Brazilian tennis player Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva has made history with a single Instagram post . Reis Da Silva recently took to Instagram to share a sweet tribute celebrating his partner, Gui Sampaio Ricardo's birthday. While on first glance it may seem like any regular birthday tribute, the post makes Reis Da Silva the first gay male tennis player to be open about his sexuality while still active on the tennis circuit. READ MORE: Jim Carrey retired from acting. One thing forced him to come back In the year 2024, it may seem strange that we're only now seeing this piece of history marked, but former tennis players such as Brian Vahaly – who opened up about his sexuality following his retirement – have explained why it may be so. "Tennis is perceived as that country club sport, a highly competitive individual sport played across every country of the world. There are a lot of reasons not to come out as a gay man," he told The Telegraph in 2018 after sharing his sexual orientation on a 2017 podcast episode. "Outside of the States and Europe, there are a lot of countries not accepting of gay men. It's not a team sport; there are not teammates on whom you can rely – you practice with your competitors." He added that because of "a lot of homophobic locker room comments made in jest", the professional tennis circuit never felt like a safe space for him to be open about his sexuality. As Vahaly pointed out, tennis is a sport that sees its players travel the world to compete in tournaments from an amateur level all the way up to the pros. With homosexuality still criminalised in 64 countries with penalties including life in prison and even the death penalty in 12 of those countries, it's no wonder players in the spotlight have often kept their sexuality to themselves. READ MORE: How a bag of frozen peas could save your dog's li It's a battle that's been publicly fought by tennis stars for close to a century now, likely even longer. In 1917, Danish tennis player Leif Rovsing – who competed in both the singles and doubles competitions at the 1912 Summer Olympics – was banned from the sport for "presumed homosexuality." "Mr. Rovsing's morality is of such a nature that it stands in open conflict with the task of all healthy sports, to promote bodily and spiritual health," the Danish tennis authorities said of his ban at the time. Rovsing was said to have never attempted to keep his sexuality a secret, and spent the rest of his life unapologetically defending the LGBTQIA+ community's right to play professional sport. Despite dedicating his life to campaign for the acceptance of homosexuality in sport, Rovsing's ban was never revoked. For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here . Unable to ever return to professional tennis, Rovsing was instead forced to commission, design and decorate the Dansk Tennis Club in Copenhagen where he could continue to enjoy his sport in what is now considered one of the most decadent places to play tennis in the world. After being outed in 1981, Billie Jean King paved the way for gay female tennis players when she ignored her lawyers' advice to deny claims she was a lesbian. "I said, 'I'm going to do it. I don't care. This is important to me to tell the truth'," King told NBC News in 2017. "The one thing my mother always said, 'To thine own self be true'." Over the years several female tennis players have been open about their sexuality, but that doesn't mean they've had an easy go of it either. READ MORE: The key ingredient in this delicious dish might shock you. Top Russian tennis player Daria Kasatinka shared her sexuality in a 2022 YouTube interview, saying, "Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, and f--k everyone else." In the following years, she has shared that her sexuality is one of the reasons she can no longer live in her home country, adding that she has no plans to return and openly criticising Russia's conservative political environment. "It's unsafe for me now, with the regime we have," she said in 2023. "As a gay person who opposes the war, it's not possible to go back... But I don't regret it even 1 per cent." FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE : Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.Argos customers can grab discounts on a wide selection of video games, consoles and accessories as part of the retailer's New Year sale. This includes a fantastic deal for the PS5 Pro , which has been given a pretty sizeable discount despite only launching in November. Sony's ultra-powerful new PlayStation console is down from £699.99 to £659.99 as part of the current sale. According to the Argos website, the PS5 Pro is "in-demand" and "selling fast", so you might need to hurry if you want to take advantage of the deal. If you do decide to make the purchase, Argos offers various payment schemes, including the ability to spread payments via Klarna and PayPal. A big upgrade over the original PS5 , the PS5 Pro makes a variety of improvements to visuals and performance. The PS5 Pro console comes with Sony's excellent DualSense controller, as well as a copy of Astro's Playroom built-in to the device. While the improvements to visuals and performance are the headline features, it's worth remembering that the PS5 Pro also comes with a 2TB solid-state