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SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Docusign, Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCU) today announced results for its fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024. Prepared remarks and the news release with the financial results will be accessible on Docusign's website at investor.docusign.com prior to its webcast. "Docusign delivered powerful new innovation for customers highlighted by new capabilities to its Intelligent Agreement Management ("IAM") platform," said Allan Thygesen , CEO of Docusign. "In Q3, early IAM momentum outpaced expectations, and we continued to drive improvement in our core business with strong revenue growth and operating profit." Third Quarter Financial Highlights A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the tables included in this press release. An explanation of these measures is also included below under the heading "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Key Metrics." Key Business Highlights: IAM Product Releases and Highlights : Docusign announced new product capabilities to its IAM platform. Highlights from recent product releases include: Contract Lifecycle Management ("CLM") Product Releases and Highlights : Developer Ecosystem: Guidance The company currently expects the following guidance: Total revenue $758 to $762 Subscription revenue $741 to $745 Billings $870 to $880 Non-GAAP gross margin 81.0 % to 82.0 % Non-GAAP operating margin 27.5 % to 28.5 % Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 209 to 214 Total revenue $2,959 to $2,963 Subscription revenue $2,885 to $2,889 Billings $3,056 to $3,066 Non-GAAP gross margin 81.9 % to 82.1 % Non-GAAP operating margin 29.5 % to 29.7 % Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 210 to 212 A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP guidance measures is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, expenses that may be incurred in the future. Stock-based compensation-related charges, including employer payroll tax-related items on employee stock transactions, are impacted by many factors, including the timing of employee stock transactions, the future fair market value of our common stock, and our future hiring and retention needs, all of which are difficult to predict and subject to constant change. We have provided a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in the financial statement tables for our historical non-GAAP financial results included in this release. Webcast Conference Call Information The company will host a conference call on December 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. PT ( 5:00 p.m. ET ) to discuss its financial results. A live webcast of the event will be available on the Docusign Investor Relations website at investor.docusign.com . Prepared remarks and the news release with the financial results will also be accessible on Docusign's website prior to the webcast. A live dial-in will be available domestically at 877-407-0784 or internationally at 201-689-8560. A replay will be available domestically at 844-512-2921 or internationally at 412-317-6671 until midnight (EST) December 19, 2024 using the passcode 13750095. About Docusign Docusign brings agreements to life. Over 1.6 million customers and more than a billion people in over 180 countries use Docusign solutions to accelerate the process of doing business and simplify people's lives. With intelligent agreement management, Docusign unleashes business critical data that is trapped inside of documents. Until now, these were disconnected from business systems of record, costing businesses time, money, and opportunity. Using Docusign's IAM platform, companies can create, commit, and manage agreements with solutions created by the #1 company in e-signature and CLM. Learn more at www.docusign.com . Copyright 2024. Docusign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN® and all its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). Investor Relations: Docusign Investor Relations investors@docusign.com Media Relations: Docusign Corporate Communications media@docusign.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are based on our management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management, and which statements involve substantial risk and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth and trends, objectives for future operations, and the impact of such assumptions on our financial condition and results of operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release also include, among other things, statements under "Guidance" above and any other statements about expected financial metrics, such as revenue, billings, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, and non-financial metrics, as well as statements related to our expectations regarding the benefits, rollout and customer demand of the Docusign IAM platform. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue" or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about: our expectations regarding global macro-economic conditions, including the effects of inflation, volatile interest rates, and market volatility on the global economy; our ability to estimate the size and growth of our total addressable market; our ability to compete effectively in an evolving and competitive market; the impact of any data breaches, cyberattacks or other malicious activity on our technology systems; our ability to effectively sustain and manage our growth and future expenses and maintain or increase future profitability; our ability to attract new customers and maintain and expand our existing customer base; our ability to effectively implement and execute our restructuring plans; our ability to scale and update our platform to respond to customers' needs and rapid technological change, including our ability to successfully incorporate generative artificial intelligence into our existing and future products; our ability to successfully execute our technical developments, go-to-market and sales strategy for our IAM platform; our ability to expand use cases within existing customers and vertical solutions; our ability to expand our operations and increase adoption of our platform internationally; our ability to strengthen and foster our relationships with developers; our ability to retain our direct sales force, customer success team and strategic partnerships around the world; our ability to identify targets for and execute potential acquisitions and to successfully integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our brand; the sufficiency of our cash, cash equivalents and capital resources to satisfy our liquidity needs; limitations on us due to obligations we have under our credit facility or other indebtedness; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our stock repurchase program; our failure or the failure of our software to comply with applicable industry standards, laws and regulations; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our intellectual property; our ability to successfully defend litigation against us; our ability to attract large organizations as users; our ability to maintain our corporate culture; our ability to offer high-quality customer support; our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel, including executive level management; our ability to successfully manage and integrate executive management transitions; uncertainties regarding the impact of general economic and market conditions, including as a result of regional and global conflicts; and our ability to maintain proper and effective internal controls. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included in the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024 filed on March 21, 2024 , our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 , which we expect to file on December 6, 2024 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which such statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this press release or to conform such statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Key Metrics To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, as described below, to understand and evaluate our core operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures, which may be different than similarly-titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors' overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about our financial performance, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by our management for financial and operational decision-making. We present these non-GAAP measures to assist investors in seeing our financial performance using a management view, and because we believe that these measures provide an additional tool for investors to use in comparing our core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in our industry. However, these non-GAAP measures are not intended to be considered in isolation from, a substitute for, or superior to our GAAP results. Non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share : We define these non-GAAP financial measures as the respective GAAP measures, excluding expenses related to stock-based compensation, employer payroll tax on employee stock transactions, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, amortization of debt discount and issuance costs, fair value adjustments to strategic investments, acquisition-related expenses, lease-related impairment and lease-related charges, restructuring and other related charges, as these costs are not reflective of ongoing operations and, as applicable, other special items. The amount of employer payroll tax-related items on employee stock transactions is dependent on our stock price and other factors that are beyond our control and do not correlate to the operation of the business. When evaluating the performance of our business and making operating plans, we do not consider these items (for example, when considering the impact of equity award grants, we place a greater emphasis on overall stockholder dilution rather than the accounting charges associated with such grants). We believe it is useful to exclude these expenses in order to better understand the long-term performance of our core business and to facilitate comparison of our results to those of peer companies and over multiple periods. In addition to these exclusions, we subtract an assumed provision for income taxes to calculate non-GAAP net income. We utilize a fixed long-term projected tax rate in our computation of the non-GAAP income tax provision to provide better consistency across the reporting periods. For fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, we have determined the projected non-GAAP tax rate to be 20%. Free cash flow : We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. We believe free cash flow is an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available (if any), after purchases of property and equipment, for operational expenses, investment in our business, and to make acquisitions. Free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate or use cash in excess of our capital investments in property and equipment. Once our business needs and obligations are met, cash can be used to maintain a strong balance sheet and invest in future growth. Billings : We define billings as total revenues plus the change in our contract liabilities and refund liability less contract assets and unbilled accounts receivable in a given period. Billings reflects sales to new customers plus subscription renewals and additional sales to existing customers. Only amounts invoiced to a customer in a given period are included in billings. We believe billings can be used to measure our periodic performance, when taking into consideration the timing aspects of customer renewals, which represents a large component of our business. Given that most of our customers pay in annual installments one year in advance, but we typically recognize a majority of the related revenue ratably over time, we use billings to measure and monitor our ability to provide our business with the working capital generated by upfront payments from our customers. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, please see "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (in thousands, except per share data) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue: Subscription $ 734,693 $ 682,352 $ 2,143,542 $ 1,991,026 Professional services and other 20,127 18,069 56,945 58,470 Total revenue 754,820 700,421 2,200,487 2,049,496 Cost of revenue: Subscription 134,587 114,227 393,561 339,354 Professional services and other 21,950 28,418 67,887 85,360 Total cost of revenue 156,537 142,645 461,448 424,714 Gross profit 598,283 557,776 1,739,039 1,624,782 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing 290,597 292,473 859,705 867,916 Research and development 151,101 136,640 432,992 387,964 General and administrative 97,555 108,215 277,162 316,910 Restructuring and other related charges — 710 29,721 30,293 Total operating expenses 539,253 538,038 1,599,580 1,603,083 Income from operations 59,030 19,738 139,459 21,699 Interest expense (462) (1,577) (1,150) (5,135) Interest income and other income, net 13,006 17,673 41,745 47,373 Income before provision for (benefit from) income taxes 71,574 35,834 180,054 63,937 Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 9,151 (2,971) (804,340) 17,198 Net income $ 62,423 $ 38,805 $ 984,394 $ 46,739 Net income per share attributable to common stockholders: Basic $ 0.31 $ 0.19 $ 4.81 $ 0.23 Diluted $ 0.30 $ 0.19 $ 4.69 $ 0.23 Weighted-average shares used in computing net income per share: Basic 203,567 204,456 204,674 203,609 Diluted 208,706 208,054 209,755 208,317 Stock-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses: Cost of revenue—subscription $ 14,862 $ 13,705 $ 44,636 $ 38,143 Cost of revenue—professional services and other 4,765 7,343 14,465 21,359 Sales and marketing 49,347 53,715 154,396 150,604 Research and development 53,184 48,310 150,816 129,458 General and administrative 31,070 36,337 91,239 111,271 Restructuring and other related charges — 8 4,836 4,996 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (in thousands) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 610,870 $ 797,060 Investments—current 331,506 248,402 Accounts receivable, net 300,444 439,299 Contract assets—current 13,645 15,922 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 75,412 66,984 Total current assets 1,331,877 1,567,667 Investments—noncurrent 112,805 121,977 Property and equipment, net 278,623 245,173 Operating lease right-of-use assets 113,365 123,188 Goodwill 455,678 353,138 Intangible assets, net 83,307 50,905 Deferred contract acquisition costs—noncurrent 445,987 409,627 Deferred tax assets—noncurrent 816,538 2,031 Other assets—noncurrent 132,028 97,584 Total assets $ 3,770,208 $ 2,971,290 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 18,144 $ 19,029 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 94,591 104,037 Accrued compensation 158,779 195,266 Contract liabilities—current 1,307,749 1,320,059 Operating lease liabilities—current 19,507 22,230 Total current liabilities 1,598,770 1,660,621 Contract liabilities—noncurrent 22,931 21,980Invest $1,000 into Pilbara Minerals and these ASX 200 stocks
