Latest news with #Schechter
Eater
01-08-2025
- Business
- Eater
Square Pie Guys Is Bringing Its Celebrated Detroit-Style Pizzas to the South Bay
is the regional editor for Eater's Northern California/Pacific Northwest sites, writing about restaurant and bar trends, upcoming openings, and pop-ups for the San Francisco Bay Area, Portland, Seattle, and Denver. South Bay, get ready: Square Pie Guys is set to launch its most ambitious expansion plan since its 2019 beginnings. As of Tuesday, August 5, Square Pie Guys will open its first official South Bay location in Campbell, with two more locations soon to follow in the upcoming months. Now the mini chain is officially migrating south with its fourth store, located next to the Pruneyard Shopping Center. It's a big move for Square Pie Guys owner Marc Schechter. The business cautiously dipped a toe outside San Francisco and Oakland through a partnership with Local Kitchens, a chain of micro food halls composed of Bay Area restaurants. While that partnership expanded Square Pie Guys' reach through the various Local Kitchens locations, it was never the same as the original. While the quality may have been there, by virtue of sharing space with other restaurants, the menu was admittedly limited, Schechter says. But now Square Pie Guys is on its own, launching not only with a newer, bigger place in Campbell, but also (eventually) a bigger menu. Some of the decor at the new Square Pie Guys. Square Pie Guys The original Square Pie Guys offerings will be at the new shop, including the loaded pepperoni pizza, two mushroom slices, the Big Von with white sauce, Italian sausage, pepperoni, Mike's Hot Honey, and more. Szechuan wings and other flavored wings will also be on offer, as well as some salad options, like the chop salad. But with this new 3,500-square-foot space comes room to play. Schechter has dabbled with adding non-pizza dishes to the menu over the years, some of which were eventually pulled — such as the brief, but popular, Hetchy's Hots hot chicken sandwiches. Longtime customers may remember a short-lived smash burger at the Mission location, and thanks to a flat-top grill, the Square Pie Guys team plans to bring that back in the restaurant's first three months of operation. The hope is to continue that experimentation, with Schechter teasing some 'fun sandwiches' down the line. The other locations began serving lunch in April, adding on a classic Italian combo and a chicken parm sandwich, served on focaccia-like bread made from the pizza dough. Diners can expect items like those to make an appearance down the line. The Campbell location will have Square Pie Guys' first-ever soda machine. Square Pie Guys Along with the flat-top adding a new dimension to the Square Pie Guys offerings, the new location also has more beers on tap than the other shops, plus wine and the mini-chain's first-ever soda machine. There will also be outdoor seating, perfect for the warmer South Bay weather. The expansion is a fitting plan for a restaurant whose original fans are spreading throughout the Bay Area. Schechter says some of their original customers have since moved on from San Francisco during the pandemic, settling in cities just like Campbell. 'Part of [this new Campbell opening] is us wanting to in make sure that we can serve our original fans, or even new fans that we have acquired just by existing in the city,' Schechter says. Square Pie Guys (501 East Campbell Avenue, Campbell) debuts on Tuesday, August 5, and will be open 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Los Angeles Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Smart glasses give deaf and hard of hearing people visual access to speech
Ken Schechter, a Navy Veteran, said he likely lost his hearing while stationed next to a three-inch gun mount or during small arms training without ear protection. He was diagnosed with hearing loss 10 years ago and has used bimodal hearing — wearing a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the other — ever since. He said the procedure didn't meet his expectations. Smart glasses did. 'If I had to do [the cochlear implant] over again, I would not have gone through that,' Schechter said. 'But then I came upon XanderGlasses in 2023, and these are really a game-changer… I can just wear the glasses while maintaining eye contact and be able to read what people are saying.' Though Schechter doesn't wear the glasses daily, using them at restaurants, community meetings and for conversations with his family has become an essential part of his life. '[XanderGlasses] was a big advantage for me … just talking to my family members,' Schechter said. 'Instead of just texting, I'm now able to talk to people … my boys and other family members. It's just a huge advancement.' The two primary types of smart glasses are augmented reality and artificial intelligence. The purpose of AR glasses is to merge the virtual world with the real world, enhancing surroundings by overlaying digital content. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence glasses focus on providing intelligent assistance, such as voice-based interactions, real-time information and hands-free communication. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 15% of American adults report some difficulty hearing, with the majority falling between the ages of 60 and 69. Marilyn Morgan Westner, co-founder of XanderGlasses, said their glasses are designed to be a standalone, reliable communication device that doesn't rely on smartphones or cloud services. XanderGlasses had their technology built into their glasses to reduce the delay in real-time conversations. (Image courtesy of XanderGlasses) XanderGlasses co-founder Alex Westner said XanderGlasses are for those with severe hearing loss who no longer benefit from hearing aids or are considering cochlear implants, as the glasses offer communication support rather than improved hearing. 