drive, which is twice the storage of the original PS5 at launch. With games like Call of Duty potentially taking up a few hundred gigabytes of storage space, the bigger SSD is arguably worth the price alone. Of course, it's the improved specs that really makes the PS5 Pro worth purchasing, especially if you're sick of choosing between graphics and performance. Compared to the original PlayStation 5, the PS5 Pro contains a bigger GPU, features Advanced Ray-Tracing and utilises AI-driven upscaling. The GPU will provide rendering that's up to 45% faster thanks to 67% more Compute Units and 28% faster memory. This should lead to a better balance between visuals and performance. Advanced Ray Tracing will provide "more dynamic reflection and refraction of light", which allows rays to be cast at double and sometimes even triple the speeds of the current PS5. Then there's the AI Driven Upscaling, which is said to use "machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail". Elsewhere, PS5 Pro Game Boost will give older PS4 and PS5 games an upgrade in the visual and performance department.
Back-to-back games against one of the few NHL teams already likely out of playoff contention seemingly present the New York Islanders with a valuable opportunity to gain ground in the crowded Eastern Conference wild-card race. But the Chicago Blackhawks began their three-game road trip by proving there are no sure things in the NHL. The Islanders will look to get back in the win column and the Blackhawks will again attempt to play early-season spoiler Thursday night, when New York begins a two-game set against Chicago in Elmont, N.Y. The two teams are slated to play again Sunday afternoon in Chicago, one day after the Blackhawks conclude their road trip by visiting the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders were off Wednesday after their two-game winning streak ended Tuesday, when they fell to the visiting Los Angeles Kings 3-1. The Blackhawks haven't played since Monday, when they snapped a five-game losing streak by edging the New York Rangers 2-1. The loss to the Kings cost the Islanders an opportunity to at least temporarily climb into an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The New York teams each ended Tuesday with 29 points, one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers in the race for the two wild cards. Fifteen of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference are within four points of a playoff spot. The defeat also further magnified the Islanders' small margin of error on both sides of the ice without first-liners Mathew Barzal (upper body) and Anthony Duclair (lower body) and defensemen Adam Pelech (jaw) and Mike Reilly (heart), who are all dealing with long-term issues expected to keep them out weeks to months. The Islanders were outshot 30-20 Tuesday, two nights after they beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 despite being outshot 31-13. Seven of New York's 13 points in the last three games have been scored by three players: Anders Lee (three points), Kyle Palmieri and Noah Dobson. "We'll take the things that we could clean up -- we can do a better job off the rush, in the last couple games, we gave up too many chances there," Dobson said. "We have to reset and get ready for Thursday." The Blackhawks' imperfections were also on display Monday, when they won for the first time since Nov. 27, beating the New York Rangers 2-1. The victory isn't likely to spark a playoff push for Chicago, whose 20 points are tied with the Nashville Predators for the fewest in the NHL and 13 fewer than the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, who enter Thursday tied for the last wild-card spot. Chicago has scored 12 goals in the last six games and 67 goals overall this season, the third-fewest in the NHL entering Wednesday. The Blackhawks scored first Monday, as they did four times during their losing streak, but improved to 2-17-2 when scoring two or fewer goals thanks to Taylor Hall's game-winner 6:16 into the second against the Rangers. The win was the first for interim head coach Anders Sorensen, who replaced Luke Richardson Dec. 5. "We need to get a winning feeling consistently," Hall said. "One win's not good enough. We need to stick together and get two, three, four wins. I think you're going to see a lot more guys play with confidence, play on their toes and a bit more smiles out there." This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.Zug, Switzerland - December 30, 2024 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey” or the“Company”) (NASDAQ: WKEY; SIX: WIHN), a global leader in cybersecurity, AI, blockchain, and IoT technologies, that its subsidiary, SEALCOIN AG, ends 2024 as a leader in secure, decentralized IoT ecosystems. Utilizing its blockchain-based TIOT token, SEALCOIN empowers IoT devices to autonomously exchange data, energy, and services, transforming real-time interactions with unmatched trust and efficiency. In January 2025, SEALCOIN will achieve a major milestone in cooperation with WISeSat AG, another WISeKey subsidiary which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, with the launch of a new generation of WISeSat satellites designed to support autonomous machine-to-machine (M2M) transactions from space. This Proof of Concept (PoC) will