Technology
KLA Corporation Reports Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter Results and Full Year Results
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2 years agoon
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For the quarter, total revenues were $2.569 billion, at the upper end of the guidance range of $2.5 billion +/- $125 million;For the quarter, GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA was $6.18 and non-GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA was $6.60, each finishing above the midpoints of the respective guidance ranges;Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter and fiscal year was $892.6 million and $3.31 billion, respectively, and free cash flow was $831.9 million and $3.03 billion, respectively; andCapital returns for the quarter and fiscal year were $667.8 million and $2.51 billion, respectively.
MILPITAS, Calif., July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KLA Corporation (NASDAQ: KLAC) today announced financial and operating results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. KLA reported GAAP net income attributable to KLA of $836.4 million and GAAP diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) attributable to KLA of $6.18 on total revenues of $2.57 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, KLA reported GAAP net income attributable to KLA of $2.76 billion and GAAP diluted EPS attributable to KLA of $20.28 on total revenues of $9.81 billion.
“KLA’s June quarter results exceeded expectations, including revenue, gross margin and EPS, which were all above their respective guidance midpoints, demonstrating the enduring power and differentiation of the KLA portfolio,” said Rick Wallace, President and CEO, KLA Corporation. “We are encouraged by the early signs of a strengthening market environment for our customers at the leading edge and are increasingly confident in our plan for steady improvement throughout the remainder of this calendar year and into 2025.”
GAAP Results
Q4 FY 2024
Q3 FY 2024
Q4 FY 2023
Total Revenues
$2,569 million
$2,360 million
$2,355 million
Net Income Attributable to KLA
$836 million
$602 million
$685 million
Net Income per Diluted Share Attributable to KLA
$6.18
$4.43
$4.97
Non-GAAP Results
Q4 FY 2024
Q3 FY 2024
Q4 FY 2023
Net Income Attributable to KLA
$893 million
$715 million
$743 million
Net Income per Diluted Share Attributable to KLA
$6.60
$5.26
$5.40
A reconciliation between GAAP operating results and non-GAAP operating results is provided following the financial statements included in this release. KLA will discuss the results for its fiscal year 2024 fourth quarter and full year, along with its outlook, on a conference call today beginning at 2 p.m. PT. A webcast of the call will be available at: www.kla.com.
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Guidance
The following details our guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 ending in Sept.:
Total revenues is expected to be in a range of $2.75 billion +/- $150 millionGAAP gross margin is expected to be in a range of 59.9% +/- 1.0%Non-GAAP gross margin is expected to be in a range of 61.5% +/- 1.0%GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in a range of $6.69 +/- $0.60Non-GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in a range of $7.00 +/- $0.60
For additional details and assumptions underlying our guidance metrics, please see the company’s published Letter to Shareholders, Earnings Slide Presentation and Earnings Infographic on the KLA investor relations website. Such Letter to Shareholders, Earnings Slide Presentation and Earnings Infographic are not incorporated by reference into this earnings release.