'We always hope that our glasses give people the ability to stay connected and be part of their community and their family,' Westner said. Smart glasses have a wide price range, from the XREAL Air 2 priced at $249 to the XanderGlasses priced at $5,000. Some glasses also include a subscription, such as TranscribeGlass, which prices the glasses at $377 with a $20 per month fee for captions. XanderGlasses said that while the cost for their glasses is high, they offer pathways to reduce the financial burden, such as a partnership with the Veterans Association where any veteran can get them for free. 'This is the most expensive it'll ever be, is what we like to say,' Morgan Westner said. 'When you have new technology, it's always more expensive until the prices come down for all the supplies and the technology, so all the prices will come down over time.' While XanderGlasses can improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss, they are a new technology that's still being improved. Schechter said that before an update improved the software, the XanderGlasses would reboot often, forcing them to reset the glasses, as it would fall behind the conversation. If people spoke quickly, the processing speed would lag and fall behind. Schechter's difficulties reflect broader user experiences with other smart glasses technology. David Uzzell and Bri Herold are a deaf and engaged couple who have tried three pairs of smart glasses — Hearview, TranscribeGlass and Engo. Uzzell is a chef, while Herold is a data engineer at the New York Times. Herold said that while they appreciate the potential of smart glasses, they do have significant limitations. Most smart glasses function with only one-way communication, which allows a deaf person to understand what's being said, but does not assist them in communicating back. 'I would like more AR glasses that have an interpreter on the screen inside [the glasses display],' Herold said. 'It's like having an interpreter with me there. So that would be my ideal way of communicating. Smart glasses were first developed in 1968 by Ivan Sutherland, with a head-mounted display that could theoretically simulate any type of display, including 2D monitors. As the years continued, Google released a discontinued product known as Google Glass in 2013. Recently, smart glasses have evolved into various companies, such as Vuzix, Xreal, Rokid and Halliday glasses. Through this technology, smart glasses allow people to access information, take photos, translate languages, and navigate using voice commands and touch controls. However, while most smart glasses companies focus on supporting the general public, some specialize in making these glasses available for people with disabilities or accessibility challenges. According to a Pew Research study published in April, AI has become a concern for the public, especially in industries, as around 59% of the public and 55% of surveyed experts have little to no confidence that companies in the U.S. will develop and use AI responsibly. Dan Scarfe is the CEO and founder of XRai, a free translator and transcriber app that's able to work on various devices, such as smart glasses. Scarfe said that he started this company in 2022 to support people with hearing loss through transcription and translation. 'My granddad lost his hearing, and I was back in the U.K. with him three Christmases ago,' Scarfe said. '[I] just watched him surrounded by his family, but unable to engage in the conversation and I kind of had this epiphany one day about combining smart glasses and real-time subtitles.' Smart glasses display words directly in front of the eyes, allowing the wearer to read text while still seeing the surrounding environment through special glass or tiny screens. The brightness, clarity and position of the text can vary depending on the design, which affects how easy it is to read the captions without being distracted. Achuta Kadambi, an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UCLA, said smart glasses face a major display challenge, as manufacturers must balance the creation of high-quality displays with the development of comfortable, lightweight eyewear. 'I think one of the big challenges is how to make the optics and the display work? What can we do to make that more seamless?' Kadambi said. 'I think we're seeing advances on that, and I think a lot of it is going to come down to material science and fabrication in the coming years.' Kadami also said to make these smart glasses more effective, companies should focus on reducing the latency, or inference time, which lessens delays in response on smart glasses, hindering smooth use. 'So the inference type problem is that if you do it on [on the device itself] … it just takes time,' Kadami said. 'So if I'm having a conversation, everything is a few seconds delayed. That's not really much of a conversation and prevents adoption.' Despite these limitations, researchers and developers continue to focus on improving smart glasses, aiming for future versions to be more affordable, immersive and accessible, particularly for individuals with hearing loss. 'With the current technology…the glasses are like having my phone in my field of vision. It's a different perception,' Herold said. 'I like it, and at the same time, I don't have to pull up my phone all the time. I can just walk freely. That is really nice.' As technology expands, Schechter hopes that medical technology will eventually find ways to improve hearing without hearing aids. 'It's amazing what's here now and what's coming in the future,' Schechter said. 'I'm excited about all the new technology. I just hope I'm here long enough to enjoy it and take advantage of it.' Related
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Quest, Labcorp downplay ‘Big Beautiful Bill' impact
