The Home Depot Announces Agreement to Acquire HD Supply Holdings, Inc.

November 16, 2020

Acquisition to Accelerate Sales Growth; Expected to be Accretive to Earnings Per Share in 2021

ATLANTA, Nov. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Home Depot^®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire HD Supply Holdings, Inc., a leading national distributor of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products in the multifamily and hospitality end markets. The acquisition is expected to position The Home Depot as a premier provider in the MRO marketplace.

“The MRO customer is highly valued by The Home Depot, and this acquisition will position the company to accelerate sales growth by better serving both existing and new customers in a highly fragmented $55 billion marketplace,” said Craig Menear, chairman and CEO of The Home Depot. “HD Supply complements our existing MRO business with a robust product offering and value-added service capabilities, an experienced salesforce that enhances the strong team we have in place, as well as an extensive, MRO-specific distribution network throughout the U.S. and Canada.”

“We’re thrilled that our associates are joining the Home Depot team and that our customers will be able to benefit from a broader product assortment, expanded delivery options and enhanced services nationally,” said Joe DeAngelo, chairman and CEO, HD Supply. “We are confident that this will position both The Home Depot and HD Supply for continued growth and success in the MRO distribution space.”

Under the terms of the merger agreement, a subsidiary of The Home Depot will commence a cash tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of HD Supply common stock for $56 per share, for a total enterprise value (including net cash) of approximately $8 billion. The closing of the tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the tender of a majority of the shares of HD Supply common stock then outstanding (on a fully diluted basis) and is expected to be completed during The Home Depot’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ends on January 31, 2021. The transaction is expected to be funded through cash on hand and debt.

“We plan to access the debt capital markets to raise incremental indebtedness in support of this acquisition. We also expect the transaction to be accretive to earnings in fiscal 2021, with potential for significant shareholder value creation over the longer term,” said Richard McPhail, executive vice president and CFO.

The Company will hold its third quarter 2020 earnings conference call on Tuesday, November 17, at 9 a.m. ET.

Advisors
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as exclusive financial advisor, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as legal counsel to The Home Depot in connection with the transaction.

About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,295 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2019, The Home Depot had sales of $110.2 billion and earnings of $11.2 billion. The Company employs more than 400,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

About HD Supply
HD Supply (NASDAQ: HDS) is one of the largest wholesale distributors in North America. The company provides a broad range of products and value-add services to approximately 300,000 customers with leadership positions in the living space maintenance, repair and operations sector. Through approximately 44 distribution centers, across 25 states and two Canadian provinces, the company’s approximately 5,500 associates provide localized, customer-tailored products, services and expertise. For more information, visit www.hdsupply.com.

Certain statements contained herein constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined in the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may relate to, among other things, the proposed acquisition of HD Supply that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements (the “potential acquisition”); statements about the potential benefits of the potential acquisition; HD Supply’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions; the anticipated timing of closing of the potential acquisition (including failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals) in the anticipated timeframe or at all, including uncertainties as to how many of HD Supply’s stockholders will tender their shares in the tender offer and the possibility that the potential acquisition does not close; risks related to the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the potential acquisition, including the possibility that the expected benefits from the proposed transaction will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the potential acquisition making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; negative effects of this announcement or the consummation of the potential acquisition on the market price of our or HD Supply’s common stock, credit ratings or operating results; significant costs associated with the potential acquisition; unknown liabilities; the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the potential acquisition; the impact on our business, operations and financial results of the COVID-19 pandemic (which, among other things, may affect many of the items listed below); the demand for our products and services; net sales growth; comparable sales; effects of competition; implementation of store, interconnected retail, supply chain and technology initiatives; inventory and in-stock positions; state of the economy; state of the housing and home improvement markets; state of the credit markets, including mortgages, home equity loans and consumer credit; impact of tariffs; issues related to the payment methods we accept; demand for credit offerings; management of relationships with our associates, suppliers and vendors; international trade disputes, natural disasters, public health issues (including pandemics and related quarantines, shelter-in-place and other governmental orders, and similar restrictions), and other business interruptions that could disrupt supply or delivery of, or demand for, the Company’s products or services; continuation of share repurchase programs; net earnings performance; earnings per share; dividend targets; capital allocation and expenditures; liquidity; return on invested capital; expense leverage; stock-based compensation expense; commodity price inflation and deflation; the ability to issue debt on terms and at rates acceptable to us; the impact and expected outcome of investigations, inquiries, claims and litigation; the effect of accounting charges; the effect of adopting certain accounting standards; the impact of regulatory changes; store openings and closures; guidance for fiscal 2020 and beyond; financial outlook; and the integration of acquired companies into our organization and the ability to recognize the anticipated synergies and benefits of those acquisitions. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and our current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to future events, risks and uncertainties – many of which are beyond our control, dependent on the actions of third parties, or are currently unknown to us – as well as potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations and projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended February 2, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended August 2, 2020.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update these statements other than as required by law. You are advised, however, to review any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

The tender offer referenced in this press release has not yet commenced. This press release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities, nor is it a substitute for the tender offer materials that The Home Depot and its acquisition subsidiary will file with the SEC. The solicitation and offer to buy HD Supply stock will only be made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase and related tender offer materials. At the time the tender offer is commenced, The Home Depot and its acquisition subsidiary will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO and thereafter HD Supply will file a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC with respect to the tender offer.

THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS (INCLUDING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTAIN OTHER TENDER OFFER DOCUMENTS) AND THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 14D-9 WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. HD SUPPLY STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT HOLDERS OF HD SUPPLY SECURITIES SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING TENDERING THEIR SECURITIES. The Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, will be made available to all holders of HD Supply stock at no expense to them. The tender offer materials and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement will be made available for free at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional copies may be obtained for free by contacting The Home Depot or HD Supply. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by HD Supply will be available free of charge on HD Supply’s internet website at https://ir.hdsupply.com/investors or by contacting HD Supply’s Investor Relations Department at (770) 852-9100. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by The Home Depot will be available free of charge on The Home Depot’s internet website at https://ir.homedepot.com/ or by contacting The Home Depot’s Investor Relations Department at (770) 384-2871.

In addition to the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, The Home Depot and HD Supply each file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. The Home Depot and HD Supply’s filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document-retrieval services and at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

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SOURCE The Home Depot

Acura Sweeps IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Titles

November 15, 2020

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Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor drove their #7 Team Penske Acura ARX-05 to the IMSA Championship in the season finale 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday. Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry piloted their #86 Meyer Shank Acura NSX GT3 Evo to the production-based GTD class title.

SEBRING, Fla., Nov. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Acura was the big winner in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as the 2020 season came to a close Saturday night at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, winning all six major titles in the headline Daytona Prototype International and production-based GT Daytona classes.

Acura Team Penske
Acura’s second consecutive sweep of the DPi Manufacturers’, Drivers’ and Teams’ championships came with a second-place finish for the #6 Acura Team Penske ARX-05 of Dane Cameron, Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagneaud.

Meanwhile, following an early race mechanical issue, their teammates in the #7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05 of Ricky Taylor, Helio Castroneves and endurance driver Alexander Rossi once again displayed incredible determination in battling back from a 12-lap deficit to finish eighth and claim the drivers’ and teams’ titles by a single championship point.

In typical Sebring fashion, the 12-hour endurance contest played out more like a sprint race, with action and suspense throughout the event. After starting from the pole, the #7 Acura with Taylor at the wheel lost turbocharger boost due to a component failure just 40 minutes into the race.

After going behind the wall for repairs, Taylor, Castroneves and Rossi resumed racing 12 laps behind the leaders, and raced hard into the night to cut the deficit by more than half. The resulting eighth-place finish crowned season-long drivers Taylor and Castroneves as champions, by a single point over the Wayne Taylor Racing pairing of Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande. The title was the second for Taylor, and the first for Castroneves to cap an incredible, 21-year career with Team Penske.

Taking over at the front of the race as their teammates repairs continued, the #6 ARX-05 began a long battle for the lead with the #10 Wayne Taylor and #31 Action Express Cadillacs, with other competitors waiting in the wings should anyone at the front falter.

That opportunity came as night fell in the closing hours. Contact from Pipo Derani in the #31 sent Montoya spinning in the #6 Acura, dropping Montoya to third and resulting in a “drive through” penalty to Derani for the causing the collision. The pair of Mazda prototypes seized their chance to take control, until a cut tire and unscheduled pit stop for the #77 Mazda of Oliver Jarvis enabled Cameron to seize second place in the final hour, securing the DPi sweep as Acura claimed the Manufacturers’ Championship by a single point over Cadillac.

Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo
In the production-based GTD category, Meyer Shank Racing prevailed in a typically rough-and-tumble contest to complete a dominating season in the Manufacturers’ Championship, with the Acura NSX GT3 Evo claiming the crown by an eight-point margin over nine other competing performance car OEM’s, include Porsche, Lexus, BMW, Ferrari and Lamborghini.

In another typically gritty performance, the #86 MSR Acura of defending series champion Mario Farnbacher, Matt McMurry and Shinya Michimi used a third-place class finish to secure the drivers’ and team’s titles for full-season drivers Farnbacher and McMurry. This came despite contact from another competitor – for the fourth time the last five races – that set aside their hopes for a third GTD victory in 2020.

Still their season-long efforts – along with those of the partner trio of Joey Hand, Misha Goikhberg and Trent Hindman in the partner #57 Heinricher Racing with MSR Acura, was more than sufficient to secure the GTD Manufacturers’ Championship by a relatively comfortable eight-point margin to complete the sweep of all six season-long IMSA DPi and GTD titles for Acura.

Next
Today’s race concluded the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Acura will return to defend its prototype and GTD titles in the 2021 season, which opens January 28-31 with the Rolex 24 at the famed Daytona International Speedway.

Acura Motorsports social media content and video links from the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring are available on Instagram (www.instagram.com/hondaracing_hpd), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD).

