Latest news with #Sigma
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lecturio and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Announce Exclusive NCLEX Partnership to Empower the Next Generation of Nurses
NEW YORK, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) and Lecturio, the world's most innovative digital healthcare education platform, today jointly announced that Lecturio is now Sigma's exclusive NCLEX® preparation partner. This strategic collaboration will give Sigma's nursing student and educator members discounted access to Lecturio's learning science-based nursing education platform, helping them succeed on the NCLEX and the transition into practice. Through this new partnership, Sigma members preparing for the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) will receive exclusive benefits, including discounted access to Lecturio's comprehensive NCLEX review course featuring a next-generation question bank, expert walkthrough video, personalized AI tutoring, and adaptive study plans. Students will also enjoy discounted access to Lecturio's full nursing curriculum, allowing them to build, strengthen, or remediate essential knowledge across key subjects like pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical skills, and more. "At Sigma, we are committed to empowering our global community of nursing students, educators, and institutions with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed," said Sigma CEO Lucas M. Davis, MEd, CAE, ACC, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, ICE-CC. "This partnership with Lecturio enables us to provide our members with access to the most comprehensive and evidence-based NCLEX prep solution on the market." In addition to on-demand resources, the partnership will include members-only events, such as blended classroom NCLEX prep courses, live webinars, and onboarding sessions to help guide students through their study journey. Sigma member educators will receive exclusive access to NGN item-writing tools and curriculum-aligned teaching support. The NCLEX is a pivotal milestone in every nurse's journey," said Dr. Rhonda Lawes, PhD, RN, CNE, Chief Nursing Officer at Lecturio. "We're honored to support Sigma's student members with a holistic learning platform that not only prepares them for exam success but also empowers them to deliver safe and effective patient care from day one in practice." With over 100,000 active members in more than 100 countries, Sigma is the premier honor society for nursing excellence worldwide, supporting nurses through leadership development, research, and continuing education. Lecturio's digital education platform currently supports thousands of nurses in 175 countries each year in achieving NCLEX success and clinical readiness. The NCLEX is the required licensure exam for registered nurses in the United States and Canada. In 2024, the average NCLEX-RN® pass rate for US-educated first-time test takers was approximately 89%. This partnership aims to raise that number by equipping more students with the personalized, science-based learning support they need to reach their full potential. As the world continues to face a growing nursing shortage, this partnership is a timely step toward strengthening the pipeline of confident, well-prepared nurses who are equipped to deliver high-quality care and positive patient outcomes from the beginning of their careers. About Lecturio:Recently named as a Top 25 EdTech Company in the World by TIME Magazine, Lecturio is a global digital education company that provides evidence-based, adaptive learning solutions for healthcare students, professionals, and institutions. Trusted by over two million learners in more than 175 countries, Lecturio's AI-enhanced platform offers precision medical and nursing education to help address the global shortage of healthcare providers and improve outcomes in education and practice. It's dedicated to transforming how healthcare professionals are trained by combining high-quality video-based content, smart learning algorithms, and assessment tools to enhance teaching effectiveness and improve learning outcomes. Learn more at About Sigma:The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere. Founded in 1922, Sigma has more than 100,000 active members and 600 chapters at institutions of higher education and healthcare partners from Armenia, Australia, and Botswana to Thailand, the United States, and Wales. Sigma members include clinical nurses and administrators, academic nurse educators and researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others working to fulfill the organization's vision of connected, empowered nurses transforming global healthcare. Learn more at SIGMA CONTACTJulie J. AdamsSigma Theta Tau InternationalHonor Society of Nursing (Sigma)julie@ +1.317.917.4944 (International)888.634.7575 (US/Canada toll-free) LECTURIO CONTACTRemy SchneiderLecturio 341 23 82 17 50 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Lecturio GmbH; Sigma Sign in to access your portfolio
Mint
an hour ago
- Business
- Mint
This small-cap has already gained 1,000%. Can AI fuel its next leap?
