beyond membership services in our music related business. While AI is broadening participation in content creation, it does not replace human creativity and, in many ways, reinforces the scarcity and intrinsic value of premium IP—which remains central to deeper engagement and greater wallet share. Rooted in strong copyright protection, we are committed to channeling this value to elevate the creative economy, unlock new opportunities across the music industry, and drive enduring long-term value.”

Mr. Ross Liang, CEO of TME, continued, “As we operate in an increasingly competitive landscape, we remain focused on strengthening the resilience of our platform. Anchored by our content-and-platform dual engine, we continue to bolster differentiation, drive engagement, and expand user lifetime value. Leveraging Tencent’s ecosystem, we are broadening user reach and deepening penetration, while advancing a tiered subscription strategy to better address diverse user needs. During the quarter, we delivered continued improvement in SVIP adoption and user engagement. Together, these initiatives position us to compete effectively while driving scalable growth and durable monetization over time.”

First Quarter 2026 Operational Highlights

CONTENT – To unlock long-term value, we continued to invest in premium IP to drive differentiation and engagement, while leveraging AI to enrich content creation and improve efficiency.

Strengthened our premium evergreen catalog by renewing key label partnerships, including JVR Music, Linfair Records, and MOK-A-BYE BABY MUSIC LTD., securing access to iconic artists such as Jay Chou, Karen Mok, Harlem Yu, and Angela Zhang[4]. We also deepened our strategic partnership with TF Entertainment through 30-day early release windows and expanded physical collaboration, reinforcing our content leadership and competitive differentiation.Captured more user mindshare with our proprietary content. High-impact releases—including Zhou Shen’s chart-topping theme song for Sony Pictures’ Project Hail Mary—collectively drove incremental streams across our self-produced catalog and further enhanced its visibility.Harnessed AI to enhance production efficiency and revitalize classic IP. Our AI tools empower creators by lowering production barriers and accelerating workflows, effectively increasing content supply, with AI-generated songs accounting for a growing share of daily new releases. High-quality, authorized AI covers reintroduce classic works to new audiences and drive incremental engagement with original tracks.

PLATFORM – Sustained our user base through a multi-pronged approach and advanced a multi-tiered monetization strategy, including new offerings to capture demand for super-premium music experiences.

Recently stepped up collaboration with the Tencent’s Weixin Video Account to create a seamless funnel that converts casual background music (BGM) discovery into high-quality music streaming, enabling us to strengthen user base and drive incremental traffic.To better engage casual listeners, we diversified touchpoints across the platform. Combined with AI-driven recommendations with interactive features, these initiatives encourage users to favorite tracks and curate playlists, fostering the accumulation of personal music assets.SVIP membership continued to see solid adoption and engagement. To enhance its appeal, we appointed major artists such as Ryan Ding, Ju Jingyi, Liu Yuning, JC-T, and Karry Wang as ambassadors for a variety of collaborations. We also introduced tailored collections for leading K-pop artists such as BLACKPINK, EXO, and IVE, combining digital albums with physical collectibles including NFC cards.To meet demand for super-premium experiences, we launched our inaugural Fan Club membership with Silence Wang, integrating priority ticketing and exclusive merchandise to further enrich the fan experience.

IP-VALUE – Adopted a holistic, pan-IP approach to amplify music influence, simultaneously boosting user reach, engagement, and wallet share.

Extended the IP value chain and unlocked commercial value through innovative virtual and physical offerings. A prime example is our strengthened partnership with Jay Chou for his digital album, Children of the Sun where combined digital and physical benefits drove strong engagement and generated over RMB100 million in sales.Achieved triple-digit year-over-year growth in revenues related to live performance while growing our IP’s global footprint. We hosted flagship concerts with leading K-pop groups, including BABYMONSTER’s concerts in Taiwan, China, and NCT WISH’s concerts in Hong Kong, China, and elevated strategic artists such as Will Pan, Silence Wang, Tia Ray, Angela Zhang, Jane Zhang, Zhang Yuan, and GAI onto prominent domestic and international stages, enhancing their global reach and commercial value.

