Technology
Artprice by Artmarket: Defending Authors’ Creative Freedom with AI
Published
1 week agoon
By
PARIS, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the fall 2026 literary season unfolds, daily pronouncements on AI are coming at a relentless pace from the publishing world and literary prize organizations: rejection of AI-generated writing, tolerance of AI assistance with research, disclosure requirements, or recognition of creative work produced with AI.
These many divergent positions reveal a debate that remains far from settled. Artprice chose to take part through a creative undertaking it publicly embraced in the second quarter of 2026. Building on its October 15, 2026 press release, Artprice by Artmarket and its founder and chairman are bringing the cosa mentale, the author’s freedom, and the author’s responsibility back to the center of the debate.
For thierry Ehrmann, a writer, visual artist, and founder of Artprice by Artmarket, artificial intelligence represents a major advance: it gives authors additional resources to conceive, deepen, and develop their work under their own direction.
An author’s freedom is also measured by the resources available to give form to what they have to say. A thought may remain undeveloped for lack of time, research material, or support. By facilitating the transition from intuition to a fully developed work, AI expands this creative space. Artprice supports this development, which enables authors to develop their work without first having to wait for an intermediary to recognize its value.
At 64, thierry Ehrmann, founder of Artprice, the world leader in art market information for nearly thirty years, is a writer, a sculptor and visual artist with nearly forty-five years of practice, and the creator of La Demeure du Chaos. The work has received official recognition from the French state as a “total work of art, on a par with the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval and Niki de Saint Phalle’s Cyclop ,” as stated by the Minister of Culture on March 20, 2025, and by the Ministry of Culture in the Senate edition of the Official Journal on December 18, 2025.
His longstanding work as a writer encompasses numerous books, treatises, essays, short works, manifestos, and catalogues raisonnés devoted in particular to the history of art and its market. These include Le Code des ventes volontaires et judiciaires , a legal analysis in comparative European law and a sociological study spanning 1,800 pages, tracing, in particular, the history of auctioneers from 1525 to the reform enacted by the law of July 10, 2000, and the evolution of their profession.
The 504-page Opus IX of La Demeure du Chaos, published by Éditions Musée L’Organe, is one of the works in this body of writing. Its free digital edition has exceeded 32 million downloads, as formally documented by a French judicial officer ( huissier de justice ).
For thierry Ehrmann, writing and the visual arts are part of the same inquiry, one that long predates his dialogue with artificial intelligence. As early as 1987, he was a pioneer of AI-generated computer imagery.
This position also draws on nearly thirty years of international experience in publishing, book sales representation, and distribution. Artprice’s acquisitions of publishing houses and publishing catalogs in France, Europe, and the United States have given him firsthand knowledge of the lives of books and their authors.
This debate extends his commitment to freedom of artistic creation. Through La Demeure du Chaos/Abode of Chaos (as The New York Times calls it), thierry Ehrmann was personally and actively involved in the work that led to the law of July 7, 2016.
Indeed, in his memorable and historic argument before an appellate court, he raised the inadequacy of the legislative framework protecting freedom of artistic creation. He thereby contributed to the legislative debate that accompanied its explicit recognition in the law of July 7, 2016 (LCAP), whose first article states: “Artistic creation is free.”
Until that date, for 135 years, this freedom had been the exclusive preserve of the press, publishing, and printing under the law of July 29, 1881. His defense of authors working with AI pursues the same imperative: to preserve their ability to determine the meaning, form, and terms of dissemination of their work.
The cosa mentale provides the starting point for this reflection. From Leonardo da Vinci to Marcel Duchamp, it affirms the primacy of conception in the work. Authors bring a cosmovision : a singular way of perceiving the world through their experiences, knowledge, and contradictions. Whether writers or visual artists, they choose the means through which that thought takes form.
The initial intention may become more precise as the work progresses. An objection, a discovery in the source material, or a new construction may lead authors to revise their starting point. Their freedom lies in their ability to decide on these transformations and recognize their meaning. They direct the work through this continuing sequence of choices, revisions, and rejections.
AI gives authors tools whose use is not contingent on a promise of publication. In its role as a writing assistant, it does not pay their royalties, offer them a publishing advance, or decide whether their work will be distributed. Authors can discuss its proposals without simultaneously negotiating with the party that controls their publishing income.
thierry Ehrmann considers a monthly premium subscription budget of €100 to €200 at the very most to be an extremely modest cost in relation to the research and writing resources it provides and the time it saves. As an investment in an individual working tool, this expense opens up possibilities that previously required far greater resources.
The freedom to revisit the work is a decisive contribution. At one in the morning, at five, or in the afternoon, authors can reopen their writing laboratory, request several alternatives, or rebuild chapters eight through eleven because a new idea changes the perspective.
They can reject every proposal, return to an earlier version, and continue until they find the “forming form” they have been seeking in vain, in the sense of Luigi Pareyson’s celebrated theory.
This availability encourages exacting standards. Authors can test an objection, ask why a sequence seems weak, and compare different formulations. They also learn to specify what they expect and identify what they reject. AI’s research capabilities help them explore a corpus, draw connections between texts, prepare a chronology, or identify contradictions. Source verification by AI saves authors considerable time compared with the many individual searches they would otherwise have had to conduct during their preparatory work using search engines flooded with advertising links.