As the holiday season approaches, gaming laptops emerge as one of the most sought-after holiday gifts for tech enthusiasts and avid gamers. With advancements in technology, these best gaming laptops offer impressive performance, immersive displays, and the ability to handle demanding titles with ease. Whether shopping for someone who enjoys casual gaming or a dedicated gamer, the following top gaming laptops are some of the best laptop recommendations to consider this year. The Razer Blade 18 is a premium choice for gamers who prioritise power and display size. Featuring a sturdy all-aluminium chassis and an 18-inch immersive display, it strikes a balance between aesthetics and performance. Configurable with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, it offers top-tier performance for the most demanding AAA games. While its larger size may limit portability, the Razer Blade 18 is an ideal home gaming rig. 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The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 is a great laptop recommendation for anyone seeking a high-performing, portable gaming machine . The market for gaming laptops persists and expands, providing wide options for consumers with regard to price, preferences and requirements. Every gamer that has been on the market for a new gaming laptop will be happy to know that regardless of one’s needs, whether it is performance, portability, or affordability, there is a best gaming laptop for each of them. Available in the market are the best gaming laptops, and this gives a guarantee that whoever is being shopped for will enjoy the best of gaming technology. Whether it is a powerhouse machine or a portable one, the various laptops enlisted above are perfect for this holiday season.Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ third bid to be released on bail won’t be decided until next weekSAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Docusign, Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCU) today announced results for its fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024. Prepared remarks and the news release with the financial results will be accessible on Docusign's website at investor.docusign.com prior to its webcast. "Docusign delivered powerful new innovation for customers highlighted by new capabilities to its Intelligent Agreement Management ("IAM") platform," said Allan Thygesen , CEO of Docusign. "In Q3, early IAM momentum outpaced expectations, and we continued to drive improvement in our core business with strong revenue growth and operating profit." Third Quarter Financial Highlights Total revenue was $754.8 million , an 8% year-over-year increase. Subscription revenue was $734.7 million , an 8% year-over-year increase. Professional services and other revenue was $20.1 million , an 11% year-over-year increase. Billings were $752.3 million , a 9% year-over-year increase. GAAP gross margin was 79.3% compared to 79.6% in the same period last year. Non-GAAP gross margin was 82.5% compared to 83.0% in the same period last year. GAAP net income per basic share was $0.31 on 204 million shares outstanding compared to $0.19 on 204 million shares outstanding in the same period last year. GAAP net income per diluted share was $0.30 on 209 million shares outstanding compared to $0.19 on 208 million shares outstanding in the same period last year. Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $0.90 on 209 million shares outstanding compared to $0.79 on 208 million shares outstanding in the same period last year. Net cash provided by operating activities was $234.3 million compared to $264.2 million in the same period last year. Free cash flow was $210.7 million compared to $240.3 million in the same period last year. Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments were $1.1 billion at the end of the quarter. Repurchases of common stock were $172.7 million compared to $75.0 million in the same period last year. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the tables included in this press release. An explanation of these measures is also included below under the heading "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Key Metrics." Key Business Highlights: IAM Product Releases and Highlights : Docusign announced new product capabilities to its IAM platform. Highlights from recent product releases include: Docusign Navigator: Lexion's AI capabilities were released to the IAM platform, including the ability to surface insights from a more extensive array of agreement types. Additionally, Navigator now includes the ability to import documents from third-party partners including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive. Also, Navigator now has an upgraded search experience that includes predictive type-ahead functionality, more filters, and the ability to export results. Docusign IAM with Maestro and App Center Global Expansion : IAM with Docusign Maestro and IAM App Center availability expanded globally in the third fiscal quarter after the initial launch in the US, Canada , and Australia in May. Contract Lifecycle Management ("CLM") Product Releases and Highlights : Docusign CLM Connector for SAP Ariba: Docusign Connector for SAP Ariba automates workflows to help businesses accelerate time to value and eliminate friction in source-to-pay agreement processes. AI-assisted Contract Review for CLM : Incorporating Lexion's AI technology, AI-assisted review was launched with availability for Microsoft Word allowing for AI-generated markups, language recommendations, and generative Q&A. 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader: For the fifth year in a row, Docusign was named a Leader in the 2024 Magic Quadrant for Contract Life Cycle Manager report by Gartner, Inc. Developer Ecosystem: Docusign Discover 2024: On November 20 , Docusign held its first-ever agreement management ecosystem event, connecting customers, partners, and developers. Discover showcased Docusign IAM integrations with Microsoft, SAP, and Workday, and provided workshops and a virtual hackathon for developers to build across the entire agreement lifecycle. Docusign for Developers was also introduced as a suite of developer tools that partners will use to build apps powered by the IAM platform. Copilot for Microsoft 365 Integration: Integration with Microsoft 365 allows agreements to be searchable by Copilot, the AI-powered chatbot available to Microsoft customers. Users across HR, Sales, Procurement, Legal, and more can use the Copilot for M365 integration to ask Copilot for outstanding agreements or agreement status using AI-powered chat experiences. Guidance The company currently expects the following guidance: Quarter ending January 31, 2025 (in millions, except percentages): Total revenue $758 to $762 Subscription revenue $741 to $745 Billings $870 to $880 Non-GAAP gross margin 81.0 % to 82.0 % Non-GAAP operating margin 27.5 % to 28.5 % Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 209 to 214 Fiscal Year ending January 31, 2025 (in millions, except percentages): Total revenue $2,959 to $2,963 Subscription revenue $2,885 to $2,889 Billings $3,056 to $3,066 Non-GAAP gross margin 81.9 % to 82.1 % Non-GAAP operating margin 29.5 % to 29.7 % Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 210 to 212 A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP guidance measures is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, expenses that may be incurred in the future. Stock-based compensation-related charges, including employer payroll tax-related items on employee stock transactions, are impacted by many factors, including the timing of employee stock transactions, the future fair market value of our common stock, and our future hiring and retention needs, all of which are difficult to predict and subject to constant change. We have provided a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in the financial statement tables for our historical non-GAAP financial results included in this release. Webcast Conference Call Information The company will host a conference call on December 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. PT ( 5:00 p.m. ET ) to discuss its financial results. A live webcast of the event will be available on the Docusign Investor Relations website at investor.docusign.com . Prepared remarks and the news release with the financial results will also be accessible on Docusign's website prior to the webcast. A live dial-in will be available domestically at 877-407-0784 or internationally at 201-689-8560. A replay will be available domestically at 844-512-2921 or internationally at 412-317-6671 until midnight (EST) December 19, 2024 using the passcode 13750095. About Docusign Docusign brings agreements to life. Over 1.6 million customers and more than a billion people in over 180 countries use Docusign solutions to accelerate the process of doing business and simplify people's lives. With intelligent agreement management, Docusign unleashes business critical data that is trapped inside of documents. Until now, these were disconnected from business systems of record, costing businesses time, money, and opportunity. Using Docusign's IAM platform, companies can create, commit, and manage agreements with solutions created by the #1 company in e-signature and CLM. Learn more at www.docusign.com . Copyright 2024. Docusign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN® and all its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). Investor Relations: Docusign Investor Relations investors@docusign.com Media Relations: Docusign Corporate Communications media@docusign.