First Quarter 2026 Financial Review

Total revenues increased by RMB539 million, or 7.3%, to RMB7.90 billion (US$1.15 billion) from RMB7.36 billion in the same period of 2025.

Revenues from music related services increased by 12.2% to RMB6.51 billion (US$944 million), compared with RMB5.80 billion in the same period of 2025. The increase was driven by solid growth in revenues from membership services and offline performances related services, supplemented by growth in revenues from advertising services. Revenues from membership services were RMB4.57 billion (US$662 million), representing 6.6% year-over-year growth, compared with RMB4.28 billion in the same period of 2025. The growth was mainly driven by our continuous expansion of SVIP membership privileges, such as early access to offline performances and artist-related merchandise, and the launch of other new membership programs, such as bubble, WeverseDM, and fan-club membership. Revenues from offline performances related services achieved robust year-over-year growth. We successfully staged several successful concerts for our strategically collaborated local and Korean artists across domestic and overseas markets. The year-over-year increase in revenues from advertising services was primarily due to our more diversified product portfolio and innovative ad formats, such as ad-supported mode.Revenues from social entertainment services and others decreased by 11.0% to RMB1.38 billion (US$200 million) from RMB1.55 billion in the same period of 2025.

Cost of revenues increased by 5.7% year-over-year to RMB4.35 billion (US$630 million), mainly due to increased costs related to offline performances, advertising services and other IP related services. Meanwhile, revenue sharing fees decreased, resulting from declines in both revenue sharing ratio and revenues from social entertainment services. 

Gross margin increased to 44.9% from 44.1% in the same period of 2025, primarily due to increase in revenues from membership services, along with decreased channel fee.

Total operating expenses increased by 5.9% year-over-year to RMB1.21 billion (US$176 million). Operating expenses as a percentage of total revenues decreased to 15.3% from 15.5% in the same period of 2025. 

Selling and marketing expenses were RMB271 million (US$39 million), representing a 36.2% year-over-year increase. The increase was primarily due to higher channel spending and content promotion expenses.General and administrative expenses were RMB940 million (US$136 million), and remained relatively stable compared with the same period of 2025.

On an IFRS basis, net profit and net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company for the first quarter of 2026 were RMB2.14 billion (US$310 million) and RMB2.09 billion (US$303 million), respectively. Basic and diluted earnings per American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) for the first quarter of 2026 were RMB1.36 (US$0.20) and RMB1.34 (US$0.19), respectively. The Company had weighted averages of 1.54 billion basic and 1.56 billion diluted ADSs outstanding, respectively. Each ADS represents two of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares.

On a non-IFRS basis, adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2026 were RMB2.83 billion (US$410 million). Non-IFRS net profit was RMB2.33 billion (US$338 million) and non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB2.27 billion (US$330 million). Non-IFRS basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB1.48 (US$0.21) and RMB1.46 (US$0.21), respectively. Please refer to the section in this press release titled “Non-IFRS Financial Measures” for details.

As of March 31, 2026, the combined balance of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, term deposits and short-term investments amounted to RMB41.00 billion (US$5.94 billion), compared with RMB38.04 billion as of December 31, 2025. 

Declaration and Payment of 2025 Dividend

On March 17, 2026, the Company’s board of directors declared a cash dividend of US$0.12 per ordinary share, or US$0.24 per ADS, for the year ended December 31, 2025, to holders of record of ordinary shares and ADSs as of the close of business on April 2, 2026. The payment for the cash dividend of US$370 million was made in April 2026.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”)

On April 20, 2026, we released our 2025 ESG Report, detailing our progress in empowering creators, promoting digital inclusion, and driving sustainability across our value chain. These initiatives have strengthened our ecosystem’s resilience, leading to improved ESG ratings and broader recognition from our stakeholders.