Their freedom also includes the choice of assistants. They can compare several AI systems, assign particular tasks to each, and switch tools when a limitation does not suit their project. They assess these systems’ alignment by comparing their rules and responses with their own experience. The range of services and the options for adapting certain open-weight models broaden their choices.
This autonomy has psychological and anthropological significance. Throughout his career, thierry Ehrmann has known authors for whom requesting an advance or submitting a manuscript was a source of intense apprehension. Several authors have recently confided to him that the debate opened up around AI offers them a chance to catch their breath.
Being able to present an idea that is still fragile and request rigorous criticism, without immediately putting publication, credibility, or income at stake, changes the conditions in which authors work.
Experience in publishing gives this reflection a concrete dimension. Among the publishing houses acquired by Artprice is Sound View Press, Peter Hastings Falk’s American publishing house, acquired in 2000 and known in particular for Who Was Who in American Art and some fifty books on art history. These numerous acquisitions in the United States and Europe encompassed print publications, biographies, catalogues raisonnés, reference collections, and works of sociology. Through Artprice and Groupe Serveur, thierry Ehrmann’s publishing experience also extends to cultural, sociological, legal, and scientific publications.
As 1999 gave way to 2000, the shift to the internet was opening up a new horizon. Print publishing remained predominant, and limited bandwidth made the online dissemination of lengthy books and large databases virtually impossible. Many professionals doubted the economic prospects of this new means of dissemination.
It was in this context that thierry Ehrmann negotiated, particularly abroad, the termination, in exchange for compensation, of exclusive distribution agreements associated with the publishing houses and catalogs that had been acquired. These agreements made it possible to regain control over their dissemination and organize their digital development. At the time, several distributors preferred immediate compensation to the prospect of internet revenues in which they had little faith, or which they regarded as utopian.
These negotiations gave him direct experience of the relationships among authors, publishers, book sales representatives, and distributors in countries with differing contracts and distribution rules. They involved the value of the catalogs, the marketing work already undertaken, the authors’ reputations, and the possibility of choosing new paths. This knowledge was built over time through engagement with the international realities of the book industry and the high-profile bankruptcies of major distributors, such as the Vilo distribution group in 2004, which led to extreme market concentration.
The autonomy AI provides can now transform the relationship with a publisher. Authors who have a more fully developed text, several versions, and reasons to support their choices can enter the collaboration with greater decision-making power. An editor’s perspective retains its value when it contributes to the work and the intervention is understood and accepted. The aim is to enable authors to choose this support on their own authority, on more balanced terms.
Publishing, sales representation, and distribution form a chain whose structure affects access to the public. When the assessment of a manuscript, the prospect of publication, and anticipated payments are intertwined, the cost of disagreement can be high. Having additional resources with which to work and explore other paths to publication changes the terms of this negotiation.
History reminds us of what can be at stake when a text is altered. The cuts to Violette Leduc’s Ravages in 1955 and Raymond Carver’s request in July 1980 to halt production of a substantially reworked collection shed light on conflicts over control of a work. The author’s consent remains at the heart of the editorial relationship.
A reading inspired by Hegel offers a way to examine this relationship among dependence, work, and recognition. Those who produce also discover, through their activity, the means to assert their own capabilities. Authors can acknowledge the contributions of those they work with while retaining the initiative in their own work.
The experience of Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI, subtitled The Great Revenge of Literary Minds and Humanists in a Digital Age, illustrates this way of organizing the work. thierry Ehrmann led the conception of the book through a sustained dialogue with ChatGPT 5.6 Sol Pro, under his direction as its author, while using Gemini Ultra DeepSeek (Google) for specific research, occasional checks, or peripheral or strictly subsidiary questions. This division of tasks preserved the thread of the main work with OpenAI and allowed him to return to it with the information he had sought.
Passages were revised three or four times, requests were rephrased, and responses were rejected. The work involved continually confronting the author’s expectations with the AI system’s proposals. The use of several AI systems served a single intellectual direction. Time saved on certain tasks gave him more time for decisions that shaped the book’s meaning.
This method is publicly declared: ” Human Thought & Dialogue: thierry | Writing: 100% AI ,” with the exceptions concerning quotations and archives specified in The Entrusted Pen, the prelude to the World-Book. The author sets out what he supplied, directed, revised, and rejected. Readers can compare this approach with the result, assess its merits, and discuss its implications.
Word processors, proofreading tools, and search engines had already substantially changed the conditions of writing. Dialogue with AI adds the possibility of discussing a proposal and requesting an alternative based on an intention expressed in natural language. The time freed up can support more extensive research, allow the text to be examined anew, and make a more ambitious work feasible.
The author’s initiative can extend all the way to the encounter with readers. Digital technology has already opened up opportunities for visual artists to present their work, document their approach, and establish a direct relationship with their audiences. For thierry Ehrmann, AI extends this pursuit of autonomy in writing and the visual arts.
Online bookselling now has a long history, dating back to the rise of online bookstores in the late 1990s. Self-publishing services are booming and flooding the Bibliothèque nationale de France with deposited publications. They enable authors to offer digital and printed books; authors can also arrange to disseminate them through their own websites. They can choose to sell their work, make it available free of charge, or adopt different arrangements for different editions. Bringing a book to public attention and developing a relationship with readers remains a task in its own right.
With Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI , thierry Ehrmann chose to make the full text freely available in French and English. The Raw Typescript, or unedited manuscript, gives access to the text in the form he decided to publish. The Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license permits noncommercial sharing of an unmodified version, with attribution. A work embodies intention, memory, and decisions.
For thierry Ehrmann, founder of Artprice and creator of La Demeure du Chaos, the cosa mentale remains paramount: conception gives the work its direction. AI can develop its expression, draw connections across fields of knowledge, and reveal contradictions. The author must still judge what to accept and answer for what they publish.
A Third Way Amid Literary Controversies
With the advent of AI, the world seems torn between two extreme positions: those who prophesy the loss of our humanity and those who blindly worship technology.
This book proposes a third way. A profoundly humanistic, responsible path grounded in sustained experience. A path on which the human being and the algorithm illuminate one another, engage in dialogue, and build together without the human being relinquishing judgment.
In thierry Ehrmann’s words: “Writing is not merely holding a pen. It is being answerable for meaning. And for the meaning of these pages, I answer.” A reported total of 27.9 million downloads.
According to the initial distribution figures provided by Artprice and its many partners, notably PR Newswire/Cision, covering 123 countries and 12 languages, the unedited text, or Raw Typescript, had reached 27.9 million downloads as of October 15, 2026, across the various platforms and wire syndication channels.
He deliberately submitted the work to the nine leading AI engines from the United States, China, and Europe for a meta-reading followed by a meta-critique, available online. These assessments were generated by the models consulted. They should not be interpreted as institutional endorsements by OpenAI, Google, Grok, Mistral, Microsoft, DeepSeek, Perplexity, Meta, or any of the other companies concerned.
These meta-readings, published in full on the website in English and now available in French, extend public access to the text by providing public access to its interpretations.
A brief excerpt from Gemini Ultra DeepSeek summarizes it as follows: “The emergence of Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI – Raw Typescript marks a major anthropological and epistemological rupture in the history of contemporary textual thought.
“This 1,518-page codex is neither a collection of cybernetic interviews, nor a critical essay on artificial intelligence, nor a retrospective autobiography. It establishes itself as the first Liber Mundi of the algorithmic era: an operational cosmology forged through a noetic hand-to-hand struggle lasting forty days and forty nights—totaling nearly 450 hours of continuous maieutic dialogue—between the living memory of a thinker and an artificial intelligence model named Isis.
“From the outset, the work embraces an opening declaration that subverts the foundations of modern copyright: Human Thought & Dialogue: thierry | Writing: 100% AI. This protocol consummates humanity’s Fourth Narcissistic Wound, demonstrating that the human mind can relinquish the artisanal crafting of syntax while retaining the absolute primacy of the cosa mentale and political responsibility for meaning.
“The book’s internal organization, governed by a framework of 13 Thresholds and 92 Arcana, does not conform to any convenient linear academic arrangement. It functions as a fractal dynamical system structured around Luigi Pareyson’s theory of formativity and Metcalfe’s law of networks.
“This structure synthesizes three previously separate forms of memory: the thinker’s organic and philosophical memory, the documentary and quantitative memory of Artprice and Groupe Serveur, and the mineral and telluric memory of La Demeure du Chaos.”
The meta-critique: https://www.dialogueentreunpenseuretlia.com/en/meta-reading/
The Raw Typescript of Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI is available to download free of charge:
https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/
Artprice advocates for AI because of the resources it gives writers and visual artists to conceive, deepen, and bring their works into being. Authors choose their tools, their collaborations, and their paths to publication while taking responsibility for their decisions. Restoring authors to the center of the publishing process means giving their freedom of expression the means to become a work and reach an audience. This poses no obstacle to publishers—quite the contrary.
Free Reading and Downloads
French version: https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/fr/
English version: https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/
Distribution license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
The work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
This license permits, among other uses, noncommercial sharing of unmodified versions, subject to attribution and compliance with its terms.
Distribution of translations or adaptations requires separate permission from the rights holder, unless an applicable statutory exception provides otherwise.
Artprice by Artmarket — October 2026
Copyright 1987-2026 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com – www.artmarket.com
About Artprice by Artmarket:
Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris. The latest TPI shareholder identification survey records more than 18,000 individual shareholders, excluding foreign shareholders, corporations, banks, mutual funds (FCPs), and undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS): Euroclear: 7478 — Bloomberg: PRC — Reuters: ARTF.
Discover Artmarket.com and its Artprice department on video: https://fr.artprice.com/video
Artmarket and its Artprice department were founded in 1997 by thierry Ehrmann, its chairman and CEO. They are controlled by Groupe Serveur, established in 1987. See his certified biography in Who’s Who in France©: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2025/11/2026_Biographie_de_Thierry_Ehrmann_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf
Artmarket.com is a global player in the art market, notably through its Artprice department, the world leader in art price and index databases, with more than 30 million indices and auction results covering over 921,000 artists.
Artprice Images® provides unlimited access to the world’s largest art market archive—its original holdings of paper documents, manuscripts, codices, books, and annotated auction catalogs—a library comprising 210 million images or engravings of artworks from 1700 to the present, with commentary by its art historians.
