It seems Adele will face the music for alleged plagiarism as a judge in Brazil orders a worldwide ban on one of the pop star’s songs.
Adele’s song “Million Years Ago” must be pulled from global platforms — including streaming services — judge Victor Torres ordered in an injunction filed Friday in Rio De Janiero’s sixth commercial court, the Agence France Presse reported. The order reportedly threatens the Brazilian branches of Adele’s labels, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, with an $8,000 fine for each “act of non-compliance.”
Torres ordered the labels to stop “immediately and globally, from using, reproducing, editing, distributing or commercializing” the ballad from Adele’s 2015 album “25,” which has been accused of lifting from the samba classic “Mulheres,” performed by Martinho Da Vila. The Brazilian song was written by composer Toninho Geraes, who sued Adele for plagiarism in 2021, according to Brazilian outlet Veja Magazine. Adele and music producer Greg Kurstin co-wrote “Million Years Ago.”
A representative for Adele did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Torres filed the injunction pending the ongoing plagiarism case, according to AFP. Geraes’ attorney Fredimio Trotta told AFP he condemns the “parasitic use” of Brazilian music and that his firm will work to ensure that Adele’s song is kept off radio, TV, streaming services and other platforms worldwide.
Adele’s “Million Years Ago” also faced scrutiny in 2015 from fans of late Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya. Listeners drew comparisons and found similarities between Kaya’s 1985 song “Acilara Tutunmak” and the Adele track amid its release, NME reported at the time. A legal battle never spawned from the alleged plagiarism.
The order to ban Adele’s “Million Years Ago” lands weeks after she wrapped her blockbuster, multiyear Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. While she said she will miss her “Weekends With Adele” shows “terribly,” the 16-time Grammy winner said earlier this year she’s more than ready for a break.
“I have spent the last seven years building a new life for myself,” she said in a September show in Germany, “and I want to live it now.”
Nine Inch Nails have officially confirmed that they will be touring this year following recent social media leaks hinting at a world tour.
While the band validated the rumors shortly after the initial leak, they added that they have decided to postpone the full announcement out of respect for the ongoing devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires.
In a post shared on their official social media channels today (Jan. 14), NIN wrote: “Since some dates and information about our world tour have leaked we are confirming that yes we will be touring and will provide more details soon.”
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Acknowledging the crisis in California, they continued: “We are all watching the devastation that is unfolding in California and have paused our announcement while people try to deal with all that is happening.”
News of a potential tour was first put forward on Monday (Jan. 13) when fans on the Nine Inch Nails subreddit began to share screenshots of what are ostensibly prematurely-posted Facebook events for the upcoming shows.
In a thread titled “It’s happening (?)”, a fan shared a screenshot of an event which lists a Sept. 10 date for the Peel It Back World Tour to take place in Tampa, FL. Another user tracked down a Ticketmaster listing for the event which shows an on sale date of Friday (Jan. 17).
Though these fans confirmed that the events were swiftly taken down following their listing on social media, a collation of the supposedly leaked dates featured shows scheduled for the likes of Brooklyn, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland throughout the U.S., along with dates in Manchester and London in the U.K., and a Canadian show in Toronto.
Currently, none of the dates have been confirmed by the band, though the tour title alludes to Nine Inch Nails’ 1994 track “March of the Pigs”, potentially indicating the rumored tour could be an anniversary trek in support of the band’s The Downward Spiral record, which turned 30 in 2024.
Nine Inch Nails haven’t performed live since the completion of their U.S. and U.K shows in 2022. Prior to that, their last concert tour took place across 2017 and 2018, with The Trilogy Tour seeing them play 69 shows across North America, Europe, and Asia.
In recent years, the veteran industrial act (which comprises founding member Trent Reznor and – since 2016 – Atticus Ross) have been more focused on soundtrack work, which has seen them take home numerous Golden Globes, Grammys, and Academy Awards.
In April 2024, Reznor noted that his work with Ross had left the pair eager to work on a new Nine Inch Nails album. “[Soundtrack work has] managed to make Nine Inch Nails feel way more exciting than it had been in the past few years,” he said. “I’d kind of let it atrophy a bit in my mind for a variety of reasons.”
Ross added he feels, “excited about starting on the next record… I think we’re in a place now where we kind of have an idea.”