Exchange Rate

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars (“USD”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to USD were made at the rate of RMB6.8980 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on March 31, 2026, in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or USD amounts referred could be converted into USD or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. For analytical presentation, all percentages are calculated using the numbers presented in the financial statements contained in this earnings release.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures 

The Company uses non-IFRS financial measures for the period, including non-IFRS net profit, adjusted EBITDA(inc.SBC) and adjusted EBITDA, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. TME believes that non-IFRS financial measures help identify underlying trends in the Company’s business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that the Company includes in its profit for the period. TME believes that non-IFRS financial measures for the period provide useful information about its results of operations, enhances the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allows for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by its management in its financial and operational decision-making. 

Non-IFRS financial measures for the period should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to operating profit, net profit for the period or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of its operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review non-IFRS financial measures for the period and the reconciliation to its most directly comparable IFRS measure. Non-IFRS financial measures for the period presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to the Company’s data. TME encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. 

Adjusted EBITDA(inc.SBC) for the period represents net profit for the period excluding income tax expense, finance cost, share of profit/loss of associates and joint ventures, other gains/losses, interest income, depreciation of property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets, and amortization of intangible assets. 

Adjusted EBITDA for the period represents net profit for the period excluding income tax expense, finance cost, share of profit/loss of associates and joint ventures, other gains/losses, interest income, depreciation of property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets, amortization of intangible assets, and share-based compensation expenses. 

Non-IFRS net profit for the period represents profit for the period excluding amortization of intangible and other assets arising from business acquisitions or combinations, share-based compensation expenses, net losses/gains from investments and related income tax effects.

Please see the “Unaudited Non-IFRS Financial Measures” included in this press release for a full reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA(inc.SBC), adjusted EBITDA and non-IFRS net profit for the period to its net profit for the period.

[1] Starting from the first quarter of 2026, “online music services” has been renamed to “music related services” to better reflect the nature of our businesses included in this business line. Such change does not affect the amounts of our historical revenue or its accounting treatment.

[2] As part of music related services, membership services primarily consist of membership fees paid for membership benefits and privileges, including access to music and audio content, and other benefits and privileges within music related services. Revenues from membership services for each quarter of 2025 were RMB4,284 million, RMB4,434 million, RMB4,564 million and RMB4,625 million, respectively.

[3] See the sections entitled “Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and “Unaudited Non-IFRS Financial Measures” for more information about the non-IFRS measures referred to within this announcement.

[4] Names grouped by artists and bands, sorted in alphabetical order by family names.

About Tencent Music Entertainment

Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME and HKEX: 1698) is the leading online music and audio entertainment platform in China, operating the country’s highly popular and innovative music apps: QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music and WeSing. TME’s mission is to create endless possibilities with music and technology. TME’s platform comprises online music, online audio, online karaoke, music-centric live streaming and online concert services, enabling music fans to discover, listen, sing, watch, perform and socialize around music. For more information, please visit ir.tencentmusic.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the HKEX. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact 
Tencent Music Entertainment Group
ir@tencentmusic.com  
+86 (755) 8601-3388 ext. 885034

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

Three Months Ended March 31

2025

2026

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

(in millions, except per share data)

Revenues

Music related services*

5,804

6,514

944

Social entertainment services and others

1,552

1,381

200

7,356

7,895

1,145

Cost of revenues

(4,114)

(4,349)

(630)

Gross profit

3,242

3,546

514

Selling and marketing expenses

(199)

(271)

(39)

General and administrative expenses

(944)

(940)

(136)

Total operating expenses

(1,143)

(1,211)

(176)

Interest income 

297

246

36

Other gains, net

2,440

66

10

Operating profit

4,836

2,647

384

Share of net profit/(loss) of investments accounted
for using equity method

23

(7)

(1)

Finance cost

(25)

(46)

(7)

Profit before income tax

4,834

2,594

376

Income tax expense

(446)

(457)

(66)