Quotes
Wayne Gross (Race Team Manager, Honda Performance Development) on today’s season-ending Twelve Hours of Sebring and championship sweep for Acura and HPD: “The Sebring 12 hour is always rough and challenging. This race was certainly no exception, full of drama, battles and excitement. But at the end of an incredible day and night, and an equally incredible IMSA season, Acura and our partner teams once again lived up to our motto of ‘Precision Crafted Performance’. We did what was needed to take home the drivers’, teams’ and manufacturers’ titles in both DPi and GTD, for a successful close to our relationship with Acura Team Penske in DPi, and Meyer Shank Racing in GTD. We are sincerely thankful to everyone at Acura Team Penske, and of course everyone at HPD, for their season-long efforts. Together, we’ve achieved success on so many fronts this year in truly unique, and always challenging, conditions.

“But there’s no time to rest, as the 2021 season will be starting before we know it. We have a lot of work to do as MSR moves to DPi and is joined Wayne Taylor Racing to fly the Acura banner, and we’re already working hard for next year.”

Ricky Taylor (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) 2020 IMSA DPi Champion with four wins in nine races: “To me [co-driver Helio Castroneves] is Team Penske. For me, it was the privilege of a lifetime to get to drive for Acura Team Penske and to have the best three years of my career here. To win this championship with this team, and with him [Castroneves] is one of the highlights of my life. We’ll be friends for life.”

Helio Castroneves (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) 2020 IMSA DPi Champion with four wins in nine races: “There’s just so much going through my mind right now. For me, being able to win this championship with this amazing organization, this incredible group of people, I’ll never, ever forget this time. I have to thank everyone here, this guy [co-driver Ricky Taylor] and of course Roger Penske. What an incredible journey.”

Mario Farnbacher (#86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo) 2020 IMSA GTD Champion with two wins and three podiums, successfully defends 2019 drivers’ title: “This championship means everything. I got into this team in 2018 as a third [endurance race] driver, and I’ve grown so much since then. I was named a full-season driver last year and we became champions with [co-driver] Trent Hindman, Acura, HPD and Meyer Shank Racing. And now, this year, we did it again with these amazing two gentlemen [McMurry and Michimi], Acura and this amazing crew. It hurts a bit that this program ends with Meyer Shank Racing [as MSR moves to the DPi class in 2020 and new teams take over the Acura GTD effort], but for sure a new chapter will open next year. It’s just so great to end this season with, first of all, the championship, and a podium at the end.”

Matt McMurry (#86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo) 2020 IMSA GTD Champion with two wins and three podiums; 2019 LMP champion: “There were a lot of ups and downs all throughout the race, but we just did consistent laps the whole time. The team did such an awesome job, they always do. [Co-drivers] Mario [Farnbacher] and Shinya [Michimi] did such an incredible job. We couldn’t have done it without everyone involved.”

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1334765/Acura_Motorsports_IMSA_Championship.jpg

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SOURCE Acura Motorsports

Offensive Ads & Brand Irresponsibility Lead Gen Z To Breakup With Brands

November 13, 2020

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FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Nine of 10 chief executives, advertising, promotions, sales & marketing managers are non-Hispanic white. Without breaking internal marketing “culture bubbles” to put cultural fluency and insights at the core of every brand strategy, brands risk a break up with Gen Zers and their parents. According to the second part of a new study by the Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing (CMC), Gen Zers and Hispanic and Black parents will quit a brand that offends any racial group (this ranked third among non-Hispanic white parents). As 2020 marks the first time the 0 to 17-year-old segment—or any American generation, for that matter—is a multicultural majority, marketers must think beyond price and focus on cultural literacy and social responsibility to capture market share among Gen Zers.

Building on more than 20,500 consumer touchpoints to date, the CMC released the second part of a comprehensive study on Gen Z (ages 13 to 17), IT’S TIME: Ready (or Not) for the Multicultural Majority, analyzing brand choices, paths to purchase and brand gaffes that led to breakups.

“Gen Z is a diverse generation that feels a sense of unity with other minority segments and understands that hate and racism are the biggest issues they face together,” said CMC Research Chair Nancy Tellet, founder, brand & consumer navigator at PureClarity LLC. “As a result, when they see brands acting in a way that doesn’t align with their values or that is culturally obtuse, they walk away and spread the word. Offending Gen Zers and their parents can be akin to brand implosion.”

1) Brands That Offend Can Kiss Gen Zers and Their Parents Goodbye

More than half of people ages 13 to 49 have quit a culturally illiterate brand, saying it “offended them or disrespected their values”—that number skyrocketing to 72 percent among Black female parents—but the number-one reason Gen Zers and Hispanic and Black parents have quit a brand is disrespect for their own or another racial group (it ranked third among NHW parents). Nearly a third of teens will quit a brand if it offends the LGBTQ+ community, compared to only 15 percent of their parents. Other issues for breakups include animal cruelty and sustainability.