About KLA:
KLA Corporation (“KLA”) develops industry-leading equipment and services that enable innovation throughout the electronics industry. We provide advanced process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging and printed circuit boards. In close collaboration with leading customers across the globe, our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers design solutions that move the world forward. Investors and others should note that KLA announces material financial information including SEC filings, press releases, public earnings calls and conference webcasts using an investor relations website (ir.kla.com). Additional information may be found at: www.kla.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Statements in this press release other than historical facts, such as statements pertaining to total revenues, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin and GAAP and non-GAAP diluted EPS for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2024, are forward-looking statements and are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to: our vulnerability to a weakening in the condition of the financial markets and the global economy; risks related to our international operations; evolving Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce rules and regulations and their impact on our ability to sell products to and provide services to certain customers in China; costly intellectual property disputes that could result in our inability to sell or use the challenged technology; risks related to the legal, regulatory and tax environments in which we conduct our business; increasing attention to ESG matters and the resulting costs, risks and impact on our business; unexpected delays, difficulties and expenses in executing against our environmental, climate, diversity and inclusion or other ESG targets, goals and commitments; our ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel; our vulnerability to disruptions and delays at our third party service providers; cybersecurity threats, cyber incidents affecting our and our business partners’ systems and networks; our inability to access critical information in a timely manner due to system failures; our ability to identify suitable acquisition targets and successfully integrate and manage acquired businesses; climate change, earthquake, flood or other natural catastrophic events, public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or terrorism and the adverse impact on our business operations; the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the war between Israel and Hamas, and the significant military activity in that region; lack of insurance for losses and interruptions caused by terrorists and acts of war, and our self-insurance of certain risks including earthquake risk; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to fluctuations in interest rates and the market values of our portfolio investments; risks related to tax and regulatory compliance audits; any change in taxation rules or practices and our effective tax rate; compliance costs with federal securities laws, rules, regulations, NASDAQ requirements, and evolving accounting standards and practices; ongoing changes in the technology industry, and the semiconductor industry in particular, including future growth rates, pricing trends in end-markets, or changes in customer capital spending patterns; our vulnerability to a highly concentrated customer base; the cyclicality of the industries in which we operate; our ability to timely develop new technologies and products that successfully address changes in the industry; risks related to artificial intelligence; our ability to maintain our technology advantage and protect proprietary rights; our ability to compete in the industry; availability and cost of the materials and parts used in the production of our products; our ability to operate our business in accordance with our business plan; risks related to our debt and leveraged capital structure; we may not be able to declare cash dividends at all or in any particular amount; liability to our customers under indemnification provisions if our products fail to operate properly or contain defects or our customers are sued by third parties due to our products; our government funding for R&D is subject to audit, and potential termination or penalties; we may incur significant restructuring charges or other asset impairment charges or inventory write offs; risks related to receivables factoring arrangements and compliance risk of certain settlement agreements with the government; and risks related to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware being the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions and proceedings. For other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected and anticipated in forward-looking statements in this press release, please refer to KLA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2023, and other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including, but not limited to, the risk factors described therein). KLA assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update these forward-looking statements.
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
June 30, 2024
June 30, 2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 1,977,129
$ 1,927,865
Marketable securities
2,526,866
1,315,294
Accounts receivable, net
1,833,041
1,753,361
Inventories
3,034,781
2,876,784
Other current assets
659,327
498,728
Total current assets
10,031,144
8,372,032
Land, property and equipment, net
1,109,968
1,031,841
Goodwill, net