demonstrate secure, satellite-initiated transactions with IoT devices, marking a significant step toward creating a scalable Transactional IoT (t-IoT) infrastructure. By combining SEALCOIN's decentralized platform with WISeSat's capabilities, the PoC will showcase how blockchain and space technologies can enable global IoT networks with unparalleled security and scalability. Earlier in 2024, SEALCOIN successfully conducted a PoC for t-IoT transactions between two devices, proving its ability to disintermediate service providers and securely manage decentralized device interactions. The upcoming generation of WISeSat satellites will feature enhanced operational capabilities tailored for M2M transactions, reinforcing SEALCOIN's position as a pioneer in space-based digital ecosystems. With decentralized ledger technology ensuring secure, tamper-proof exchanges, SEALCOIN is driving innovation in industries like energy, logistics, and environmental monitoring, expanding the possibilities for IoT devices to interact autonomously in real-time. SEALCOIN's roadmap for 2025 focuses on scaling its space-based IoT initiatives, refining blockchain solutions for advanced security and scalability, and exploring partnerships to expand the transactional IoT ecosystem. By addressing real-world challenges with innovative solutions, SEALCOIN continues to deliver long-term value to stakeholders and set new standards for global IoT ecosystems. With Swiss regulatory compliance, advanced encryption, and collaboration with cutting-edge technologies like Hedera Hashgraph, SEALCOIN's decentralized architecture ensures trust, transparency, and privacy in IoT transactions. SEALCOIN AG is revolutionizing the future of machine-to-machine transactions with its innovative integration of blockchain and space technology. SEALCOIN is committed to fostering secure, scalable, and autonomous IoT ecosystems, enabling a new era of interconnected devices. About WISeKey WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform. Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey's mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company's semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey's strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit Disclaimer This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa's predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. Press and Investor Contacts MENAFN29122024004107003653ID1109040073 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
As committee chair, Virginia Foxx championed issues that became winners for the GOPThe trends that will make you optimistic about the future in 2025
Srinagar, Dec 29: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has expressed satisfaction with the administration’s prompt efforts in restoring essential services across the Kashmir Valley following recent adverse weather conditions. In a statement issued today, KCCI President Javed Ahmad Tenga commended the personal involvement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with MLAs and key officials, including the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir and various Deputy Commissioners. The coordinated efforts of Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited staff and police personnel were instrumental in swiftly restoring power supply and clearing traffic routes. “The quick response from the administration has been crucial in maintaining public confidence and preserving the economic and social fabric of the region, particularly in tourist destinations that are vital to our local economy,” Tenga stated. The Chamber highlighted that despite initial challenges posed by widespread snowfall, the administration successfully expedited power restoration and cleared roads, including those leading to key tourist destinations. The KCCI particularly acknowledged Chief Minister Abdullah’s hands-on approach in overseeing crisis management operations. Reflecting on the situation’s severity, the Chamber noted that conditions yesterday morning had suggested a potentially prolonged recovery period. However, the administration’s efficient response ensured essential services were restored promptly. While expressing optimism about the government’s continued commitment to regional development, the KCCI emphasised the need for preparedness. “Snowfall in winters is not a rarity, and we urge the administration to maintain full preparedness for such weather events,” Tenga added. The Chamber expressed hope that this level of responsiveness from the government would continue, helping to create an environment conducive to growth and development in the region.Benekiva Strengthens Leadership Team with Key Appointments to Drive Continued Growth and ...W e've all been there: you wake up dazed and woozy like you've lost an hour's sleep, but the clock says nothing is wrong. Then you miss a meeting because you forgot to manually adjust your watch. Now Donald Trump's new bureaucratic slasher-in-chief Elon Musk says he wants to put an end to all that by getting rid of daylight savings time (DST) . "Looks like people want to abolish the annoying time changes!" said the prolific US government contractor last week in response to a poll on his social media site, X. Although Musk's tweets are not law, he is the incoming co-leader of Trump's new budgetary