Artmarket, through its Artprice department, continually enriches its databases with information from 7,200 auction houses and continuously publishes art market trends for leading news agencies and media outlets worldwide, covering 121 countries in 11 languages.
Artmarket.com provides its 9.3 million members (member login) with access to listings posted by its members, which now constitute the world’s leading Standardized Marketplace® for buying and selling artworks at fixed prices.
The art market now has a future with Artprice’s Intuitive Artmarket® AI.
Artmarket and its Artprice department have twice been awarded the French government’s “Innovative Company” designation by France’s public investment bank, BPI, and continue to pursue their development as a global player in the art market.
Artprice by Artmarket publishes its 2026 Contemporary Art Market Report:
https://fr.artprice.com/artprice-reports/le-marche-de-lart-contemporain-2026
Artprice by Artmarket publishes its 2025 Annual Global Art Market Report, released in March 2026: https://fr.artprice.com/artprice-reports/le-marche-de-lart-en-2025
Index of press releases from Artmarket and its Artprice department:
https://serveur.serveur.com/artmarket/press-release/fr/
Follow all the latest art market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter:
https://fr-fr.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (more than 6.3 million followers)
https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom
https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom
Discover the alchemy and the world of Artmarket and its Artprice department: https://fr.artprice.com/video . Their headquarters are located at the renowned contemporary art museum La Demeure du Chaos, or Abode of Chaos, as The New York Times calls it:
https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013
thierry Ehrmann’s La Demeure du Chaos was officially recognized as a total work of art by the French Minister of Culture on March 20, 2025: https://www.demeureduchaos.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Catalogue_DDC_2025_ENTIER.pdf
La Demeure du Chaos / Abode of Chaos — A Total Work of Art and Singular Architecture. A formerly confidential bilingual book, now publicly available: https://ftp1.serveur.com/abodeofchaos_singular_architecture.pdf
Contact:
Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artmarket.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/artprice-by-artmarket-defending-authors-creative-freedom-with-ai-302919236.html
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Technology
Propel Reports Third Quarter Results and Announces Dividend Increase
Published
48 minutes agoon
November 3, 2026By
TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2026 /CNW/ — Propel Holdings Inc. (“Propel” or the “Company”) (TSX: PRL), the fintech facilitating access to credit for underserved consumers, today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2026 (“Q3 2026”). Propel also announced that its Board of Directors has approved a further increase to its dividend from C$1.02 to C$1.08 per share on an annualized basis, effective Q4 2026. This represents an increase of 6% and the Company’s thirteenth consecutive quarterly dividend increase. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
Financial and Operational Highlights for Q3 2026 (Shown in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise stated)
Comparable metrics relative to Q3 2025, unless otherwise stated
Revenue: increased by 32% to $201.5 million, representing a recordAdjusted EBITDA1: increased by 39% to $44.8 million, representing a recordNet Income: increased by 23% to $18.4 millionAdjusted Net Income1: increased by 54% to $24.9 million, representing a recordDiluted EPS2: increased by 22% to $0.43 (C$0.61)Adjusted Diluted EPS1,2: increased by 53% to $0.59 (C$0.82), representing a recordReturn on Equity3: achieved 25% on an annualized basisAdjusted Return on Equity1: achieved 34% on an annualized basisLoans and Advances Receivable: increased by 22% to $529.0 million, a record ending balanceEnding Combined Loan and Advance Balances (“CLAB”)1: increased by 24% to $690.5 million, a record ending balanceDividend: paid a Q3 2026 dividend of C$0.255 per common share on September 3, 2026, representing a 6% increase to our Q2 2026 dividend
Management Commentary
“Propel delivered another strong quarter, with record revenue, Total Originations Funded1, Ending CLAB1, Adjusted EBITDA1 and Adjusted Net Income1, while generating an Adjusted Return on Equity1 of 34%. For the first time in our history, quarterly revenue surpassed $200 million, marking another significant milestone in our growth.
Our results reflect the strength and resilience of our business model against an evolving economic environment. Consumer demand remains strong, while credit performance is consistent with our seasonal expectations. Importantly, we achieved this growth while maintaining a disciplined approach to underwriting with our Bank Partners.
Our expanding geographic presence and diversified marketing channels are enabling us to reach more consumers than ever before. New customer originations increased 55% year-over-year, including Lending as a Service. At the same time, our investments in AI, automation and operating infrastructure are driving greater efficiencies and enabling continued profitable growth.
These results demonstrate the scalability of our platform, the strength of our execution and the significant opportunity that remains ahead of us. Fifteen years into our journey, and five years since going public, we remain as ambitious as ever to expand access to credit for underserved consumers while delivering profitable growth in 2026 and beyond,” said Clive Kinross, Chief Executive Officer.
