Latest news with #PatrickO'Connell
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AllianceBernstein: Materiality Matters - The ESG Factors That Count
Patrick O'Connell, CFA | Director—Responsible Investing Portfolio Solutions and Research John Huang, CFA | Director of Responsible Investments, Data and Technology—Responsibility Erin Bigley, CFA | Chief Responsibility Officer The materiality of ESG factors differs across sectors and markets. Investors need to understand how. As environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors help contribute to—or detract from—security returns, it makes sense for active investors to integrate them into security selection. But there's a wide disparity in the materiality of ESG factors across investment sectors and markets. In our view, understanding this dynamic is the key to successfully incorporating ESG risks and opportunities into portfolio construction. For many investors, whether fixed income or equity, the process of integrating ESG factors into their strategies begins with correlating the relevance of each factor to individual industries. At a basic level this shows, for example, that greenhouse gas emissions are a particular risk for mining companies and electric utilities, while customer privacy is a key concern for the healthcare sector. This is a good starting point but offers an incomplete perspective. We believe a much deeper dive is necessary to fully dimension the materiality of ESG factors for portfolio performance. Investors need to know how a particular factor may affect investment returns for a given sector or market. Factors Can Have Wide or Narrow Impacts Factor attribution using historical returns can reveal how ESG factors have contributed to investment returns in the past, whether for a sector or an entire investment universe, in equities or in bonds. We've observed that some factors can be financially material for all companies in a market, regardless of sector. For example, we divided stocks in the MSCI All Country World Index into quintiles according to their total recordable incident rate (TRIR)—the number of workplace injuries or illnesses—then compared their returns relative to the parent index over 14 years. The results show that high TRIR consistently underperformed the market and that low TRIR consistently outperformed. Similarly, in the bond market, 'social fines' is a powerful, index-wide factor. Social fines are regulatory penalties imposed for nonenvironmental reasons, such as workplace health and safety and anticompetitive practices. Other ESG factors with broad relevance across investment sectors include CEOs' length of tenure and employee turnover. For investors wishing to integrate ESG factors into their portfolios, it's useful, in our view, to know which factors have index-wide applicability. Factor attribution can also reveal which ESG factors are particularly relevant to a specific sector and which have historically shown no financial materiality. Another advantage of factor attribution is that it can lead to observations that are unexpected and even counterintuitive. We found, for example, that companies with high ESG disclosures broadly performed better than those with low or no disclosures, regardless of whether their ESG practices were good, bad or indifferent. In the case of ESG metrics where there was no significant under- or overperformance relative to the market—CFO tenure and split roles for CEO and chair of the board—companies that disclosed data outperformed companies that didn't disclose, on average. Fundamental Research Enhances Insights from Factor Attribution But factor attribution alone is not enough, in our view; it should complement fundamental research. Understanding the effect of ESG factors on performance is most valuable in the context of broader research into how well a company is managed. For example, fundamental research can show that a high TRIR affects productivity directly, through lost working hours, and indirectly, by creating a culture in which workers are undermotivated because they don't feel safe. Additionally, factor attribution works best with long data series, which are not always available, stressing the importance of fundamental research. Another way fundamental research can help is in measuring ESG factors appropriately to a particular sector, instead of taking the generic approach typically used by many third-party ESG databases. This could mean, for example, measuring carbon emissions in terms of miles per gallon for automakers, per passenger mile for airliners and per ton of cement produced for building-material companies. And it can tease out the nuances underlying many ESG factors. In the case of the mining sector, for example, fundamental research can focus on tailings dam risk within the more broadly defined factors of water and hazardous materials management. As this small snapshot of an ESG materiality matrix shows, these insights can be mapped very simply. But it's the quality of the information behind it that gives the map its value: the understanding of how ESG factors can be financially material across investment sectors, industries and markets. By embedding such knowledge in their securities research and portfolio construction, investors, in our view, may significantly enhance the potential for outperformance. The authors wish to thank Peter Højsteen-Ljungbeck for his contribution. The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams. Views are subject to revision over time. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations, and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, reviewed or produced by MSCI. Learn more about AB's approach to responsibility here. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from AllianceBernstein
Sunday World
07-05-2025
- Sunday World
‘Have money in two days, or you're dead' – Intruders threaten to kill couple and unborn child
Before the court were John English (37) and Patrick O'Connell (35) 'Have the money in two days, or you're dead.' That was the chilling message delivered to a couple in Campile when two men broke into their house. The incident at St James's Villas was the subject of a case dealt with at a sentencing hearing in the Circuit Court by Judge James McCourt. Before the court were John English (37) from Ramsgrange, now living in New Ross, and Patrick O'Connell (35) with an address of Abbey View, Campile. They admitted burglary, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, and criminal damage to the back door of a home in St James's Villas. Also in the dock was Dermot O'Connell who pleaded guilty when charged with trespass on July 21, 2021. That was the date on which English and Patrick O'Connell forced the door of the home of Matthew Cullen and his pregnant partner Shannon Power. They were armed with a crowbar and a small baseball bat and they came looking for payment of a debt. The court heard from plain clothes Garda Conor Walsh that a dispute over a van may have inspired the terrifying episode. Mr Cullen found himself struck repeatedly about the head, arm and