Profit for the period

4,388

2,137

310

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

4,291

2,091

303

Non-controlling interests

97

46

7

Earnings per share for Class A and Class B
ordinary shares

Basic

1.40

0.68

0.10

Diluted

1.39

0.67

0.10

Earnings per ADS (2 Class A shares equal to 1 ADS)

Basic

2.81

1.36

0.20

Diluted

2.77

1.34

0.19

Shares used in earnings per Class A and Class B
ordinary share computation:

Basic

3,054,522,173

3,081,340,243

3,081,340,243

Diluted

3,093,008,542

3,111,369,968

3,111,369,968

ADS used in earnings per ADS computation

Basic

1,527,261,087

1,540,670,122

1,540,670,122

Diluted

1,546,504,271

1,555,684,984

1,555,684,984

* Starting from the first quarter of 2026, “online music services” has been renamed to “music related services” to better
reflect the nature of our businesses included in this business line. Such change does not affect the amounts of our historical
revenue or its accounting treatment.

 

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

UNAUDITED NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Three Months Ended March 31

2025

2026

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

(in millions, except per share data)

Profit for the period

4,388

2,137

310

Adjustments:

Income tax expense

446

457

66

Finance cost

25

46

7

Share of net (profit)/loss of investments accounted for
using equity method

(23)

7

1

Operating profit

4,836

2,647

384

Other gains, net

(2,440)

(66)

(10)

Interest income 

(297)

(246)

(36)

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment and
right-of-use assets

38

35

5

Amortisation of intangible assets

275

298

43

Adjusted EBITDA(inc. SBC) 

2,412

2,668

387

Share-based compensation

150

163

24

Adjusted EBITDA

2,562

2,831

410

Profit for the period

4,388

2,137

310

Adjustments:

Amortization of intangible and other assets arising from
business acquisitions or combinations*

105

89

13

Share-based compensation

161

163

24

Gains from investments**

(2,375)

(2)

Income tax effects***

(53)

(54)

(8)

Non-IFRS Net Profit

2,226

2,333

338

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

2,124

2,273

330

Non-controlling interests

102

60

9

Earnings per share for Class A and Class B
ordinary shares

Basic

0.70

0.74

0.11

Diluted

0.69

0.73

0.11

Earnings per ADS (2 Class A shares equal to 1 ADS)

Basic

1.39

1.48

0.21

Diluted

1.37

1.46

0.21

Shares used in earnings per Class A and Class B
ordinary share computation:

Basic

3,054,522,173

3,081,340,243

3,081,340,243

Diluted

3,093,008,542

3,111,369,968

3,111,369,968

ADS used in earnings per ADS computation

Basic

1,527,261,087

1,540,670,122

1,540,670,122

Diluted

1,546,504,271

1,555,684,984

1,555,684,984

* Represents the amortization of identifiable assets, including intangible assets such as domain name, trademark, copyrights,
supplier resources, corporate customer relationships and non-compete agreement etc., and fair value adjustment on music content
(i.e., signed contracts obtained for the rights to access to the music contents for which the amount was amortized over the
contract period), resulting from business acquisitions or combination.

** Including the net gains/losses on deemed disposals/disposals of investments, fair value changes arising from investments,
impairment provision of investments and other expenses in relation to equity transactions of investments.

*** Represents the income tax effects of Non-IFRS adjustments.

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As at December 31, 2025

As at March 31, 2026

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Audited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

(in millions)

ASSETS

Non-current assets

Property, plant and equipment

1,201

1,301

189

Land use rights

2,290

2,272

329

Right-of-use assets

287

272

39

Intangible assets

2,899

2,770

402

Goodwill

20,521

20,528

2,976

Investments accounted for using equity method 

1,659

2,593

376

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income 

26,231

19,866

2,880

Other investments

303

299

43

Prepayments, deposits and other assets

365

418

61

Deferred tax assets

498

535

78

Term deposits

13,810

14,330

2,077

70,064

65,184

9,450

Current assets

Inventories

41

48

7

Accounts receivable

3,903

3,825

555

Prepayments, deposits and other assets

4,183

4,036

585

Other investments

83

73

11

Term deposits

15,763

8,254

1,197

Restricted Cash 

15

15

2

Cash and cash equivalents

8,470

18,416

2,670

32,458

34,667

5,026

Total assets

102,522

99,851

14,475

EQUITY

Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company

Share capital

2

2

0

Additional paid-in capital

29,919

30,020

4,352

Shares held for share award schemes

(801)

