Latest news with #Mainframe
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
'Freshers are integral to our workforce'
IT services firm Infosys' Global Education Centre (CEC) in Mysuru, which is one of the largest corporate training campuses globally, is central to onboarding and upskilling fresh talent. In an interaction with Uma Kannan, Shaji Mathew, Chief Human Resources Officer at Infosys talks about the company's AI talent, inclusive leadership programme and hybrid work policies. Excerpts: How many of your employees are being trained in AI? Can you tell us about your upskilling programme and how it is benefiting your employees as well as clients? At Infosys, we are committed to preparing our workforce for the future. Over the last two years, we have significantly upgraded both our physical and digital training infrastructure. Our Lex platform now offers over 36,000 curated courses, engaging more than 320,000 employees who dedicate an average of 40 minutes per day to learning. Additionally, through our InfyTQ app, we have extended Lex to over 500,000 college students across India. Reskilling remains a cornerstone of our strategy. We have trained over 275,000 employees in AI and generative AI, while promoting cross-functional mobility through initiatives like Bridge and incentivising upskilling efforts. Over the past 18 months, many of our senior leaders completed an AI certification programme on business applications with Kellogg. In addition, external faculty and industry experts have led sessions covering various aspects of AI for our leadership team. What kind of training/skilling programmes do freshers undergo at Infosys? Freshers are integral to our workforce, and we ensure their seamless integration into projects through robust, structured training programmes. Our Global Education Centre (GEC) in Mysuru is central to onboarding and upskilling fresh talent, combining technical expertise with professional development. The Foundation Program enables fresh graduates to become corporate professionals. The programme curriculum covers over 45 variants of new technology streams alongside traditional streams like Mainframe, Open Systems, Java, and Microsoft. It also includes behavioural competencies and niche skills designed to prepare employees for dynamic business needs. We also leverage AI-powered tools like Navi and Zoiee to enhance the learning experience. Navi acts as a virtual mentor, supporting employees in career growth and well-being, while Zoiee personalises learning journeys and develops critical soft skills through real-world simulations. Can you tell us about your inclusive leadership programme and what is the percentage of women employees in leadership roles? Our #IamTheFuture program, developed in partnership with Stanford University and Orbit Next, equips women leaders with high-impact training to drive their growth. Additionally, gender sensitization workshops for all leaders help cultivate a culture of inclusive leadership. We also take a proactive approach to supporting women throughout their careers. From nurturing career intentionality among engineering graduates through our Campus Connect program to offering strong return-to-work support for women after maternity breaks, we remain focused on enabling personal and professional milestones. Our second career initiative, 'Restart with Infosys', creates opportunities for women professionals looking to re-enter the workforce after a break. We have hired 935 women into the Infosys ecosystem in fiscal 2025 through this endeavour. What about your hybrid work policy and what kind of feedback are you receiving from employees? At Infosys, we have embraced a flexible, hybrid work policy, and the response from our employees has been positive. We are seeing an increased number of people coming back to the office, appreciating the benefits of in-person collaboration within our hybrid work model. To enhance convenience and flexibility, we have expanded our office network to be closer to where our employees live. We have opened development centres in cities such as Coimbatore, Hubballi, Indore, Kolkata, Nagpur, Mumbai, Noida, GIFT City (Gandhinagar), and Visakhapatnam. These centres bring the workplace closer to the hometowns of our employees.