chest with the crowbar and O'Connell also tried to bite his ear. The garda estimate that the household was hit about 20 times in all during this ordeal before he managed to wrestle the weapon from his attacker. Meanwhile English pushed Ms Power against a wall, telling her that he would kill her and her unborn baby. Wexford Courthouse The News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, 7th of May The two intruders made off on foot with a dog and with Dermot O'Connell who was waiting outside. The third man told Mr Cullen and Ms Power that they had two days to pay before 'lads from Dublin' arrived to collect the sum claimed. A blue Berlingo van later found parked near an Aldi supermarket was believed to have been the trio's getaway vehicle. They had been recognised and were arrested for questioning in the weeks and months following the incident. The court was told that English was foreman on a building site while the younger O'Connell worked as a fisherman. In a victim impact statement, Sharon Power asked the judge to show no mercy to the defendants. She wrote that she feared for her life and described the lasting effect of the break-in: 'My safe place is no longer my safe place. I became scared of my own shadow.' She was checked out at the time in hospital and found to be physically unharmed while her partner sustained a large number of superficial injuries. The judge learned that English is a father of two, described by his barrister Ronan Kennedy as a well regarded tradesman. Counsel said that his client was suffering from addiction problems at the time of the offences and had since gone to rehab at Aisirí. English's memory of the night of the break in was limited. He remembered being asked to help collect some money and next he remembered waking up with blood on his hands. 'This offence is very much rooted in addiction,' suggested Mr Kennedy. Dermot O'Connell was given a suspended six month sentence. John English and Patrick O'Connell were handed two year terms, the final 18 months to be suspended.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AMC Networks Sees Revenue Drop, but Streaming Subscribers Rise to 12.4M
AMC Networks reported fourth quarter revenue of $599 million, down 12 percent from the same period a year ago, and adjusted earnings per share of 64 cents down from 72 cents. Both numbers missed Wall Street earnings expectations. More from The Hollywood Reporter AMC Networks Reveals New Advertising Data Product in Pre-Upfront Briefing Hollywood Stocks in 2024: The Good, the Bad and the Silver Lining AMC Networks U.S. Ad Revenue Drops 10 Percent, Streaming Subs Rise to 11.8M In its domestic operations unit, AMC Networks said subscription revenue fell 4 percent to $314 million in the fourth-quarter as the company cited declines in linear subscribers, partially offset by streaming revenue growth. Streaming revenues increased 8 percent to $156 million due to year-over-year subscriber growth and price increases. The company's total streaming subscribers reached 12.4 million at the end of 2024, including subscribers to AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK and HIDIVE, up from 11.4 million subscribers a year ago. AMC Networks took a $268.7 million goodwill impairment charge on its domestic operations reporting unit, due to 'continued softness in the domestic linear marketplace and across the International television broadcasting markets, resulting in lower expected future cash flows, as well as a decrease in the valuation multiples.' In total, AMC Networks took $399.5 million in impairment and other charges, which also included the , $102 million charge for international division AMCNI and $29.2 million for long-lived asset impairment charges at BBC America, which AMC Networks acquired in November. In the fourth quarter, advertising revenues fell 12 percent to $139 million due to declines in linear ratings and 'a challenging entertainment advertising marketplace, partially offset by digital and advanced advertising revenue growth.' Additionally, the company reported an operating loss of $254 million, which included impairment and other charges of $303 million and restructuring and other related charges of $43 million, after an operating loss of $11.4 million in the year-earlier period. For 2025, the company said it expects to generate cumulative free cash flow of approximately $550 million by the end of 2025. Total consolidated revenue is expected to fall 5 percent to about $2.3 billion. As part of that, the company expects 2025 subscription revenue to be flat due to liner subscriber headwinds. Streaming growth is expected to grow in the low-to-mid teen percentage area, with executives citing 'a lot of price action,' while 2025 domestic advertising revenue is expected to decline 10 percent compared to 2025. While the company's cash spend was less than guided to in 2024, and AMC Networks' guidance implied more decreases in 2025, Patrick O'Connell, executive vice president and chief financial officer at AMC, said the company has not pulled back on programming but has found a way to do it more 'efficiently.' AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan noted that with shows such as The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, the company has been able to film in Spain or France and get tax credits. Other shows are shooting in Canada and Ireland, she said. There are expected to be 'modest reductions in volume, but not not anything dramatic,' in terms of programming next year, O'Connell said. 'This is us just being prudent. We're able to produce on a per episode basis a little bit better than we expected. We've got fantastic people internally who are taking advantage of all the tools available to produce efficiently. So we've been the beneficiary of that. And you know, we have also instituted a program where we're sharing more content across channels, platforms, etc, that's allowed us to sort of program the broader company a bit more efficiently. But we obviously remain committed to similar levels of cash programming spend going forward,' O'Connell said. 'We are pleased and encouraged by our results in the fourth quarter and across all of 2024. We achieved our full-year guidance across all key financial metrics, including generating healthy free cash flow of $331 million,' AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan said. Dolan added, 'Our free cash flow performance to date has been strong and we are increasing our expectations to approximately $550 million of cumulative free cash flow over the '24/'25 two-year period. We forged and expanded innovative partnerships that are helping to drive our company forward amidst a period of change that is challenging all media companies. In addition, we continued to delight fans by delivering high-quality and distinctive shows and films across our own targeted offerings as well as an array of partner platforms, and to expand our targeting capabilities to differentiate our advertising business.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire Sign in to access your portfolio