(821)

(119)

Treasury shares 

(664)

(664)

(96)

Other reserves

22,450

17,156

2,487

Retained earnings

29,381

28,647

4,153

80,287

74,340

10,777

Non-controlling interests

2,763

2,790

404

Total equity

83,050

77,130

11,182

LIABILITIES

Non-current liabilities

Borrowings

1,100

159

Notes payables

3,497

3,443

499

Other payables and other liabilities

379

425

62

Deferred tax liabilities

504

588

85

Lease liabilities

200

188

27

Deferred revenue 

303

356

52

4,883

6,100

884

Current liabilities

Accounts payable 

6,284

6,176

895

Other payables and other liabilities

3,558

5,460

792

Current tax liabilities

1,092

1,059

154

Lease liabilities

116

111

16

Deferred revenue

3,539

3,815

553

14,589

16,621

2,410

Total liabilities

19,472

22,721

3,294

Total equity and liabilities

102,522

99,851

14,475

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Three Months Ended March 31

2025

2026

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

(in millions)

Net cash provided by operating activities 

2,519

2,332

338

Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities 

(3,221)

6,650

964

Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities

(456)

1,011

147

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 

(1,158)

9,993

1,449

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period

13,164

8,470

1,228

Exchange differences on cash and cash equivalents

16

(47)

(7)

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period

12,022

18,416

2,670

 

 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tencent-music-entertainment-group-announces-first-quarter-2026-unaudited-financial-results-302769323.html

SOURCE Tencent Music Entertainment Group

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

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

Technology

JK Tech Brings Agentic AI to the Forefront at Two Major Industry Events

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, May 12, 2026 /CNW/ — JK Tech, a global AI and Data solutions provider has announced its participation in two premier U.S. industry forums- HFS Spring Summit and Datos Regional Property & Casualty Insurance Forum, underscoring its commitment to helping U.S. enterprises accelerate AI-led transformation with measurable business outcomes. The company will showcase how its AI-first portfolio is enabling enterprises across industries to move beyond experimentation and operationalize intelligence at scale.

As U.S. businesses grapple with growing complexity, disconnected systems, and mounting pressure to do more with less, JK Tech is stepping in with a clear message: intelligence shouldn’t sit in silos- it should be adaptable and agile.

At the HFS Spring Summit, the spotlight falls on JIVA, JK Tech’s enterprise-ready Agentic AI platform, alongside its Enterprise Ontology framework. Together, these solutions help organizations build AI systems that are contextual, governed, and explainable — not just powerful. The goal is faster decisions, modernized service delivery, and meaningful transformation across enterprise operations. Retail and commerce leaders will also get a look at Orbiee, JK Tech’s conversational commerce platform, which brings intent-aware, emotionally intelligent engagement to customer interactions, driving more personalized experiences, stronger loyalty, and better conversion outcomes.

At Datos Insights, JK Tech shifts focus to the insurance sector, showing how the same AI-led approach can help insurers modernize underwriting, claims, customer service, and core operations. The emphasis is on contextual intelligence, responsible AI, and automation that delivers real, measurable results, not just technological novelty.

Across both events, JK Tech’s core argument is consistent: the future of enterprise AI isn’t about isolated pilots. It’s about systems that work together, at scale, in the real world.

“U.S. enterprises are no longer looking for AI that simply informs, they need AI that acts,” said Deepak Srinivasan, Chief Solutions Officer at JK Tech. “We’re helping organizations move from disconnected experimentation to intelligent, outcome-driven execution by combining agentic AI, trusted enterprise data, and domain context into systems that deliver measurable business value.”