Miami Herald
21-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Analysts revamp IBM stock price target after AI-fueled new high
For investors looking beyond popular AI software names like Palantir, International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) is quietly becoming a stock to watch. On June 18, IBM stock closed at a record $283.21. Year-to-date, the stock is up more than 27%. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The 114-year-old company, once best known for mainframes and hardware, has spent the past few years transforming itself into a modern software and consulting business. It has focused on strategic acquisitions, exited low-growth and high-cost units, and rebalanced its business toward artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, and enterprise automation. Today, IBM sells software tools that help businesses build and manage AI systems, including WatsonX, its platform for creating and training AI models. It also owns Red Hat, the open-source software giant it acquired in 2019, which plays a key role in its hybrid cloud strategy. Many of IBM's clients are large enterprises and government agencies looking to streamline operations through AI and cloud technology. Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images IBM stock fell 6.6% on April 24 after its first-quarter earnings report but quickly recovered in the weeks that followed. IBM reported revenue of $14.5 billion for the first quarter, up 1% from the prior year and slightly above analyst expectations. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $1.60, down 5% year over year. Related: Analysts unveil bold forecast for Alphabet stock despite ChatGPT threat The tech giant warned of an "uncertain" operating environment, but reaffirmed its full-year outlook for 5% revenue growth and $13.5 billion in free cash flow, key for both dividends and possible future acquisitions. "While no one is immune to uncertainty, we enter this environment from a position of relative strength and resiliency," IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said during the April earnings call. "Our clients run the world's most essential processes. Our diversity across businesses, geographies, industries, and large enterprise clients position us well to navigate the current climate." Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan has raised his price target for IBM to $320 from $290, reiterating a buy rating on the shares, according to a research note on June 18. Despite trading at all-time highs, Mohan believes that IBM "remains interesting due to the transformational initiatives undertaken by management, positioning for growth in Gen AI, Agentic AI (and eventually quantum), and strong FCF driven by internal productivity initiatives." Related: Analyst unveils surprising Nvidia stock price target after nearing record high The analyst continues to view IBM as "a defensive investment" with improving revenue growth. That growth could lead to more cash flow that could be reinvested in more mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Meanwhile, BofA sees the potential for IBM's revenues to accelerate. "In our opinion, the Mainframe has increased in relevance and drives everything from AI, increased software attach and higher quality MIPS on transaction processing, all of which support higher (accelerating) growth in the future," Mohan wrote. Wedbush is also bullish on IBM shares, raising its price target from $300 to $325 with an outperform rating. More Tech Stocks: Amazon tries to make AI great again (or maybe for the first time)Veteran portfolio manager raises eyebrows with latest Meta Platforms moveGoogle plans major AI shift after Meta's surprising $14 billion move IBM remains "one of our top software names to own as the AI Revolution accelerates over the coming years," Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a research report published on June 20. "While the stock has had a great run so far in 2025, we believe IBM is still under owned and in the early stages of a renaissance of growth with AI the key driver." The average price target on IBM shares from 14 analysts tracked by TipRanks is $267.54. Related: Top analyst sends bold message on S&P 500 The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you dream it, you can be it: The Katy Perry ethos takes flight in Melbourne
MUSIC Katy Perry | The Lifetimes Tour ★★★★ Rod Laver Arena, until June 14 Katy Perry is pure pop. Her songs promise, and mostly deliver, a good time. And her Lifetimes concert does the same, across two and a half hours, five acts, multiple costume changes and more than 20 songs from a back catalogue stretching to 2008 (the pre-Perry Christian singer Katy Hudson gets a brief acknowledgement but no stage time). But this big, spectacular, noisy and surprisingly intimate show also has grander ambitions, in which it has mixed success. It's all there in the framing device: a video game in which KP143, an 'enhanced' version of Katy Perry, attempts to unseat Mainframe, the AI that has come to rule humanity rather than serve it. To do so, she must free the butterflies that have been captured to power the AI, and to do that she needs to collect love, in the form of glowing hearts that descend from the arena rafters. The 143, of course, refers to the title of her latest and much-criticised album, and is tech speak for 'I love you' (with its origins in pager messaging from the 1990s). Phew. That's a lot of freight to load onto the shoulders of a bunch of pop songs, even a set as hook-heavy as Perry's. And at times, the strain shows. The stage is set in what looks like a figure eight, though it's actually the infinity symbol; later on, while singing E.T., a lightsaber-wielding Perry does battle with a lengthy bit of heating duct that is meant to represent the 'infinite worm' spewed out by Mainframe. It's the weakest moment in a show that has plenty of goof and lots of camp and heaps of flying on wires, and mostly manages to deploy them to great effect. The backdrop is a wall of screens, suggestive of the importance of video to Perry's success, but also integral to the narrative; it's up here, in lengthy clips, that the framing story unfolds, while Perry is offstage changing costumes.