2,015,726
2,278,820
Deferred income taxes
915,241
816,899
Purchased intangibles, net
668,764
935,303
Other non-current assets
692,723
637,462
Total assets
$ 15,433,566
$ 14,072,357
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 359,487
$ 371,026
Deferred system revenue
985,856
651,720
Deferred service revenue
501,926
416,606
Current portion of long-term debt
749,936
—
Other current liabilities
2,063,569
2,303,490
Total current liabilities
4,660,774
3,742,842
Long-term debt
5,880,199
5,890,736
Deferred tax liabilities
486,690
529,287
Deferred service revenue
294,460
176,681
Other non-current liabilities
743,115
813,058
Total liabilities
12,065,238
11,152,604
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock and capital in excess of par value
2,280,133
2,107,663
Retained earnings
1,137,270
848,431
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(49,075)
(36,341)
Total stockholders’ equity
3,368,328
2,919,753
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 15,433,566
$ 14,072,357
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Operations
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Revenues:
Product
$ 1,954,837
$ 1,816,524
$ 7,482,679
$ 8,379,025
Service
613,898
538,613
2,329,568
2,117,031
Total revenues
2,568,735
2,355,137
9,812,247
10,496,056
Costs and expenses:
Costs of revenues
1,010,551
962,949
3,928,073
4,218,307
Research and development
325,759
317,110
1,278,981
1,296,727
Selling, general and administrative
255,106
250,857
969,509
986,326
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets
—
—
289,474
—
Interest expense
82,836
73,491
311,253
296,940
Loss on extinguishment of debt
—
—
—
13,286
Other expense (income), net
(50,560)
(24,776)
(155,075)
(104,720)
Income before income taxes
945,043
775,506
3,190,032
3,789,190
Provision for income taxes
108,597
90,852
428,136
401,839
Net income
836,446
684,654
2,761,896
3,387,351
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest
—
—
—
74
Net income attributable to KLA
$ 836,446
$ 684,654
$ 2,761,896
$ 3,387,277
Net income per share attributable to KLA:
Basic
$ 6.22
$ 5.00
$ 20.41
$ 24.28
Diluted
$ 6.18
$ 4.97
$ 20.28
$ 24.15
Weighted-average number of shares:
Basic
134,462
136,873
135,345
139,483
Diluted
135,342
137,654
136,187
140,235
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Cash Flows
Three Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 836,446
$ 684,654
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
101,001
104,813
Unrealized foreign exchange loss and other
4,214
17,602
Asset impairment charges
11,307
—
Stock-based compensation expense
58,621
49,907
Deferred income taxes
(30,634)
23,567
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business acquisitions:
Accounts receivable
(221,958)
105,096
Inventories
(32,843)
(144,654)
Other assets
(65,884)
(90,591)
Accounts payable
24,177
(105,844)
Deferred system revenue
(8,613)
117,928
Deferred service revenue
74,096
52,672
Other liabilities
142,685
143,965
Net cash provided by operating activities
892,615
959,115
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures
(60,745)
(78,683)
Purchases of available-for-sale securities
(602,081)
(481,096)
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities
36,816
50,079
Proceeds from maturity of available-for-sale securities
488,779
434,819
Purchases of trading securities
(21,635)
(18,852)
Proceeds from sale of trading securities
18,644
19,249
Proceeds from other investments
1,430
—
Net cash used in investing activities
(138,792)
(74,484)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of common stock
96,501
90,939
Common stock repurchases
(470,266)
(388,825)
Payment of dividends to stockholders
(197,521)
(179,510)
Tax withholding payments related to vested and released restricted stock units
(47,508)
(21,102)
Payment of contingent consideration payable
(67)
(12,823)
Net cash used in financing activities
(618,861)
(511,321)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(6,000)
(13,958)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
128,962
359,352
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
1,848,167
1,568,513
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$ 1,977,129
$ 1,927,865
Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
Income taxes paid, net
$ 65,553
$ 43,858
Interest paid
$ 25,171
$ 25,049
Non-cash activities:
Contingent consideration payable – financing activities
$ —
$ (29)
Dividends payable – financing activities
$ 1,953
$ 2,047
Unsettled common stock repurchase – financing activities
$ 5,500
$ 11,000
Accrued purchase of land, property and equipment – investing activities
$ 13,849
$ 18,445
KLA Corporation
Segment Information (Unaudited)
The following is a summary of results for each of our three reportable segments and reconciliation to total revenues for the indicated periods:
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Revenues:
Semiconductor Process Control
$ 2,307,994
$ 2,097,479
$ 8,733,556
$ 9,324,190
Specialty Semiconductor Process
121,268
129,008
528,701
543,398
PCB and Component Inspection
140,017
128,977
552,491
631,604
Total revenues for reportable segments
2,569,279
2,355,464
9,814,748
10,499,192
Corporate allocations and effects of changes in foreign exchange rates
(544)
(327)
(2,501)
(3,136)
Total revenues
$ 2,568,735
$ 2,355,137
$ 9,812,247
$ 10,496,056
KLA Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Supplemental Information
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income
Three Months Ended
Twelve Months Ended
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
June 30, 2024
March 31, 2024
June 30, 2023
June 30, 2024
June 30, 2023
