Marriott International espera duplicar su portafolio de hoteles todo incluido en un acuerdo con Sunwing Travel Group

BETHESDA, Md., 9 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) hoy anunció una importante expansión de su portafolio de todo incluido mediante un acuerdo a largo plazo con la división hotelera de Sunwing Travel Group, Blue Diamond Resorts, que cuenta con un amplio portafolio de propiedades de resorts en todo el Caribe, Centroamérica y México. Se espera que el acuerdo sitúe a Marriott en la lista de los 10 principales actores mundiales de hoteles todo incluido, añadiendo 19 resorts…

BETHESDA, Md., 9 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) hoy anunció una importante expansión de su portafolio de todo incluido mediante un acuerdo a largo plazo con la división hotelera de Sunwing Travel Group, Blue Diamond Resorts, que cuenta con un amplio portafolio de propiedades de resorts en todo el Caribe, Centroamérica y México. Se espera que el acuerdo sitúe a Marriott en la lista de los 10 principales actores mundiales de hoteles todo incluido, añadiendo 19 resorts franquiciados que suman casi 7.000 habitaciones en seis destinos y duplicando la presencia de la empresa en el segmento todo incluido para llegar a 33 propiedades en 2025. Se espera que la mayoría de las propiedades se conviertan en Autograph Collection de Marriott a mediados de 2021.

«Estamos encantados de trabajar con Sunwing Travel Group y expandirnos a dos nuevos destinos: Santa Lucía y Antigua«, dijo Tony Capuano, Presidente del Grupo, Servicios de Desarrollo, Diseño y Operaciones Globales de Marriott International. «La pericia de Blue Diamond en el segmento todo incluido y la alta calidad de los resorts ayudarán a garantizar que estas propiedades sean excelentes adiciones al portafolio del Marriott. La firma de hoy es fiel testimonio de la escala y gran plataforma de lealtad de Marriott International, y esperamos ofrecerles a los viajeros que buscan una experiencia de todo incluido más opciones en el Caribe y Latinoamérica».

Marriott International lanzó su plataforma de portafolio multimarca de todo incluido en agosto de 2019 y tiene 9 hoteles abiertos a lo largo de Costa Rica, Barbados y México, con 5 hoteles previstos en México, Curazao, República Dominicana y Jamaica. Con el acuerdo de hoy se espera que otros 19 se unan al portafolio. La plataforma proporcionará a los 145 millones de socios de Marriott Bonvoy la opción de ganar y redimir puntos por el práctico concepto de pay-one-price (o pagar un precio).

«Estamos muy contentos de celebrar este acuerdo con Marriott International, e introducir el portafolio de hoteles de Blue Diamond Resorts en su marca Autograph Collection», dijo Stephen Hunter, Director General de Sunwing Travel Group. «Nuestros lujosos y galardonados hoteles se beneficiarán de la reputación mundialmente reconocida de Marriott y de su apreciado programa de viajes, todo ello reforzando nuestra misión de ofrecer experiencias vacacionales inigualables a los clientes».

Se prevé que los siguientes resorts se conviertan en Autograph Collection:

México

  • Royalton Riviera Cancún Resort & Spa de 840 habitaciones  
  • Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancún de 343 habitaciones
  • Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancún de 566 habitaciones
  • Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancún de 332 habitaciones
  • Royalton CHIC Suites Cancún Resort & Spa de 457 habitaciones  

República Dominicana

  • Royalton Bávaro Resort & Spa de 730 habitaciones
  • Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa de 320 habitaciones
  • Royalton Splash Punta Cana Resort & Spa de 525 habitaciones
  • Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino de 317 habitaciones
  • Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana de 168 habitaciones  

Jamaica

  • Royalton White Sands Montego Bay de 352 habitaciones
  • Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay de 228 habitaciones
  • Hideaway at Royalton Negril de 140 habitaciones
  • Royalton Negril Resort & Spa de 407 habitaciones

Santa Lucía

  • Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa de 290 habitaciones
  • Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia de 166 habitaciones  

Antigua 

  • Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa de 294 habitaciones

Costa Rica

  • Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica de 294 habitaciones

Portafolio Multimarca de Todo Incluido
Dada la creciente demanda de estadías de calidad superior y de lujo con todo incluido, Marriott International anunció previamente que aprovechará ocho de sus 30 marcas icónicas globales en la categoría de todo incluido: The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio y Delta Hotels by Marriott. El acuerdo de hoy refleja la incorporación de 19 resorts al Autograph Collection de Marriott International, una colección de hoteles notablemente independientes seleccionados a mano por su artesanía inherente y sus distintas perspectivas de diseño y hospitalidad. Los huéspedes disfrutarán de una experiencia vacacional elevada con todo incluido, con una estética de diseño única, programas enriquecedores y opciones gastronómicas dinámicas rediseñadas, junto con ofertas de spa y bienestar mejoradas.