The Age
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
If you dream it, you can be it: The Katy Perry ethos takes flight in Melbourne
MUSIC Katy Perry | The Lifetimes Tour ★★★★ Rod Laver Arena, until June 14 Katy Perry is pure pop. Her songs promise, and mostly deliver, a good time. And her Lifetimes concert does the same, across two and a half hours, five acts, multiple costume changes and more than 20 songs from a back catalogue stretching to 2008 (the pre-Perry Christian singer Katy Hudson gets a brief acknowledgement but no stage time). But this big, spectacular, noisy and surprisingly intimate show also has grander ambitions, in which it has mixed success. It's all there in the framing device: a video game in which KP143, an 'enhanced' version of Katy Perry, attempts to unseat Mainframe, the AI that has come to rule humanity rather than serve it. To do so, she must free the butterflies that have been captured to power the AI, and to do that she needs to collect love, in the form of glowing hearts that descend from the arena rafters. The 143, of course, refers to the title of her latest and much-criticised album, and is tech speak for 'I love you' (with its origins in pager messaging from the 1990s). Phew. That's a lot of freight to load onto the shoulders of a bunch of pop songs, even a set as hook-heavy as Perry's. And at times, the strain shows. The stage is set in what looks like a figure eight, though it's actually the infinity symbol; later on, while singing E.T., a lightsaber-wielding Perry does battle with a lengthy bit of heating duct that is meant to represent the 'infinite worm' spewed out by Mainframe. It's the weakest moment in a show that has plenty of goof and lots of camp and heaps of flying on wires, and mostly manages to deploy them to great effect. The backdrop is a wall of screens, suggestive of the importance of video to Perry's success, but also integral to the narrative; it's up here, in lengthy clips, that the framing story unfolds, while Perry is offstage changing costumes.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kartoon Studios Q1 2025 Revenue Soars 56% Over Prior Year - Company on Track for Profit By End of Year
Mainframe Animation Unit Achieves Profitability, with Revenue up 138% Over Prior Year Quarter and 29% Sequentially Joining Kartoon Channel! and Beacon Media Profitable Units Four Straight Quarters of Growth, Zero Long-Term Debt, Profitable Animation Studio (Mainframe), Profitable Kids Streaming Service (Kartoon Channel!), and Valuable IP Projects Set the Stage for Investor Value Creation BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kartoon Studios (NYSE American: TOON) today announced results for the first quarter of 2025, showcasing strong revenue growth, continuing improving margins, and disciplined cost control – all accelerating the Company's progress toward overall profitability by year-end. Q1 2025 Financial Highlights: Total Revenue up 56.4% year-over-year Production Services Revenue up 137.9% Operating Loss improved by 51.1% YoY and 11.9% sequentially G&A expenses reduced by 24.9% Mainframe Studios and Kartoon Channel! achieved profitability in the quarter fueled by revenue growth Why Kartoon Studios Is Poised for Investor Growth: 56% YoY revenue growth and four consecutive quarters of topline gains Profitable, cash-generating studio: Mainframe Studios, with 90%+ of 2025 budget revenue already under contract Profitable Kids streaming service: Kartoon Channel! U.S. streamer service continues to grow and remains the #1 viewer-ranked kids' streaming app in the Apple App Store, outperforming Netflix, YouTube Kids, Disney+, and PBS Kids. Zero long-term debt and a streamlined cost structure Upcoming high-potential franchises: A Hundred Acre Woods' Winnie & Friends' and Stan Lee's The Excelsiors coming to market by year end and poised to make significant contributions. Kartoon Channel! Worldwide global distribution is now available to 1.5 billion+ viewer universe across 61+ countries 'We've spent the last year optimizing every aspect of our business – lowering costs, deepening partnerships, and expanding distribution,' said Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Kartoon Studios. 