Mould can wreak havoc in your home without you even realising it, so from time to time, it’s a good idea to check around the nooks and crannies in your living space to see whether there’s any lurking.
Check behind beds, sofas, bookshelves, and other items. If you’re experiencing regular feelings of sickness, it could be due to mould.
According to the government website, “Damp and mould primarily affect the airways and lungs, but they can also affect the eyes and skin. The respiratory effects of damp and mould can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death”.
They also share that it can take a toll on mental health, stating, “The presence of damp and mould can also affect tenants’ mental health. This could be due to worries about the health impacts of damp and mould, unpleasant living conditions, and destruction of property and belongings, among other concerns.”
A nurse from Hopewell Family Care took to TikTok to explain the “signs you have mould exposure,” admitting that “mould sucks”.
She shared that some of the main symptoms are “fatigue, headaches, frequent colds, and frequent ear infections”.
NHS Inform shares: “Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction). They can also produce irritants and sometimes toxic substances.
Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction like:
sneezing
a runny nose
red eyes
skin rash
Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.”
But how does a home become so mouldy that you’d get physical symptoms?
Mould and damp are caused by too much moisture, which can be from a leak or in the air.
The NHS say that this can be caused by:
They also recommend that you find out the cause of the moisture in your home, and “take steps to limit the moisture in the air,” such as using a dehumidifier. If you are renting your property, ensure you speak to your landlord about the mould, and find out the steps they are willing to take to help.
It may be the case that you need a professional to remove mould, but the NHS says: “If it’s only a small amount, you may be able to remove it yourself.”
They also note: “It’s important to wear gloves and a facemask if you’re removing mould. Always open a window if you’re using bleach products to remove it.”
Ben Affleck and his daughter, Violet, were recently photographed sharing an emotional embrace after the LA home evacuation amid the wildfires. The raging firestorm across Los Angeles County has forced thousands of residents out of their homes. Affleck, too, had to flee his property due to the destructive Pacific Palisades fire. The actor rushed to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner’s home following the evacuation. The two stars share three children — Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.
Ben Affleck and daughter Violet share a sweet embrace amid LA fires
Page Six reported that Ben Affleck was recently photographed with his daughter, Violet. The duo were spotted sharing a touching moment after he was forced to evacuate his home due to the LA wildfires. The father-daughter shared a hug outside the actor’s $20 million property. Affleck also looked emotional while sharing a sweet embrace with the 19-year-old. The filmmaker wore a gray hooded jacket and paired it with sweatpants.
On the other hand, Violet was dressed in a black hoodie and dark blue jeans. She also wore a white N-95 mask to protect herself from the smoke. According to TMZ, Affleck drove to Jennifer Garner’s house in Brentwood after evacuating his own. At the time, the latter had not evacuated her property. Page Six noted that Affleck returned to his Pacific Palisades home on Wednesday. The property, fortunately, survived the destructive wildfires.
As per recent reports, firefighters made some progress in containing the multiple wildfires. However, they remain in a critical stage. CNN reported that the National Weather Service has issued an expanded warning about winds. This could further fuel the ongoing blazes, or, worse, spark a new one. The Palisades Fire is 14% contained after jumping to 23,713 acres, notes the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire stands at 33% containment after burning 14,117 acres. On the other hand, the Hurst Fire is 97% contained after burning 799 acres.
Antiques Roadshowis a PBS staple, so it would be difficult to picture television without it. Thankfully, fans won’t have to anytime soon as we look ahead to the series’ future.
While it may be hard to keep track of which season of the show is airing, PBS is making it easy as the channel unveils plans for its landmark 30th season. Below, we’re breaking down everything we know so far.
Will Antiques Roadshow return for Season 30?
Jeff Dunn for WBGH, (c) WGBH 2021
Yes, PBS has already renewed the long-running series for its 30th season.
Is Antiques Roadshow Season 30 filming?
Antiques Roadshow isn’t currently filming, but PBS did unveil the Season 30 production tour dates and cities as filming kicks off in Savannah, Georgia on Tuesday, April 29. Additional dates and cities include St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday, May 13, Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday, June 3, Boothbay, Maine on Wednesday, June 18, and Charlevoix, Michigan on Tuesday, July 1.
“I look forward to every new season of Roadshow but there is something extra special about our Season 30 tour,” executive producer Marsha Bemko said in a statement. “Celebrating three decades of making television with people across the country and their treasures as stars of the show is magical — the items might be old, but the stories never are!”