El Compromiso del Marriott con los Protocolos de Limpieza
Los hoteles del portafolio de Marriott siguen los protocolos de Compromiso con la Limpieza de Marriott International, creados junto con los principales expertos en seguridad alimentaria y del agua, higiene y prevención de infecciones y operaciones hoteleras. Estos protocolos incluyen el uso obligatorio de tapabocas para todos los asociados del hotel y el uso de pulverizadores electrostáticos y desinfectantes recomendados por los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades y la Organización Mundial de la Salud para desinfectar las superficies de los hoteles. Además, la empresa ha modificado sus prácticas operativas en cuanto a alimentos y bebidas, creando un sistema diseñado para los bufés y las comidas en las habitaciones. Las medidas incluyen, pero no se limitan a, un servicio sin contacto y de bajo contacto, los menús digitales, las opciones de mini-bufé con platos listos para servir y un bufé híbrido con elementos de servicio autoguiado en torno a opciones de platos servidos a la mesa o empaquetados individualmente.

Nota sobre declaraciones prospectivas: Este comunicado de prensa contiene «declaraciones prospectivas» en el sentido de las leyes federales de valores de Estados Unidos, incluyendo las incorporaciones previstas al sistema de Marriott, las renovaciones de hoteles y las conversiones de marca, nuestra proyección de crecimiento, las tendencias de la demanda para determinados tipos de productos y en determinados mercados, y declaraciones similares relativas a posibles eventos o expectativas futuras que no son hechos históricos. Le advertimos que estas declaraciones no son garantías de rendimientos futuros y están sujetas a numerosos riesgos e incertidumbres en evolución que no podemos predecir o evaluar con precisión, incluyendo los que identificamos a continuación y otros factores de riesgo que identificamos en nuestras presentaciones ante la Comisión de Bolsa y Valores de EE.UU., incluyendo nuestro informe trimestral más reciente en el formulario 10-Q. Los riesgos que podrían afectar las declaraciones prospectivas contenidas en el presente comunicado de prensa incluyen la duración y el alcance de COVID-19, incluyendo la ubicación y el alcance de los resurgimientos del virus y la disponibilidad de tratamientos o vacunas eficaces; su impacto a corto y largo plazo en la demanda de viajes, negocios transitorios y de grupos, y los niveles de confianza de los consumidores; las medidas que los gobiernos, las empresas y los individuos han adoptado o puedan adoptar en respuesta a la pandemia, incluyendo la limitación o la prohibición de los viajes y/o las reuniones en persona o la imposición de restricciones de ocupación u otro tipo de restricciones sobre el alojamiento u otras instalaciones; el impacto de la pandemia y de las medidas adoptadas en respuesta a la pandemia en las economías mundiales y regionales, los viajes y la actividad económica, incluyendo la duración y la magnitud del impacto de COVID-19 en las tasas de desempleo y el gasto discrecional de los consumidores; la capacidad de nuestros propietarios y franquiciados para manejar con éxito los efectos de COVID-19; el ritmo de recuperación cuando la pandemia se aminore o se disponga de tratamientos o vacunas eficaces; la incertidumbre económica general en los principales mercados mundiales y el empeoramiento de las condiciones económicas mundiales o los bajos niveles de crecimiento económico; los efectos de las medidas que nosotros y nuestros propietarios y franquiciados adoptemos para reducir los costos de operación y/o mejorar determinados protocolos de salud y limpieza en nuestros hoteles; las condiciones de la competencia en el sector del alojamiento; las relaciones con los clientes y propietarios; y la disponibilidad de capital para financiar el crecimiento y la modernización. Cualquiera de estos factores podría hacer que los resultados reales difieran materialmente de las expectativas que expresamos o implicamos en el presente comunicado de prensa. Hacemos estas declaraciones prospectivas a partir de la fecha del presente comunicado de prensa y no asumimos ninguna obligación de actualizar o revisar públicamente ninguna declaración prospectiva, ya sea como resultado de nueva información, eventos futuros o de lo contrario.

Acerca de Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) tiene su sede en Bethesda, Maryland, EE.UU., y abarca un portafolio de más de 7.500 propiedades bajo 30 marcas líderes en 132 países y territorios. Marriott opera y franquicia hoteles y concede licencias de complejos turísticos de propiedad vacacional en todo el mundo. La compañía ofrece Marriott Bonvoy™, su galardonado programa de viajes. Para obtener más información, por favor visite nuestro sitio web www.espanol.marriott.com, y para conocer las últimas noticias de la empresa, visite www.marriottnewscenter.com. Además, conéctese con nosotros en Facebook y @MarriottIntl en Twitter e Instagram.