'With a profitable studio division (Mainframe), scalable digital platform (Kartoon Channel!), and powerful IP on the horizon (Hundred Acre Woods' Winnie and Friends''; Stan Lee Universe/The Excelsiors), Kartoon Studios is now positioned to unlock long-term shareholder value.' Mainframe Studios: Profit Engine Driving Visibility and Margin Expansion Mainframe Studios delivered profitability in Q1 2025 and continues to serve as Kartoon Studios' consistent and strategic revenue driver. Its deep, long-standing partnerships with industry leaders such as Disney, Netflix, Sony Kids, Mattel, Spin Master, and PBS, with major brands, speak to the studio's unmatched ability to deliver high-quality animation at scale, on time, and on budget. Mainframe is currently producing content for some of the world's biggest entertainment franchises – including Barbie, CoComelon, SuperKitties, Unicorn Academy, and Octonauts – each of which commands massive global audiences. With over 90% of its 2025 revenue already under contract and a production backlog extending into 2026, Mainframe offers Kartoon Studios not just financial visibility but operational stability and scalability. This pipeline reduces execution risk, supports gross margin expansion, and positions Kartoon Studios to benefit directly from the enduring success of the world's most beloved IP. Kartoon Channel! Growth Accelerates as Kartoon Channel! continues its dominance as the #1 kids' streaming app on the Apple App Store, consistently outperforming YouTube Kids, Netflix, and Disney+ in the family entertainment category. In Q1, FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channel watch time more than doubled year-over-year, reflecting deepening viewer engagement and brand stickiness. The platform's global reach now spans over 61 countries and more than 1.5 billion potential viewers, thanks to widespread distribution across Samsung TV Plus, LG, Roku, Apple TV, Prime Video, Xumo, Pluto TV, and by a growing library of premium content—including Peppa Pig, Super Mario Brothers, Kidaverse Roblox Rumble, Minecraft: Journey to the End, and originals like Shaq's Garage and Rainbow Rangers – Kartoon Channel! combines safety, accessibility, and entertainment value in one of the fastest-growing segments of digital media. As advertisers and content partners look to align with brand-safe environments, the platform is poised to unlock significant growth in both viewership and monetization. Franchise Building: IP That Moves MarketsWith Hundred Acre Woods' Winnie and Friends in production, Kartoon Studios is building what it believes will be a large global merchandising franchise. The project is Executive Produced by Andy Heyward and Linda Woolverton, the trailblazing screenwriter behind Disney's Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, and Maleficent, whose films have collectively grossed billions of dollars and helped redefine modern fairy tales for global audiences. Her ability to craft emotionally resonant, franchise-driven stories positions Winnie and Friends for long-term cultural and commercial impact. Joining her is John Rivoli, a top-tier creative branding expert known for his visual work on Harry Potter, Batman, The Lord of the Rings, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Rivoli's expertise in translating IP into iconic consumer product lines and immersive brand experiences gives Winnie and Friends a direct path into high-impact retail programs and licensing categories. Together, Woolverton and Rivoli bring a rare combination of storytelling excellence and commercial vision—offering Kartoon Studios a powerful opportunity to transform Winnie and Friends into a globally recognized, multi-platform franchise with deep merchandising potential. Meanwhile, Stan Lee's The Excelsiors and a new animated Christmas movie are expected to further build brand equity and long-term monetization opportunities across Kartoon Studios' growing IP portfolio. Financial Discipline and Strategic Investment'Q1 is all about momentum building off our successful business recovery in 2024. The Q1 results reflect a leaner, more focused Company,' said Brian Parisi, CFO. 'We've cut G&A nearly 25%, recorded our 4th consecutive quarter of revenue growth, improved operating losses by over 50%, and maintained a debt-free balance sheet. With increasing revenue predictability and strong engagement across platforms, we believe Kartoon Studios is structurally positioned for profitable growth.' Looking Ahead: Profitability in 2025, Long-Term Shareholder Value With four consecutive quarters of revenue growth, zero long-term debt, and Mainframe Studios now profitable, Kartoon Studios expects to achieve company-wide profitability by the fourth quarter of 2025. The Company is focused on leveraging IP-driven content, and scaling monetization through licensing, theatrical, and digital channels to drive sustainable shareholder value. For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, Kartoon Studios reported revenue of $9.5 million, current assets of $25.1 million, and stockholders' equity of $30.1 million, with no long-term debt. The Company's full financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 will be available in its Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and accessible on Kartoon Studios' website. About Kartoon StudiosKartoon Studios (NYSE AMERICAN: TOON) is a global creator, producer, distributor, marketer, and licensor of premium