During the filming process, guests will receive free verbal evaluations of their antiques, art, and collectibles by experts from around the country’s leading auction houses and independent dealers. Each ticketed guest is invited to bring two items for appraisal. To learn more about ticketing and ways to attend the upcoming filming, check out this detailed explainer.
How many episodes will Antiques Roadshow Season 30 Have?
According to PBS, each stop on the tour will produce three episodes, meaning that across the five stops, 15 episodes will be filmed and broadcast during the show’s 30th season.
When will Antiques Roadshow Season 30 premiere?
While no exact premiere date has been unveiled, PBS did announce Season 30 will air sometime in 2026. Stay tuned for even more details as Season 30 takes shape, and don’t miss Season 29, which is currently airing on PBS.
Antiques Roadshow, Season 30 Premiere, 2026, PBS (Check your local listing)
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Playing it safe in business? That’s exactly why you’re stuck. The harsh reality is that the biggest wins in entrepreneurship come from bold, audacious bets — the kind of decisions that make most people sweat and question your sanity. It’s not about recklessness; it’s about having the courage to step outside the norm, seize opportunities others overlook and embrace the uncertainty that comes with pursuing greatness.
The difference between merely surviving and truly thriving isn’t in doing what’s expected but in taking calculated risks that redefine the rules and change the game entirely.
Risk:Elon Musk famously poured his entire PayPal fortune into his next ventures — SpaceX and Tesla — leaving himself nearly broke.
In 2008, both companies were on the brink of collapse. Tesla’s production delays and SpaceX’s failed launches nearly bankrupted Musk. Instead of cutting his losses, he doubled down, betting everything on one more launch for SpaceX. That launch was successful, securing a $1.6 billion NASA contract and saving both companies.
The lesson: Most entrepreneurs hedge their bets to avoid failure. Musk’s story shows that sometimes, the only way to win big is to go all in. The difference between success and failure often comes down to sheer determination and risking it all for the vision you believe in.
2. Sara Blakely: Bet on yourself (when no one else will)
Risk: Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, had zero experience in fashion or business. She took her entire life savings — $5,000 — and invested it into her crazy idea for footless pantyhose.
Blakely was rejected by every hosiery manufacturer she approached. Instead of giving up, she hand-sewed her first prototypes and hustled to get her product into Neiman Marcus. That risk paid off. Spanx became a billion-dollar brand, and Blakely became the youngest female self-made billionaire.
The lesson: No one is going to believe in your idea as much as you do. Waiting for someone else to validate your vision is a surefire way to fail. Betting on yourself means pushing forward when the odds are stacked against you.
3. Jeff Bezos: Keep reinvesting (even when you’re profitable)
Risk: In Amazon’s early days, Jeff Bezos took all of the company’s profits and reinvested them into growth.
At a time when competitors were cashing out, Bezos took massive risks by building infrastructure and expanding Amazon into new markets, often at a loss. That relentless focus on reinvestment is why Amazon went from a bookstore to one of the largest companies in the world, dominating cloud computing, logistics and retail.
The lesson: Short-term wins won’t build a legacy. If you’re playing it safe by pocketing profits and holding back on growth, you’ll fall behind. Entrepreneurs who win big take the long view — and are willing to sacrifice short-term comfort for long-term dominance.
4. Richard Branson: Embrace the risk culture (even when it fails)
Risk:Richard Branson‘s Virgin brand is synonymous with risk. He launched Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic and even Virgin Galactic — a space tourism company. Not all of his ventures succeeded. Virgin Cola, Virgin Brides and Virgin Cars all failed spectacularly.
But Branson’s “risk culture” is what makes him one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. He views failure as a necessary step to innovation. By embracing risk, he’s built a multi-billion-dollar empire spanning industries.
The lesson: Failure isn’t fatal — but playing it safe is. The only way to innovate is to take risks, even when there’s a chance of failure. If you’re not failing occasionally, you’re not taking big enough risks.
5. Howard Schultz: Double down on expansion (even when everyone says stop)
Risk: Howard Schultz took Starbucks from a small Seattle coffee chain to a global powerhouse by betting big on expansion.
During the 2008 financial crisis, while most companies were scaling back, Schultz doubled down on Starbucks’ global growth, investing in new stores, technology and customer experience. His risk paid off. Starbucks came out of the recession stronger, more profitable and more innovative than ever before.