Acerca de Sunwing Travel Group
La mayor empresa de viajes integrada de Norteamérica, Sunwing Travel Group está compuesta por Sunwing Vacations y Vacation Express, dos de los principales operadores turísticos de ocio de Norteamérica; Sunwing Airlines, la principal aerolínea de ocio de Canadá; SunwingJets, un servicio de chárter de jets privados de lujo; SellOffVacations.com y Luxe Destination Weddings, dos empresas líderes en la venta de viajes al por menor; NexusTours, una empresa de gestión de destinos de servicio completo; y Blue Diamond Resorts, la empresa de gestión hotelera del Grupo, una organización innovadora que opera populares marcas de complejos turísticos en todo el Caribe y México. Desde su creación en 2011, Blue Diamond Resorts ha creado un impresionante portafolio que abarca 45 propiedades, que superan las 15.000 habitaciones en diez países, incluyendo los galardonados All-In Luxury® Royalton Luxury Resorts, las marcas sólo para adultos Hideaway at Royalton y Royalton CHIC, Planet Hollywood Hotels and Resorts y Mystique by Royalton. Para más información sobre Sunwing Travel Group, visite www.sunwingtravelgroup.com.

Contact:
Felicia Arguello
farguello@jeffreygroup.com

Foto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1435278/Royalton_Antigua_Aerial__1.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1435277/Marriott_International_Logo.jpg

 

FUENTE Marriott International

Marriott International Expects To More Than Double All-Inclusive Portfolio In An Agreement With Sunwing Travel Group

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced a significant planned expansion of its all-inclusive portfolio through a long-term agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resorts, which has an extensive portfolio of resort properties throughout the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The agreement is expected to propel…

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced a significant planned expansion of its all-inclusive portfolio through a long-term agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resorts, which has an extensive portfolio of resort properties throughout the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The agreement is expected to propel Marriott into the list of top 10 global all-inclusive players by adding 19 franchised resorts totaling nearly 7,000 rooms across six destinations and more than doubling the company’s presence in the all-inclusive segment to 33 properties by 2025. The majority of the properties are expected to be converted into Marriott’s Autograph Collection by mid 2021.

«We are thrilled to work with Sunwing Travel Group and expand into two new leisure destinations – St. Lucia and Antigua,» said Tony Capuano, Group President, Global Development, Design and Operations Services, Marriott International. «Blue Diamond’s expertise in the all-inclusive segment and high-quality resorts will help ensure that these properties serve as excellent additions to the Marriott portfolio. Today’s signing is a testament to Marriott International’s scale and loyalty platform, and we look forward to providing travelers seeking an all-inclusive experience with more choices in the Caribbean and Latin America.»

Marriott International launched its multi-brand all-inclusive portfolio platform in August 2019 and has 9 open hotels across Costa Rica, Barbados and Mexico with an additional 5 hotels in the pipeline in Mexico, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil. With today’s agreement, another 19 are expected to join the portfolio. The platform will provide the company’s 145 million Marriott Bonvoy members the option to earn and redeem points for the convenient, pay-one-price concept.

«We are excited to enter into this agreement with Marriott International, and introduce Blue Diamond Resorts’ portfolio of hotels to their Autograph Collection brand,» said Stephen Hunter, CEO, Sunwing Travel Group. «Our luxurious, award-winning hotels will benefit from Marriott’s world-renowned reputation and esteemed travel program, all while bolstering our mission to bring unparalleled vacation experiences to customers.»

The following resorts are anticipated to convert to the Autograph Collection:

Mexico

  • 840-room Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
  • 343-room Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
  • 566-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun
  • 332-room Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancun
  • 457-room Royalton CHIC Suites Cancun Resort & Spa

Dominican Republic

  • 730-room Royalton Bavaro Resort & Spa
  • 320-room Royalton CHIC Punta Cana Resort & Spa
  • 525-room Royalton Splash Punta Cana Resort & Spa
  • 317-room Royalton Punta Cana Resort & Casino
  • 168-room Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana

Jamaica

  • 352-room Royalton White Sands Montego Bay
  • 228-room Royalton Blue Waters Montego Bay
  • 140-room Hideaway at Royalton Negril
  • 407-room Royalton Negril Resort & Spa

St. Lucia

  • 290-room Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
  • 166-room Hideaway at Royalton Saint Lucia

Antigua 

  • 294-room Royalton Antigua Resort & Spa

Costa Rica

  • 294-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica

Multi-Brand All-Inclusive Portfolio
Given growing demand for premium and luxury all-inclusive stays, Marriott International previously announced it would leverage eight of its 30 global iconic brands in the all-inclusive category: The Ritz-Carlton, The Luxury Collection, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels, W Hotels, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio and Delta Hotels by Marriott. Today’s agreement reflects the addition of 19 resorts into Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, a curated collection of remarkably independent hotels hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality. Guests will revel in an elevated all-inclusive leisure vacation experience with a unique design aesthetic, enriching programs and redesigned dynamic dining options, along with enhanced spa and wellness offerings.