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are based on our management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management, and which statements involve substantial risk and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth and trends, objectives for future operations, and the impact of such assumptions on our financial condition and results of operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release also include, among other things, statements under "Guidance" above and any other statements about expected financial metrics, such as revenue, billings, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, and non-financial metrics, as well as statements related to our expectations regarding the benefits, rollout and customer demand of the Docusign IAM platform. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue" or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about: our expectations regarding global macro-economic conditions, including the effects of inflation, volatile interest rates, and market volatility on the global economy; our ability to estimate the size and growth of our total addressable market; our ability to compete effectively in an evolving and competitive market; the impact of any data breaches, cyberattacks or other malicious activity on our technology systems; our ability to effectively sustain and manage our growth and future expenses and maintain or increase future profitability; our ability to attract new customers and maintain and expand our existing customer base; our ability to effectively implement and execute our restructuring plans; our ability to scale and update our platform to respond to customers' needs and rapid technological change, including our ability to successfully incorporate generative artificial intelligence into our existing and future products; our ability to successfully execute our technical developments, go-to-market and sales strategy for our IAM platform; our ability to expand use cases within existing customers and vertical solutions; our ability to expand our operations and increase adoption of our platform internationally; our ability to strengthen and foster our relationships with developers; our ability to retain our direct sales force, customer success team and strategic partnerships around the world; our ability to identify targets for and execute potential acquisitions and to successfully integrate and realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our brand; the sufficiency of our cash, cash equivalents and capital resources to satisfy our liquidity needs; limitations on us due to obligations we have under our credit facility or other indebtedness; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our stock repurchase program; our failure or the failure of our software to comply with applicable industry standards, laws and regulations; our ability to maintain, protect and enhance our intellectual property; our ability to successfully defend litigation against us; our ability to attract large organizations as users; our ability to maintain our corporate culture; our ability to offer high-quality customer support; our ability to hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel, including executive level management; our ability to successfully manage and integrate executive management transitions; uncertainties regarding the impact of general economic and market conditions, including as a result of regional and global conflicts; and our ability to maintain proper and effective internal controls. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included in the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024 filed on March 21, 2024 , our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 , which we expect to file on December 6, 2024 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which such statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this press release or to conform such statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Key Metrics To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, as described below, to understand and evaluate our core operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures, which may be different than similarly-titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors' overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about our financial performance, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by our management for financial and operational decision-making. We present these non-GAAP measures to assist investors in seeing our financial performance using a management view, and because we believe that these measures provide an additional tool for investors to use in comparing our core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in our industry. However, these non-GAAP measures are not intended to be considered in isolation from, a substitute for, or superior to our GAAP results. Non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share : We define these non-GAAP financial measures as the respective GAAP measures, excluding expenses related to stock-based compensation, employer payroll tax on employee stock transactions, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, amortization of debt discount and issuance costs, fair value adjustments to strategic investments, acquisition-related expenses, lease-related impairment and lease-related charges, restructuring and other related charges, as these costs are not reflective of ongoing operations and, as applicable, other special items. The amount of employer payroll tax-related items on employee stock transactions is dependent on our stock price and other factors that are beyond our control and do not correlate to the operation of the business. When evaluating the performance of our business and making operating plans, we do not consider these items (for example, when considering the impact of equity award grants, we place a greater emphasis on overall stockholder dilution rather than the accounting charges associated with such grants). We believe it is useful to exclude these expenses in order to better understand the long-term performance of our core business and to facilitate comparison of our results to those of peer companies and over multiple periods. In addition to these exclusions, we subtract an assumed provision for income taxes to calculate non-GAAP net income. We utilize a fixed long-term projected tax rate in our computation of the non-GAAP income tax provision to provide better consistency across the reporting periods. For fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025, we have determined the projected non-GAAP tax rate to be 20%. Free cash flow : We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. We believe free cash flow is an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available (if any), after purchases of property and equipment, for operational expenses, investment in our business, and to make acquisitions. Free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate or use cash in excess of our capital investments in property and equipment. Once our business needs and obligations are met, cash can be used to maintain a strong balance sheet and invest in future growth. Billings : We define billings as total revenues plus the change in our contract liabilities and refund liability less contract assets and unbilled accounts receivable in a given period. Billings reflects sales to new customers plus subscription renewals and additional sales to existing customers. Only amounts invoiced to a customer in a given period are included in billings. We believe billings can be used to measure our periodic performance, when taking into consideration the timing aspects of customer renewals, which represents a large component of our business. Given that most of our customers pay in annual installments one year in advance, but we typically recognize a majority of the related revenue ratably over time, we use billings to measure and monitor our ability to provide our business with the working capital generated by upfront payments from our customers. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, please see "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, (in thousands, except per share data) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue: Subscription $ 734,693 $ 682,352 $ 2,143,542 $ 1,991,026 Professional services and other 20,127 18,069 56,945 58,470 Total revenue 754,820 700,421 2,200,487 2,049,496 Cost of revenue: Subscription 134,587 114,227 393,561 339,354 Professional services and other 21,950 28,418 67,887 85,360 Total cost of revenue 156,537 142,645 461,448 424,714 Gross profit 598,283 557,776 1,739,039 1,624,782 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing 290,597 292,473 859,705 867,916 Research and development 151,101 136,640 432,992 387,964 General and administrative 97,555 108,215 277,162 316,910 Restructuring and other related charges — 710 29,721 30,293 Total operating expenses 539,253 538,038 1,599,580 1,603,083 Income from operations 59,030 19,738 139,459 21,699 Interest expense (462) (1,577) (1,150) (5,135) Interest income and other income, net 13,006 17,673 41,745 47,373 Income before provision for (benefit from) income taxes 71,574 35,834 180,054 63,937 Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 9,151 (2,971) (804,340) 17,198 Net income $ 62,423 $ 38,805 $ 984,394 $ 46,739 Net income per share attributable to common stockholders: Basic $ 0.31 $ 0.19 $ 4.81 $ 0.23 Diluted $ 0.30 $ 0.19 $ 4.69 $ 0.23 Weighted-average shares used in computing net income per share: Basic 203,567 204,456 204,674 203,609 Diluted 208,706 208,054 209,755 208,317 Stock-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses: Cost of revenue—subscription $ 14,862 $ 13,705 $ 44,636 $ 38,143 Cost of revenue—professional services and other 4,765 7,343 14,465 21,359 Sales and marketing 49,347 53,715 154,396 150,604 Research and development 53,184 48,310 150,816 129,458 General and administrative 31,070 36,337 91,239 111,271 Restructuring and other related charges — 8 4,836 4,996 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (in thousands) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 610,870 $ 797,060 Investments—current 331,506 248,402 Accounts receivable, net 300,444 439,299 Contract assets—current 13,645 15,922 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 75,412 66,984 Total current assets 1,331,877 1,567,667 Investments—noncurrent 112,805 121,977 Property and equipment, net 278,623 245,173 Operating lease right-of-use assets 113,365 123,188 Goodwill 455,678 353,138 Intangible assets, net 83,307 50,905 Deferred contract acquisition costs—noncurrent 445,987 409,627 Deferred tax assets—noncurrent 816,538 2,031 Other assets—noncurrent 132,028 97,584 Total assets $ 3,770,208 $ 2,971,290 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 18,144 $ 19,029 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 94,591 104,037 Accrued compensation 158,779 195,266 Contract liabilities—current 1,307,749 1,320,059 Operating lease liabilities—current 19,507 22,230 Total current liabilities 1,598,770 1,660,621 Contract liabilities—noncurrent 22,931 21,980ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
By MICHAEL R. SISAK NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs tried for a third time Friday to persuade a judge to let him leave jail while he awaits his sex trafficking trial, but a decision won’t come until next week. Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing that he will release his decision on Combs’ latest request for bail after Combs’ lawyers and federal prosecutors file letters addressing outstanding issues. Those letters are due at noon on Monday, Subramanian said. Combs’ lawyers pitched having him await trial under around-the-clock surveillance either his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or — after the judge scoffed at that location — an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their plan essentially amounts to putting Combs on house arrest, with strict limits on who he has contact with. But prosecutors argue that Combs has routinely flouted jail rules and can’t be trusted not to interfere with witnesses or the judicial process. “The argument that he’s a lawless person who doesn’t follow instructions isn’t factually accurate,” Combs lawyer Anthony Ricco argued. “The idea that he’s an out-of-control individual who has to be detained isn’t factually accurate.” Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. His trial is slated to begin May 5. The Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail, where he spent his Nov. 4 birthday. Two other judges previously concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released and an appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. Friday’s hearing was the second time Combs was in court this week. On Tuesday, a judge blocked prosecutors from using as evidence papers that were seized from his cell during jail-wide sweep for contraband and weapons at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. As he entered through a side door, Combs waved to relatives including his mother and several of his children in the courtroom gallery, tapping his hand to his heart and blowing kisses at them. He then hugged his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, before taking a seat at the defense table. He was not handcuffed or shackled and wore a beige jail uniform, occasionally pulling a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as he peered at papers in front of him. Prosecutors maintain that no bail conditions will mitigate the “risk of obstruction and dangerousness to others” of releasing Combs from jail. Prosecutors contend that while locked up the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist has orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool. They allege that he has also attempted to publicly leak materials he thinks would be helpful to his case and is contacting potential witnesses via third parties. “Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued. Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos countered that, given the strict release conditions proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow rules.”
