Ange Postecoglou 's Tottenham Hotspur have fallen behind in 15 Premier League home games in 2024, the most ever by a team in a calendar year in the history of the competition. Wolverhampton Wanderers took the lead against Spurs after just seven minutes, and though the hosts were leading 2-1 by the half-time interval, Wolves scored an equaliser in the 87th minute , condemning the London club to a bottom-half finish in 2024 . Spurs have now conceded 12 goals in their last four matches in all competitions, and have kept just two clean sheets in their past 16 games. Tottenham's recent form in terms of results is also poor, with the club losing six, drawing four and winning just three of their 13 most recent fixtures. Postecoglou can have no complaints about the fact that he is under pressure at the moment , as while he is dealing with an injury crisis, his team have long displayed a tactical rigidity that has cost them points. The Spurs boss infamously remarked earlier this season that he "always wins things" in his second season at teams, and though he has guided Tottenham into the EFL Cup semi-finals, his side are set to take on Premier League favourites Liverpool. Tottenham face a difficult start to 2025, with matches against Newcastle United, Arsenal, Everton and Brentford, as well as two games against Liverpool, all to come by February 6. The Australian manager has often defended his team's adventurous style of play by arguing that it is better to stick to his principles rather than abandon them in favour of short-term benefits, but it is difficult to see how Spurs come through the next months without further embarrassment. This is especially the case given defenders Cristian Romero , Micky van de Ven , Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie are all out injured, as is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario . By playing the same way regardless of available personnel, backups like Fraser Forster will inevitably make mistakes when trying to play in the way that Postecoglou demands, and it will mean that Spurs continue to lose football matches. Perhaps reinforcing in the January window would allow Postecoglou to sign the players needed to better implement his distinctive style, but it remains to be seen whether the 59-year-old will be trusted with further expenditure on the squad.The Reserve Bank of India 's ( RBI ) move to draw capital flows by allowing banks to offer higher interest rates for foreign currency deposits for a specific period appears to have had few takers in the three weeks since the plan's announcement. Bankers said the rupee's recent sharp fall and a narrowing in the interest rate gap between the US and India will make it even more difficult to attract depositors. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for In its December monetary policy, the RBI temporarily raised the ceiling on interest rates banks can offer on foreign currency non-resident accounts or FCNR (B) deposits. Yet, the relevant pages on their respective websites showed that none of the commercial lenders raised interest rates since the central bank gave them the leeway. The RBI allowed banks to raise deposits at a spread of 400 basis points over an Alternate Reference Rate (ARR) for one to three years as against 250 bps spread earlier. For deposits between three and five years, the spread is raised to 500 bps over ARR against a cap of 350 bps. One basis point is a hundredth of a percentage point. "Banks were generally not even offering deposits close to the earlier ceiling," said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda . "Hence, the new ceiling has not made much difference for most banks." 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"Some of the niche private banks will find this useful as they cater more to the expat population. Banks typically match such deposits with foreign currency loan requirements," Sabnavis said. "With this being stable at lower levels, it may not be economical given that the rupee is falling and forex risk is borne by banks." Forex Stockpile The RBI's move to raise the ceiling is to shore up foreign exchange (forex) reserves, which have fallen by $60 billion after touching an all-time high of $706 billion at the end of September. The forex reserves have declined as the RBI is selling dollars to support the rupee, which has consistently weakened against the greenback and hit new record lows of 85.80 Friday. Bankers say the existing spreads of 250-350 bps already offer sufficient flexibility and room for banks to adjust FCNR rates upward. "The spread between US and Indian interest rates has narrowed to its lowest level in recent years, making Indian foreign currency deposits less appealing to the Indian diaspora," said VRC Reddy, head of treasury, Karur Vysya Bank . "On the other hand, demand for export credit in rupee terms remains robust due to interest subvention benefits for MSME borrowers, reducing the attractiveness of borrowing in foreign currency for export credit, particularly when hedging costs are factored in. Even when using FX deposits for rupee-based purposes, the landed cost often exceeds that of rupee deposits, further limiting their appeal." Rather, many banks are offering rates that are lower than the earlier ceiling. The ARR for dollar deposits is pegged around 4.24% for December and an increase in the ceiling by 400 bps allows lenders to offer 8.24% on dollar deposits. However, most banks are offering just about 150-200 bps above the ARR. For instance, the State Bank of India (SBI) is giving savers 5.35% on one-year rate dollar deposits under the FCNR (B) scheme, and the rate has remained the same since mid-October. This shows the rates are lower than the previous spread of 250 bps. SBI offers 3.90% for five FCNB (B) deposits, which is still lower than the revised 500 bps spread. The revised caps announced in the monetary policy review are applicable only until the end of March 2025. "The cash reserve ratio (CRR) exemption on incremental FCNR deposits may encourage banks to raise FCNR deposit rates, thereby attracting more foreign exchange flows-an essential measure in the current economic context," Reddy said. Foreign currency deposits mobilised by banks in rupee equivalent stood at ₹1.98 lakh crore as of March 31, 2024, up 46% over the previous financial year, according to the latest Trends and Progress of Banking report published last week. In 2013, the then governor, Raghuram Rajan, launched the FCNR (B) plan, wherein the RBI effectively provided banks with a cushion against risks of adverse currency movements through the period of a committed deposit. This programme helped banks mobilise nearly $30 billion in overseas deposits. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Values Added Financial LLC increased its holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) by 0.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,137 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the quarter. Amazon.com accounts for 1.5% of Values Added Financial LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Values Added Financial LLC’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $2,448,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. PayPay Securities Corp increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 64.6% in the second quarter. PayPay Securities Corp now owns 163 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the period. Hoese & Co LLP purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Bull Oak Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $45,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 650.0% in the second quarter. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc now owns 300 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 260 shares during the period. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com in the third quarter valued at about $56,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.20% of the company’s stock. Insider Activity In other news, SVP David Zapolsky sold 2,190 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.00, for a total transaction of $427,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 62,420 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,171,900. The trade was a 3.39 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Daniel P. Huttenlocher sold 1,237 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.06, for a total transaction of $246,237.22. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 24,912 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,958,982.72. This represents a 4.73 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 6,030,183 shares of company stock valued at $1,252,883,795 over the last three months. Insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AMZN Amazon.com Stock Up 2.9 % AMZN opened at $227.03 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $197.39 and a 200-day moving average price of $188.12. Amazon.com, Inc. has a twelve month low of $143.64 and a twelve month high of $227.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.39 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.61, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.16. Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.29. Amazon.com had a net margin of 8.04% and a return on equity of 22.41%. The firm had revenue of $158.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $157.28 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.85 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.29 earnings per share for the current year. About Amazon.com ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Using the MarketBeat Dividend Tax Calculator Fast-Growing Companies That Are Still Undervalued High Dividend REITs: Are They an Ideal Way to Diversify? Top Cybersecurity Stock Picks for 2025 Best of the list of Dividend Aristocrats: Build wealth with the aristocrat index Archer or Joby: Which Aviation Company Might Rise Fastest? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMZN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Amazon.com Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amazon.com and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Torrid Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 Results
All societies have people with disabilities. Since no one is perfect, no one should discriminate against others due to physical or mental disabilities. In fact, no one wishes to experience any form of disability. Therefore, everyone should offer a helping hand to those with disabilities. Everyone should cultivate consideration and compassion toward people with disabilities. No one should underestimate them, as both ordinary individuals and people with disabilities have the wonderful capacity to demonstrate their intelligence and problem-solving abilities, even in difficult situations. Under the guidance of religious teachings, most people in Myanmar do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. They are often eager to offer assistance and contribute to the communities of people with disabilities. Well-wishers donate both money and goods to schools for the deaf and blind. Additionally, the Ministry of Social Welfare and Resettlement oversees various schools for people with disabilities and supports organizations dedicated to their welfare. In this regard, it is essential to consider both local and global efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Relevant authorities must provide both physical and mental support to individuals with disabilities. The government should ensure livelihoods for these individuals and prioritize job creation. In particular, graduates with disabilities should be employed in relevant sectors to help uplift their