2) Brands Can Take Calculated Risks If They Know Their Consumers’ Cultural Values First

Nike using Colin Kaepernick in their ads was a calculated risk based on knowing that their customers value “freedom of speech/right to protest” over patriotic symbols—sales did not suffer. When Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods took steps to address gun violence by tightening their restrictions and removing some types of firearms and ammunition from their stories, they saw no ultimate negative bottom-line impact—in fact, 67 percent of multicultural people ages 13 to 49 and 53 percent of NHW said they were more likely to shop in these stores after this move.

3) Brands Cannot Rely on Price Alone to Woo Gen Zers and Their Parents

Ninety-two percent of Gen Zers and their parents agree some things matter more than price: trust, reliability, healthy/organic and style were important. Teens often distance themselves from brands that commit offensive gaffes because those brands reflect poorly on their social media personas. When it comes to food, nearly a third of Gen Zers and their parents say healthy and organic matter more than price. Nearly one out to two parents buy healthy/organic foods and beverages just for their kids and not themselves—this number jumps to 62 percent among Hispanic parents. In addition, building relationships with Hispanic teens is critical to brands as they are more likely to make their own choices due to their heightened family responsibility role which includes bill paying and purchasing.

4) Brands Wooing Teens Should Supercharge Their Marketing Via Solid Social Media Strategies and Influencer Endorsements

Social media fashion and lifestyle influencers have the most cache when it comes to purchase behaviors by young consumers. Hispanic teens and Hispanic adults ages 25 to 49 are 55 percent and 44 percent, respectively, more likely to try a product endorsed by an influencer than a traditional ad compared to 37 percent of their non-Hispanic counterparts. When the celebrity or influencer is known to be unpaid, the numbers increase to 69 percent of Hispanic teens, 59 percent of Hispanic adults, and 48 percent of their non-Hispanic counterparts.

5) When Considering a Purchase, Teens Value Word of Mouth and Then Shop Online

When it comes to purchase consideration, word of mouth is most important followed by advertising and online inspiration. In the final path to purchase phase, 74 percent of Gen Zers and their parents go online, primarily to search for more information or head to a marketplace sales site. Fifty-five percent will go to Amazon, and 35 percent of NHB and Hispanics will go to Walmart compared to 28 percent of NHW. Surprisingly, 10 percent of Hispanic teens will go to Target, compared to only 2 to 3 percent of other segments.

6) Gen Zers Are All About Style, Savings and Sustainability

For many teens, style counts more than price, especially among NHB to the tune of 43 percent compared to 37 percent NHW and 33 percent Hispanics. Shops like Shein, Zara, Asos and Fashion Nova have wooed teens with throwaway fashion at low prices capitalizing on teens’ love for buzzy online celebrities and unpaid content creators mostly on Instagram. Teens are also adding to their style with affordable vintage, fueling thrifting fervor. Seventy-four percent of Gen Zers and their parents 13 to 49 love to thrift, skewing mostly female among non-Hispanics and gender neutral with Hispanics.

Methodology & Funders:

The study received financial or operational support from Kantar, ThinkNow, ViacomCBS and Univision.
Quantitative research came from 2,418 13-17s (Gen Z) and 25-49 parents of kids 8-12 (65% Millennials/ 35% Xers) with equal sample representation of Hispanics (HISP), non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) & non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) from January 2020 to February 2020.
Qualitative interviews with 54 respondents (36T/18P), in-home pairs (HISP/NHB/NHW) and two Gen Z multicultural workshops (HISP/NHB/NHW/Asian-American/Other)

For more information, visit culturemarketingcouncil.org and follow the CMC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @cmchispanic.

About CMC: Founded in 1996 as the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, the Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing is the national trade organization of all marketing, communications, and media firms with trusted Hispanic expertise.

SOURCE Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing

Solis Health Plans Adds The University of Miami Health System

November 13, 2020

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Solis Health Plans logo (PRNewsfoto/Solis Health Plans, Inc.)

MIAMI, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Solis Health Plans is pleased to announce the Florida Medicare Advantage plan now offers in-network coverage with the prestigious University of Miami Health System. Effective November 1, 2020, in-network coverage also includes cancer care with specialists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and vision care with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

“We are excited to bring our members in-network access to the University of Miami Health System, one of the nation’s most respected institutions,” said Solis CEO Daniel Hernandez.

The University of Miami Health System delivers leading-edge patient care by the region’s best doctors, powered by the groundbreaking research of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. As South Florida’s only university-based health system, UHealth is a vital component of the community that is leading the next generation of health care.

UHealth provides treatment options for a wide range of conditions and is made up of more than 1,300 physicians and scientists who are highly trained specialists focused on providing state-of-the-art medical care. The partnership with Solis includes all of UHealth’s specialists and primary care providers.

About Solis Health Plans
Solis Health Plans is a community-focused Florida Medicare Advantage health plan delivering outstanding member experience and exceptional service to its members, providers, and brokers and offers competitive plans with expanded benefits in multiple counties. The company is locally based and self-identifies as the Un-Corporate Plan: personal as opposed to bureaucratic, innovative instead of risk-averse, and accountable rather than ambiguous. Solis Health Plans is committed to exceeding expectations and to being the plan of choice for the communities served, with the goal of achieving better healthcare outcomes.