By participating in both forums, JK Tech is reinforcing its role as a reliable transformation partner for U.S. enterprises.

About JK Tech

JK Tech is a GenAI-focused data and AI services organization empowering enterprises across Retail, CPG, and Insurance. Through deep expertise in data platforms, AI orchestration, and enterprise transformation and flagship solutions such as JIVA, its Gen AI Orchestrator, and Orbiee, its conversational commerce platform, JK Tech helps global organizations unlock actionable insights, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. To learn more, visit www.jktech.com. Find JK Tech on X, LinkedIn.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2088130/JK_Tech_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jk-tech-brings-agentic-ai-to-the-forefront-at-two-major-industry-events-302769332.html

SOURCE JK Tech

Continue Reading

Technology

Instacart Joins Collaborative for Healthy Rural America (CHRA) to Expand Access to Nutrition and Essential Goods

Published

on

By

The collaboration supports states advancing CMS Rural Health Transformation initiatives with technology-enabled implementation, AI-driven virtual primary care, and integrated access to food and community-based services

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Collaborative for Healthy Rural America (CHRA) today announced that Instacart has joined the collaborative, expanding its ability to help states address chronic disease and improve health outcomes by integrating access to nutritious food and essential goods into coordinated care delivery models. The addition of Instacart further enhances the collective approach to longitudinal, AI-enabled primary care and community engagement advanced by Deloitte Consulting LLP, Lumeris, Nuna, Teladoc Health, and Unite Us.

Instacart joins CHRA to help rural communities address chronic disease through better nutrition access.

The addition of Instacart comes as states begin implementing new Rural Health Transformation (RHT) initiatives with funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). State teams are pivoting from outlining five year plans to operationalizing and demonstrating near term progress.

“Expanding access to nutritious food is one of the most powerful things we can do to improve health outcomes,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Health at Instacart. “Through Instacart Health, we’re working to use delivery of nutritious groceries as a tool to help Americans prevent and manage chronic conditions. By joining CHRA, we have an opportunity to integrate our capabilities into care delivery models further, helping states address the root causes of disease while improving access, engagement, and outcomes in rural communities.”

With approximately $10 billion in first-year RHT funding awarded nationally, states are advancing implementation within defined timelines while strengthening workforce capacity, governance structures, and performance management capabilities required under CMS cooperative agreements. As Year 2 funding decisions are informed by Year 1’s progress, states are focused on demonstrating early implementation while building durable systems designed to be sustained beyond federal funding.

The CHRA was formed to support state-directed implementation of CMS’s RHT program. CHRA brings together private sector experience and proven, interoperable technology to help states move rapidly from planning to execution. By combining advanced analytics, virtual care, interoperable data platforms, and closed-loop referrals for community-based service integration, CHRA enables states to operationalize complex rural health transformation initiatives at scale, reducing the need for each state to build new capabilities from scratch.

CHRA’s founding collaborators include Deloitte, Lumeris, Nuna, Teladoc Health, and Unite Us. The addition of Instacart to the collaborative helps states expand access to nutritious foods and everyday essentials to address chronic disease and related needs. Together, CHRA represents a comprehensive operating model that is intentionally aligned with CMS expectations, reducing the need for health systems to assemble and manage disparate components independently

Built Around State-Identified Challenges

CHRA conducted a detailed review of publicly available state RHT plans to understand the challenges states themselves have identified as most urgent. While needs vary by geography, four themes consistently emerged across plans.

1. Infrastructure Misalignment in Rural Health Systems

States across the country describe a structural mismatch between legacy rural health infrastructure, declining populations, and fee-for-service payment models. The State of Wyoming notes that rural hospitals face “high fixed costs and low patient volume,” while still needing to maintain emergency capacity. Vermont reports that more than half of hospitals operate at a loss due to low volume, workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and high fixed operating costs. Illinois highlights large inpatient facilities that are rarely fully occupied, undermining financial viability. Across the country, rural health transformation plans converge on the need for alternative payment models, redesigned delivery systems, flexible workforce strategies, and technology-enabled care to create sustainable models of care.