GAAP net income attributable to KLA
$ 836,446
$ 601,541
$ 684,654
$ 2,761,896
$ 3,387,277
Adjustments to reconcile GAAP net income to non-GAAP net income:
Acquisition-related charges
a
58,777
58,573
64,564
239,901
271,563
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
17,721
2,042
8,135
21,033
22,035
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets
c
—
70,474
—
289,474
—
Loss on extinguishment of debt
d
—
—
—
—
13,286
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments
e
(23,227)
(19,879)
(20,892)
(86,311)
(90,409)
Discrete tax items
f
3,092
2,386
6,203
7,630
(46,074)
Non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA
$ 892,809
$ 715,137
$ 742,664
$ 3,233,623
$ 3,557,678
GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA
$ 6.18
$ 4.43
$ 4.97
$ 20.28
$ 24.15
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA
$ 6.60
$ 5.26
$ 5.40
$ 23.74
$ 25.37
Shares used in diluted net income per share calculation
135,342
135,856
137,654
136,187
140,235
Pre-tax Impact of GAAP to Non-GAAP Adjustments Included in Condensed Consolidated Unaudited Statements of Operations
(In thousands)
Acquisition-Related
Charges
Restructuring,
Severance and
Other Charges
Goodwill
Impairment
Total Pre-tax GAAP to
Non-GAAP
Adjustments
Three Months Ended June 30, 2024
Costs of revenues
$ 45,937
$ 2,240
$ —
$ 48,177
Research and development
—
2,230
—
2,230
Selling, general and administrative
12,840
13,251
—
26,091
Total in three months ended June 30, 2024
$ 58,777
$ 17,721
$ —
$ 76,498
Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
Costs of revenues
$ 44,839
$ 805
$ —
$ 45,644
Research and development
867
922
—
1,789
Selling, general and administrative
12,867
315
—
13,182
Impairment of goodwill
—
—
70,474
70,474
Total in three months ended March 31, 2024
$ 58,573
$ 2,042
$ 70,474
$ 131,089
Three Months Ended June 30, 2023
Costs of revenues
$ 45,437
$ 2,570
$ —
$ 48,007
Research and development
—
2,727
—
2,727
Selling, general and administrative
19,127
2,838
—
21,965
Total in three months ended June 30, 2023
$ 64,564
$ 8,135
$ —
$ 72,699
Free Cash Flow Reconciliation
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 892,615
$ 959,115
$ 3,308,575
$ 3,669,805
Capital expenditures
(60,745)
(78,683)
(277,384)
(341,591)
Free cash flow
$ 831,870
$ 880,432
$ 3,031,191
$ 3,328,214
Capital Returns Calculation
Three Months Ended June 30,
Twelve Months Ended June 30,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Payments of dividends to stockholders
$ 197,521
$ 179,510
$ 773,041
$ 732,556
Common stock repurchases
470,266
388,825
1,735,746
1,311,864
Capital returns
$ 667,787
$ 568,335
$ 2,508,787
$ 2,044,420
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Guidance
Reconciliation of GAAP Diluted EPS to Non-GAAP Diluted EPS
Three Months Ending Sept. 30, 2024
(In millions, except per share amounts)
Low
High
GAAP net income per diluted share
$6.09
$7.29
Acquisition-related charges
a
0.40
0.40
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
0.05
0.05
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments
e
(0.14)
(0.14)
Non-GAAP net income per diluted share
$6.40
$7.60
Shares used in net income per diluted share calculation
135.0
135.0
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross Margin to Non-GAAP Gross Margin
Three Months Ending Sept. 30, 2024
Low
High
GAAP gross margin
58.9 %
60.9 %
Acquisition-related charges
a
1.5 %
1.5 %
Restructuring, severance and other charges
b
0.1 %
0.1 %
Non-GAAP gross margin
60.5 %
62.5 %
The non-GAAP and supplemental information provided in this press release is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, KLA’s financial results presented in accordance with United States GAAP.
To supplement our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we provide certain non-GAAP financial information, which is adjusted from results based on GAAP to exclude certain gains, costs and expenses, as well as other supplemental information. The non-GAAP and supplemental information is provided to enhance the user’s overall understanding of our operating performance and our prospects in the future. Specifically, we believe that the non-GAAP information, including non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA, non-GAAP net income per diluted share attributable to KLA, non-GAAP gross margin and free cash flow, provides useful measures to both management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our financial performance by excluding certain costs and expenses that we believe are not indicative of our core operating results to help investors compare our operating performances with our results in prior periods as well as with the performance of other companies. The non-GAAP information is among the budgeting and planning tools that management uses for future forecasting. However, because there are no standardized or generally accepted definitions for most non-GAAP financial metrics, definitions of non-GAAP financial metrics are inherently subject to significant discretion (for example, determining which costs and expenses to exclude when calculating such a metric). As a result, non-GAAP financial metrics may be defined very differently from company to company, or even from period to period within the same company, which can potentially limit the usefulness of such information to an investor. The presentation of non-GAAP and supplemental information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared and presented in accordance with United States GAAP. The following are descriptions of the adjustments made to reconcile GAAP net income attributable to KLA to non-GAAP net income attributable to KLA:
a.