families and communities. Only when authorities and citizens demonstrate genuine goodwill, free from discrimination, will people with disabilities find the courage to build their lives with confidence. Internationally, the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy was launched in June 2019. The Secretary-General emphasized that the United Nations should lead by example and enhance its standards and performance on disability inclusion across all pillars of work, from headquarters to the field. The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy lays the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion across all areas of the United Nations’ work. Through this Strategy, the United Nations system reaffirms that the full realization of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. In line with the 2024 theme, “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” it is essential for people in relevant countries to cultivate empathy and support for individuals with disabilities, empowering them to overcome life’s challenges and strengthen their resilience to be able to shape their peaceful families.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next
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FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL) (TollBrothers.com), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced results for its fourth quarter ended October 31, 2024. FY 2024’s Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights (Compared to FY 2023’s Fourth Quarter): Full FY 2024 Financial Highlights (Compared to Full FY 2023): Douglas C. Yearley, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer, stated: “I am very pleased with our fourth quarter results, which cap the strongest year ever for Toll Brothers. For the full year, we generated a record $10.6 billion of home sales revenue, earned $15.01 per diluted share and grew contracts by 27% in both units and dollars. In the fourth quarter, we delivered 3,431 homes and generated $3.3 billion in home sales revenues, up 25% in units and 10% in dollars compared to last year’s fourth quarter. Our fourth quarter adjusted gross margin was 27.9%, beating guidance by 40 basis points, and our SG&A expense was 8.3% of home sales revenues, or 30 basis points better than guidance. Our strong margin performance and better than projected home sales revenues drove earnings of $4.63 per diluted share in the quarter, up 13% compared to last year. We also signed 2,658 net contracts at an average price of $1,000,000, up 30% in units and 32% in dollars compared to last year’s fourth quarter. Our performance this year and in the fourth quarter demonstrates the power of our luxury brand, the financial strength of our buyers, and the success of our strategies of increasing our spec home production and widening our geographies, price points and product lines. “Since the start of our fiscal 2025 six weeks ago we have seen strong demand, which is encouraging as we approach the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January. We are well positioned with communities in over 60 markets across 24 states featuring the widest offering of luxury homes and serving the most affluent customers in our industry. Last year, we increased community count by 10% and are targeting a similar increase in fiscal 2025. We also owned or controlled approximately 74,700 lots at year end, providing sufficient land for further growth in fiscal 2026 and beyond. “In fiscal 2024, we generated a return on beginning equity of 23.1%, driven by our record earnings and strong cash flows that allowed us to return approximately $720 million of capital to shareholders. Our healthy balance sheet, low leverage, and ample liquidity, including significant projected cash flows from operations in fiscal 2025, should allow us to continue investing in our business while returning cash to shareholders well into the future.” Additional Information: (1) See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures” below for more information on the calculation of the Company’s net debt-to-capital ratio. Toll Brothers will be broadcasting live via the Investor Relations section of its website, investors.TollBrothers.com , a conference call hosted by chairman and chief executive officer Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. at 8:30 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, December 10, 2024, to discuss these results and its outlook for the first quarter and FY 2025. To access the call, enter the Toll Brothers website, click on the Investor Relations page, and select “Events & Presentations.” Participants are encouraged to log on at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the presentation to register and download any necessary software. The call can be heard live with an online replay which will follow. ABOUT TOLL BROTHERS Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, insurance, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company’s Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron’s magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com . Toll Brothers discloses information about its business and financial performance and other matters, and provides links to its securities filings, notices of investor events, and earnings and other news releases, on the Investor Relations section of its website (investors.TollBrothers.com). From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information presented herein for the fourth quarter ended October 31, 2024 is subject to finalization of the Company’s regulatory filings, related financial and accounting reporting procedures and external auditor procedures. This release contains or may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. One can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate to matters of a strictly historical or factual nature and generally discuss or relate to future events. These statements contain words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “may,” “can,” “could,” “might,” “should,” “likely,” “will,” and other words or phrases of similar meaning. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding: expectations regarding inflation and interest rates; the markets in which we operate or may operate; our strategic priorities; our land acquisition, land development and capital allocation priorities; market conditions; demand for our homes; our build-to-order and spec home strategy; anticipated operating results and guidance; home deliveries; financial resources and condition; changes in revenues; changes in profitability; changes in margins; changes in accounting treatment; cost of revenues, including expected labor and material costs; selling, general, and administrative expenses; interest expense; inventory write-downs; home warranty and construction defect claims; unrecognized tax benefits; anticipated tax refunds; sales paces and prices; effects of home buyer cancellations; growth and expansion; joint ventures in which we are involved; anticipated results from our investments in unconsolidated entities; our ability to acquire or dispose of land and pursue real estate opportunities; our ability to gain approvals and open new communities; our ability to market, construct and sell homes and properties; our ability to deliver homes from backlog; our ability to secure materials and subcontractors; our ability to produce the liquidity and capital necessary to conduct normal business operations or to expand and take advantage of opportunities; and the outcome of legal proceedings, investigations, and claims. Any or all of the forward-looking statements included in this release are not guarantees of future performance and may turn out to be inaccurate. This can occur as a result of incorrect assumptions or as a consequence of known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The major risks and uncertainties – and assumptions that are made – that affect our business and may cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: Many of the factors mentioned above or in other reports or public statements made by us will be important in determining our future performance. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from those that might be anticipated from our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For a further discussion of factors that we believe could cause actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results, see the information under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and in subsequent reports filed with the SEC. This discussion is provided as permitted by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and all of our forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referenced in this section. Inventory at October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 consisted of the following (amounts in thousands): (1) Includes the allocated land and land development costs associated with each of our model homes in operation. Toll Brothers operates in the following five geographic segments, with operations generally located in the states listed below: Note: Due to rounding, amounts may not add. Unconsolidated entities: Information related to revenues and contracts of entities in which we have an interest for the three-month and twelve-month periods ended October 31, 2024 and 2023, and for backlog at October 31, 2024 and 2023 is as follows: RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES This press release contains, and Company management’s discussion of the results presented in this press release may include, information about the Company’s adjusted home sales gross margin, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share and the Company’s net debt-to-capital ratio. These four measures are non-GAAP financial measures which are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the comparable GAAP financial measures, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies in the home building business. The Company’s management considers these non-GAAP financial measures as we make operating and strategic decisions and evaluate our performance, including against other home builders that may use similar non-GAAP financial measures. The Company’s management believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in understanding our operations and leverage and may be helpful in comparing the Company to other home builders to the extent they provide similar information. Adjusted Home Sales Gross Margin The following table reconciles the Company’s home sales gross margin as a percentage of home sales revenues (calculated in accordance with GAAP) to the Company’s adjusted home sales gross margin (a non-GAAP financial measure). Adjusted home sales gross margin is calculated as (i) home sales gross margin plus interest recognized in home sales cost of revenues plus inventory write-downs recognized in home sales cost of revenues divided by (ii) home sales revenues. The Company’s management believes adjusted home sales gross margin is a useful financial measure to investors because it allows them to evaluate the performance of our home building operations without the often varying effects of capitalized interest costs and inventory impairments. The use of adjusted home sales gross margin also assists the Company’s management in assessing the profitability of our home building operations and making strategic decisions regarding community location and product mix. Forward-looking Adjusted Home Sales Gross Margin The Company has not provided projected first quarter and full FY 2025 home sales gross margin or a GAAP reconciliation for forward-looking adjusted home sales gross margin because such measure cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis, since