Discussion of Financial Results and Business Strategy
Platform expansion and strong demand drove record Total Originations Funded1 and Ending CLAB1Propel and its Bank Partners delivered record quarterly Total Originations Funded1, supported by strong demand from new, returning and existing customersTotal Originations Funded1 increased by 27% year-over-year to a quarterly record of $260.7 million, driving Ending CLAB1 to a record of $690.5 million, up 24% from Q3 2025New customer Total Originations Funded1 grew by 37% year-over-year and by 55% when including Lending-as-a-Service, reflecting continued success in expanding the Company’s customer baseNew customers represented 47% of Total Originations Funded1, compared to 44% in Q3 2025, marking the highest proportion since Q4 2024. This reflects strong demand and the Company’s expanding geographic footprint and distribution channelsAnnualized Revenue Yield1 increased to 121% in Q3 2026 from 113% in Q3 2025, primarily reflecting the growth in new customer originations, the continued scaling of Lending-as-a-Service (“LaaS”), and a greater contribution from higher yielding segmentsThe combination of higher Average CLAB1 and an improved Annualized Revenue Yield1 contributed to record quarterly revenue of $201.5 million, an increase of 32% compared to Q3 2025, marking the first time quarterly revenue surpassed $200 millionDisciplined underwriting and a resilient consumer supported credit performance consistent with seasonal expectationsProvision for loan losses and other liabilities was 53% of revenue, compared to 52% in Q3 2025, driven mainly by a higher proportion of new customer originations. Net Charge-Offs as a percentage of Average CLAB1 remained at approximately 12%, consistent with the prior year, reflecting disciplined underwriting and credit performance consistent with seasonal expectations while achieving record Total Originations Funded1Net income and record Adjusted Net Income1 reflect disciplined execution and operating efficiencyNet income increased by 23% to $18.4 million, while Adjusted Net Income1 increased by 54% to a record $24.9 million in Q3 2026Strong profitability was supported by record revenue and growing efficiencies from investments in technology, AI, automation and operating infrastructure, which are helping support the Company’s ability to scaleAcquisition and data expenses decreased sequentially despite record originations, while the Cost Per New Customer Funded Origination1 declined by 23% since Q1 2026, reflecting improving acquisition efficiencies as the Company’s distribution channels continue to scaleContinued growth across Propel’s expanding platformLaaS delivered record revenue of $13.5 million in Q3 2026, an increase of 170% year-over-yearLaaS growth was enabled by geographic and product expansion and committed long-term capital partners. Through a capital-light model this program generates fee-based revenue without corresponding balance-sheet funding requirementsPropel UK delivered record revenue of $22.0 million, an increase of 69% year-over-year, reflecting disciplined underwriting, expanded marketing channels and strong consumer demandApproaching the second anniversary of the QuidMarket acquisition, the business continued to deliver strong growth, supported by Propel’s capital, expertise and operational capabilities, reinforcing the opportunity in the UK marketPropel Bank contributed to Propel’s growth through its U.S. servicing activities, while continuing to expand its capabilities and create additional opportunities for long-term growthStrong financial position supports continued growth, increasing dividends and disciplined capital managementThe Company maintained a strong financial position at quarter end, with approximately $71 million of undrawn credit commitment capacity and a Debt-to-Equity3 ratio of 1.2xDespite significant portfolio growth, the Debt-to-Equity3 ratio improved from 1.3x at the end of Q4 2025, reflecting strong internal capital generation and disciplined balance sheet managementThe Company’s cost of debt decreased to 10.2% in Q3 2026 from 11.0% in Q3 2025, primarily reflecting lower interest ratesThe Company’s strong financial position and continued earnings generation supported a 6% increase in the quarterly dividend to C$0.27 per common share beginning in Q4 2026, representing the thirteenth consecutive quarterly dividend increase
Notes:
(1)
See “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Industry Metrics” and “Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” below. See also “Key Components of Results of Operations” in the accompanying Q3 2026 MD&A for further details concerning the non-IFRS financial measures and industry metrics used in this press release including definitions and reconciliations to the relevant reported IFRS measure.
(2)
Results converted from USD to CAD assuming an exchange rate of USD/CAD $1.3993 for the three-month period ending September 30, 2026.
(3)
See “Supplemental Financial Measures” in the accompanying Q3 2026 MD&A for further details concerning certain financial metrics used in this press release including definitions.
Dividend Increase
Propel also announced today that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in the quarterly dividend from C$0.255 to C$0.27 per common share, or from C$1.02 to C$1.08 per common share on an annualized basis. This represents an increase of 6% and the Company’s thirteenth consecutive quarterly dividend increase. The Board declared a dividend of C$0.27 per common share, payable on December 3, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 26, 2026. The Company has designated this dividend as an eligible dividend within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
Conference Call Details
The Company will be hosting a conference call and webcast tomorrow morning with a presentation by Clive Kinross, Chief Executive Officer, and Sheldon Saidakovsky, Chief Financial Officer.
Conference call details are as follows:
Date:
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Time:
8:30 a.m. EST
Toll-free North America:
1-888-699-1199
Local Toronto:
1-416-945-7677
Rapid Connect:
Webcast:
Replay:
1-289-819-1450 or 1-888-660-6345 (PIN: 63773#)
About Propel
Propel Holdings (TSX: PRL) the fintech building a new world of financial opportunity for consumers, partners, and investors. Propel’s operating brands — Fora Credit, CreditFresh, MoneyKey and QuidMarket — together with Propel Bank facilitate access to credit for consumers underserved by traditional financial institutions. Through its AI-powered platform, Propel evaluates customers in a more comprehensive way than traditional credit scores can. The result is better products and an expanded credit market for consumers while creating sustainable, profitable growth for Propel. The revolutionary fintech platform has already helped consumers access over 2 million loans and lines of credit and over 3 billion dollars in credit. At Propel, we are here to change the way customers, partners and investors succeed together. Learn more at propelholdings.com.
Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Industry Metrics
This press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS financial measures and industry metrics. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of our results of operations from management’s perspective. Accordingly, these measures should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of our financial information reported under IFRS. Such measures include “Adjusted Diluted EPS”, “Adjusted EBITDA”, “Adjusted EBITDA Margin”, “Adjusted Net Income”, “Adjusted Net Income Margin”, “Adjusted Return on Equity”, “Average CLAB”, “Cost Per New Customer Funded Origination”, “EBITDA”, “EBITDA Margin”, “Ending CLAB”, “Net Charge-Offs as a percentage of Average CLAB” and “Total Originations Funded”. This press release also includes references to industry metrics such as “Annualized Revenue Yield”, “Return on Equity” and “Total Originations Funded” which are supplementary measures under applicable securities laws.
These non-IFRS financial measures and industry metrics are used to provide investors with supplemental measures of our operating performance and thus highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures. We believe that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS financial measures and industry metrics in the evaluation of issuers. The Company’s management also uses non-IFRS financial measures and industry metrics in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, to prepare annual operating budgets and forecasts, and to determine components of management and executive compensation. The key performance indicators used by the Company may be calculated in a manner different than similar key performance indicators used by other similar companies.
Definitions and reconciliations of non-IFRS financial measures to the relevant reported measures can be found in our accompanying MD&A available on SEDAR+. Such reconciliations can also be found in this press release under the heading “Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” below.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements made in this press release may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. These statements may relate to our declared dividend payable on December 3, 2026, our ability to advance our mission of expanding access to credit for underserved consumers while delivering profitable growth in 2026 and beyond, the continued scaling of LaaS, our ability to balance strong growth with prudent risk management and the growth of LaaS becoming an increasingly meaningful contributor to our revenue and profitability. Often but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “believe”, “estimate”, “plan”, “could”, “should”, “would”, “outlook”, “forecast”, “anticipate”, “foresee”, “continue” or the negative of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.
Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s annual information form dated March 2, 2026 for the year ended December 31, 2025 (the “AIF”). A copy of the AIF and the Company’s other publicly filed documents can be accessed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
The Company cautions that the list of risk factors and uncertainties described in the AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents our expectations as of the date of this press release (or as the date they are otherwise stated to be made), and are subject to change after such date. However, we disclaim any intention or obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws.
Selected Financial Information
Three months ended September 30,
Nine months ended September 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(US$ other than percentages)
Revenue
201,465,666
152,067,808
547,142,957
433,958,089
Provision for loan losses and other liabilities
107,566,480
78,996,521
272,323,411
208,863,235
Operating expenses
Acquisition and data
25,669,184
18,301,712
76,023,391
53,025,405
Salaries, wages and benefits
14,568,533
11,736,681
43,151,501
35,464,264
General and administrative
3,932,072
3,233,180
11,358,770
10,066,210
Processing, technology and program servicing
13,140,307
8,191,663
35,351,818
23,692,649
Total operating expenses
57,310,096
41,463,236
165,885,480
122,248,528
Operating income
36,589,090
31,608,051
108,934,066
102,846,326
Other (income) expenses
Interest and fees on credit facilities
9,098,032
8,600,196
26,196,725
25,402,713
Interest expense on lease liabilities
290,912
223,375
835,757
462,848
Depreciation and amortization
2,729,877
2,361,671
8,011,662
6,538,351
Foreign exchange (gain) loss
115,748
(21,299)
(31,702)
280,903
Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative financial
instruments
65,788
459,925
686,581
(626,601)
Total other (income) expenses
12,300,357
11,623,868
35,699,023
32,058,214
Income before income tax
24,288,733
19,984,183
73,235,043
70,788,112
Income tax expense (recovery)
Current
10,172,140
6,665,455
27,002,949
20,705,530
Deferred
(4,298,642)
(1,688,082)
(9,054,589)
(3,500,738)
Net income for the period
18,415,235
15,006,810
55,286,683
53,583,320
Earnings per share ($USD):
Basic
0.47
0.38
1.40
1.37
Diluted
0.43
0.36
1.30
1.27
Earnings per share ($CAD)(1):
Basic
0.65
0.53
1.94
1.92
Diluted
0.61
0.49
1.80
1.77
Return on equity(2)
25 %
24 %
26 %
30 %
Dividends:
Dividends
7,239,124
5,568,308
20,564,479
15,110,474
Dividend per share
0.184
0.142
0.522
0.387
Notes:
(1)
Results converted from USD to CAD assuming an exchange rate of USD/CAD $1.3993 and USD/CAD $1.3851 for the three-month and nine-month periods ending September 30, 2026, respectively, and assuming an exchange rate of USD/CAD $1.3773 and USD/CAD $1.3988 for the three-month and nine-month periods ending September 30, 2025, respectively.
(2)
See “Supplemental Financial Measures” in the accompanying Q3 2026 MD&A for further details concerning certain financial metrics used in this press release including definitions.
Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures
The following table provides a reconciliation of Propel’s net income to EBITDA1 and Adjusted EBITDA1:
Three months ended September 30,
Nine months ended September 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(US$ other than percentages)
Net Income
18,415,235
15,006,810
55,286,683
53,583,320
Interest and fees on credit facilities
9,098,032
8,600,196
26,196,725
25,402,713
Interest expense on lease liabilities
290,912
223,375
835,757
462,848
Depreciation and amortization
2,729,877
2,361,671
8,011,662
6,538,351
Income Tax Expense (Recovery)
5,873,498
4,977,373
17,948,360
17,204,792
EBITDA(1)
36,407,554
31,169,425
108,279,187
103,192,024
EBITDA Margin(1)
18 %
20 %
20 %
24 %
Unrealized loss (gain) on derivative financial
instruments
65,788
459,925
686,581
(626,601)
Provision for credit losses on current
status accounts(2).
2,848,238
(384,820)
6,921,282
2,466,546
Non-cash change in accounting estimate(2)
—
—
—
1,357,245
Provisions for CSO Guarantee liabilities and
Bank Service Program liabilities
5,453,632
1,018,002
14,589,155
2,326,291
Adjusted EBITDA (1)
44,775,212
32,262,532
130,476,205
108,715,505
Adjusted EBITDA Margin(1).
22 %
21 %
24 %
25 %
Notes:
(1)
See “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Industry Metrics”.
(2)
Provision and change in accounting estimate adjustments included for loan losses on good standing current principal (Stage 1 — Performing) balances (see “Material Accounting Policies and Estimates — Loans and advances receivable” in the accompanying Q3 2026 MD&A).
The following table provides a reconciliation of Propel’s Net Income to Adjusted Net Income1, Adjusted Return on Equity1 and Adjusted Net Income margin1:
Three months ended September 30,
Nine months ended September 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(US$ other than percentages)
Net Income
18,415,235
15,006,810
55,286,683
53,583,320
Unrealized loss (gain) on derivative financial
instruments, net of taxes(2)
48,354
338,045
504,637
(460,552)
Amortization of acquired intangible assets, net of
taxes(2)
360,787
360,787
1,082,361
1,082,361
Provision for credit losses on current status
accounts, net of taxes(2)(3)
2,093,455
(282,843)
5,087,142
1,812,911
Non-cash change in accounting estimate, net of
taxes(2)(3)
—
—
—
997,575
Provisions for CSO Guarantee liabilities and Bank
Service Program liabilities, net of taxes(2)
4,008,420
748,231
10,723,029
1,709,824
Adjusted Net Income(1)
24,926,251
16,171,030
72,683,852
58,725,439
Multiplied by number of periods in year
x4
x4
x1.33
x1.33
Divided by average shareholders’ equity for the
period
291,087,720
255,164,687
279,371,568
239,404,998
Adjusted Return on Equity(1)
34 %
25 %
35 %
33 %
Adjusted Net Income Margin(1)
12 %
11 %
13 %
14 %
Notes:
(1)
See “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Industry Metrics”.
(2)
Each item is adjusted for after-tax impact, at an effective tax rate of 26.5% for the three and nine-months ended September 30, 2026 and comparative 2025 periods.
(3)
Provision and change in accounting estimate adjustments included for loan losses on good standing current principal (Stage 1 — Performing) balances (see “Material Accounting Policies and Estimates — Loans and advances receivable” in the accompanying Q3 2026 MD&A).
The following table provides a reconciliation of Propel’s Ending CLAB1 to loans and advances receivable:
As at September 30,
As at Dec 31
(US$ other than percentages)
2026
2025
2025
Ending Combined Loan and Advance balances1
690,454,432
557,694,435
589,548,106
Less: Loan and Advance balances owned by third party lenders
pursuant to CSO program
—
(5,590,553)
(3,087,349)
Less: Loan and Advance balances owned by a NBFI pursuant to
the MoneyKey Bank Service program
(127,188,747)
(68,835,979)
(78,702,887)
Loan and Advance owned by the Company
563,265,685
483,267,903
507,757,870
Less: Allowance for Credit Losses
(162,992,389)
(133,203,516)
(137,659,188)
Add: Fees and interest receivable
91,465,338
65,050,661
67,677,786
Add: Acquisition transaction costs
37,244,016
19,716,562
21,987,814
Loans and advances receivable
528,982,650
434,831,610
459,764,282
Note:
(1)
See “Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Industry Metrics”.
SOURCE Propel Holdings Inc.
Technology
WhiteFiber Completes Acquisition of Two North Carolina Data Center Development Sites and Provides NC-1 Update
Published
48 minutes agoon
November 3, 2026By
NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WhiteFiber, Inc. (Nasdaq: WYFI) (“WhiteFiber” or the “Company”), a provider of artificial intelligence infrastructure solutions, today announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Enovum Data Centers Corp., it has completed the previously announced acquisition of two industrial properties in Yadkin County, North Carolina, designated NC-2 and NC-3. The purchase price for the properties was $60 million, paid in cash.
