Disclosure of total number of voting rights andnumber of shares forming the capitalas of February 28, 2025 CLICHY – March 06, 2025 Article L 233-8-II of the French “Code de Commerce” and Article 223-16 of the General Regulations of the French “Autorité des Marchés Financiers”. As of February 28, 2025, the total number of issued shares of Société BIC is 41,621,162 shares, representing: 59,845,759 voting rights,59,364,136 voting rights excluding shares without voting rights ABOUT BIC A global leader in statio ...

Disclosure Of Trading In Own SharesFor February 2025 CLICHY – March 06, 2025 In compliance with general regulation on share buy-backs, Société BIC declares below the transactions made on its own shares for February 2025: Date Number of shares Average weighted price in € Amount in € 24/02/2025 10,000 60.9000 609 000.00 25/02/2025 10,000 59.7500 <td style="width:12.43%;;text-align: right ; vertical-align: middle; border-top: solid black 1pt ; border-right: solid black 1pt ; border-bottom: solid bla ...

Shares of tech company BlackBerry (BB -0.84%) have been falling in recent days, but it has been a tremendous stock to own in the past six months, nearly doubling in value over that stretch and hitting a new 52-week high along the way. There's growing excitement around the business, as it announced some promising results late last year, and that has helped fuel the stock's rally. BlackBerry, once known for being a top cellphone maker, stopped making its own phones in 2016 as it struggled in the market amid h ...

Investment Strategy - The company employs a contrarian investment style, focusing on high-risk, illiquid options and maintaining a balanced portfolio of shares and call options [1] - The investment timeframe typically ranges from 3 to 24 months, targeting stocks that have recently experienced sell-offs due to non-recurrent events [1] Stock Screening Process - The company screens thousands of stocks, primarily in the US, looking for those with insider buying at lower prices following sell-offs [1] - Fundamental analysis is utilized to assess the health of companies, including their leverage and financial ratios compared to sector and industry averages [1] Technical Analysis - Technical analysis is employed to optimize entry and exit points, using multicolor lines for support and resistance levels on weekly charts [1] - Trend lines are drawn in multicolor patterns to aid in analysis [1]

Core Viewpoint - BlackBerry has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Movement - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the correlation between changes in earnings estimates and near-term stock price movements, indicating that revisions in earnings estimates can lead to significant price changes [4][6]. - Institutional investors play a role in this relationship, as they adjust their valuations based on earnings estimates, which can lead to buying or selling of shares and consequently affect stock prices [4]. BlackBerry's Earnings Outlook - BlackBerry is projected to earn $0.01 per share for the fiscal year ending February 2025, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 80% [8]. - Despite the decline in earnings per share, analysts have raised their estimates for BlackBerry, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by 50% over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - BlackBerry's upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].

Core Insights - BlackBerry Limited provides intelligent software and services for enterprises and governments, focusing on safety, security, and reliability [2][3] - The company is based in Waterloo, Ontario, and serves major automakers and industrial giants, enabling them to unlock transformative applications and new revenue streams [2] - BlackBerry is recognized for its expertise in Secure Communications and offers a comprehensive portfolio for mobile fortification and critical events management [2] Company Overview - BlackBerry operates under the ticker symbols TSX: BB and NYSE: BB [2] - The company leverages Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to enhance its cybersecurity solutions [2] - BlackBerry's foundational software is designed to support innovative business models without compromising on operational resiliency [2]

Group 1 - The article emphasizes the unique investment approach of "First Principles," which focuses on breaking down complex problems in finance and technology to identify overlooked investment opportunities [1] - The analyst has a strong background in investment, private equity, and venture capital, demonstrating a proven track record of delivering strong returns [1] - The content on Seeking Alpha highlights themes of emerging technologies, sustainable investing, and the intersection of innovation and finance, aiming to share insights and foster collaboration among investors [1]