advisory panel, and his co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy has backed the idea — as did Trump several years ago. Perhaps more importantly, Musk appears to wield considerable influence over the president-elect as self-proclaimed "first buddy", having reportedly sat in on calls with corporate and foreign leaders. Let’s put aside for a moment the enormous potential conflicts of interest , or even opportunities for corruption , that this relationship entails. Abolishing DST might actually be one of the more popular ideas Musk’s DOGE committee ends up recommending. It would certainly be more popular than cutting social security or “deleting” the USA’s national consumer protection agency . So what would it actually mean, and is it a good idea? Contrary to popular myth, daylight savings time in the United States has never been about farmers. The basic idea of changing the clock depending on the season is about as old as clocks. In most places on earth, the sun rises far earlier in summer than it does in winter; the Romans dealt with that by varying the length of an hour to suit the day. Modern DST was first proposed in New Zealand in 1895, and early versions were adopted by Germany in 1916 and by the USA in 1918. These were emergency measures, implemented during the First World War to save scarce fuel by exploiting summer's early dawn. The USA did the same again in WW2. In peacetime, the rationale for DST has often shifted, but it's usually based on the simple idea that we should set our clocks to give people as much daylight as possible . It wasn't until 1966 that DST was standardized across the country. As usual in America, corporate lobbyists were heavily involved, since some industries – such as retail and fast food – apparently enjoyed better business during the summer shift. Yet a missed meeting is the least of DST's alleged drawbacks. Research suggests that all this springing forward and falling back actually disrupts our circadian rhythms, damaging our sleep quality and potentially our health. Some studies have found that this increases your risk of a heart attack by as much as 10 percent – though other research disagrees. Researchers have also found evidence that traffic accidents, collisions with animals increase sharply after the end of DST, and workplace injuries rise noticeably after DST starts each year. So surely ending DST should be a no-brainer? Or perhaps doing the reverse and making DST permanent, so that we lose some light from our winter mornings but gain some in our summer evenings (which, let's face it, most of us are more equipped to enjoy)? A majority of Americans reportedly support the idea, and the length of DST has slowly crept upward so that it today spans eight months out of twelve. Yet the USA did try to make daylight savings permanent in 1974. Once again, it was designed to save fuel – this time in the face of a worldwide energy crisis driven by oil shortages and soaring prices. It didn't go well. "It's the end. I can't cope any more. The comet, the energy crisis, now darkness. I'm just staying in bed,” one Long Island mother told The New York Time s in 1974 when permanent DST came into effect. The Times itself called the event “a new Dark Age” . Many Americans hated it, with numerous complaints about children being forced to walk to school in the dark. Reports of kids being killed in pre-dawn traffic accidents sparked public and political outrage . This effect would be even worse for states in the middle of the USA, whose winter sunrise wouldn’t be until 9a.m. in some cases. There is also some scientific evidence that simply having more light in the evening and less in the morning – rather than changing the clocks – is itself bad for our health, because it’s not the kind of daily rhythm we were evolved to thrive on. “Americans are split on whether they prefer permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time. However, my colleagues and I believe that the health-related science for establishing permanent standard time is strong,” wrote neurologist Beth Ann Malow in 2022 . “Based on abundant evidence that daylight saving time is unnatural and unhealthy, I believe we should abolish daylight saving time and adopt permanent standard time.” To be clear, Musk and Ramaswamy didn’t say whether they would be in favour of making DST permanent or simply ending it entirely, so the devil would be in the details. Over the past few decades there have been repeated bipartisan efforts to make DST permanent . All have failed, which indicates the biggest barrier for Musk and Ramaswamy's plan. DOGE doesn’t have any formal power, instead being simply an advisory body that will – in perhaps as long as two years’ time – recommend certain measures to Congress. Although House Republicans are backing this up with a special subcommittee on government waste, chaired by Marjorie Taylor Greene, congressfolk in general are often a recalcitrant lot. So even if this turns out to be a priority for Musk and Ramaswamy, there are multiple hurdles that must be cleared to make it actually happen. In the meantime, their suggestion might best be thought of as an appealing digression from what appears to be DOGE’s main purpose: gutting the US federal government via shock-and-awe mass firings , much as Musk did with the social network formerly known as Twitter .