This story was originally published on MedTech Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily MedTech Dive newsletter. Historic Medicaid cuts in Republicans' 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' signed into law earlier this month, are unlikely to have a negative impact on laboratory testing volumes in the near term, executives at Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics reassured investors on earnings calls last week. Labcorp CEO Adam Schechter, answering an analyst's question on potential fallout from the legislation, described the impact as manageable. While lab testing is an essential tool used in almost every healthcare decision, it accounts for a 'very small fraction' of U.S. healthcare spending, the CEO said. The new tax and domestic policy law overhauls Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to align with Republican priorities, including funding cuts, Medicaid work requirements and stricter eligibility verification for the safety net insurance program and the healthcare exchange. The legislation decreases federal healthcare spending by $1.1 trillion over the next decade and is expected to cause 10 million Americans to lose health insurance. Schechter said he doesn't foresee an impact on Medicaid until 2028, 'and the key is going to be, do people find insurance through other ways, through states or spouses that might have insurance?' If a large group of people become uninsured, Schechter said he would be concerned, but he doesn't expect that to happen. 'I don't think it's very likely in the United States that you'll have a very big group of people automatically become uninsured in a specific period of time,' he said. On the healthcare exchange, the expiration of tax credits could have a negative impact for Labcorp of as high as 30 basis points, Schechter said. The legislation will be harder on Labcorp's hospital customers, he said, which could accelerate deals for outreach businesses and running hospital laboratories. Quest Diagnostics CEO Jim Davis said the cuts to Medicaid would have no impact next year and 'very little' impact in 2027 because states will have time to react to the changes. In addition, no more than 4% to 5% of Quest's revenue comes from the healthcare exchange. CFO Sam Samad said the company expects an impact of about 30 basis points on Quest's testing volumes in 2026 if exchange subsidies are not renewed at the end of this year. Davis said people who buy their insurance on the exchange may be able to pay higher premiums to keep their coverage or could switch to their employers' health insurance. Both Quest and Labcorp raised their revenue forecasts for 2025. William Blair analyst Andrew Brackmann, in a note to clients Friday, said Labcorp investors are likely to remain focused on potential impacts from Washington. However, 'looking to the second half of the year and into 2026, expectations appear appropriately set.' Recommended Reading Labcorp to buy some Community Health assets for $195M Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LH Q1 Earnings Call: Labcorp Grows Revenue but Misses Expectations, Raises Adjusted EPS Guidance
Healthcare diagnostics company Labcorp Holdings (NYSE:LH) missed Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, but sales rose 5.3% year on year to $3.35 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $3.84 per share was 2.8% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy LH? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $3.35 billion vs analyst estimates of $3.41 billion (5.3% year-on-year growth, 1.9% miss) Adjusted EPS: $3.84 vs analyst estimates of $3.73 (2.8% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $560.6 million vs analyst estimates of $577.1 million (16.8% margin, 2.9% miss) Management slightly raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $16.05 at the midpoint Operating Margin: 9.7%, in line with the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$107.5 million compared to -$163.6 million in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue rose 2.1% year on year, in line with the same quarter last year Market Capitalization: $21 billion Labcorp's first quarter results reflected higher demand in its core diagnostics business, as management pointed to a rebound in test volumes after weather disruptions earlier in the quarter. CEO Adam Schechter cited ongoing growth in the company's managed care contracts and successful integration of recent acquisitions as factors supporting revenue. Schechter also highlighted the launch of new tests in oncology, women's health, autoimmune disease, and neurology as helping Labcorp capture more patient volume in high-growth therapeutic areas. Looking ahead, Labcorp slightly raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance, with management confident in margin expansion through cost savings and operational efficiencies. Julia Wang, CFO, explained that guidance now factors in potential tariff impacts and ongoing regulatory uncertainty, but benefits from the company's expense control initiatives and supply chain flexibility. Schechter emphasized the company's ability to offset rising personnel costs and external headwinds, stating, 'We think we'll be able to offset the impacts from tariffs.' Labcorp's management focused on business execution, segment momentum, and adapting to a changing regulatory and macroeconomic environment. Diagnostics volume recovery: The diagnostics segment benefitted from a rebound in test volumes after weather-related softness early in the quarter, with organic growth improving when adjusted for these headwinds. Integration of Invitae acquisition: Management reported Invitae is on track to deliver over 10% revenue growth and become slightly accretive to earnings for the full year. The integration is progressing better than anticipated, and the acquisition is seen as a key contributor to growth in high-potential areas such as oncology and women's health. New test launches and innovation: Labcorp introduced several new tests, including a liquid biopsy for personalized cancer treatment and a blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. These offerings are expected to help Labcorp expand in faster-growing therapeutic segments. Operational efficiency initiatives: The