MPS Ltd has quietly turned into a market outperformer. The company's shares have surged over 50% in the past year, delivering returns that have far outpaced the BSE Smallcap Index's 11%, on the back of a string of strong quarterly performances. It has posted consistent growth in both revenue and net profit over the last four quarters, helped by its content solutions business. But the story runs deeper. The stock has delivered a staggering 1,000% return over the past five years, turning early investors into big winners. Also Read: FMCG stocks face margin pressure. Here's why The company's strategic alignment with long-term trends transforming the global learning and content ecosystem has catapulted the stock into a league of its own, far beyond what earnings growth alone can explain. So, what's driving this rally? And more importantly, can the company sustain the momentum as it targets the next phase of growth? In the sections that follow, we break down MPS' growth drivers, emerging opportunities, and the challenges the company must navigate as it aims for its ambitious FY28 revenue target. We also examine how it is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to sustain momentum and what that means for investors going forward. 50-year-old legacy meets innovation For the uninitiated, MPS is a business-to-business learning and platform solutions company powering education and research for companies. It has over five decades of experience in publishing outsourcing, three decades in eLearning, and 25 years in platform innovation. It is a combination of various leading institutions: Macmillan (1970), Tata Interactive Systems and an independent platform (Stanford, 1995). It is also present in 15 countries, with key markets being North America, Europe, Middle East, India, and Asia Pacific. Today, the company operates across three core segments namely content, platforms, and eLearning with content contributing over 50% to its revenue. In the content segment, the company offers comprehensive solutions from content creation and development to editorial, design, and production. It serves some of the world's leading publishers, learning companies, corporate clients, libraries, and aggregators via this segment. Also Read: This textile star's rally masks a margin meltdown. Should investors be worried? In the platform segment, it offers configurable SaaS products that support the entire content lifecycle. MPS has established itself as a pioneer in this space with a suite of robust platforms, including DigiCorePro, Insight, Impact Vizor, Sigma, Scolaris, THINK, and Mag+. These tools help clients manage complex content workflows efficiently and at scale. In the eLearning segment, MPS provides cutting-edge, custom learning solutions such as web-based tutorials, simulation and game-based learning, AR/VR modules, microlearning nuggets, motion graphics, and consulting services. From distressed buys to growth-focused deals Inorganic growth has been a significant growth driver for MPS in the past decade. The company has made seven acquisitions over eight years, with the largest being the acquisition of AJE (American Journal Experts) in 2024. It has also allowed it to reduce its revenue concentration to the top 10 customers from 75% in fiscal year 2014 to less than 50% by 2025. However, as most of these acquisitions were not very profitable initially, the company did not derive enough value from them until 2020. The company has recently reconsidered its acquisition strategy. It plans to shift from acquiring distressed assets to acquiring growing entities that can contribute to the profitability quickly. A key filter in this new approach is alignment with AI and technological innovation, ensuring that acquired companies bring in strategic AI capabilities that complement MPS's long-term roadmap. The company intends to maintain a standard run rate of one or two acquisitions every year in FY26 and beyond, which are not expected to require equity fundraising. To stay prepared for any large acquisitions, the company has secured an enabling resolution for fundraising via qualified institutional placement (QIP). This provides optionality for pursuing transformative deals in the ₹300-700 crore range and allows the company to pursue deals it might not have been able to finance solely through internal accruals and comfortable debt levels. High growth, healthy margins underscore MPS' strong five-year run Over the last five years, MPS has exhibited a strong turnaround in its financial performance on the back of an increase in demand for its services. The company's revenue has grown at a CAGR of 17%, more than doubling from ₹332 crore in FY20 to ₹727 crore in FY25. Net profit also has grown in tandem, rising from ₹60 crore to ₹149 crore over the same period, showcasing consistent profitability. Margins have shown