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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Chesterton chooses Z-gate to enhance pedestrian safety at downtown crossing
A Z-gate crossing will be installed at the Calumet Road railroad tracks in Chesterton's downtown to improve pedestrian safety. Chesterton's Redevelopment Commission, which is made up of the five Town Council members, chose the Z-gate option during the Monday meeting before the council session. The town decided it needed to do something to enhance pedestrian safety at the prominent downtown railroad crossing because a 60-space parking lot was recently developed at nearby Grant Avenue. The new lot has become popular with those who attend the European Market, which operates on Saturdays in the downtown, May through October. The Feb. 28 death of a 70-year-old male bicyclist at the Calumet Road railroad crossing also brought the issue into focus. All five commission members were in agreement that the perpendicular configured Z-gate crossing, for $350,000, was the best option. The Lochmueller Group was authorized to begin the process, which may take up to two years to complete. Assistant Town Engineer Matt Gavelek said the reason why the process takes two years is the town has to go through an extensive permit process because the project involves working around railroad tracks. Councilwoman Erin Collins, D-2nd, said she felt the perpendicular Z-gate crossing design was the best safety choice, though it is costly. The Z-gate crossing would funnel pedestrians from the parking lot to walk in a zig-zag way, forcing them to look both ways while crossing the tracks south into the Thomas Centennial Park. Collins said the cheaper option mostly involved painting a crosswalk, but the Z-gate forces a pedestrian to look left and right. Councilman James Ton, R-1st, said that it's important to be cost-conscious, but the longer he considered the options, it became clear that the Z-gate was the way to go. 'It's better to do it right than to do it fast,' Ton said. Council also unanimously decided that it would retain the Harris, Lukmann & Welsh law firm to continue handling the town's legal affairs, which it has done for 45 years. Council decided after putting out a request for proposal and interviewing several law firms. Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, R-5th, who is an attorney herself, in February advocated for the council to reconsider its contractual arrangement for legal representation. Fisher wanted the contract to be on a fixed-rate basis. The contract calls for the town to pay a monthly $9,840 fixed-rate retainer fee for services rendered to the town. Fisher said she is satisfied with the new contract and that it's a 'much better arrangement.' Connor Nolan from the firm will serve as the town attorney. Nolan has served as an associate town attorney for years. Chuck Lukmann, who had been town attorney for 45 years, stepped aside in February from the job. Council also approved the hiring of the London Witte Group to prepare a fiscal plan for the proposed annexation of 70 acres in Liberty Township, which are part of the Brassie Golf Club property, into Chesterton. PMM Chesterton, owners of the golf course, want to put a housing development on the golf course property, which covers 200 acres. Fisher said she has spoken with the developers and they appreciate the input received and want to go forward. At a May meeting of the Advisory Plan Commission, three members raised questions about the proposed housing density. The fiscal plan part of the annexation projects what the costs would be for the town to serve the new property. PMM Chesterton will pay for the contract with the London Witte Group. Councilman Dane Lafata, D-3rd, said he believed that the 70 acres should have been within the town limits years before when the Brassie Golf Club was operating.