entertainment brands for children and families. The Company's diverse portfolio includes some of the most recognized properties in kids' media, including original IP like Stan Lee's Superhero Kindergarten starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shaq's Garage starring Shaquille O'Neal, Rainbow Rangers, and Llama Llama starring Jennifer Garner. Kartoon Studios owns a controlling interest in Stan Lee Universe, managing the legendary creator's name, likeness, signature, voice, consumer products licensing, and original post-Marvel IP. Stan Lee is widely regarded as one of the most influential storytellers in modern history, with his characters appearing in four of the top ten highest-grossing films of all time. Kartoon Studios' animation powerhouse, Mainframe Studios, has delivered over 1,000 half-hour episodes and more than 60 feature-length projects. The studio's partners include Disney, Netflix, Mattel, and Sony, with current productions such as Barbie, CoComelon, and Unicorn Academy. Through its wholly owned Toon Media Networks—including Kartoon Channel!, Ameba, and Frederator Network—Kartoon Studios reaches audiences worldwide across linear, AVOD, SVOD, and FAST platforms. Kartoon Channel! is the #1 kids' app on the Apple App Store and delivers thousands of hours of family-friendly content, including top-performing series like Peppa Pig Shorts, Mother Goose Club, Talking Tom & Friends, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and educational content through Kartoon Classroom and Spanish language collection KC En Español. Frederator Network operates one of the largest global animation networks on YouTube, featuring over 2,000 exclusive creators with billions of annual views. In 2022, Kartoon Studios acquired Canada's WOW! Unlimited Media and became the largest shareholder in Germany's Your Family Entertainment AG, a leading European kids' content company. The Company also includes Beacon Media Group, a full-service kids and family agency offering integrated PR, social media, influencer, creative, and media buying services across entertainment, lifestyle, gaming, and tech verticals. For more information, visit Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding being poised for revenue growth and reaching sustained profitability in 2025 with rebound in animation production pipeline and continuing profit in children's channel; system; releasing A.A. MILNE'S WINNIE-THE-POOH sneak peek animation trailer featuring two new female characters; development plans for Stan Lee's The Excelsiors – one of the largest initial superhero ensemble creations by the legendary Stan Lee: launching the project as a graphic novel through Legible Comics, with concurrent development for television and film adaptations, overseen by industry icon and BATMAN Executive Producer, Michael Uslan: the collaboration with LiveOne (LVO: NASDAQ) to produce, publish, and distribute all music for its Winnie-the-Pooh films and series, including original songs, albums, and soundtracks; continuing to build on the positive results achieved in the first half of the year; the Company's ability to expand its brand globally in 2025 and beyond; the Company's belief that its initiatives reinforce its commitment to building a dynamic, diversified, children's entertainment portfolio that resonates with audiences worldwide, positioning the Company for long-term success; the future success of Mainframe Studios; current initiatives guiding Kartoon Studios toward profitability in 2025; operating at a sustainable expense level for the foreseeable future; and being well-positioned to capitalize on future growth opportunities and deliver long-term value for shareholders;. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the Company's ability to sustain growth and profitability in 2025; the Company's ability to expand its brand globally in 2025 and beyond; the ability of the Company to achieve profitability in 2025; the successful release of the Company's Winnie-the-Pooh films and series; the successful production and release of the Company's animated Christmas movie set to premiere December 24, 2025; the Company's ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; fluctuations in the results of the Company's operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; the Company's ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; the Company's reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; the Company's ability to market and advertise its products; the Company's reliance on third-parties to promote its products; the Company's ability to keep pace with technological advances; the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the 'Risk Factors' section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. MEDIA CONTACT:pr@ INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