For more information on Solis Health Plans, please visit www.solishealthplans.com.

Solis Health Plans is an HMO with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Florida Medicaid Program for dually-eligible beneficiaries. Enrollment in Solis Health Plans depends on contract renewal.

UHealth & Solis Health Plans (PRNewsfoto/Solis Health Plans, Inc.)

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1033320/Solis_Logo_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Solis Health Plans, Inc.

Frontera® Celebrates Release of New Format with Latin GRAMMY® Acoustic Session

November 13, 2020

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Frontera will host a virtual acoustic concert featuring GRAMMY® nominee and three-time Latin GRAMMY® nominee Raquel Sofía

The Official Wine of the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards® & Top 5 Popular Import Brand[1]

Builds on Wine & Music Platform as New 3L Box Debuts

HOPLAND, Calif., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In a new move celebrating the indelible combination of wine and music, Chilean wine powerhouse Frontera will host a virtual acoustic concert featuring GRAMMY® nominee and three-time Latin GRAMMY® nominee Raquel Sofía tonight, Thursday, November 12, at 6 PM ET on Facebook Live. As part of the Road To The Latin GRAMMYs™, this intimate special performance will showcase the acclaimed Latinx artist and Frontera wines, building on the brand’s 2020 wine and music programming just ahead of the December debut of Frontera’s anticipated 3-liter box format.

The official wine of the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, Frontera is expanding its reach with Latin music fans while continuing to creatively explore the intersection of wine and music through this latest activation. Earlier this year, Frontera announced a groundbreaking collaboration with music streaming service Spotify®, which pairs genre-specific playlists with each of four different wine styles in the Frontera portfolio. Rounding out the brand’s compelling music and wine campaign is the #FronteraMusicStage sweepstakes launching in January 2021—which will award $500 gift cards to 40 lucky winners, totaling $20,000 in prizes—for use at a future time when live music venues can re-open safely.

This all comes as Frontera prepares to launch its new 3-liter bag-in-box (BIB) format, which expands the way fans can experience the #1 South American popular-priced import brand in the U.S.²

“The wine and music connection continues to be an integral piece of Frontera’s consumer engagement, and we’re thrilled to partner with the Latin GRAMMY Awards to bring live music to fans around the world at a time when in-person concerts are on hold,” said Wayland Boyd, Senior Brand Manager for Frontera in the U.S. “This comes amidst exciting growth for the brand, as we’re poised to unveil three boxed wine offerings in a packaging innovation that makes it easier than ever to enjoy Frontera wines.”

Frontera—America’s #1 Chilean large-format wine brand³—is introducing its 3-liter BIB Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend and Cabernet Sauvignon at a time of skyrocketing growth for the boxed wine category⁴. Frontera’s eco-friendly, convenient packaging keeps wine fresh for up to 30 days after opening, giving Frontera fans more ways to savor some of America’s most coveted varietals. Frontera’s on-trend offerings align with market momentum in the 3L BIB segment: Sauvignon Blanc leads category growth⁵, Cabernet Sauvignon maintains a commanding market share in the category⁶, and red blends are growing faster than any other red varietal in the category⁷.

Frontera’s packaging innovation dovetails with its industry-leading focus on music at a time when consumers are yearning for new ways to experience wine and music at home. Through creative executions with music’s major players, including the Latin GRAMMY Awards and Spotify, Frontera is building on findings by Oxford University researchers that suggest listening to music can enhance the sensory experience of tasting wine⁸.

Enter for a chance to win a gift card at the #FronteraMusicStage sweepstakes on Instagram in January 2021, pair your favorite Frontera varietals with a curated playlist on Spotify, and tune in tonight at 6 PM ET for Frontera’s live-streaming acoustic concert with Raquel Sofía.

About Frontera
Frontera® offers expressive, New World wines from celebrated regions in Chile, through a collection of 14 varietals and blends, including fan favorites Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Sauvignon Blanc. The 8th most powerful wine brand in the world and the #1 South American popular import brand in the U.S., Frontera makes delicious, accessible wines that are easy to enjoy with family and friends. Frontera is the first wine brand to partner with Spotify® to create innovative music and wine pairings and is the official wine of the 2020 and 2021 Latin GRAMMY® Awards.

Latin GRAMMY® is a registered trademark of the Recording Academy and is used under license.
Spotify® is a registered trademark of Spotify and is used under license.