By Abby Badach Doyle, NerdWallet It won’t be impossible to buy a house in 2025 — just be prepared to play on hard mode. According to a November 2024 report from ICE Mortgage Technology, the monthly principal and interest payment on an average-priced home is $2,385. While that’s not the highest it’s ever been, it’s still a sharp increase — nearly 80% — from just three years ago. In November 2021, when mortgage rates averaged 3%, the monthly principal and interest on an average-priced home was $1,327 per month. So here’s the key to buying in 2025: Look ahead, not back. Regret won’t help you budget for today’s new normal. And with this year’s election also in the rearview mirror, so is some uncertainty among buyers and sellers that historically slows the market during every presidential election cycle. “People have just been kind of sitting waiting to see what’s going to happen,” says Courtney Johnson Rose, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, an industry group for Black real estate agents. “I’m hopeful that the new year will bring more attention to real estate, more excitement to real estate, and more opportunities for first-time home owners to get in the game.” Preparing to buy a house is a lot like dressing for the weather. It’s easier when the outlook is sunny — but with some planning, you can gear up to face any condition. Here’s what housing market experts are forecasting for the upcoming year. Related Articles Real Estate | Forino Co. continues its expansion, opens third office Real Estate | Mosaic Land Trust renovates Pottstown home, offers it for sale Real Estate | Average rate on 30-year mortgage snaps 3-week slide and rises to highest level since late November Real Estate | US home sales hit fastest pace since March with more properties up for sale Real Estate | Gaming and Leisure Properties acquires real estate assets of Bally’s properties First, home prices: We’ll likely see more modest growth in 2025, a change from skyrocketing prices in recent years. After 16 consecutive months of year-over-year price increases, the median existing-home sales price hit $407,200 in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. In 2025, with more supply trickling in to temper price increases, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun forecasts a median existing-home sales price of $410,700, up just 2% over this year. Next, housing inventory: Demand still outpaces supply. While we don’t expect a return to a buyer’s market, competition should be less cutthroat. Realtor.com forecasts a balanced market in 2025 with an average 4.1-month supply of homes for sale, up from an average 3.7-month supply so far in 2024. That would make 2025 the friendliest market for buyers since 2016, which had an average 4.4-month supply. Finally, mortgage rates: After topping 8% in October 2023, the 30-year mortgage rate has slowly eased into the 6.5%-7% range this year. Rate cuts from the Federal Reserve have helped nudge that downward. Despite earlier optimism, forecasters’ latest consensus is for rates to effectively plateau above 6% throughout 2025. That said, every year has its wild cards. In 2025, it’s still uncertain how President-elect Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress might shake up regulations and tax policies that affect the U.S. housing market. National forecasts don’t analyze what matters most: Your personal cash flow. To get ready to buy, first meet with a financial advisor or use an online calculator to determine how much house you can afford . You can also get free or low-cost advice from a housing counselor sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Next, look into down payment and closing cost assistance from state housing finance agencies, local governments, nonprofits and mortgage lenders. Your employer or labor union might offer assistance, too. First-time buyers with income below their area median have the most options, but repeat or higher-income borrowers can qualify for some programs as well. “I think that there’s a lot of free money being left out there,” Rose says. Your not-so-secret weapon for buying in 2025 just might be an experienced buyer’s agent. “Anybody can write a contract,” says Sharon Parker, associate broker with Tate & Foss Sotheby’s International Realty in Rye, New Hampshire. “But you need somebody who’s seen the market, the ups and downs, who knows how to get creative because every transaction is different.” Following a settlement with the NAR , buyers can now negotiate their agent’s compensation up front. (Previously, home sellers took on that task.) While new norms are still shaking out, Rose says she hasn’t seen too much drama since the change took effect in August. “So as long as buyers remember that we have to talk about this in the beginning of our relationship, everything typically works out fine,” she says. Finally, it’s time to shop for a mortgage. To get the best interest rate, get a quote with at least three different lenders. You could also delegate the shopping to a mortgage broker, who can compare quotes and even negotiate a lower rate on your behalf. Though brokers charge a fee, their access to more mortgage options and lower rates can often mean net savings overall. With a mortgage preapproval in hand, it’s go time. And you don’t have to wait until spring: If you’re ready to buy now, buyers have less competition and more negotiating power from December through February, so you could snag a deal. “The people who are selling and the people who are buying in the off season are very serious,” Parker says. “They’re not just lookie-loos.” However, lower inventory means fewer choices for buyers. So start your search prepared to compromise — a “good enough” house will still help you build equity. If a down payment or monthly mortgage payment is financially out of reach, there’s no shame in postponing your search to pad your savings. And owning a home isn’t the right lifestyle choice for everyone, with the ongoing commitment of money and time. But once you’re ready to buy — whether for the first time, or to upgrade or downsize — avoid the trap of waiting for a dip in mortgage rates. “Nobody can predict what the market, or the world, is going to do,” Parker says. “There is no better time than right now.” Mortgage rates will always fluctuate, and if they drop significantly, you can refinance. For first-time buyers, homeownership is a major financial glow-up — and the sooner you jump in, the longer you’ll have to build home equity. “Time value of money is really, really critical when it comes to real estate,” Rose says. “So I would always encourage somebody to buy as soon as you can and get the clock ticking.” More From NerdWallet Abby Badach Doyle writes for NerdWallet. Email: abadachdoyle@nerdwallet.com. The article Buying a House in 2025: Your How-To Guide originally appeared on NerdWallet .
Walmart , the world’s largest retailer, is rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining a list of major corporations that have been under pressure by conservative activists. The company confirmed on Monday to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. That would include chest binders intended for youth who are going through a gender change, the company said. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer will also be reviewing grants to Pride events to make sure it is not financially supporting sexualized content targeting kids. For example, the company wants to makes sure a family pavilion is not next to a drag show at a Pride event, the company said. Walmart will also no longer consider race and gender as a way to increase diversity when it offers supplier contracts. The company said it didn't have quotas and will not do so going forward. It will stop collecting demographic data when determining financing eligibility for those grants. “We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers and suppliers and to be a Walmart for everyone,” the company said in a statement. Walmart confirmed the changes after conservative political commentator and anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck posted on X that he was in touch with the retailer about a story he was doing about “wokeness” and he said he ended up having "productive conversations” with Walmart. "This is the biggest win yet for our movement to end wokeness in corporate America," wrote Starbuck, who has gone after companies including Deere & Co., Lowe's, Tractor Supply and Boeing.