Marriott Commitment to Clean Protocols
Hotels in the Marriott portfolio are following Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean protocols created together with leading experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention and hotel operations. These protocols include mandated mask-wearing for all associates within the hotel, and the use of electrostatic sprayers and disinfectants recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization to sanitize surfaces in the hotels. In addition, the company has modified its food and beverage operational practices creating a newly designed approach to buffets and in-room dining. Measures include but are not limited to contactless and low-touch service, digital menus, pre-plated mini buffet options and a hybrid buffet with elements of self-guided service around individually plated or packaged selections. 

Note on forward-looking statements: This press release contains «forward-looking statements» within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including expected additions to Marriott’s system, hotel renovations and brand conversions, our growth pipeline, demand trends for certain product types and in certain markets, and similar statements concerning possible future events or expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including those we identify below and other risk factors that we identify in our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Risks that could affect forward-looking statements in this press release include the duration and scope of COVID-19, including the location and extent of resurgences of the virus and the availability of effective treatments or vaccines; its short and longer-term impact on the demand for travel, transient and group business, and levels of consumer confidence; actions governments, businesses and individuals have taken or may take in response to the pandemic, including limiting or banning travel and/or in-person gatherings or imposing occupancy or other restrictions on lodging or other facilities; the impact of the pandemic and actions taken in response to the pandemic on global and regional economies, travel, and economic activity, including the duration and magnitude of COVID-19’s impact on unemployment rates and consumer discretionary spending; the ability of our owners and franchisees to successfully navigate the impacts of COVID-19; the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides or effective treatments or vaccines become available; general economic uncertainty in key global markets and a worsening of global economic conditions or low levels of economic growth; the effects of steps we and our property owners and franchisees take to reduce operating costs and/or enhance certain health and cleanliness protocols at our hotels; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; and the availability of capital to finance growth and refurbishment. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release and undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

IRPR#1

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,500 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 132 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About Sunwing Travel Group
The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of Sunwing Vacations and Vacation Express, two of the leading leisure tour operators in North America; Sunwing Airlines, Canada’s premier leisure airline; SunwingJets, a luxury private jet charter service; SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings, two leading travel retail businesses; NexusTours, a full-service destination management company; and Blue Diamond Resorts, the Group’s hotel management company, an innovative organization that operates popular resort brands across the Caribbean and Mexico. Since its inception in 2011, Blue Diamond Resorts has curated an impressive portfolio encompassing 45 properties, exceeding 15,000 rooms in ten countries, including the award-winning All-In Luxury® Royalton Luxury Resorts, adults-only brands Hideaway at Royalton and Royalton CHIC, Planet Hollywood Hotels and Resorts, and Mystique by Royalton. For more information on Sunwing Travel Group, please visit www.sunwingtravelgroup.com.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

MEC Investments over $18 B Projected over Next Five Years According to Dell’Oro Group

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — According to a newly published forecast report by Dell’Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the telecommunications, networks, and data center IT industries, Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) investments over $18 B in Servers and Packet Core User Plane Functions are projected over the next five years. 5G service providers (SPs) need to be cultivating the emerging enterprise market.

«The…

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — According to a newly published forecast report by Dell’Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the telecommunications, networks, and data center IT industries, Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) investments over $18 B in Servers and Packet Core User Plane Functions are projected over the next five years. 5G service providers (SPs) need to be cultivating the emerging enterprise market.

«The five-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for MEC is expected to be 141 percent,» stated David Bolan, Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. «In 2020, we saw the first 5G Standalone network deployed with Public MEC and Private MEC at China Mobile. We expected more in 2020, but we are projecting a pick up in 2021 and 2022, albeit, at a slower pace than what we thought in our previous forecast.»

«The enterprise market opportunity for low-latency networks will greatly accelerate in the later years of the forecast. 5G SPs need to be cultivating the emerging opportunity or miss out on growing their revenues beyond mobile broadband,» commented Bolan. «Public Cloud SPs are expected to play a role in some fashion, and the extent of that role is dependent on the Public Cloud SPs meeting certain challenges,» added Bolan.