How CHRA can help states:
CHRA supports states in exploring and operationalizing redesigned care delivery models better suited to low volume, high fixed cost environments such as those intended to be addressed by RHT initiatives. At the core of this approach is the transformation of primary care from episodic, site-based care to continuous, coordinated, and population-driven models that better meet the needs of rural communities.

Through interoperable service models, built to complement existing EHR and HIE systems, CHRA has the opportunity to support beneficiary identification, outreach, virtual and in-person care, care coordination, and outcomes tracking. For instance, CHRA member Lumeris, powered by Tom™, enables primary care teams to operate with greater reach and efficiency—proactively managing patient populations, closing care gaps, and extending care beyond traditional settings.

These supports, alongside virtual care delivery through Teladoc Health’s network of providers and Nuna’s AI-native patient engagement mobile app, introduce a more scalable, prevention-oriented primary care model that aligns payment, workforce capacity, and service delivery with population needs while relieving rural facilities of the burden of sustaining underutilized infrastructure on their own.

2. Gaps in Preventive Care Delivery

States report persistent barriers to preventive services. The State of Iowa cites gaps in early detection and prevention. The State of Maine highlights limited capacity for population-level screening and outreach. Workforce shortages, transportation challenges, and infrastructure constraints limit consistent access to preventive care.

How CHRA can help states:
CHRA leverages population data, predictive analytics, and AI-supported outreach to help states identify priority populations and close preventive care gaps. Unite Us’ Self Sufficiency Score establishes a benchmark, connecting rural residents to medical, behavioral, and community support services via an integrated closed-loop referral and payment platform.

Utilizing the Tom™ platform, CHRA extends prevention beyond episodic care by continuously monitoring patient needs, proactively identifying rising risks, and engaging individuals between visits through timely, personalized outreach. By orchestrating interventions across care teams and community resources, Tom helps ensure preventive actions happen earlier, before conditions escalate, enabling more consistent care, improving health outcomes, and reducing downstream costs associated with avoidable complications.

3. High Burden of Chronic Disease

Chronic disease management is a central concern across state plans. The State of Nevada identifies heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease as leading causes of death. The State of New Jersey emphasizes the need to modernize identification and access to treatment. The State of New Mexico calls for expanded specialty access and evidence-based models, while the Commonwealth of Virginia highlights access to nutrition as a root cause of poor health.

How CHRA can help states:
CHRA helps states more effectively prevent and slow chronic disease by enabling continuous, data-driven management of patient populations. Tom identifies rising-risk individuals, closes care gaps, and proactively engages patients between visits—supporting adherence, surfacing unmet needs, and coordinating timely interventions across care teams. Through CHRA, partners like Teladoc Health that integrate Instacart Health tools, will extend this model by enabling interventions that deliver personalized, clinically aligned nutrition support directly to patients, addressing key drivers of chronic conditions. Using Instacart Health Fresh Funds, stipends for nutritious food, and Care Carts, which allow organizations to order groceries on behalf of others, partners can build programs that address the needs of rural communities. Together, this approach tackles root causes, improves long-term disease management, and reduces avoidable emergency utilization.

4. Workforce Shortages and Provider Access

States consistently cite challenges with recruiting and retaining providers. The State of Ohio reports service lines at risk due to workforce shortages. The State of Nevada ranks near the bottom nationally in physician availability. The State of Georgia reports that most counties are facing a shortage of OBGYNs or pediatricians. Nationally, more than 190 rural hospitals have closed since 2005, with hundreds more at risk, according to the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program.

How CHRA can help states:
CHRA supports Primary Care as a Service (PCaaS) models using solutions like Lumeris’ Tom™ platform, which provides the backbone technology that extends provider capacity through AI-assisted triage, virtual care, and team-based workflows. Deloitte provides cross-platform interoperability and data integration services, grounded in decades of experience supporting states. And Teladoc Health has the largest nationwide network of virtual care providers including licensed clinicians, therapists, and health coaches, and can help patients access care quickly amid shortages or barriers to care. These approaches aim to expand access while keeping local providers at the center of care and reducing burnout. 