Acquisition-related charges primarily include amortization of intangible assets, transaction costs associated with our acquisitions and dispositions, as well as intangible asset impairment charges. Although we exclude the effect of amortization of all acquired intangible assets from these non-GAAP financial measures, management believes that it is important for investors to understand that such intangible assets were recorded as part of purchase price accounting arising from acquisitions, and such amortization of intangible assets related to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. Investors should note that the use of these intangible assets contributed to our revenues earned during the periods presented and are expected to contribute to our future period revenues as well.
b.
Restructuring, severance and other charges primarily include costs associated with employee severance including associated acceleration of recognition of certain stock-based and other compensation expenses, gains and losses from exiting non-core businesses, write downs of certain right of use assets and fixed assets that were abandoned and adjustments related to non-controlling interest. Restructuring, severance and other charges in the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 include a gain on the sale of Orbograph, Ltd. (“Orbograph”), which was sold in the first quarter of fiscal 2023, partially offset by certain transaction bonuses triggered by the sale of Orbograph.
c.
Impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets included non-cash expense recognized in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2023, following the downward revision of financial outlook for the PCB and Display reporting units in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 and the subsequent decision to exit the Company’s Display business that was based on many factors, including the cancellation of a significant new technology project by a major customer, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Management believes that it is appropriate to exclude these impairment charges as they are not indicative of ongoing operating results and therefore limit comparability. Management also believes excluding this item helps investors compare our operating performance with our results in prior periods as well as with the performance of other companies.
d.
Loss on extinguishment of debt during the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 included a pre-tax loss on early extinguishment of the $500 million 4.650% Senior Notes due in Nov. 2024.
e.
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments includes the income tax effects of the excluded items noted above.
f.
Discrete tax items in the twelve months ended June 30, 2024 included a one-time tax benefit resulting from changes made to our international structure to better align ownership of certain intellectual property rights with how our business operates. Discrete tax items in all periods presented included a tax impact relating to the amortization of the aforementioned tax benefit or similar tax benefits recorded in other periods. Discrete tax items in the twelve months ended June 30, 2023 also include the following: an adjustment of the net benefit of the Orbotech Ltd. 2012 to 2018 Israel tax audit settlement, for which the net benefit includes the liability on the audit settlement less reductions in unrecognized tax positions and deferred tax assets and liabilities; a tax expense of $19.8 million from an internal restructuring; and a tax impact from the sale of Orbograph.
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SOURCE KLA Corporation
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“Eximius 1” is an imposing vehicle to behold, exhibiting the muscularity and eyepopping strength of a superhero. Every panel – excluding the body surface outer – is constructed of pre-impregnated carbon fiber, and the vehicle is 50mm wider due to its wheel arch extensions. The front doors and hood have a unique technical fade from glossy, exposed regular carbon fiber to signature Borealis Blue paint.
The front carbon splitter sets an aggressive tone and is flanked by massive side air intakes incorporating Karma’s Target Acquisition Lighting, rotated 45º to create a distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity. On the hood, the dramatic arc of the Comet Line – which is inspired by Halley’s Comet is it streaks across the evening sky – widens from its apex towards the base of the windshield; vents above the front fenders release air pressure from the wheel housings and add further visual intrigue. Moving to the side of the vehicle, the front fenders aft of the wheels feature Karma’s signature “Backslash” bearing the number “5,” which is of particular significance to the commissioning client. 21″ Magnesium wheels with center-locks reduce rotating and unsprung mass, and are finished in satin black. Aft of the driver’s side front wheel, twin exhaust tips announce the fearsome new powertrain.
The full-width rear GT wing maximizes stability and downforce at high speeds, and continues the distinctive ‘><‘ DRL graphic identity established at the front of “Eximius 1.” The rear fascia also boasts large side air intakes which are connected by a dominant diffuser to manage underbody airflow.
Interior Design
An aura of intensity continues to the interior of “Eximius 1.” In concert with the exterior, blue-tinted carbon-fiber adorns the seats, flat-bottom steering wheel and doors; for aesthetics and weight-savings, all four doors are manufactured in exposed carbon fiber with one purposeful arm pad on each door. The seats, which are Recaro carbon fiber buckets up front, are trimmed with blue Alcantara and blue Italian leather with Moondust Alcantara upper sections, creating an articulated, form-fitted feel. To support high-speed driving and intense braking force, the accelerator, brake pedal and dead pedal are billet machined aluminum.