About the Report
Dell’Oro Group’s Multi-Access Edge Computing Advanced Research Report offers a complete overview of the market opportunity for the Infrastructure Edge to reduce latency. MEC is a new networking technology designed to capitalize on the opportunity. The market is segmented by Public MEC and Private MEC, and offers a worldwide view of the total available market in revenue and units.

The MEC Report includes Definition and Scope, Market Drivers, Use Cases, System Architecture, Vendor Ecosystem, US MEC System Deployment Model, and a 5-year MEC Revenues and Shipments Forecast for Servers and the packet core User Plane Functions.

To purchase this report, please contact us at dgsales@delloro.com.

About Dell’Oro Group
Dell’Oro Group is a market research firm that specializes in strategic competitive analysis in the telecommunications, networks, and data center IT markets.  Our firm provides in-depth quantitative data and qualitative analysis to facilitate critical, fact-based business decisions.  For more information, contact Dell’Oro Group at +1.650.622.9400 or visit www.delloro.com. 

 

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SOURCE Dell’Oro Group

Coupa Business Spend Index Reveals that Business Spend Sentiment is Gradually Improving for Third Consecutive Quarter

SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Coupa Software (NASDAQ: COUP) published the findings from its Business Spend Index (BSI), Q1 2021 Outlook. The Coupa BSI analyzes billions of dollars of aggregated and anonymized business spend decisions across Coupa’s platform, often serving as an early indicator of macroeconomic health over the next three to six months. The Q1 Outlook shows that business spend sentiment is gradually improving (an increase of 2.9 percent), but is still below…

SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Coupa Software (NASDAQ: COUP) published the findings from its Business Spend Index (BSI), Q1 2021 Outlook. The Coupa BSI analyzes billions of dollars of aggregated and anonymized business spend decisions across Coupa’s platform, often serving as an early indicator of macroeconomic health over the next three to six months. The Q1 Outlook shows that business spend sentiment is gradually improving (an increase of 2.9 percent), but is still below trend.

Specifically, the Coupa BSI Q1 2021 Outlook shows gradual improvement in business spend sentiment for the third consecutive quarter. This data suggests that the recovery of business spend sentiment is underway following the sharp decline noted in the Coupa BSI Q2 2020 Outlook that aligned to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, businesses remain cautious about the global economic outlook and all industry sectors, with the exception of high tech, remain below trend.

Data from the past quarter shows the following year-over-year changes in business spending:

  • 96 percent decrease in business spending on air travel
  • 25 percent decrease in business spending on office supplies
  • 11.5 percent increase in business spending on technology, including hardware, software, and services
  • 22.8 percent increase in contingent workforce spend
  • 12.3 percent increase in business spending for shipping and freight

«While the Coupa BSI Q1 2021 Outlook shows modest improvement overall, a return to trend is unlikely until the number of new COVID cases reported daily has been significantly reduced,» said Jeff Collins, chief economist at Coupa. «Although government action to combat the economic consequences of the pandemic has likely mitigated the depth of the downturn, we do not expect the U.S. economy to return to ‘normal’ levels of output or employment in the next three to six months.»

Spend Sentiment by Vertical Industry:

  • Financial Services: Although below trend for the last four quarters, the sector is improving bolstered by refinancing activity, stimulative fiscal policy, and continued accommodative monetary policy by the Federal Reserve. Improved spend sentiment for Financial Services implies the sector is expected to contribute more positively to U.S. GDP growth for the next three to six months.
  • Health and Life Sciences: Spend sentiment for Health and Life Sciences declined sharply from the previous quarter. The sector has been hard hit by the resurgence of COVID-19 cases and is expected to remain below trend for the next three to six months.
  • High Tech: Confidence in the tech sector, which has remained high throughout the pandemic, is now returning to trend. Companies in this sector are expected to benefit long-term from changes brought about by the pandemic and continue to contribute positively to U.S. GDP growth for the next three to six months.
  • Manufacturing: Spend sentiment for Manufacturing rebounded but is still well below the trend line. Demand is expected to increase as vaccinations and warmer weather reduce the negative impact of the pandemic on the sector.
  • Retail: The Retail sector continues to improve but is still below trend, as uncertainty caused by layoffs and business shutdowns persist. However, stimulus checks and low interest rates are expected to mitigate the impact of the pandemic in the months to come.

To view the Coupa BSI Q1 2021 Outlook in its entirety, visit www.spendindex.com.

Disclaimer: The findings of the BSI are not necessarily indicative of trends happening with Coupa’s business.