The lesson: When everyone else is retreating, the boldest move is to advance. History shows that some of the most successful entrepreneurs made their mark by leaning into uncertainty when others hesitated. By taking calculated risks during tough times, they positioned themselves to seize opportunities, innovate and build resilience.
If you’re playing it safe, you’re playing to lose. The greatest entrepreneurs in history didn’t get there by avoiding risk — they bet big on their visions, doubled down during tough times and weren’t afraid to fail. The question isn’t whether you’ll face risk in your business. The question is: Will you be bold enough to take the kind of risks that lead to life-changing rewards? After all, the biggest breakthroughs often come from the biggest leaps of faith.
AUSTIN, Minn., Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: NYSE:), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today announced that James P. Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, will retire at the end of fiscal 2025, following a distinguished 36-year career with the company.
The Board has formed a search committee and will benefit from its existing CEO-succession process to identify Snee’s successor. Internal and external candidates are being considered. Snee has agreed that once his successor is named, he will serve as a strategic advisor to the Board through the end of fiscal year 2025 and for 18 months thereafter.
Bill Newlands, the Board’s independent lead director, said, “On behalf of the entire board of directors, we extend our gratitude to Jim for his dedication to Hormel Foods, its stockholders, its employees and its communities. We congratulate him on an impactful career and look forward to working with him in the months ahead to execute an effective transition and deliver on our business imperatives.”
Snee said, “As CEO of Hormel Foods for the last eight years, I have been blessed to work alongside the most talented and committed team in the industry. I am proud of the impactful, innovative and transformational work we have accomplished during my tenure, which has been a period of rapid and significant change. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the leaders who came before me and to all the dedicated colleagues I’ve worked with during my 36-year career. As we begin this transition, I’m confident in the bright future that lies ahead for Hormel Foods.”
Under Snee’s leadership, the company grew its roster of protein-centric brands with acquisitions in its Retail, Foodservice and International segments: the PLANTERS ® snacking portfolio, the FONTANINI ® branded foodservice business and the South America-focused CERATTI ® brand. Snee also launched critical initiatives designed to position the company for long-term success, including the reorganization of its operating model for greater consumer and customer focus and, most recently, the Transform & Modernize for growth initiative. During Snee’s tenure, the company continued its legacy of dividend growth. In November 2024, Hormel Foods announced its 59th consecutive year of annual dividend increases.
Snee continues to be a candidate for election to the Board at its 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is scheduled for January 28, 2025. If elected, Snee is expected to serve as a director until a successor assumes his executive roles.
The company’s fiscal 2025 performance outlook remains unchanged.
About Hormel Foods ” Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include PLANTERS ®, SKIPPY ®, SPAM ®, HORMEL ® NATURAL CHOICE ®, APPLEGATE ®, JUSTIN’S ®, WHOLLY ®, HORMEL ® BLACK LABEL ®, COLUMBUS ®, JENNIE-O ® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World’s Best Companies and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement ” Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ ” to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit hormelfoods.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains “forward-looking” information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The “forward-looking” information may include statements concerning the Company’s outlook for the future as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans, strategies, or anticipated events and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as “should result,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “are expected to,” “targeted,” “will continue,” “will approximate,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those anticipated or projected, which factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the deterioration of economic conditions; risks associated with acquisitions, joint ventures, equity investments, and divestitures; potential disruption of operations, including at co-manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, customers, or other third-party service providers; failure to realize anticipated cost savings or operating efficiencies associated with strategic initiatives; risk of loss of a material contract; the Company’s inability to protect information technology systems against, or effectively respond to, cyber attacks or security breaches; deterioration of labor relations, labor availability or increases to labor costs; general risks of the food industry, including food contamination; outbreaks of disease among livestock and poultry flocks; fluctuations in commodity prices and availability of raw materials and other inputs; fluctuations in market demand for the Company’s products; damage to the Company’s reputation or brand image; climate change, or legal, regulatory, or market measures to address climate change; risks of litigation; potential sanctions and compliance costs arising from government regulation; compliance with stringent environmental regulations and potential environmental litigation; and risks arising from the Company’s foreign operations. Please refer to the cautionary statements regarding “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Statements” that appear in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which can be accessed at www.hormelfoods.com in the “Investors” section, for additional information. In making these statements, the Company is not undertaking, and specifically declines to undertake, any obligation to address or update each or any factor in future filings or communications regarding the Company’s business or results, and is not undertaking to address how any of these factors may have caused changes to discussions or information contained in previous filings or communications. Though the Company has attempted to list comprehensively these important cautionary risk factors, the Company wishes to caution investors and others that other factors may in the future prove to be important in affecting the Company’s business or results of operations. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which represent current views as of the date made.