Looking Ahead

States will report Year 1 progress to CMS in October 2026. Those that demonstrate measurable improvements in access, utilization, and sustainability will be positioned for continued funding. CHRA’s role is to support states in achieving early momentum while building sustainable rural health systems.

About CHRA

The Collaborative for Healthy Rural America (CHRA) is a coalition of organizations supporting state led rural health transformation initiatives through coordinated, implementation focused support across care delivery, data, community integration, and sustainability.

Learn more: https://healthyruralamerica.org

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instacart-joins-collaborative-for-healthy-rural-america-chra-to-expand-access-to-nutrition-and-essential-goods-302768800.html

SOURCE Lumeris

Continue Reading

Technology

Branford Castle-Backed Lafayette Instrument Acquires Sutter Instrument Corp.

Published

on

By

Significantly Expands Its Life Sciences Instrumentation Product Offerings

NEW YORK and BOCA RATON, Fla., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lafayette Instrument, LLC, a leading global manufacturer of scientific instrumentation equipment for the life sciences, polygraph and human evaluation markets, today announced that it has acquired Sutter Instrument Corp. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Lafayette is a portfolio company of North American-focused private equity firm Branford Castle Partners. Sutter marks the fifth bolt-on investment for Lafayette since being acquired by Branford Castle’s Fund II in 2021.

With the acquisition of Sutter, Lafayette reinforces its commitment to provide unparalleled support to the life science research community through experiment-focused software and instrumentation. Sutter is a leading provider of precision scientific instruments used by universities and research institutions globally for electrophysiology, neuroscience, and other related life sciences research.

Benjamin Mangrich, CEO of Lafayette Instrument, said, “Sutter Instrument has been a global leader in instrumentation supporting cellular research and electrophysiology for over 50 years. The company’s strong product portfolio, deep technical expertise, and commitment to customer success make them a natural complement to Lafayette Instrument’s Life Science portfolio.”

Ceon Francis, Managing Director at Branford Castle, stated, “This acquisition strengthens Lafayette’s platform and broadens its product offering to better serve a growing base of life sciences customers who demand the latest tools and technology. We are excited to collaborate with management as we continue to build on the company’s momentum and drive long-term growth.”

Branford Castle was advised by its legal counsel Akerman LLP, and RSM served as its accounting/tax advisor. EC M&A acted as financial advisor and Donahue Fitzgerald LLP acted as legal advisor to Sutter. Byline Bank is providing senior debt financing and Brookside Capital Partners is providing mezzanine debt financing for the transaction.

ABOUT BRANFORD CASTLE PARTNERS
Branford Castle is a private market investor focused on lower middle-market investments, with more than 35 years of helping to grow businesses. The Firm typically makes control investments in companies with up to $15 million of EBITDA and a leadership position in a niche industry. Branford Castle prides itself on the strong relationships it develops with its portfolio company managers. Branford Castle has particular expertise in industrials/specialty manufacturing, consumer products, business services and logistics.

ABOUT LAFAYETTE INSTRUMENT
Lafayette Instrument Company has over 75 years of experience engineering and manufacturing high-quality scientific instrumentation and data acquisition equipment for disciplines such as biology, neuroscience, pharmaceutical and medical research, physical therapy and rehabilitation, security, and law enforcement. Lafayette is positioned at the forefront of neuroscientific discovery, human evaluation, and credibility assessment.

Media Contact:
LLYC
Jennifer Hurson
Jennifer.hurson@llyc.global
Or
Joanne Lessner
Joanne.lessner@llyc.global

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/branford-castle-backed-lafayette-instrument-acquires-sutter-instrument-corp-302769068.html

SOURCE Branford Castle Partners

Continue Reading

Trending