¹ Source IRI: TTL US MULO+C/Imported Table Wine/$$ VOL/Popular Price Segment $4–$7.99/latest 26 weeks ending 11.01.20
²Source: IRI: TTL MULO+C/Imported Table Wine – SA Origin/$$ VOL/Popular Price Segment $4–$7.99/latest 26 weeks ending 11.01.20
³ Source: IRI: TTL US MULO+C/Table Wine / Chile Origin / $$ VOL / latest 52 weeks ending 11.01.20
⁴ Source: IRI: TTL US MULO+C / TTL Box Table Wine / +18.1% $$ Volume latest 52 wks ending 11.01.20 / +15.1% 9L case volume latest 52 wks ending 11.01.20
⁵ Source: IRI: TTL US MULO+C / 3L Box / Table Wine / Top 10 Varietals / +89% $$ volume latest 52wks ending 11.01.20 / +86% 9L case volume latest 52 wks ending 11.01.20
⁶ Source: IRI: TTL US MULO+C / 3L Box / Table Wine / #1 varietal in both $$ and 9L case volume / latest 52 wks ending 11.01.20
⁷ Source: IRI: TTL US MULO+C / 3L Box / Table Wine / leader in $$ growth for red varietals / latest 12 wks ending 11.01.20
⁸ Source: Spence, C., Wang, Q. (Wine and music (II): Can you taste the music? Modulating the experience of wine through music and sound. Flavour 4, 33 (2015).

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1333376/LatinGrammys_Graphic.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1333375/Frontera_3LBox.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1164581/Frontera_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Frontera

Spoiler: Next-Generation Honda Civic Prototype Drops November 17 on Twitch

November 13, 2020

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Honda Logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Honda Motor Co., Inc. )

TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Honda is giving gaming and automotive enthusiasts a first glimpse of what’s in store for America’s best-selling car¹ with the world debut of the all-new 11^th-generation Civic, in prototype form, Tuesday, Nov. 17 live on Honda’s Head2Head Twitch channel. This special edition episode of Honda Head2Head on Twitch will begin live at 5 p.m. PST, with the Civic reveal set to start at 6:45 p.m. PST. The reveal also will feature an exclusive live performance by Grammy-nominated ART@WAR/Atlantic Records recording artist, Cordae.

Honda’s iconic Civic, the No. 1 vehicle for young, first-time and multicultural consumers², will undergo a full redesign that once again raises the bar for style, performance, safety and advanced technology in the compact car market. A teaser image and video released today give viewers a glimpse of the all-new Honda Civic through a geometric looking glass, which will all take shape to fully reveal the new Civic on Nov. 17.

Since it was first introduced in America in 1973, Civic has brought nearly 12 million U.S. customers into the Honda family. The all-new Civic Sedan will launch in late Spring 2021 as a 2022 model-year vehicle.

Honda and Esports
Honda has a significant presence in gaming and esports, as the exclusive automotive partner of Team Liquid and the Riot Games League of Legends Championship Series. In addition, Honda’s gaming strategy includes a partnership with Twitch, where the Honda Head2Head gaming channel, now in its third season, is the exclusive auto-branded channel on the platform.

With Twitch’s average daily visitors reaching 17.5 million, Honda aims to grab the attention of the audience behind the explosive growth of esports. These deeply enthusiastic fans share a similar passion for Civic, making the nameplate America’s most popular among all vehicles with Millennial, Gen Z and multicultural consumers³. Honda’s integration of the all-new Civic on its Head2Head Twitch channel one-ups the brand’s commitment in the gaming space.

The Civic reveal on Honda’s Head2Head Twitch channel will be hosted by Rachel Seltzer and MonsterDface. The hosts will be joined by eight participants: Four top Fortnite players and four top Twitch streamers, including Benjyfishy, SypherPK, Jordan Fisher, Dakotaz, and more. The two teams will battle it out in Fortnite, the world’s most popular battle royale game, ranking second on Twitch’s most streamed games. Honda also will have presence on endemic gaming communities, including Twitter and Reddit, to support the reveal of the new Civic.

More Information
For consumers: Consumers can get details about the Civic reveal and sign up for additional information about the all-new Civic at honda.com/civicreveal. More information, plus photos and video will be added after the reveal.
For media: Additional information plus high-resolution photography and video will be available at hondanews.com after the reveal.

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. Honda has the highest fleet average fuel economy and lowest CO₂ emissions of any major full-line automaker in America, according to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Insight Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda’s electrified vehicle lineup includes the Accord Hybrid, CR-V Hybrid, Insight hybrid-electric sedan, and the Clarity Fuel Cell and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 38 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2019, more than 90 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

¹ Based on Urban Science DataHub™ retail sales data among all passenger car models in 2016CY – 2020CYTD Sep.
² Based on Strategic Vision New Vehicle Experience Study 2020
³ Based on Strategic Vision New Vehicle Experience Study 2020

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

MoneyGram Reports Strong Start to Fourth Quarter with 10th Consecutive Month of Triple-Digit Growth in MGO

November 13, 2020

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DALLAS, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), a global leader in cross-border P2P payments and money transfers, today announced the Company delivered 150% year-over-year cross-border transaction and revenue growth for October in its direct-to-consumer digital business, MGO. This marks the tenth consecutive month of triple-digit year-over-year cross-border transaction growth in this channel.