Airbnb has launched a Super PAC ready to pony up $5 million to help elect city and state candidates willing to support short-term rentals.
The online rental company’s new political arm — “Keeping New York Affordable” — is ready to back candidates in more than a dozen City Council primaries this June, The Post has learned.
Airbnb’s support will run through 2026 and favor candidates that allow homeowners to rent their homes short-term on its app, countering the hotel industry — particularly the Hotel Trades Council union — which sees short-term rentals as competition for tourists.
Airbnb has launched a Super PAC that plans to spend $5 million on city and state candidates. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The company suffered a crushing defeat in 2023 when the City Council passed a law imposing strict regulations on home-sharing — forcing Airbnb to remove tens of thousands of Big Apple rentals from its site, which sent traditional hotel rates soaring.
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The law — requiring hosts to be present when guests are in their home — decimated the short-term, home-rental industry.
But as The Post reported Sunday, Airbnb is fighting to claw its way back in New York — by way of politics.
The company is lobbying to pass a new bill introduced by Council Member Farah Louis (D-Brooklyn) and backed by Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) that would “restore short-term rental rights to small, neighborhood homeowners” and pave the way for its citywide reemergence.
Co-sponsors of the bill include councilmembers Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Queens), Kevin Riley (D-Bronx), Diana Ayala (Bronx/Manhattan) and Mercedes Narcisse (D-Brooklyn).
“Keeping New York Affordable” will support candidates willing to make short-term rentals easier for homeowners. THANANIT – stock.adobe.com
The Hotel Trades Council has launched an ad campaign opposing the bill — and said Monday it’s prepared to defeat Airbnb again.
“It wouldn’t be another Airbnb legislative fight without this $80 billion tech company announcing a big money super PAC. They’ve tried this before and each time their money hasn’t influenced elected officials who know that dollars don’t vote, but their constituents who care about the negative impact of short-term rentals on affordable housing and public safety do,” said HTC spokesman Austin Shafran.
As homes turn to ashes, memories disintegrate in the flames and at least 24 souls are tragically taken from this world, the epic incompetence of Mayor Karen Bass is plain: “You are a joke,” as reality star Khloe Kardashian, among many others, put it.
Bass left town for a trip to Africa despite wildfire warnings, cut the Fire Department’s budget, failed to clear dangerous brush and neglected the city’s water system.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (2-L front) and California Governor Gavin Newsom (2-R) get a briefing about an area damaged by the Palisades wildfire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, January 8, 2025. ALLISON DINNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Yet there are some who can’t comprehend the vitriol toward Bass as being anything other than racially motivated.
Some are signing a Change.org petition that labels those critical of Bass’ inept leadership as an attack on her blackness.
“We recognize the targeted attacks she continuously faces as a Black Female Executive,” the anonymous petition author claimed.
“By standing with Mayor Bass . . . we are taking a stand for truth, integrity and fairness in political discourse.”
One leftist X user complained, “Karen Bass is getting pummeled by the right and left for being a successful Black woman . . . It’s just a movement meant to hate on a Black woman.”
“They are gaslighting Karen Bass the same way they did Kamala Harris,” another railed. “I am sorry but we can’t minimize misogynoir.”
“She’s got a spine of steel, and she’s been a black woman in America for a really long time,” Brown told TMZ
“Stand behind her, support her, because you can see it in her face she stays calm,” Whitley exclaimed.
“We have fires every year, and . . . I’ve never seen everybody react like this to the mayor and blame one person for a natural disaster,” Brown said. “Now what’s different this time?”
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Here’s what is different this time: Not the complexion of the mayor’s skin but the magnitude of the devastation on her watch.
Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledges that these fires may be one of the worst natural disasters in US history in terms of cost.
With devastation of this magnitude, the city’s leader is deservedly on the receiving end of much of the ire.
People aren’t blaming her for the fires themselves — they’re blaming her for her ill preparedness and abject incompetence.