The instrument panel is reimagined in glossy carbon fiber and incorporates anodized billet aluminum HVAC vents. The carbon fiber center console is simplified to include the essentials only: the PRND gear selector, window switches, key fob holder, and Emergency kill switch. This console extends through to the rear compartment, to which the client’s custom-fitted carbon fiber racing helmet is held in place by a center-latched strap matching the blue seat belts.
About Karma Automotive
Karma Automotive is America’s only full-line ultra-luxury vehicle manufacturer, and a pioneer of Plug-in Series Hybrid vehicles which it manufactures at its Karma Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) in Moreno Valley, CA. Its Executive, Product Development, and Design headquarters are located in nearby Irvine, CA. The Karma portfolio embodies California’s spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial boldness, reflected by the signature Comet Line which is the central hallmark of Karma’s new design language. The Gyesera Grand Coupe, a Plug-in Series Hybrid four-seater, arrives at dealerships in December 2026; and the Amaris GT 2-Door Plug-in Series Hybrid arrives in Q4 2027. The Karma Kaveya Super Coupe, with over 1,000HP and butterfly-doors, will arrive in Q1 2028, to be followed by the Karma Ivara GT-UV: both EVs will incorporate SDVA (Software-Defined Vehicle Architecture) developed with leading technology partners. For more information, visit www.karmaautomotive.com)
Media Contact:
Joe Richardson, (917) 716-6617
Joe@BeautifulNoisePR.com
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SOURCE Karma Automotive
Technology
ModelBest and OpenBMB Open-Source MiniCPM-OCR Series, Delivering High-Performance Document Parsing and AI-Powered Quality Control
Published
4 hours agoon
October 31, 2026By
BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ModelBest and OpenBMB jointly announced the release and open-source availability of the MiniCPM-OCR series, a family of models for efficient document parsing and parsing-quality assessment. The launch includes two models: MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 (1.3B) and MiniCPM-OCR Jev (2B).
As the first OCR-focused model in the MiniCPM family, MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 brings top-tier parsing accuracy to a compact 1.3-billion-parameter architecture optimized for edge deployment, pushing forward the balance between efficiency and performance for open-source OCR models. Built for real-world conditions, it accurately parses scanned, photographed, curved, tilted and screen-captured documents without cumbersome image pre-correction, lowering the barrier to large-scale document digitization.
The model handles dense bilingual Chinese-English content, complex mathematical formulas, and multi-level or borderless tables, consistently performing at a leading level across a broad range of mainstream industry evaluations. Beyond full-page reconstruction, it supports key information extraction (KIE), pulling specified fields from invoices, IDs and financial statements according to business instructions.
Powered by DSpark decoding acceleration, MiniCPM-OCR 1.0 significantly increases end-to-end throughput while lowering per-page latency. For enterprises processing millions of pages—such as financial contract archives, academic libraries and government records—this means processing far more documents with the same hardware and time budget, at a substantially lower computing cost.
To address the long-standing need for page-by-page manual review, ModelBest and OpenBMB also introduced MiniCPM-OCR Jev, the first OCR result decision model that acts as an “AI quality inspector.” Rather than performing OCR itself, Jev compares the source image with OCR output and rapidly assigns confidence scores to text, LaTeX formulas and tables, detecting missing characters, errors and formatting misalignments. Despite its compact 2B-parameter size, Jev delivers judgment accuracy typically associated with far larger models.
Jev supports cross-model deployment and can be integrated into existing OCR workflows without replacing the underlying OCR engine. It can automatically identify reliable results for direct processing, flag potentially inaccurate outputs for human review and select the best result from multiple OCR systems. This enables enterprises to move from full manual inspection toward risk-based, automated quality control.