a steady improvement as well. Operating profit margin of the company has grown from 24% in FY20 to 29% in FY25, reflecting better cost efficiencies and improved scale. Similarly, net profit margin has risen from 18% in FY20 to consistently stay above the 20% mark. This improved profitability is reflected well in its return ratios. The company's return on equity (RoE) stands at a robust 25.9% as of FY25, indicating a sharp enhancement in shareholder value creation. Return on capital employed (RoCE), also is significantly high at 35.3%, supported by the company's lean capital structure. On the balance sheet front, MPS has maintained a strong foundation. The company's borrowings have remained minimal, indicating a deliberately debt-light strategy. At the same time, it has judiciously expanded its asset base. Fixed assets have grown from ₹115 crore in FY20 to ₹346 crore in FY25, indicating significant capital investment. The company has also paid consistent dividends to shareholders. Also Read: Strong domestic demand, firm steel prices to keep SAIL in focus MPS' 4-year average dividend payout ratio stands at 73%, indicating that the company returned a significant portion of its profits to shareholders, while its 4-year average dividend yield stands at 3.7%. While the yield has moderated to 2.92% in FY25, this has been largely due to rising share prices rather than lower payouts. The stock is also on the radar of super investors. As per the latest shareholding pattern data, investor Mukul Agrawal holds a 4.5% stake in MPS, underscoring institutional and high-net-worth interest in the company. Tapping into a $600 billion opportunity with AI at the core The content industry is currently experiencing powerful structural tailwinds driven by the rising adoption of AI/ML technologies and automation. With the opportunity pegged at $600 billion, the scope for growth is vast, particularly for players such as MPS. To capitalize on this opportunity, the company is positioning itself as a frontrunner in digital learning by embedding AI at the core of its business strategy. Areas such as real-time translation, intelligent language editing, content generation, and accessibility services are already seeing strong demand, and MPS plans to capitalize on these trends by broadening its portfolio of AI-enabled solutions. Its research and development hub, MPS Labs, is at the forefront of this effort, leveraging AI, machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and cloud-based technologies to develop tools that support the entire content lifecycle. It also plans to launch a dedicated AI and data practice unit by FY26. This unit will deliver market-facing, AI-driven solutions and is expected to function as a parallel revenue engine, reinforcing MPS's long-term growth strategy. Management remains confident that these AI-driven initiatives will scale meaningfully in the years ahead. MPS' vision for FY28 While being a market leader in the $600 billion digital learning and content solutions space may seem far-fetched for MPS at this stage, the company has set its sights on a more near-term, yet ambitious goal—reaching ₹1,500 crore in revenue by FY28. Management views this target as well within reach, given the vast opportunity the sector presents. At the heart of this roadmap is the company's "Going Gestalt" strategy. The strategy is an integrated, principle-driven approach designed to unlock synergy across its business segments and make MPS greater than the sum of its parts. To achieve its targets, MPS is relying on several strategic growth levers. The company is targeting an organic growth rate of 10–12%, supported by focused investments in new capabilities and expansion of high-potential accounts. It also plans to focus on expanding Strategic Customer Partnerships (STAR accounts), with a goal to increase the number of STAR accounts to 100 by the end of FY25. This strategy is expected to bring significant progress in organic growth and margins. Product innovation is another critical focus area. In 2025, MPS plans to launch enhanced versions of its SaaS offerings to further boost its recurring revenue base. Finally, the company plans to pursue its updated acquisition strategy that extends its geographic footprint and market presence. Priority regions include India, the Middle East, Australia, China, Brazil, and South Korea. The acquisition of AJE is expected to play a significant role in accelerating progress toward the company's Vision FY28. What could derail the momentum? While MPS has delivered strong growth over the last five years, several structural challenges remain. The company faces client concentration risk as it derives all its revenue from the publishing industry, with a significant portion coming from its top five clients who contribute around 36% to the company's total revenue. This heavy