The optics of her standing in silence at the airport with no answers in front of reporters as she returned from her unnecessary junket to Ghana are sickening to those who just lost everything they owned.
When firefighters angrily and impotently stand by and watch a home burn down simply because the hydrants have run dry, they will rightfully point their fingers at the person who is in charge, regardless of how much melanin is in her skin.
We shouldn’t say that more black people should be in positions of power and then remove their ownership of the failures they have overseen.
If we want an equal society, that means equality of blame, as well as of praise.
It means that when you’re the most powerful person in a city, the job must come with criticism — both fair and unfair — for the problems created under your reign.
Karen Bass’ defenders like the idea of a black person being anointed with the title of leader, but hate to see her expected to actually lead.
They claim they want equality in leadership roles, but repeatedly show that when equal scrutiny is applied, they’d prefer to demand special treatment.
The priority to defend Bass, and minimize the overwhelming reasons for demanding her resignation, is anything but empowering.
Left-wing ideologues infantilize black people — believing they should shield us from criticism when one of us fails to live up to our promises, rather than letting us build resiliency by fighting our own battles.
And this blind reflex of excusing someone due to their immutable characteristics will only backfire: What voter would want to promote to a position of distinguished authority someone who cannot be critiqued?
Karen Bass supporters clearly believe she’s incapable of persevering in these tumultuous times without using her skin color as a cloak to hide from the accountability anyone in a position of executive authority deserves.
Criticizing Karen Bass isn’t racist. Demanding she be given special treatment is.
Adam B. Coleman is the author of “Black Victim to Black Victor” and founder of Wrong Speak Publishing.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies (LSE: ONT) stock was the biggest riser in the FTSE 250 index yesterday (13 January). Shares of the gene-sequencing firm rose 10% then another 5% today to reach 149p.
However, the stock is still down more than 75% since listing in late 2021. Here, I’ll take a look at what has caused the recent jump and assess whether it’s a good fit for my portfolio.
Encouraging update
For those unfamiliar, Oxford Nanopore makes cutting-edge DNA/RNA sequencing devices that enable real-time analysis of genetic material. They’re used for scientific research across the healthcare and life sciences industries.
Yesterday, the firm released a full-year trading update. In this, we learnt that underlying revenue growth in the second half was approximately 34% at constant currency. This was an acceleration over the first half, enabling the company to achieve £183m in revenue, in line with market expectations.
That would represent year-on-year growth of 11% on a constant currency basis. That’s not bad considering the overall life sciences sector faced challenging conditions in 2024.
CEO Gordon Sanghera commented: “Looking beyond 2025, our highly differentiated platform and deep innovation pipeline coupled with strengthened commercial and operational capabilities combined with a strong balance sheet, position us well to deliver long-term, sustainable, above-market growth.”
Encouragingly, the gross margin is set to be slightly above the previously expected 57%. And management anticipates the gross margin reaching 62% by 2027, with revenue growing at a compound annual growth rate of more than 30% between 2024 and that date. It also reaffirmed a target of adjusted EBITDA breakeven in 2027.
No profits yet
Of course, an ambition to reach adjusted EBITDA breakeven in two years indicates that the firm is still deeply unprofitable. Indeed, it doesn’t expect to become cash flow positive until at least 2028.
Clearly, the losses add risk to the investment case. And they almost certainly explain why the share price has struggled since late 2021 when the era of near-0% interest rates came to an end.
We won’t get the full-year earnings until 4 March. Looking at the forecasts though, I’m seeing losses above £100m for both last year and this one.
On the plus side, the firm ended 2024 with £403m in cash, so remains well-capitalised. It should be capable of becoming cash flow positive with the resources at hand. If it can do so, while hitting its revenue growth targets, the share price could end up much higher than today’s 149p.
Should I invest?
Oxford Nanopore’s products are based on innovative technology and it appears to be taking market share during a challenging time. The more devices it sells, the more recurring revenue it gets from consumables and software services.
With a modest market cap of £1.4bn, the firm could become a takeover target. However, it can be dangerous to invest on the basis that a business might be acquired at a higher price.
Recently, I’ve made a hash of picking stocks in the healthcare sector. My holding in Moderna continues to take a battering (down another 16% yesterday), while medical device firm Creo Medical has unperformed too. Even Novo Nordisk is struggling lately.
With Oxford Nanopore stock trading at a premium 7.6 times sales, I’m going to give this one a miss for now.