“These results continue to demonstrate our ability to capture share as we strengthen our market position due to the success of our customer-led digital transformation,” said Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO. “We are encouraged by both our strong momentum and our purpose to mobilize the movement of money, which is now more relevant than it ever has been. MoneyGram’s growth reinforces the essential role we play in our customers’ daily lives, and we’re increasingly excited about our long-term trajectory.”

Growth continues to be driven by high customer retention rates, strong consumer demand for the Company’s leading mobile app, and sends directly to bank accounts. Investments in these key areas over the past few years have enabled MoneyGram to build a modern, mobile, and customer-centric organization delivering consistent results.

“Our leading customer experience is driving these phenomenal results. Customers are choosing MoneyGram over other options because the app is easier to use, faster, and more affordable,” said Kamila Chytil, MoneyGram Chief Operating Officer and leader of the Company’s digital business. “As we execute our strategy to build upon our momentum in the market, we expect our direct-to-consumer digital business to continue to deliver profitable growth.”

The Company’s impressive October results come on the heels of strong third quarter results where MoneyGram reported that Operating Income increased 123% and Adjusted EBITDA increased 33% year-over-year. Those results were driven by the profitability of the digital business, the resurgence of growth from the money transfer business, the agile management of the Company throughout the crisis, and operational efficiencies from the Company’s digital transformation.

About MoneyGram International, Inc.
MoneyGram is a global leader in cross-border P2P payments and money transfers. Its consumer-centric capabilities enable family and friends to quickly and affordably send money in more than 200 countries and territories, with 81 now digitally enabled.

MoneyGram leverages its modern, mobile, and API-driven platform and collaborates with the world’s leading brands to serve millions of people each year through both its walk-in business and its direct-to-consumer digital business.

With a strong culture of innovation and a relentless focus on utilizing technology to deliver the world’s best customer experience, MoneyGram is leading the evolution of digital P2P payments.

For more information, please visit moneygram.com and follow @MoneyGram.

Media Contact:
Stephen Reiff
[email protected]

SOURCE MoneyGram

Day 2 of The Movement Toward Social Justice in Public Health, the 5th Annual California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) Summit

November 13, 2020

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California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) AlcoholPolicyAlliance.org

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA), and Alcohol Justice, are pleased to announce the exciting line-up for Day 2 of the 5th Annual CAPA Summit #CAPASummit2020.

What:  Day 2 Virtual Summit
              The Movement Toward Social Justice in Public Health
            COVID-19 & Alcohol

When: Friday, November 13, 2020 9:30 a.m. (PT)

Where: Zoom Webinar, preregistration required: https://bit.ly/34YcwsF

Who: DAY 2 – COVID-19 and Alcohol

Dr. Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County Department of Public Health
Dr. Lello Tesema, L. A. County Department of Public Health Division of Substance Abuse Prevention & Control (SAPC)
Diana Zúñiga, L.A. County Department of Health Services, Alternatives to Incarceration Workgroup
Nicolle Perras, L.A. County Department of Public Health
Nelly Arias, L.A. County Department of Mental Health
Franklin Romero, L.A. County Department of Mental Health
Raul M. Herrera, AJUPEME USA – Turtle Island, International Ulama Mesoamerican Hip-Ballgame Association
Carson Benowitz-Fredricks, MSPH, CHES, Alcohol Justice
Vanessa Ramirez Garcia, Future Leaders of America
Xavier Flores, Pueblo y Salud, Inc.
Veronica De Lara, Co-chair, CAPA
Gilbert Mora, Co-chair, CAPA

Why: A better understanding is needed of the challenges with containing COVID-19 in LA County and the overlap in public health harms like accessing substance use treatment and alcohol as an essential service during the pandemic.

Watch: #CAPASummit2020 Day 2 Preview Video

CAPA Mission: The California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) shall unite diverse organizations and communities in California to protect health and safety, and prevent alcohol-related harm through statewide action.

CAPA Platform: Current core issues leading to specific advocacy and policy change action items.

Raise the price of alcohol through taxes and fees, supporting the “Charge for Harm” concept that the industry should pay for treatment, prevention and all other costs to government.
Limit alcohol advertising in all media, especially on government-controlled property and where children or targeted populations are exposed.
Make the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable to public health and safety concerns of the community, and not to cater to industry profits and license expediency, through policies that reduce alcohol outlet density and increase funding for alcohol control, regulation, and enforcement.
Eliminate product lines (such as alcopops and malt liquors) oriented to underage youth and vulnerable or targeted populations.
Reduce the allowable blood alcohol content for drivers as “Point .05 Saves Lives”
Improve labelling and out-of-home advertising of all alcohol products to ensure a) no marketing to youth, b) no indications of unsubstantiated health claims, c) display of alcohol content by volume and percentage and d) display of harms.