dependence on a few clients increases its vulnerability to contract losses or budget cuts. Additionally, it also faces concentration risk with respect to geographies. A large chunk of the company's revenues comes from specific geographies (45% from North America and 28% from the UK/Europe). Any economic slowdown in these regions could materially impact performance. There is already a slowdown underway in the US and Europe, with projections pointing to weak or very weak growth in 2025. This could weigh on the company's financial performance. The IT industry, too, is facing headwinds across several key areas including hiring, revenue growth, and discretionary spending which could further impact business momentum. Conclusion MPS has quietly transformed itself from a niche content player into a high-growth, high-margin digital solutions company. Over the past few years, it has steadily scaled its capabilities across digital learning, AI-driven platforms, and enterprise solutions. For investors with a long-term horizon, the stock presents a compelling bet, offering a rare combination of profitability and innovation-led growth. However, valuations appear stretched. The stock is currently trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 31x, nearly double its 10-year average historical P/E of 16.4x, suggesting that much of the optimism may already be priced in. Investors should be mindful of the risks, as any slowdown in growth or external headwinds could lead to sharp price corrections given the high valuation. Ayesha Shetty is a research analyst registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India and a certified Financial Risk Manager. Disclosure: The author does not hold shares in any of the companies discussed. The views expressed are for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a financial professional before making investment decisions.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sigma and Remember Monday announced for Ludlow castle gigs
British country pop group and Eurovision stars Remember Monday have been revealed as one of three additional acts for Live at Ludlow Castle's Summer 2025 joining headliner Jess Glynne on 27 July will be dance duo Sigma and Viral Welsh songwriter Ben Ellis, organisers festival runs across two consecutive weekends within the grounds of the Shropshire Murs, Supergrass, The Script, and Texas had already been confirmed as performers. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nikon will raise prices in June because of US tariffs
Nikon has revealed that it will increase its prices in the US due to the recent tariffs. The company has thus far been silent on the matter but released a brief statement on its site announcing the change. Nikon didn't provide specifics on what the price increase would look like, simply stating that "Due to the recent tariffs, a necessary price adjustment for products will take effect on June 23, 2025." Nikon's statement went on to say that it will be monitoring tariff developments and may further change pricing "as necessary to reflect the evolving market conditions." While the United States and China agreed to a 90-day suspension of most tariffs on May 12, the situation is still uncertain. It isn't surprising that Nikon is leaving room for more changes. Nikon is just the latest in a long list of brands announcing similar increases due to the US tariffs. Earlier this month, Sigma said its prices would increase by an unspecified amount on June 2 for US orders. Leica also announced substantial price increases in the US earlier this month. Those prices, which include a 20% increase on the Leica D-Lux 8 and Leica Lux Grip, are already in place. Sony hasn't made any official announcements, but some of the prices of its cameras and lenses have gone up on sites like B&H, as PetaPixel reported. On April 28, Canon released its Q1 financial results, which included a statement that it will be increasing prices on June 1. Canon assumed those pricing increases would be local to the US, but added, "if the tariff issue were to trigger a global recession, our assumptions will change." Blackmagic was one of the first to increase prices in the US because of the tariffs. Like Nikon and Sigma, it didn't specify the amount of the increase. Some brands have announced changes in production plans or availability instead of pricing increases. Tamron said it's shifting where its lenses are made because of the tariff situation. Fujifilm announced last month that it is pausing pre-orders of its X100VI, GFX100RF and X-M5 (Black) models. Of course, all things tariff-related are in flux. What happens after the 90-day "pause" is unclear, making it hard for companies to plan appropriately. The pricing increases from these brands could change substantially depending on what happens in the coming days and months.
