Latest news with #Aristocrat
AU Financial Review
19-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Light & Wonder keen on more M&A deals, primary listing in Australia
It's the kind of performance that has left Light & Wonder chief executive Matt Wilson wondering what's next. Nearly two years have passed since the Nasdaq-listed company took a secondary listing on the ASX. Since then, its Australian shares have almost doubled, and the gaming group now sits comfortably in the ASX 100 index. For the past few months, Wilson has been talking to shareholders about whether Light & Wonder's future is solely on the ASX or as a dual primary listed stock. 'Migrating more of the stock to the ASX so we're directly in comparison with our obvious major competitor, Aristocrat, makes a lot of sense,' Wilson tells The Australian Financial Review.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Some states issue bounty on handsome yet smelly tree
(NEXSTAR) — There is something idyllic about walking down a tree-lined street, especially in spring when blooms are bursting. It's why visitors from far and wide flock to Washington, D.C., every spring to admire the cherry blossoms. There are some blooming ornamental trees that, while impressive, have been found to be menacing to native species. They're so problematic, officials in some states have issued a bounty for it. The species, the Callery pear tree, has a complicated origin story in the U.S. Originally imported from Asia in 1909 for the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, the tree was again brought to the U.S. a decade later by the Department of Agriculture to help the common pear (a non-native but naturalized species here) develop resistance against a destructive bacterial disease. Once its ornamental value and hardiness were recognized in the 1950s, the Callery pear was used to develop cultivars, including the Bradford pear tree, according to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. You may be familiar with other cultivars that have since been created, including the Cleveland Select, Aristocrat, and Redspire. It was believed, initially, that the trees were not able to reproduce, which experts later found to be inaccurate as the species found a way to cross-pollinate because of the cultivars, Shad Hufnagel, Forest Health Coordinator for the Kansas Forest Service, told Nexstar's KSNW. While the pear trees have many apparent benefits — they grow quickly, can adapt to different regions, tolerate droughts and pollution, produce a dazzling bloom, and form a symmetrical shape — the Callery is less than desirable. They typically have dense growth and thorns, per the USDA, which can prove detrimental to equipment and livestock that encounter them. Their ability to grow among pine plantations 'can impede some forest management practices,' while their dense growth can block out native species. The Callery pear trees are also known to be weak, causing them to be damaged by storms frequently, experts note. $95M settlement over Siri eavesdropping claims approved: How to make a claim And yet, there's something worse about them: their odor. 'The fragrance of Callery pears has been described as smelling like dead fish, vomit, urine, and other undesirable things,' Ken Johnson, a horticulture educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, wrote last year. Nonetheless, the trees have rapidly spread across the U.S. and can be found in several states, primarily throughout the East. Some of those states are inviting residents to annihilate the trees, oftentimes in exchange for a preferred native species or even money. Earlier this year, the Virginia Department of Forestry offered a Callery pear exchange program, offering residents free 'native, young, healthy' replacement trees for the removal of the trees from their property. Hundreds of residents, who were responsible for all costs related to removing the Callery pear tree, took advantage of the program. Missouri's Invasive Plant Council offered a native tree in exchange for one or more Callery pear trees in April. The Kansas Forest Service expects to host a buyback program in the fall. Organizations in Ohio have launched bounty and exchange programs, some of which target other invasive species as well. Pennsylvania recently launched its own program to replace invasive trees and shrubs. Similar programs have been offered in South Carolina. Several states have outlawed the Callery pear tree in their state. It may look stunning, but officials want you to kill this bug if you see it Ohio became the first state to make it illegal to sell, grow, or plant the tree in 2023, followed by Pennsylvania and South Carolina in 2024. Next year, Minnesota will prohibit the tree's sale statewide. Starting in 2027, Callery pear trees and their relatives can no longer be moved or sold within Kansas. Callery pear trees are identifiable by their white blooms in spring, which typically come early and produce the aforementioned foul smell, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture explains. Its leaves are wavy, rounded to teardrop-shaped, and have fine teeth. Thorns can be found on branches and stems. Callery pears can also produce large crops of tiny, hard pears that are green to brown that become soft after the first frost. Come fall, the tree's leaves will be 'brilliantly colored,' if they aren't tarnished by frost due to their late color change. Johnson told Nexstar that while fall is the best time to do woody plant management, as trees are sending resources from the leaves back down to the roots, you can still take down a Callery pear tree now. He recommends cutting down the tree and treating the stumps with an herbicide, and watching for suckers — stems that can grow from the base of a tree or its roots. Why Costco, Sam's Club typically have lower gas prices than other stations While it isn't considered invasive in every state, including Illinois, and can still be purchased, Johnson noted the species does still have invasive qualities. 'Just because you can still buy it doesn't mean you should. We know it causes problems,' he explained, noting that that is true for all the cultivars of the Callery pear tree. 'Look for something else you want. Those spring blooms, redbuds, dogwoods, things like that, still have those nice blooms and the added benefit — at least they don't smell bad.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