Finextra
23-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Mondu adds pay now element to BNPL product suite
Mondu, the fast-growing B2B Fintech, has launched Pay Now, an account-to-account (A2A) instant payment solution for B2B e-commerce. 0 This new offering complements Mondu's existing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) products, providing a comprehensive payment experience for online business buyers. The European B2B e-commerce market is experiencing explosive growth, projected to reach $2.2 trillion by 2027, almost double the value in 2022. This rapid shift to online sales highlights the increasing demand for more flexible and streamlined payment solutions. As businesses adapt to this digital-first environment, digital B2B payments are becoming a crucial tool. The European B2B BNPL market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 27.5% percent, reaching $256.7 billion by 2029. Mondu's new Pay Now product is the latest addition to its BNPL suite, which includes invoice payments, instalments, and digital trade accounts, creating a holistic proposition that directly addresses market needs. Pay Now allows buyers to pay directly from their bank accounts, providing a secure and streamlined checkout experience. It enables merchants to serve all buyers, whether they are eligible for deferred payments or not. For merchants, this means a hassle-free integration that eliminates the need for a separate A2A payment provider and simplifies reconciliation. Mondu handles risk and fraud checks, provides payment confirmation, and manages all buyer communication, allowing merchants to focus on their business. Malte Huffmann, Co-CEO of Mondu, said, "We've seen immense interest from existing customers in Pay Now. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive payment solution that caters to the evolving needs of B2B buyers and sellers. With Pay Now, we offer a best-in-class experience, combining the flexibility of BNPL with the simplicity of instant payments." In just three years, Mondu has become a prominent player in the European B2B payments industry, working with leading retailers and marketplaces, including Notebooksbilliger, WirMachenDruck, GGM Gastro, Enpal, Autodoc, Solago, and Qogita.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Top Undervalued Small Caps In The European Market With Insider Action
As the European market navigates a period of mixed performance, with the pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index remaining relatively flat amidst ongoing trade discussions and economic adjustments, small-cap stocks present intriguing opportunities for investors. In this environment, identifying stocks that exhibit strong fundamentals and potential for growth can be particularly rewarding, especially when insider activity suggests confidence in their future prospects. Top 10 Undervalued Small Caps With Insider Buying In Europe Name PE PS Discount to Fair Value Value Rating Kitwave Group 13.0x 0.3x 45.16% ★★★★★☆ Instabank 10.2x 2.9x 24.22% ★★★★★☆ Yubico 32.7x 4.7x 11.32% ★★★★☆☆ Hoist Finance 8.9x 1.8x 18.02% ★★★★☆☆ CVS Group 45.1x 1.3x 38.97% ★★★★☆☆ Seeing Machines NA 2.9x 45.04% ★★★★☆☆ A.G. BARR 19.5x 1.8x 46.10% ★★★☆☆☆ NOTE 21.1x 1.4x -8.45% ★★★☆☆☆ FastPartner 17.0x 4.4x -35.94% ★★★☆☆☆ Karnov Group 233.1x 5.0x 27.51% ★★★☆☆☆ Click here to see the full list of 53 stocks from our Undervalued European Small Caps With Insider Buying screener. Let's dive into some prime choices out of from the screener. CVS Group Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: CVS Group operates in the veterinary services industry, providing services through its veterinary practices, laboratories, crematoria, and online retail business, with a market capitalization of approximately £1.32 billion. Operations: The primary revenue streams are Veterinary Practices, Laboratories, and Online Retail Business. The gross profit margin has shown variability over time, with a recent figure of 44.23%. Operating expenses have been significant, particularly in General & Administrative costs. PE: 45.1x CVS Group, a European small-cap company, is currently trading at levels that suggest it might be undervalued. Despite a decline in profit margins from 7.3% to 2.9% over the past year, there's insider confidence reflected in recent share purchases within the last six months. Earnings are projected to grow by 19% annually, although interest payments aren't fully covered by earnings due to reliance on external borrowing for funding. This financial structure presents both opportunities and challenges for future growth potential. Navigate through the intricacies of CVS Group with our comprehensive valuation report here. Explore historical data to track CVS Group's performance over time in our Past section. Alimak Group Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Alimak Group specializes in providing vertical access solutions, including elevators and platforms for industrial and construction sectors, with a market cap of approximately SEK 5.18 billion. Operations: Alimak Group generates revenue primarily through its sales, with a notable gross profit margin trend peaking at 40.81% by mid-2025. The company's cost structure is significantly influenced by the cost of goods sold (COGS), which has shown an upward trajectory over time. Operating expenses, including sales and marketing, research and development, and general administrative costs, also play a crucial role in determining profitability. Net income margins have demonstrated variability but reached 10.11% in mid-2025, indicating improved efficiency in managing expenses relative to revenue growth. PE: 23.1x Alimak Group, a small European company, recently reported improved earnings with net income for Q2 2025 at SEK 184 million, up from SEK 143 million the previous year. Despite stable sales figures around SEK 1.7 billion for both quarters, the company's basic earnings per share rose to SEK 1.74 from SEK 1.35 year-on-year. Insider confidence is evident as Sven Törnkvist increased their stake by purchasing an additional 4,000 shares in June for approximately A$451,440. With earnings projected to grow annually by over 10%, Alimak's prospects appear promising despite its reliance on external borrowing as a funding source. Get an in-depth perspective on Alimak Group's performance by reading our valuation report here. Examine Alimak Group's past performance report to understand how it has performed in the past. BHG Group Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: BHG Group is a leading Nordic online retailer specializing in home improvement and furniture, with a market capitalization of approximately SEK 3.5 billion. Operations: BHG Group generates revenue primarily through sales, with recent figures showing SEK 10.25 billion for the quarter ending June 2025. The company's gross profit margin was noted at 17.12% during this period, indicating a focus on managing cost of goods sold relative to revenue. Operating expenses include significant allocations for general and administrative purposes, totaling SEK 1.09 billion in the same quarter. PE: -11.1x BHG Group, a European small cap, has shown promising financial recovery with net income reaching SEK 75.6 million in Q2 2025, reversing a loss from the previous year. Earnings per share improved to SEK 0.42 from a loss of SEK 0.57. Notably, insider confidence is evident as Martin Leo purchased shares worth over SEK 1 million recently, reflecting potential optimism about future growth prospects despite reliance on external borrowing for funding and anticipated earnings growth of nearly 88% annually. Take a closer look at BHG Group's potential here in our valuation report. Understand BHG Group's track record by examining our Past report. Key Takeaways Navigate through the entire inventory of 53 Undervalued European Small Caps With Insider Buying here. Have you diversified into these companies? Leverage the power of Simply Wall St's portfolio to keep a close eye on market movements affecting your investments. Maximize your investment potential with Simply Wall St, the comprehensive app that offers global market insights for free. Seeking Other Investments? Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include AIM:CVSG OM:ALIG and OM:BHG. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@


GSM Arena
20-07-2025
- Business
- GSM Arena
Deals: Pixel 9 series get discounts, Galaxy Z foldables still on pre-order Comments
European pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7 and Z Flip7 FE have begun


Bloomberg
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Europe's Car Rebels, Cupra and Dacia, Defy a Chinese Onslaught
Investors appear increasingly gloomy about the prospects for European automakers as highly competitive and technologically savvy Chinese rivals target the continent's sluggish car market and gain market share. But they shouldn't overlook a pair of dynamic nonconformist brands — Volkswagen AG's sporty Cupra line and Renault SA's affordable Dacia models — whose success shows it's too soon to write off Europe. Based near Barcelona, Cupra excels in edgy design, while Dacia, headquartered in Romania, builds practical low-priced vehicles. Both offer lessons in how European manufacturers can keep Chinese rivals at bay.