CAPA Member Organizations:

Alcohol Justice
Alcohol-Narcotics Education Foundation of California
ADAPP, Inc.
ADAPT San Ramon Valley
Bay Area Community Resources
Behavioral Health Services, Inc.
CA Council on Alcohol Problems
CASA for Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods
Center for Human Development
Center for Open Recovery
DogPAC of San Francisco
Dolores Huerta Foundation
Eden Youth & Family Center
Institute for Public Strategies
FASD Network of Southern CA
FreeMUNI – SF
Friday Night Live Partnership
Koreatown Youth & Community Center
Laytonville Healthy Start
L.A. County Friday Night Live
L.A. Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance (L.A.DAPA)
L.A. County Office of Education
Lutheran Office of Public Policy – CA
MFI Recovery Center
Mountain Communities Family Resource Center
National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse
National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence – Orange County
Partnership for a Positive Pomona
Paso por Paso, Inc.
Project SAFER
Pueblo y Salud
Reach Out
San Marcos Prevention Coalition
San Rafael Alcohol & Drug Coalition
SAY San Diego
Saving Lives Drug & Alcohol Coalition
South Orange County Coalition
Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc.
The Wall Las Memorias Project
UCEPP Social Model Recovery Systems
Women Against Gun Violence
Youth For Justice

For more information go to: https://alcoholpolicyalliance.org/

On Twitter @CAPA_Alcohol
On Instagram @caalcoholpolicy
On Facebook @AlcoholPolicyAlliance

California Alcohol Policy Alliance is a project of Alcohol Justice

CONTACT: Michael Scippa 415 548-0492
Jorge Castillo 213 840-3336
Mayra Jiménez 323 683-4687

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/469269/Califorina_Alcohol_Policy_Alliance_Logo.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/147418/alcohol_justice_logo.jpg

SOURCE Alcohol Justice; California Alcohol Policy Alliance

Fernando L. Sacoto’s new book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte a poignant read that shares the struggles of immigrants seeking greener pastures in life

November 13, 2020

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BLOOMFIELD, N.J., Nov. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte was created by Fernando L. Sacoto. Fernando is an author from Biblián. He is a construction businessman for the Exinco Contractors LLC. Currently, he owns his own construction business in the state of New Jersey.

Fernando said this about his book: “Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte is the story of undocumented immigrants and the difficulties they face, reflected in the author’s own story. On this journey, the abuse suffered by immigrants in many parts of the world can be seen. This occurs from the beginning when immigrants make the decision to leave their homeland. Here, the reader learns about the necessary “paperwork” with coyotes and human traffickers. These illegal organizations have become very powerful driven by the economic gains resulting from this illegal system that directly affects the society involved in the migration phenomenon. The difficulties that immigrants face in host countries are also reflected. One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of knowledge of language, legal documents to get a job, and education and skills necessary to get better-paying jobs. These adverse circumstances make them vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous people who take the opportunity to rob them by offering them false documents. They are accepted by immigrants as legal documents due to the lack of knowledge of the laws and the processes to obtain them legally or due to the absence of laws that allow them to change their status as undocumented.”

Published by Page Publishing, Fernando L. Sacoto’s new book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte will enlighten the readers on the harrowing circumstances immigrants face at the hands of human traffickers and sham customs that abuse their ignorance and inexperience.

Consumers who wish to learn about the strength and dreams of immigrants amid the persecution they meet can purchase Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte in any bookstore or online at Apple iTunes, Amazon.com, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries, you can contact Page Publishing, through the following number: 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex, and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1333482/Fernando_L__Sacoto.jpg

SOURCE Page Publishing

Fernando L. Sacoto’s new book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte a poignant read that shares the struggles of immigrants seeking greener pastures in life

November 13, 2020

0

Fernando-L--Sacoto

BLOOMFIELD, N.J., Nov. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte was created by Fernando L. Sacoto. Fernando is an author from Biblián. He is a construction businessman for the Exinco Contractors LLC. Currently, he owns his own construction business in the state of New Jersey.

Fernando said this about his book: “Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte is the story of undocumented immigrants and the difficulties they face, reflected in the author’s own story. On this journey, the abuse suffered by immigrants in many parts of the world can be seen. This occurs from the beginning when immigrants make the decision to leave their homeland. Here, the reader learns about the necessary “paperwork” with coyotes and human traffickers. These illegal organizations have become very powerful driven by the economic gains resulting from this illegal system that directly affects the society involved in the migration phenomenon. The difficulties that immigrants face in host countries are also reflected. One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of knowledge of language, legal documents to get a job, and education and skills necessary to get better-paying jobs. These adverse circumstances make them vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous people who take the opportunity to rob them by offering them false documents. They are accepted by immigrants as legal documents due to the lack of knowledge of the laws and the processes to obtain them legally or due to the absence of laws that allow them to change their status as undocumented.”

Published by Page Publishing, Fernando L. Sacoto’s new book Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte will enlighten the readers on the harrowing circumstances immigrants face at the hands of human traffickers and sham customs that abuse their ignorance and inexperience.

Consumers who wish to learn about the strength and dreams of immigrants amid the persecution they meet can purchase Travesía Más Allá del Horizonte in any bookstore or online at Apple iTunes, Amazon.com, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries, you can contact Page Publishing, through the following number: 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex, and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1333482/Fernando_L__Sacoto.jpg

SOURCE Page Publishing