Business Wire
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sigma Launches New Ways to Build, Embed, and Scale AI-Powered Experiences
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sigma, the industry-leading analytics platform with unique cloud data platform writeback capabilities, today announced a series of new features designed to make it easier for customers to build AI into their data workflows—and to bring Sigma data apps to life more robustly and functionally. The updates include major enhancements to its generative intelligence interface, Ask Sigma, as well as the launch of embedded writeback. With the introduction of the new File Column Type feature, teams can connect unstructured content with structured data for the first time, making complex, real-world workflows fully executable inside Sigma. Also announced today were upcoming features that continue to expand on Sigma's platform capabilities, including the ability to build Python-powered data science apps and natural language-built data apps. 'Sigma makes it possible for everyone who works with data to leverage the best AI models, deploy fully operational data apps, and discover new, trusted insights with the help of AI—all in a single platform,' said Mike Palmer, CEO of Sigma. Share 'Sigma makes it possible for everyone who works with data to leverage the best AI models, deploy fully operational data apps, and discover new, trusted insights with the help of AI—all in a single platform,' said Mike Palmer, CEO of Sigma. 'Every company is talking about AI, but the reality is that most are building the wrong things or thinking about the wrong problems. Building flashy AI is easy. Building AI that solves the right problem—helping people think through complex concepts and unlock new outcomes—is really hard. This is the AI work that matters, and Sigma leads the way with a thoughtful approach.' The UI to AI, apps, and analytics—all in one platform The suite of new features for Ask Sigma enables customers to accelerate their data analysis with the help of AI. These innovations include ways to: Embed Ask Sigma directly into a customer's product for use by their end users Monitor AI usage, adoption, and engagement through the new Admin View Run Ask Sigma with models from Snowflake and Databricks With embedded AI-powered analytics, Sigma enables companies to deliver a seamless, self-service experience to their end users, reducing reliance on analysts and accelerating time to insight. Users can ask natural language questions, explore how answers are derived, and iterate on the results—all without leaving the product experience. 'Sigma's core ethos is to be the analytics platform for any business user, regardless of technical skill level. Our AI strategy simply takes this idea further,' added Palmer. 'These enhancements not only make AI in analytics more transparent, customizable, and accessible—they also empower data, IT, and product leaders to drive greater impact. With features like Embedding, Admin View, and Warehouse Models, we're giving leaders unprecedented control, visibility, and scalability in how data is used across their organizations.' Turn dashboards into interactive apps with embedded writeback With the introduction of embedded writeback, customers can now take Sigma's embedded analytics in their product from passive viewing to active collaboration. By turning static dashboards into powerful, role-based workflows, Sigma enables end users to act on insights in real time, while reducing governance and security risks and ensuring full auditability. With embedded writeback, companies are enabled to: Build interactive data experiences for their end users inside their existing applications Allow end users to edit, update, and submit changes directly from embedded dashboards Adjust a forecast or reallocate resources, with the data becoming the new source of truth—reflected everywhere, and usable across the stack Get visibility into who made changes with an end-to-end audit trail Connect unstructured content with structured data Sigma has introduced an upgrade to its platform with powerful implications for its data app development capabilities. Sigma data apps—launched this past March—combine live data, workflows, and user input directly on the customer's cloud data warehouse. Sigma's new File Column Type feature allows users to upload unstructured files—like PDFs, images, and spreadsheets—directly into Sigma tables. This means teams can add critical context to their data and fully integrate these files into live workflows, virtually eliminating the need to juggle files between email attachments or shared drives into disconnected and expensive single-purpose software. With all data, structured and unstructured, now securely in one place—the customer's data warehouse—Sigma makes it easier than ever to turn complex business processes into interactive, data-driven apps. Examples of what customers can now do with Sigma data apps include: A workflow to attach deal contracts where deal data lives An expense report system with easy receipt attachment capabilities A project management workflow where creative assets can be attached to marketing campaign calendars The Ask Sigma upgrades, embedded writeback, and file column type capabilities are all features available today. Coming soon for Sigma customers using Databricks are data science apps—a way for Sigma users who write Python code to flexibly build in a Sigma workbook. Soon, customers will also be able to leverage Ask Sigma to turn a workflow from plain language into a working app. These Natural Language-designed data apps may be fully connected to a customer's live data, including inputs for user interaction. Designed to be built to drive real action, without writing code or relying on technical teams, creating apps will become faster and more accessible. To learn more about the newest AI product advancements and features coming soon, visit: ABOUT SIGMA Sigma is business intelligence built for the cloud. With a spreadsheet UI, business users can work in the formulas and functions they already know, while more technical users can write SQL and apply AI models to data. Sigma queries the cloud warehouse directly, making it incredibly fast and secure—data never leaves the warehouse, and Sigma can analyze billions of rows in seconds. Beyond dashboards and reports, teams use Sigma to build custom data apps, which integrate live data with end user input. Sigma is the first analytics platform to enable data writeback, and continues to lead the market with innovation across AI, reporting, and embedded analytics.