18-05-2025
- General
- The Hill
Some states issue bounty on handsome yet smelly tree
(NEXSTAR) — There is something idyllic about walking down a tree-lined street, especially in spring when blooms are bursting. It's why visitors from far and wide flock to Washington, D.C., every spring to admire the cherry blossoms. There are some blooming ornamental trees that, while impressive, have been found to be menacing to native species. They're so problematic, officials in some states have issued a bounty for it. The species, the Callery pear tree, has a complicated origin story in the U.S. Originally imported from Asia in 1909 for the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, the tree was again brought to the U.S. a decade later by the Department of Agriculture to help the common pear (a non-native but naturalized species here) develop resistance against a destructive bacterial disease. Once its ornamental value and hardiness were recognized in the 1950s, the Callery pear was used to develop cultivars, including the Bradford pear tree, according to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. You may be familiar with other cultivars that have since been created, including the Cleveland Select, Aristocrat, and Redspire. It was believed, initially, that the trees were not able to reproduce, which experts later found to be inaccurate as the species found a way to cross-pollinate because of the cultivars, Shad Hufnagel, Forest Health Coordinator for the Kansas Forest Service, told Nexstar's KSNW. While the pear trees have many apparent benefits — they grow quickly, can adapt to different regions, tolerate droughts and pollution, produce a dazzling bloom, and form a symmetrical shape — the Callery is less than desirable. They typically have dense growth and thorns, per the USDA, which can prove detrimental to equipment and livestock that encounter them. Their ability to grow among pine plantations 'can impede some forest management practices,' while their dense growth can block out native species. The Callery pear trees are also known to be weak, causing them to be damaged by storms frequently, experts note. And yet, there's something worse about them: their odor. 'The fragrance of Callery pears has been described as smelling like dead fish, vomit, urine, and other undesirable things,' Ken Johnson, a horticulture educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, wrote last year. Nonetheless, the trees have rapidly spread across the U.S. and can be found in several states, primarily throughout the East. Some of those states are inviting residents to annihilate the trees, oftentimes in exchange for a preferred native species or even money. Earlier this year, the Virginia Department of Forestry offered a Callery pear exchange program, offering residents free 'native, young, healthy' replacement trees for the removal of the trees from their property. Hundreds of residents, who were responsible for all costs related to removing the Callery pear tree, took advantage of the program. Missouri's Invasive Plant Council offered a native tree in exchange for one or more Callery pear trees in April. The Kansas Forest Service expects to host a buyback program in the fall. Organizations in Ohio have launched bounty and exchange programs, some of which target other invasive species as well. Pennsylvania recently launched its own program to replace invasive trees and shrubs. Similar programs have been offered in South Carolina. Several states have outlawed the Callery pear tree in their state. Ohio became the first state to make it illegal to sell, grow, or plant the tree in 2023, followed by Pennsylvania and South Carolina in 2024. Next year, Minnesota will prohibit the tree's sale statewide. Starting in 2027, Callery pear trees and their relatives can no longer be moved or sold within Kansas. Callery pear trees are identifiable by their white blooms in spring, which typically come early and produce the aforementioned foul smell, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture explains. Its leaves are wavy, rounded to teardrop-shaped, and have fine teeth. Thorns can be found on branches and stems. Callery pears can also produce large crops of tiny, hard pears that are green to brown that become soft after the first frost. Come fall, the tree's leaves will be 'brilliantly colored,' if they aren't tarnished by frost due to their late color change. Johnson told Nexstar that while fall is the best time to do woody plant management, as trees are sending resources from the leaves back down to the roots, you can still take down a Callery pear tree now. He recommends cutting down the tree and treating the stumps with an herbicide, and watching for suckers — stems that can grow from the base of a tree or its roots. While it isn't considered invasive in every state, including Illinois, and can still be purchased, Johnson noted the species does still have invasive qualities. 'Just because you can still buy it doesn't mean you should. We know it causes problems,' he explained, noting that that is true for all the cultivars of the Callery pear tree. 'Look for something else you want. Those spring blooms, redbuds, dogwoods, things like that, still have those nice blooms and the added benefit — at least they don't smell bad.'