This year, scientists were able to pull back the curtain on mysteries surrounding figures across history, both known and unknown, to reveal more about their unique stories. In some cases, analysis of ancient DNA helped fill knowledge gaps and change preconceived notions. A prime example is how aDNA research is reframing the way people understand the archaeological site of Pompeii, which remains trapped beneath a layer of ash thousands of years after Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in AD 79 doomed the Roman town. Genetic traces collected from the bones of victims showed that what was once considered to be a mother holding her son in their final moments was an unrelated adult male who likely offered comfort to a child before they perished, and they challenged other long-held assumptions. Here are some of the ways science sparked a new understanding of historical figures in 2024, and in some cases, led to more mysteries that have yet to be untangled. The fragmented skull of "Vittrup Man" is on display at Denmark's Vendsyssel Historical Museum. (Stephen Freiheit via CNN Newsource) Unmasking the unknown A detailed analysis of tooth enamel, tartar and bone collagen helped researchers uncover details about “Vittrup Man,” a Stone Age migrant who died violently in a swamp in northwest Denmark about 5,200 years ago. His remains, recovered from a peat bog in Vittrup, Denmark, in 1915, were found alongside a wooden club that was likely used to beat him over the head. But little else was known about him. Using cutting-edge analytical methods, Anders Fischer, project researcher in the department of historical studies at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and his colleagues set out to “find the individual behind the bone” and tell the story of the oldest known immigrant in Denmark’s history . Vittrup Man grew up along the Scandinavian coast and belonged to a hunter-gatherer community, enjoying a diet of fish, seals and whales. But his life changed drastically in his late teens when he made the move to Denmark and shifted to a farmer’s diet, eating sheep and goat. He died between the ages of 30 and 40. Vittrup Man may have been killed as a sacrifice, or perhaps he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Fischer found the use of multiple techniques to uncover aspects of his identity gratifying. “In the Vittrup case we meet a genuine first-generation immigrant and can follow his remarkable geographic and dietary transition from northern to southern Scandinavia and from a fisher-hunter-gatherer to a farmer way of life,” he said. Researchers first excavated the remains of a skeletal torso — known as "Well-man" — from a well at a Norwegian castle in 1938. (The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage via CNN Newsource) Norse saga's 'Well-man' unearthed Separately, researchers were able to connect the identity of a skeleton found in a castle well to a passage from an 800-year-old Norse text . The Sverris saga, which related the story of the real-life King Sverre Sigurdsson, includes a description of an invading army tossing the body of a dead man down a well at Norway’s Sverresborg castle in 1197 in a likely attempt to poison the water supply. A team of scientists recently studied bones uncovered in the castle’s well in 1938. Using radiocarbon dating, the researchers determined that the remains were about 900 years old. Genetic sequencing of tooth samples laid bare that “Well-man” had a medium skin tone, blue eyes, and light brown or blond hair. And in a twist, his genetics couldn’t be traced to the local population. “The biggest surprise for all of us was that the Well-man did not come from the local population, but rather that his ancestry traces back to a specific region in southern Norway. That suggests the sieging army threw one of their own dead into the well,” study coauthor Michael D. Martin, a professor in the department of natural history at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s University Museum in Trondheim, said in October. Debunking a 'lost prince' Improvements in molecular genetics over nearly two decades have helped researchers get to the bottom of a longstanding historical puzzle of a so-called “lost prince” who appeared seemingly out of nowhere in mid-19th century Germany. For 200 years, there was speculation that an enigmatic man named Kaspar Hauser was secretly a member of German royalty. When he was found wandering without identification in Nuremberg in May 1828 at the age of 16, Hauser was barely able to communicate with those questioning him. A story about Hauser being a kidnapped prince , taken from the royal family of Baden in what’s now southwest Germany, spread like wildfire. There have been multiple studies of genetic data taken from items that belonged to Hauser, but the conflicting results led to a stalemate with no answers. This year, researchers conducted a new analysis of Hauser’s hair samples and were able to prove that his mitochondrial DNA, or genetic code passed down on the maternal side, did not match the mitochondrial DNA from the Baden family. Disproving the royal hoax may have solved one mystery, but another one has taken its place. Just who was this man? As his tombstone reads, Hauser remains “the riddle of his time.” Locks of Beethoven's hair were studied to uncover new details about the composer's health. (Martin Meissner/AP via CNN Newsource) An ailing, tortured composer Classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven died at 56 in 1827 after a lifetime of ailments including deafness, liver disease and gastrointestinal complaints. The composer expressed his wish that his ailments be studied and shared so “as far as possible at least the world will be reconciled to me after my death.” In May, researchers published a study showing high levels of lead detected in authenticated locks of Beethoven’s hair and suggested the composer had lead poisoning, which may have contributed to his recurring health woes. The findings built on previous revelations after Beethoven’s genome was made publicly available to investigate the complicated nuances of his health. In addition to lead, Beethoven’s locks also contained increased amounts of arsenic and mercury — but how did they get there? The substances were likely from an accumulation of a lifetime diet of fish from the polluted Danube River and plumbed wine, which was sweetened and preserved with lead. The new findings add to a better understanding of the composer as well as the complex, sweeping symphonies he left behind that orchestras still play around the world. “People say, ‘The music is the music, why do we need to know about any of this stuff?’ But in Beethoven’s life, there is a connection between his suffering and the music,” William Meredith, Beethoven scholar and study coauthor, said in May. DNA analysis of human remains found at the site of a church built in 1608 in the colonial settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, suggest the men are kinsmen of the colony’s first governor, Thomas West. (Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation (Preservation Virginia) via CNN Newsource) Colonial secrets and scandals A study of skeletal remains using new DNA analysis techniques shed light on the fate of family members of the first U.S. president, George Washington, in March. Washington’s younger brother Samuel, who died in 1781, and 19 other members of the family were buried in a cemetery at Samuel’s estate near Charles Town, West Virginia. But some of the graves were unmarked, most likely to prevent grave robbing, Courtney L. Cavagnino, a research scientist with the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System’s Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, told CNN in March. Cavagnino led a team that studied remains excavated from the cemetery in 1999, identifying two of Samuel’s grandsons as well as their mother. The study team carried out the excavations to find Samuel’s final resting place, but the whereabouts of his grave remain a mystery . However, the techniques used in the study could be employed to identify unknown remains of those who have served in the military, going as far back as World War II. Meanwhile, a separate investigation of unmarked graves found at the British settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, revealed a long-hidden scandal within the family of the colony’s first governor, Thomas West. Researchers analyzed DNA from two male skeletons within the graves, and both men were related to West through a shared maternal lineage. One of the men, Capt. William West, was born to West’s spinster aunt, Elizabeth — and illegitimate. Details of West’s birth were deliberately removed from the family’s genealogical records at the