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LPGA, USGA to require players to be assigned female at birth or transition before pubertyFranklin Resources Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV ( NYSE:BUD – Free Report ) by 3.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,863 shares of the consumer goods maker’s stock after selling 672 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV were worth $1,103,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 37.7% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 57,870 shares of the consumer goods maker’s stock valued at $3,836,000 after acquiring an additional 15,837 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 6.0% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 10,307,014 shares of the consumer goods maker’s stock worth $683,252,000 after purchasing an additional 587,329 shares during the period. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG bought a new stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV in the third quarter valued at about $1,865,000. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 61.9% in the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 61,061 shares of the consumer goods maker’s stock valued at $4,048,000 after buying an additional 23,348 shares during the period. Finally, Brophy Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV during the third quarter worth about $946,000. 5.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently weighed in on BUD. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from $68.50 to $73.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 10th. Evercore ISI upgraded shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 30th. Citigroup raised shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Barclays upgraded Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, TD Cowen downgraded Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $68.00 to $88.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $79.00. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Price Performance Shares of NYSE BUD opened at $50.37 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $55.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $59.80. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV has a 1-year low of $49.66 and a 1-year high of $67.49. The firm has a market cap of $90.52 billion, a PE ratio of 15.55, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. About Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV ( Free Report ) Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV produces, distributes, exports, markets, and sells beer and beverages. It offers a portfolio of approximately 500 beer brands, which primarily include Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois; Beck's, Hoegaarden, Leffe, and Michelob Ultra; and Aguila, Antarctica, Bud Light, Brahma, Cass, Castle, Castle Lite, Cristal, Harbin, Jupiler, Modelo Especial, Quilmes, Victoria, Sedrin, and Skol brands. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV What is the Hang Seng index? Buffett Takes the Bait; Berkshire Buys More Oxy in December Stock Dividend Cuts Happen Are You Ready? Top 3 ETFs to Hedge Against Inflation in 2025 What Does a Stock Split Mean? These 3 Chip Stock Kings Are Still Buys for 2025 Receive News & Ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PANW – Get Free Report ) traded down 2.4% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $183.20 and last traded at $183.97. 774,961 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 90% from the average session volume of 7,478,080 shares. The stock had previously closed at $188.50. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have commented on PANW shares. Susquehanna raised their price objective on shares of Palo Alto Networks from $210.00 to $217.50 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Palo Alto Networks from $200.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Truist Financial upped their price target on Palo Alto Networks from $200.00 to $212.50 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Palo Alto Networks from $192.50 to $220.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Palo Alto Networks from $225.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, thirty-one have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Palo Alto Networks has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $201.40. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks Stock Down 1.2 % Palo Alto Networks ( NASDAQ:PANW – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The network technology company reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.12 billion. Palo Alto Networks had a net margin of 32.99% and a return on equity of 23.36%. The firm’s revenue was up 13.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.32 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Palo Alto Networks, Inc. will post 3.49 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Palo Alto Networks news, CEO Nikesh Arora sold 163,172 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.00, for a total transaction of $30,022,832.14. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,237,430 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $227,680,932.85. This trade represents a 11.65 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, EVP Nir Zuk sold 336,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $193.70, for a total transaction of $65,081,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 3,643,516 shares in the company, valued at $705,730,831.62. This trade represents a 8.44 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders sold 571,172 shares of company stock worth $107,074,352. Corporate insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Palo Alto Networks Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in PANW. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Palo Alto Networks by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,656,968 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $2,609,486,000 after buying an additional 220,900 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Palo Alto Networks by 34,318.2% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,259,063 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $1,113,948,000 after purchasing an additional 3,249,594 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc increased its position in Palo Alto Networks by 8.5% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,243,457 shares of the network technology company’s stock worth $1,099,564,000 after purchasing an additional 255,060 shares during the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC raised its stake in Palo Alto Networks by 50.1% during the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,147,215 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $1,075,718,000 after purchasing an additional 1,050,173 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its position in Palo Alto Networks by 5.4% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 2,233,918 shares of the network technology company’s stock valued at $757,321,000 after purchasing an additional 114,742 shares during the last quarter. 79.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Palo Alto Networks Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Palo Alto Networks, Inc provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; and Panorama, a security management solution for the global control of network security platform as a virtual or a physical appliance. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Palo Alto Networks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Palo Alto Networks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
A total of 991 plantation plots at the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam District remain unused, despite the government’s efforts to promote rice production in the area. In 2020, the government, through the Ministry of Water and Environment, commissioned the 45 billion shilling irrigation scheme along the Tochi River in Oyam District. The scheme was part of the Farm Income Enhancement and Conservation Project II, which aimed to boost rice production and increase household incomes in the neighboring sub-counties of Ngai, Acaba, and Minakulu. The 500 hectares of land were plotted into 1,241 acres which were allocated to farmers, but only 350 are being utilized. Alex Enon, the Oyam District commercial officer said the district has not realized any income from this scheme due to the low production capacity. He believes that with private partnerships, the farmers would learn from the investors and be able to share technologies in the field. Enon who acknowledges the low production rate at Tochi wants farmers to take up the investment and put it to good use. He said, “The Government of Uganda has put 45 billion in construction of this facility, and we expect it to have a multiplier effect; giving income to the farmers, but also to the government so that we can be able to realize a good change in the livelihood of people.” On the other hand, he wants the government to avail more tractors and control pests to increase production. Geoffrey Ouni, the general secretary Irrigation Water User Association and a farmer at the irrigation scheme attributed the farmer’s low uptake of the project to rat infestation and flooding of the farmland. Ministry of Water gave the group one tractor, two walking tractors, seven reapers, and threshers. However, Ouni said farmers need more mechanization tools to be able to fully utilize the scheme and improve production. Another farmer identified as Sam Ayo, a resident of Ngai sub-county is one of the farmers who has been planting rice at Tochi. He was able to raise 18 bags of rice from an acre of land because rats ate most of the crops in the first season. According to Ayo the rats, bad roads, and continuous flooding which sweeps away the crop have forced most farmers to abandon the idea of growing rice there. James Ogwang, a member of the Local Government Finance Commission wants Oyam as a district to prioritize developing the scheme in order to generate revenue from different avenues. Tochi irrigation scheme has a reserve for 10 billion cubic liters of water for production, scheme building, warehouse, cannel, and regulators. The government constructed a store with a capacity to store about 15,000 tons of rice near the scheme. Aside from rice, the scheme also has other components of aquaculture, apiculture, and horticulture. **** URN