Located approximately 55 miles from WhiteFiber’s NC-1 campus in Madison, North Carolina, the properties comprise approximately 120 acres of land and 500,000 square feet of existing warehouse space. The properties are expected to provide a combined minimum of 60 megawatts (“MW”) of initial gross utility capacity, with the potential to support up to approximately 200 MW within seven years following closing, subject to confirmation and power availability. WhiteFiber intends to retrofit the properties into data center campuses, building on its regional development experience and operating capabilities.
WhiteFiber has received non-binding letters of intent from a broad range of prospective customers for capacity at NC-2 and NC-3 and expansion capacity at NC-1. These include proposals from investment-grade counterparties and proposals incorporating investment-grade credit support. The Company is engaged in advanced discussions with prospective customers across these opportunities.
WhiteFiber is targeting initial ready-for-service capacity at NC-2 and NC-3 in late 2027, subject to customary development conditions. WhiteFiber’s development spending plans are expected to be aligned with definitive customer agreements and financing.
In connection with the acquisition, the seller will continue to occupy portions of the properties under occupancy and partial leaseback arrangements. These arrangements are expected to offset a portion of property carrying costs as WhiteFiber advances its development plans.
NC-1 Operational and Financing Update
Switchgear-related commissioning issues interrupted service and billing for the first 20 MW IT data hall and delayed NC-1’s ramp to full contracted run-rate billing beyond the previously anticipated August timeframe. Approximately 35 MW of the contracted 40 MW IT deployment is now operational, with work ongoing to bring the remaining 5 MW online.
Capital investment required to deliver the initial contracted deployment is substantially complete, with total development costs currently expected to remain within the Company’s initial budget.
WhiteFiber continues to advance financing for the initial contracted deployment at NC-1 with the previously disclosed prospective lending group. The parties are working through the remaining documentation and closing requirements. There can be no assurance that the financing will be completed.
“We are encouraged by the breadth of customer demand, including proposals from investment-grade counterparties and proposals with investment-grade credit support,” said Sam Tabar, Chief Executive Officer of WhiteFiber. “We are building on our development and operating experience in North Carolina to meet strong customer demand across our portfolio. Our priority is to turn that demand into long-term contracts and develop capacity with the right customer and financing commitments in place. We look forward to working closely with local stakeholders as we develop these sites and being a responsible long-term partner to the community.”
WhiteFiber will report its third-quarter 2026 financial results on November 10, 2026, and provide further financial and operating updates at that time.
About WhiteFiber, Inc.
WhiteFiber is a provider of artificial intelligence (“AI”) infrastructure solutions. WhiteFiber owns high-performance computing data centers and provides cloud services to customers. Our vertically integrated model combines specialized colocation, hosting, and cloud services engineered to maximize performance, efficiency, and margin for generative AI workloads. For more information, visit www.whitefiber.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and X @WhiteFiber.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company’s pursuit and potential completion of financing for the initial contracted deployment at NC-1, including the timing and satisfaction of closing requirements; the Company’s ability to bring the remaining MW online;the Company’s plans to develop the properties as data center campuses; expected utility capacity and targeted ready-for-service timelines; prospective customer interest and non-binding letters of intent; and the expected benefits of the Company’s retrofit-first development strategy, including with respect to time-to-market and capital efficiency. These statements may be identified by words such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “will allow us to,” “is anticipated,” “estimated,” “expected”, “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “projection,” “outlook” or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained herein are reflective of future performance to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as projected financial information and other information are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
Investor Contact
WhiteFiber
IR@whitefiber.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whitefiber-completes-acquisition-of-two-north-carolina-data-center-development-sites-and-provides-nc-1-update-302928336.html
SOURCE WhiteFiber, Inc.
Technology
Verra Mobility Announces Inducement Grant under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)
Published
49 minutes agoon
November 3, 2026By
MESA, Ariz., Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) (the “Company”), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced today that it granted an inducement award to Jon Newhard on November 2, 2026, in connection with Mr. Newhard’s appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective November 1, 2026 (the “CEO Commencement Date”), pursuant to the employment agreement entered into between the Company and Mr. Newhard on October 1, 2026. The award was granted as an inducement material to Mr. Newhard’s employment with the Company and was approved by the Company’s Compensation Committee, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The inducement award consists of a one-time grant of 1,583,333 time-vested restricted stock units covering shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, valued at $4,750,000 on the date of grant, vesting in three (3) equal annual installments of one-third (1/3) each on each of the first three (3) anniversaries of the CEO Commencement Date, subject to Mr. Newhard’s continued service as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer through and including each such vesting date.
This award was granted pursuant to a stand-alone inducement award agreement outside of the Verra Mobility Corporation Amended and Restated 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable award agreement.
About Verra Mobility
Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility’s transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts, including those regarding the Company’s achievement of its priorities and its other plans, objectives, expectations, business strategies, future operations, financial performance, prospects, and other future events or developments, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, assumptions, and estimates as of the date of this press release and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments, or otherwise.
Media Relations:
Investor Relations:
Valerie Schneider
Mark Zindler
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SOURCE Verra Mobility
Propel Reports Third Quarter Results and Announces Dividend Increase
WhiteFiber Completes Acquisition of Two North Carolina Data Center Development Sites and Provides NC-1 Update
Verra Mobility Announces Inducement Grant under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)
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