The Coupa BSI Methodology
The Coupa BSI is an early indicator of potential economic growth based on current business spending decisions of hundreds of U.S. companies. It analyzes billions of dollars of anonymized transactions from the Coupa BSM Platform, which has cumulatively processed over $2 trillion in business spend, to measure confidence around U.S. economic growth at an aggregate level, as well as an industry level within financial services, health and life sciences, high tech, manufacturing, and retail. The index is based on three key measurements related to business spend: (1) spend volume, (2) average time to approve spend decisions, and (3) average rate of spend approval/rejection.

The Coupa BSI is normalized to a baseline value of 100, which represents the weighted composite value of the three components in the baseline reference period (July 2016). The weighting methodology is periodically updated based on recalibration of the model. This was most recently done for Q4 2020.

About Coupa Software
Coupa empowers companies around the world with the visibility and control they need to spend smarter and safer. To learn more about how Coupa can help you spend smarter, visit www.coupa.com. Read more on the Coupa Blog or follow @Coupa on Twitter.

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SOURCE Coupa Software

ForeFront Power Announced Commercial Operation on the Largest Solar Energy Project in Kane County, Illinois

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — ForeFront Power, a leading developer of distributed solar and energy storage projects in the U.S., today announced commercial operation of the largest solar project in Kane County, Ill. With 7,384 panels, the 2.8-megawatt project delivers power…

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — ForeFront Power, a leading developer of distributed solar and energy storage projects in the U.S., today announced commercial operation of the largest solar project in Kane County, Ill. With 7,384 panels, the 2.8-megawatt project delivers power to the Mooseheart Child City and School (Mooseheart), a non-profit residential childcare facility for children and teens in need. The project created more than 44 jobs during the construction and operation phases.

The Mooseheart solar project received incentives through the state’s Adjustable Block Program (ABP), which was established by the Future Energy Jobs Act to support the development of new photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar projects in Illinois. While the program has been successful in helping generate new clean electricity in the state, the funding for the program has been exhausted and must be renewed for the state to see uninterrupted growth in the sector.

«Industries that create jobs in Illinois should stay in Illinois,» said Rep. Keith Wheeler of Illinois’ 50th district. «The Mooseheart solar project is a testament to the job creation engine that solar energy has become in our state over the past few years as a result of the Future Energy Jobs Act. The Mooseheart organization is a treasure in the Fox Valley for a long list of reasons, and their leadership of building one of the largest solar projects in our local area is just the latest example of why.»

«Since we are a non-profit organization funded through the generosity of donors, every dollar counts. We are very pleased to partner with ForeFront Power in this opportunity to demonstrate strong fiscal stewardship, and with the money saved over the next 25 years of the solar project’s life, we’ll be able to reinvest those dollars into other programs in order to better serve our youth,» said executive director of Mooseheart, Gary Urwiler. «We understand that clean air and a healthy environment are linked to a child’s potential for success, so it aligns squarely within our mission to offset 114 million pounds of carbon emissions with this energy project, directly contributing to cleaner air and a better overall environment for the young children and teens we serve every day.»

«Mooseheart Child City & School is an organization with an inspiring mission to care for and educate youth in need,» said Chris Wall, director of construction for ForeFront Power. «The ForeFront Power team was honored to build this project to help Mooseheart save money and demonstrate energy leadership.»

Mooseheart’s solar project is a single ground-mounted project sited on a 1,000-acre campus located 38 miles west of Chicago. Progressive Energy Group of Aurora, Ill., helped Mooseheart Child City and School source this clean electricity deal and oversaw the endeavor from inception to completion. SolAmerica served as ForeFront Power’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner on the Mooseheart project.

About ForeFront Power

ForeFront Power is a leader in the United States for solar and energy storage solutions. The ForeFront Power team holds more than a decade of experience working together across nearly one gigawatt-DC (GW) of renewable electricity, spanning more than 1,300 distributed generation and community solar projects. Serving business, the public sector, and community solar customers in the U.S. and Mexico, ForeFront Power is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and Mexico City. ForeFront Power is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co. Ltd., a global energy infrastructure and investment leader with a robust balance sheet and an «A» credit rating from Standard & Poor’s. For more information, visit forefrontpower.com.

About Mooseheart Child City & School

Mooseheart is a residential childcare facility, located on a 1,000-acre campus 38 miles west of Chicago. The Child City is a home for children and teens in need, from infancy through high school. Dedicated in July 1913 by the Moose fraternal organization, Mooseheart cares for youth whose families are unable, for a wide variety of reasons, to care for them. Some have lost one or both parents; others are living in environments that are simply not conducive to healthy growth and development. Whatever the reason, the men and women of the Moose, through unparalleled generosity and volunteerism, furnish the resources necessary to care for children in need. The Moose fraternity provides children with a wholesome home-like environment and the best possible training and education.