Core Points - The Board of Directors of Société BIC acknowledged Maëlys Castella's decision not to seek reelection as Director, with her term expiring in May 2025 [2] - The Board unanimously decided to propose Esther Gaide as an Independent Director at the upcoming Shareholders Meeting scheduled for May 20, 2025 [2][3] - Esther Gaide is recommended to be appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Remuneration Committee, pending shareholder approval [3] Background of Esther Gaide - Esther Gaide is a graduate of ESSEC and a chartered accountant, with a career beginning in external auditing at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte [4] - She has held various finance positions at the Bolloré Group and served as Chief Financial Officer at Technicolor and Elior Group [4] - Currently, she is a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Forvia and Iliad SA [4] Acknowledgment from the Board - Nikos Koumettis, Chair of the Board, expressed gratitude to Maëlys Castella for her contributions, especially as Chair of the Audit Committee, and welcomed Esther Gaide [5] Company Overview - BIC is a global leader in stationery, lighters, and shavers, known for its commitment to high-quality and affordable products [6] - The company operates in over 160 countries with a workforce of more than 13,000 employees [6] - BIC is listed on Euronext Paris and included in the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes, with a strong focus on sustainability and education [6]

Core Insights - The company reported solid net sales performance in Q4 2024, with a growth of 4.4%, and a full-year growth of 0.8% [1][2] - Adjusted EBIT for 2024 was €343 million, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 3.0%, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 15.6%, an increase of 90 basis points [2][3] - Free Cash Flow generation was robust at €271 million for 2024, marking a 9% increase year-on-year [2][3] - The company acquired Tangle Teezer, a leading haircare brand, in December 2024, aligning with its strategic growth ambitions [2][25] - The outlook for 2025 anticipates net sales growth between 4% and 6% at constant currency, with an adjusted EBIT margin expected to remain at 15.6% [2][10] Financial Performance - Q4 2024 net sales were €517.5 million, down 1.6% compared to Q4 2023, while full-year net sales were €2,196.6 million, a decrease of 2.9% [3][55] - The adjusted EPS for 2024 was €6.15, an increase of 8% year-on-year, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth [2][19] - The gross profit margin for FY 2024 was 50.2%, a decrease of 50 basis points from the previous year [16][55] Division Performance - The Human Expression division saw FY 2024 net sales of €814 million, up 0.7%, with Q4 growth of 2.8% [4][26] - The Flame for Life division reported FY 2024 net sales of €810 million, down 1.8%, but experienced a Q4 growth of 4.1% [35][39] - The Blade Excellence division achieved FY 2024 net sales of €543 million, an increase of 5.0%, with Q4 growth of 6.7% [40][41] Shareholder Returns - The proposed ordinary dividend for FY 2024 is €3.08 per share, an increase of 8% year-on-year, totaling an estimated €127 million [5][25] - A share buyback program of up to €40 million is planned for execution in 2025 [5][25] Strategic Initiatives - The company continued to implement its Horizon Strategic Plan, achieving an average annual growth rate of over 5% since its launch [7][9] - Significant focus on eCommerce growth, with double-digit increases in core eCommerce sales at constant currency [25][28] - The company streamlined its product portfolio, resulting in an 11% reduction in SKUs in 2024, contributing to improved sales per SKU [25][27]

Core Viewpoint - BlackBerry's stock is experiencing a significant increase due to the announcement of a partnership for its QNX division, which focuses on advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) software [1][2]. Group 1: Partnership and Development - BlackBerry's QNX division is collaborating with Pi Square Technologies to enhance the adoption of its software platform in India [1][2]. - The partnership aims to train thousands of software engineers in India on the QNX Software Development Platform, partnering with numerous academic institutions [3]. Group 2: Financial Performance - Last quarter, BlackBerry's overall revenue decreased by 7.4% year over year, totaling $162 million, while IoT revenue increased by 13% sequentially to approximately $62 million [5]. - The recent sale of the Cylance cybersecurity business for $160 million is expected to provide additional funds to bolster the IoT business and pursue potential acquisitions [4][6]. Group 3: Strategic Focus - BlackBerry is transitioning away from mobile hardware and is concentrating on IoT and cybersecurity, with a stronger emphasis on IoT software and services following the sale of Cylance [4][6].