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Jagatjit Industries slips into red in Q4 with Rs 8.8 crore loss; FY25 ends with Rs 23 crore net loss
New Delhi: Jagatjit Industries has posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 8.8 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. It had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 2 crore in the same period last year, as revenue and margins took a hit, according to its regulatory filing on Saturday. Its revenue from operations during the quarter declined 17 per cent year-on-year to Rs 150.6 crore, as demand pressures weighed on volumes. Total expenses stood at Rs 166.32 crore, up slightly from Rs 166.28 crore a year ago, primarily due to higher excise duty and employee costs. Gross margin contraction and elevated finance costs, which came in at Rs 7.4 crore for the quarter, also contributed to the weaker earnings. For the full fiscal year FY25, the company reported a net loss of Rs 23.5 crore, against a profit of Rs 7.6 crore in FY24. Annual revenue from operations declined 9 per cent to Rs 642.3 crore, down from Rs 708.2 crore in the previous year, as per the BSE filing. Full-year EBITDA was impacted by persistent cost pressures and a muted consumption environment. Finance costs rose to Rs 28.2 crore from Rs 26 crore last year, while other income increased marginally to Rs 28.1 crore. The company also reported a loss of Rs 0.3 crore from discontinued operations in FY25. Jagatjit Industries, known for its liquor brands such as Aristocrat and AC Black, continues to face headwinds in maintaining profitability amid inflationary pressures and subdued consumer sentiment.
The Age
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
ASX ends higher, led by energy and tech stocks; Macquarie, Aristocrat shares fall
Welcome to your five-minute recap of the trading day. The numbers The Australian sharemarket swung into the green in afternoon trading, sent higher by energy and tech stocks, which more than made up for losses from big names such as Macquarie Group and Aristocrat that had kept the market in negative territory for most of the session. The S&P/ASX 200 finished up 10.6 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 8279.6, rising for its sixth session in a row. Six of its 11 industry sectors advanced, with tech and energy stocks the big winners. Their gains were countered by falls in consumer stocks and utilities. The Australian dollar was flat at US64.71¢. The lifters Tech stocks yet again followed their peers in the US, where chipmakers were leading a rally after AI giants Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices said they would supply semiconductors for a massive data-centre project in Saudi Arabia. The ASX tech sector rose 1 per cent, led by family member tracking app Life360, which soared a further 9.5 per cent after reporting huge sales growth this week. Loading The iron ore heavyweights also extended their recent gains amid hopes for easing global trade tensions since the US and China on Monday announced a 90-day truce in their trade war and agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs on each other's goods. BHP, the world's largest miner, rose 0.6 per cent. Its CEO Mike Henry told a global mining conference overnight that the mining titan was well-positioned to navigate its way through the uncertainty created by Trump's trade wars. Rio Tinto added 0.5 per cent and Fortescue climbed 2.2 per cent.