About Progressive Energy Group

Progressive Energy Group is the premier provider of energy auditing services to reduce operating costs without upfront capital spend. Our team has over 75 years of utility and energy supplier expertise leveraging proprietary methodologies to lower operating costs immediately.

 

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SOURCE ForeFront Power

American Cancer Society Announces New Diversity in Cancer Research Program – Made Permanent By a $5 Million Grant from the Elizabeth and Phill Gross Family

The fund will create a permanent umbrella to develop initiatives to support researchers of color and increase diversity in cancer research and patient care 

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The American Cancer Society today announced the Diversity in Cancer Research program, a permanent umbrella that will support the American Cancer Society’s effort to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. This has been made possible through a generous…

The fund will create a permanent umbrella to develop initiatives to support researchers of color and increase diversity in cancer research and patient care 

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The American Cancer Society today announced the Diversity in Cancer Research program, a permanent umbrella that will support the American Cancer Society’s effort to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. This has been made possible through a generous endowment contribution from Elizabeth and Phill Gross and their family.

American Cancer Society Logo

The initial investment will be made to launch Diversity in Cancer Research internships, which will offer biomedical cancer research internships for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are underrepresented in the scientific community.   

«The American Cancer Society’s goal is to decrease the U.S. cancer death rate by an additional 40% by 2035,» said American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer Gary Reedy. «To accomplish this ambitious plan, we must tackle the racial health disparities that exist in cancer. This includes addressing the critical need for diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce by increasing the proportion of researchers and clinicians of color. We are so grateful to Elizabeth and Phill Gross for their generous funding of this game-changing initiative.»   

According to data from the National Institute of Health, the number of grant applications from Black and Latino scientists are very low, just 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. This inevitably translates to fewer people of color entering career stages in cancer research. The Diversity in Cancer Research program will build on the American Cancer Society’s existing research career development grant programs by promoting the training of undergraduate students underrepresented in biomedical cancer research and encouraging the pursuit of careers that will increase diversity in cancer research.  A more diverse scientific workforce is critical to invigorating problem-solving, driving innovation, and ultimately better equipping the scientific community to address inequities that exist in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.  

«In the fight against cancer, advancements in research provide the best hope for saving millions more lives,» said Elizabeth Gross. «Phill and I believe that creating opportunities for a more diverse community of cancer researchers will not only spur innovation and ingenuity, but it will help eradicate health disparities, build trust across these various communities and advance cancer care for everyone. It is our joy to assist in this important work alongside the American Cancer Society.»

To begin, 40 internships per year for 10 years will be granted under the «American Cancer Society/Gross Family Diversity in Research Internship» name.  

In addition, an advisory committee has been formed to focus on the implementation of the internship program and lead the development of new programs under the umbrella. New programs will  include additional targeted initiatives for underrepresented students, faculty and clinicians – all aimed at increasing the diversity of the workforce in cancer research and patient care.   

Anticipated concepts that could qualify for funding under the Diversity in Cancer Research Program umbrella include specialized institutional research grants for HBCU’s and other minority-serving institutions; physician scientist clinician grants made available to people whose racial or ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in the scientific community; and career development assistance after completion of Diversity in Research internships.  

About the American Cancer Society 
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is attacking cancer from every angle. For more information go to www.cancer.org 

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1435180/ACS_Logo_Reupload_Logo.jpg

 

SOURCE American Cancer Society

The Home Depot to Host Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on February 23

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, announced today that it will hold its Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, February 23, at 9 a.m. ET.

<img id="prnejpg3a4fleft" title="The Home Depot logo." border="0" alt="The Home…

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, announced today that it will hold its Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, February 23, at 9 a.m. ET.

The Home Depot logo.

A webcast will be available by logging onto http://ir.homedepot.com/events-and-presentations and selecting the Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call icon. The webcast will be archived and available beginning at approximately noon on February 23.

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,296 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2019, The Home Depot had sales of $110.2 billion and earnings of $11.2 billion. The Company employs more than 400,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/118058/the_home_depot_logo.jpg

 

SOURCE The Home Depot

The Home Depot to Host Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on February 23

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, announced today that it will hold its Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, February 23, at 9 a.m. ET.

<a…

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, announced today that it will hold its Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2020 Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, February 23, at 9 a.m. ET.

A webcast will be available by logging onto http://ir.homedepot.com/events-and-presentations and selecting the Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call icon. The webcast will be archived and available beginning at approximately noon on February 23.