time, researchers found, suggesting that the secret of his true parentage is what inspired him to set sail across the Atlantic Ocean and join the colony. Astronomer Johannes Kepler made sketches of sunspots that were published in his 1609 book "Phaenomenon Singulare Seu Mercurius In Sole." (Johannes Kepler via CNN Newsource) Inside the minds (and labs) of famed astronomers Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe is associated with celestial discoveries during the 16th century. But he was also an alchemist devoted to brewing secret medicines for elite clients, such as Rudolf II, the Holy Roman emperor. Renaissance alchemists kept their work covert, and few alchemical recipes have survived to modern times. Although Brahe’s alchemical lab, located beneath his castle residence and observatory Uraniborg, was destroyed after his death, researchers carried out a chemical analysis of glass and pottery shards recovered from the site. The analysis detected elements such as nickel, copper, zinc, tin, mercury, gold, lead and a big surprise: tungsten, which hadn’t even been described at the time . It’s possible that Brahe isolated it from a mineral without realizing it, but the discovery raises new questions about his secretive work. Separately, centuries after German astronomer Johannes Kepler made sketches of sunspots in 1607 from his observations of the sun’s surface, the pioneering drawings helped scientists piece together the history of the sun’s solar cycle. While each cycle of waxing and waning solar activity typically takes about 11 years, there have been times when the sun behaved differently than expected. And Kepler’s long-forgotten drawings , made before the advent of telescopes, were dusted off this year when scientists analyzed them to learn more about the Maunder Minimum, a period of extremely weak and abnormal solar cycles between 1645 and 1715. Kepler’s drawings were made using a camera obscura, a device that utilized a small hole in the wall of the instrument to project the sun’s image on a sheet of paper. His sketches captured sunspots, which helped astronomers determine that the solar cycles were still occurring as expected when Kepler observed them, rather than lasting for abnormally long amounts of time as previously believed. Brahe and Kepler, along with Sir Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei, were giants who replaced the medieval view of the world with a modern one, said Kaare Lund Rasmussen, lead author of the Brahe study and a professor emeritus in the department of physics, chemistry and pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark. And this year, both Brahe and Kepler’s centuries-old work have contributed new pieces that help scientists reconstruct the puzzles of the past.Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2023. Last week: Eagles beat Washington 26-18; Rams beat New England 28-22. Eagles offense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (7). Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (7), pass (2), scoring (6). Rams offense: overall (17), rush (26), pass (T-7), scoring (21). Rams defense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (22), scoring (22). Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Rams plus-4. RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley combined for 198 scrimmage yards and two scores, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 average) while adding two receptions for 52 yards against Washington. With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley only trails Baltimore’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. He had his sixth 100-plus yard rushing game this season, which is the most in the NFL. S Kam Kinchens. The rookie third-round pick from Miami had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble against the Patriots as he continues to come on strong. Kinchens has three picks in the past three games. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts vs. Rams’ defensive line. Hurts shredded Los Angeles for 303 yards passing and 72 yards rushing last season despite the presence of superstar DT Aaron Donald. After Donald retired, the Rams turned to a committee approach to get after the passer, and it has worked with rookie OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske fitting in well next to second-year OLB Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner. But they can only unleash their excellent pass rush skills by limiting Philadelphia on early downs. Hurts has been at his dual-threat best over the past five games, accounting for 15 total touchdowns (six passing, nine rushing) against two turnovers. Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff had surgery on his left wrist on Thursday, a move that could allow him to return toward the end of the season. ... WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was ruled out on Friday. ... Rams RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) got in two limited practices this week but is doubtful to play. Havenstein sat out the previous two games because of the ailment. The Eagles have won all three games in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. ... Overall, Philadelphia has won seven of the past eight. The only setback came in Week 2 of the 2020 pandemic season. Barkley has passed 100-plus scrimmage yards in eight of 10 games. That is tied with LeSean McCoy (2011) and Brian Westbrook (2007) for the most by an Eagle through 10 games. His 198 yards were his second most as an Eagle (199 in Week 9). ... The Eagles have allowed two passing touchdowns during their winning streak. Only one opponent has topped 200 passing yards against them in this stretch, with Cincinnati throwing for 222 in Week 8. ... Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with 11 touchdown runs and is second only to Henry's 13 scores for the Ravens. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the league in receptions of 30 yards or longer. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the best mark of any player with at least 30 grabs. ... Even before he hurt his wrist, Huff struggled in his first season in Philadelphia with just 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits. His snap count has dipped since he was injured ahead of a game earlier this month against Jacksonville. Huff had 17 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Jets before he signed a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal with the Eagles. ... Philadelphia has run for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five straight games, something it hadn't accomplished since 1949. ... Rams WR Puka Nacua caught his first touchdown of the season in New England. He has at least seven receptions and 98 yards in three of his past four games, with only a second-quarter ejection in Seattle having limited Nacua since he returned from a knee injury. ... WR Cooper Kupp has 614 receptions through his first 98 games, which is fourth most in NFL history through 100 games. Julio Jones (619) is third. ... RB Kyren Williams averaged a season-high 5.7 yards per carry, finishing with 86 yards on 15 attempts versus the Patriots. ... Verse has 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks through his first 10 games. Verse is pressuring the quarterback on 20.2% of pass rush snaps, which ranks second in the league overall. ... The Rams were 2 of 8 (25%) on third down against New England, their third straight game converting 25% or worse. ... QB Matthew Stafford has not been sacked in each of Los Angeles’ past three wins. Don’t be discouraged using Stafford, Kupp and Nacua against Philadelphia's pass defense. All three put up solid fantasy numbers in last season’s meeting, even as the Eagles sat on the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Stafford had 222 yards and two scores, finding Kupp eight times for 118 yards and Nacua seven times for 71 yards and a touchdown, so they'll find ways to produce. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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