inventory write-downs are based on future activity and observation and therefore cannot be projected for the first quarter and full FY 2025. The variability of these charges may have a potentially unpredictable, and potentially significant, impact on our first quarter and full FY 2025 home sales gross margin. Adjusted Net Income and Diluted Earnings Per Share Reconciliation The following table reconciles the Company’s net income and earnings per share (calculated in accordance with GAAP) to the Company’s adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share (a non-GAAP financial measure). Net Debt-to-Capital Ratio The following table reconciles the Company’s ratio of debt to capital (calculated in accordance with GAAP) to the Company’s net debt-to-capital ratio (a non-GAAP financial measure). The net debt-to-capital ratio is calculated as (i) total debt minus mortgage warehouse loans minus cash and cash equivalents divided by (ii) total debt minus mortgage warehouse loans minus cash and cash equivalents plus stockholders’ equity. The Company’s management uses the net debt-to-capital ratio as an indicator of its overall leverage and believes it is a useful financial measure to investors in understanding the leverage employed in the Company’s operations. CONTACT: Gregg Ziegler (215) 478-3820 gziegler@tollbrothers.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a0456db-a1d7-41b3-b790-3e0a1448ad2bThe Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ©2024 South Florida Sun Sentinel. Visit at sun-sentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Mideast. Speaking at the White House, Biden said the U.S. was not sure of Assad's whereabouts, but was monitoring reports he was seeking refuge in Moscow. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) — The sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is forcing the Biden administration and the incoming Trump team to confront intensifying questions about the possibility of greater conflicts across the Middle East. President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled his country, which his family had ruled for decades , because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration had no intention of intervening, according to President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Biden was meeting with his national security team at the White House on Sunday. He was expected to make public comments later in the day. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts, including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, 2025, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham . The Biden administration has designated the group as a terrorist organization and says it has links to al-Qaida, although Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. Trump wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. ___ Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, contributed to this report. Will Weissert, The Associated Press
Justin Thomas had a brutal day around the greens to end the Hero World Challenge, but Golf Central thinks he's trending in the right direction after a solid tournament as a whole. Todd Lewis and Brandel Chamblee analyze Scottie Scheffler's game at the Hero World Challenge and how he flexed his incredible overall game to cap a successful 2024 with a win. Tom Kim took a big leap on moving day at the Hero World Challenge, knocking in a dozen birdies and putting himself in contention for a win in the Bahamas. Todd Lewis and Brandel Chamblee look at the birdie-filled scorecard of Tom Kim's third round at the Hero World Challenge and how he was able to put himself in position to win on the final day. Scottie Scheffler is firmly in the mix at the Hero World Challenge, just one shot off the lead, but Golf Central says he'll have to capitalize more on scoring opportunities in the final round. Golf Central breaks down what went right for Justin Thomas in Round 3 of the PGA Tour's Hero World Challenge, in which putting -- typically a weakness for him -- carried him atop the leaderboard. Brandel Chamblee and Todd Lewis discuss Scottie Scheffler's impressive showing during Round 2 of the Hero World Challenge, breaking down what has worked for the world No. 1 in The Bahamas. Brandel Chamblee and Todd Lewis discuss Tiger Woods' historic year in 2000, explaining how a run like that has yet to be replicated 24 years later. Grass League co-founder Jake Hoselton breaks down how the league works, including the notable pro players involved, how the league was created and what to look forward to with the Troon Access Grass League Championship. The Golf Central crew breaks down Max Homa's struggles during Round 2 of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, where the 34-year-old couldn't find his way at Gary Player Country Club. Brandel Chamblee and Todd Lewis break down Justin Thomas' Round 1 showing at the Hero World Challenge, discussing what the 15-time PGA Tour winner did well to start things off in The Bahamas.Co-founder of UK engineering giant Renishaw Sir David McMurtry dies at 84
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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Rob Martin had 17 points in Southeast Missouri State's 88-39 victory against Westminster (MO) on Sunday night. Martin also contributed seven rebounds for the Redhawks (7-6). Braxton Stacker scored 16 points while going 7 of 11 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and added five rebounds. Damarion Walkup went 5 of 11 from the field (4 for 10 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points. The Blue Jays were led in scoring by Walker Gohring, who finished with 13 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Trump says he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be agriculture secretary
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