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,296 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2019, The Home Depot had sales of $110.2 billion and earnings of $11.2 billion. The Company employs more than 400,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

 

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SOURCE The Home Depot

New ASES Online Community Platform Launch

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is pleased to announce that they will be launching a brand new interactive community platform, the ASES Online Community, supported by Higher Logic, on February 17, 2021. With this…

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is pleased to announce that they will be launching a brand new interactive community platform, the ASES Online Community, supported by Higher Logic, on February 17, 2021. With this online community, members of ASES have the opportunity to explore, connect, and engage with other members, chapters, divisions, and staff in an advanced community space.

All ASES members will be automatically enrolled in this new engagement platform, delivering powerful online communities and communications. Many online communities have been specially created for the launch this month. The site features a general open forum, along with specific forums for communities like ASES Technical Divisions, Programs, Chapters, Committees, Volunteer Opportunities and many more. ASES also plans to roll-out new communities for their members throughout the year.

«I am so very excited to be able to invite our entire community to this new engagement platform! The Online Community offers our ASES members, chapters and staff the opportunity to collaborate with each other on a regular basis, all online, keeping our community safe in this unprecedented time. I hope our members enjoy this new benefit!» –Carly Cipolla, Director of Operations at ASES and implementer of the Higher Logic platform

On the new ASES platform, members can sign up to receive emails from the site, updating them on discussion posts, latest news and community information as often or as little as they would like. Members will also be able to curate their own posts and share images, videos, and technical documents for others to see and engage with.

ASES members will be able to join communities, update individual profiles, and find new people to connect with on the platform. To learn more and join the discussion, join ASES at ases.org/join. Existing members can renew their ASES membership at ases.org/renew. Current ASES members will be able to use their membership login to join the discussion. For any questions or concerns about the new community platform, please contact membership@ases.org. ASES looks forward to engaging on the ASES Online Community launching on February 17, 2021.

 

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SOURCE American Solar Energy Society

American Cancer Society Announces New Diversity in Cancer Research Program – Made Permanent By a $5 Million Grant from the Elizabeth and Phill Gross Family

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Cancer Society today announced the Diversity in Cancer Research program, a permanent umbrella that will support the American Cancer Society’s effort to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. This has been made possible through a generous endowment contribution from Elizabeth and Phill Gross and their family.

…

ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The American Cancer Society today announced the Diversity in Cancer Research program, a permanent umbrella that will support the American Cancer Society’s effort to foster a more diverse scientific workforce community. This has been made possible through a generous endowment contribution from Elizabeth and Phill Gross and their family.

The initial investment will be made to launch Diversity in Cancer Research internships, which will offer biomedical cancer research internships for undergraduate students from racial and ethnic backgrounds that are underrepresented in the scientific community.   

«The American Cancer Society’s goal is to decrease the U.S. cancer death rate by an additional 40% by 2035,» said American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer Gary Reedy. «To accomplish this ambitious plan, we must tackle the racial health disparities that exist in cancer. This includes addressing the critical need for diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce by increasing the proportion of researchers and clinicians of color. We are so grateful to Elizabeth and Phill Gross for their generous funding of this game-changing initiative.»   

According to data from the National Institute of Health, the number of grant applications from Black and Latino scientists are very low, just 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively. This inevitably translates to fewer people of color entering career stages in cancer research. The Diversity in Cancer Research program will build on the American Cancer Society’s existing research career development grant programs by promoting the training of undergraduate students underrepresented in biomedical cancer research and encouraging the pursuit of careers that will increase diversity in cancer research.  A more diverse scientific workforce is critical to invigorating problem-solving, driving innovation, and ultimately better equipping the scientific community to address inequities that exist in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.  

«In the fight against cancer, advancements in research provide the best hope for saving millions more lives,» said Elizabeth Gross. «Phill and I believe that creating opportunities for a more diverse community of cancer researchers will not only spur innovation and ingenuity, but it will help eradicate health disparities, build trust across these various communities and advance cancer care for everyone. It is our joy to assist in this important work alongside the American Cancer Society.»

To begin, 40 internships per year for 10 years will be granted under the «American Cancer Society/Gross Family Diversity in Research Internship» name.  

In addition, an advisory committee has been formed to focus on the implementation of the internship program and lead the development of new programs under the umbrella. New programs will  include additional targeted initiatives for underrepresented students, faculty and clinicians – all aimed at increasing the diversity of the workforce in cancer research and patient care.   

Anticipated concepts that could qualify for funding under the Diversity in Cancer Research Program umbrella include specialized institutional research grants for HBCU’s and other minority-serving institutions; physician scientist clinician grants made available to people whose racial or ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in the scientific community; and career development assistance after completion of Diversity in Research internships.  

About the American Cancer Society 
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is attacking cancer from every angle. For more information go to www.cancer.org 

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SOURCE American Cancer Society