The MiniCPM-OCR series is available on GitHub, Hugging Face and ModelScope, and supports vLLM, SGLang, llama.cpp and Ollama, along with SDKs, APIs, Agent Skill plugins and open-source fine-tuning code. Day-0 hardware adaptation covers AMD, Arm, Houmo AI, Intel and NVIDIA. Through the FlagOS software stack, it also has Day-0 support for AI and edge chips from CIX Technology, Huawei Ascend, Hygon, Iluvatar CoreX, Kunlunxin, MetaX, Moore Threads, Sunrise, T-Head, TsingMicro, NVIDIA and Apple Mac (Arm).
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/modelbest-and-openbmb-open-source-minicpm-ocr-series-delivering-high-performance-document-parsing-and-ai-powered-quality-control-302925594.html
SOURCE ModelBest
Technology
Wulcea Elevates Consumer Trust in Heated Apparel Through Multi-National Safety Certifications and Rigorous Technical Testing
Published
7 hours agoon
October 31, 2026By
NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As smart heated clothing gains broader adoption, consumers are paying closer attention to the safety and reliability of the technology behind these products. Wulcea, a brand specializing in graphene-powered heated apparel, combines its flexible GrapheneNano™ heating technology with documented safety compliance and durability testing for its heating components and battery systems.
“Trust in smart heated apparel goes beyond warmth—it comes down to confidence in battery safety and heating element reliability,” said John C, Founder of Wulcea. “Our goal is to give users peace of mind through certified technical standards.”
Advanced Graphene Heating Elements Supported by Global Standards
At the core of Wulcea’s thermal architecture is its GrapheneNano™ heating technology. Engineered to eliminate garment stiffness, Wulcea integrates flexible graphene elements that deliver balanced warmth across key upper-body zones while preserving natural garment drape and full freedom of movement.
Wulcea supports its heating components with applicable compliance documentation for major markets. These include CE and FCC compliance documentation addressing relevant electrical and electromagnetic compatibility requirements, as well as PSE compliance for applicable products in Japan. RoHS compliance further addresses restrictions on specified hazardous substances in applicable electrical and electronic components.
Multi-Certified Battery System for Dependable Power
To power its heating elements, Wulcea pairs its heated apparel with rechargeable battery systems designed for convenient everyday use. Featuring a compact design and housed in dedicated interior pockets, the batteries provide portable power while maintaining a streamlined garment profile and comfortable fit.
Wulcea backs its battery options with comprehensive third-party accreditations. UL certification demonstrates that the battery system has been evaluated against recognized power bank safety requirements, covering key areas such as overcharge protection, short-circuit protection, and thermal safety. The battery systems are also supported by applicable CE and FCC compliance documentation, addressing relevant regulatory requirements for electrical and electromagnetic compatibility.
For daily handling and travel, RoHS compliance validates that the battery system meets stringent global standards for material safety. The battery models have also undergone applicable UN 38.3 testing, supporting compliance with international requirements for lithium battery transportation.
Real-World Durability and Practical Usability
Component compliance forms Wulcea’s foundation, but reliability is defined by real-world performance. Built for high-flex endurance, Wulcea’s flexible graphene heating elements are tested through 10,000 active flexing cycles to maintain steady thermal output through repeated bending and everyday body movement.
Everyday convenience is equally essential. Built for hassle-free care, Wulcea’s heating elements withstand 100 machine-wash cycles under standard care guidelines, maintaining internal conductivity and structural stability under repeated laundering.
Integrated NTC temperature sensors provide thermal monitoring and are designed to stop heating if temperatures exceed 131°F (55°C). Combined with runtime of up to 10 hours on the low setting and a discreet interior control button, these features support practical everyday use in cold-weather conditions.
Aligning Technical Standards with Everyday Warmth
By combining graphene-based heating technology with documented battery safety compliance and durability testing, Wulcea continues to focus on the technical foundations of dependable heated apparel. This approach reflects the brand’s emphasis on bringing together safety considerations, practical functionality, and everyday comfort for cold-weather use.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wulcea-elevates-consumer-trust-in-heated-apparel-through-multi-national-safety-certifications-and-rigorous-technical-testing-302925554.html
SOURCE Wulcea
Karma Automotive Announces Eximius, the Bespoke Vehicle Program for Elite Clients Seeking Singular Expressions of Extreme Performance and Bold Craftsmanship
ModelBest and OpenBMB Open-Source MiniCPM-OCR Series, Delivering High-Performance Document Parsing and AI-Powered Quality Control
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