company continues to drive savings through its LaunchPad program and the rollout of digital tools, such as eClaim Assist for billing and a diagnostics assistant for providers, aimed at improving both margins and customer experience. Tariff and regulatory planning: Management discussed contingency planning for various tariff and regulatory scenarios, emphasizing that supply chain flexibility and long-term contracts with U.S. suppliers help minimize risks. The company's guidance range incorporates what it views as the most likely macroeconomic and policy scenarios. Labcorp's outlook for the remainder of the year emphasizes margin improvement, continued acquisition integration, and resilience to external pressures, with a focus on high-growth testing categories. Continued product and test expansion: Management expects new test launches, especially in oncology and neurology, to drive above-market growth. The focus is on expanding test menus that meet unmet clinical needs and attract new customer segments. Cost management and operational leverage: The LaunchPad cost savings program and adoption of digital workflow tools are anticipated to offset inflationary pressures, including rising personnel costs and potential tariff impacts. Regulatory and payer landscape: Ongoing monitoring of U.S. policy changes such as PAMA (Protecting Access to Medicare Act) and new tariffs remains a risk, but management believes that diversified payer contracts and contingency planning will support stable performance. Michael Cherny (Leerink Partners): Asked about volatility in biopharma laboratory services and the impact of regulatory changes. Management said the guidance range reflects possible study delays but has not seen significant disruptions so far. Ann Hynes (Mizuho): Inquired about the degree to which tariffs are now incorporated into guidance. CEO Adam Schechter explained that most supply contracts are U.S.-based and multi-year, so tariff exposure is limited and manageable. Erin Wright (Morgan Stanley): Sought clarity on the split between organic and acquisition-driven growth in diagnostics, as well as the impact of weather. CFO Julia Wang clarified that, adjusted for weather, organic growth was consistent with historical trends. Lisa Gill (JP Morgan): Asked about the regulatory outlook for animal testing in early development. Schechter estimated this is 10–15% of the biopharma segment's revenue and does not expect a major impact this year. Jack Meehan (Nephron Research): Pressed for details on Invitae's trajectory toward accretion. Management reported integration is proceeding well, with cost savings expected to make Invitae slightly accretive to earnings by year-end. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will be watching (1) progress in integrating acquisitions such as Invitae and the resulting impact on margins, (2) the launch and adoption of new high-growth diagnostic tests—particularly in oncology and neurology, and (3) management's ability to offset inflationary and tariff headwinds through operational efficiency programs. The evolution of the regulatory landscape and updates on Labcorp's business development pipeline will also be important signposts for tracking the company's execution. Labcorp currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 15.2×. Should you double down or take your chips? Find out in our free research report. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
For Skokie Trustee, Robinson, Schechter, Slovin, Levy win in unofficial returns
A historic election in Skokie on April 1 resulted in voters selecting both reform-minded and more traditional candidates for the Village Board. It was the first election to implement a new governmental structure, calling for one Village Board trustee to be elected from each of four geographic districts and two trustees to be elected at-large by the entire village, that Skoieans had approved in 2022. Keith Robinson, an incumbent, and Gail Schechter, a reform activist, declared victory in the April 1 election race for the two at-large trustee seats. In the district races, unofficial Cook County Clerk election results show newcomer Kimani Levy appeared to have won the trustee seat in District 1, the northwest quadrant of Skokie, and incumbent Alison Pure Slovin appeared to have been elected in District 2, the northeast quadrant. In District 3, the southeast quadrant, Lissa Levy ran unopposed and is expected to become the trustee. The District 4 race for the southeast quadrant trustee has two candidates separated by only a few votes, and is still to be determined. Robinson, an incumbent who was on the Skokie Caucus Party ticket in 2021 and the Skokie Forward Slate in 2025, said, 'I'm thankful for the trustees who have served and kind of led the way for me, but also the ones that I've served with… In any leadership position that I've had, I've always learned things can be more efficient and effective. And I've also learned what not to do, or what to be cautious of.' Schechter, an affordable housing advocate and vocal critic of the Skokie Caucus party, said Tuesday's election results show that 'people in the village of Skokie elected people who have skills, who have expertise, who know how to get things done.' In 2022, Schechter and others who were part of the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform gathered thousands of signatures to get reform referendums onto the November 2022 ballot. Voters approved all three of those referendums, which included creating geographic districts in Skokie to ensure representation from various geographic parts of the village, creating nonpartisan elections and staggering elections so that some officials are elected every two years and others are elected two years after that, and so on. Previously, the entire Board ran every four years. The district trustees and at-large trustees have the same authority and responsibilities. The district trustees ran for two-year terms, and elections will again be held for those seats in 2027.
