Latest news with #Firefly
CNBC
12 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
Firefly Aerospace sets IPO range that would value rocket maker at $5.5 billion
Firefly Aerospace will price shares at $35 to $39 each in its upcoming initial public offering, a deal that would value the rocket maker at about $5.5 billion. The Texas-based space company said in an updated prospectus Monday that it's planning to sell about 16.2 million shares. The offering could raise up to $631.8 million. Earlier this month, Firefly filed its plans to go public on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "FLY." Its debut comes amid a renewed push in the space race, as billionaire-led companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX funnel more money into space activities and startups try their luck at the public markets. Space tech firm Voyager went public in June, while reusable rocket developer Innovative Rocket Technologies said it plans to debut through a $400 million special purpose acquisition company merger. Firefly's public market launch also coincides with a revival in IPO activity as debilitating interest rates and an overhang from President Donald Trump's tariff plans begin to clear. Design software company Figma is slated to go public this week after raising its range. Firefly makes rockets, space tugs and lunar landers, including satellite launching rockets known as Alpha. At the end of March, the company reported a sixfold jump in revenue from $8.3 million a year ago to $55.9 million. The company also reported a net loss of about $60.1 million, up from a loss of $52.8 million a year ago, and said its backlog totaled about $1.1 billion. Some of Firefly's major backers include AE Industrial Partners, which led an early investing round in the company. Defense contractor Northrop Grumman invested $50 million in the startup this May, and Firefly says it has collaborated with Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and NASA.
Tom's Guide
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Bella Ramsey talks about role in 'The Last of Us' season 3 and Neil Druckmann's exit
Changes are afoot for 'The Last of Us' season 3. For one (spoiler warning!), a pretty major character met their maker in the second season, but that's not the only cast shuffle the post-apocalyptic HBO hit has in store for fans. Based on the seminal action-adventure video game developed by Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann (more on him in a minute!) for Naughty Dog, the survivalist drama has been thus far following the harrowing journey of Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey), an orphaned teenage girl who discovered she was immune from the zombie-forming Cordyceps brain infection that had devastated mankind around her. However, for the show's third installment, protagonist duties will instead be filled by Bella's rival Abby Anderson (played by Kaitlyn Dever), the former Firefly and surgeon's daughter who brutally exacted revenge against Ellie's father figure, Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), in 'TLOU' season 2. The third season will rewind from that explosive confrontation and show how Abby and the Washington Liberation Front got to that game-changing moment. As for relinquishing their main character energy for the upcoming season, series star Bella Ramsey discussed the changes on a July 2025 episode of the Variety Awards Circuit podcast. They said of her character's involvement in the new episodes: 'I sort of know, but I can't tell you, I'm afraid.' Ramsey was a bit more forthcoming discussing behind-the-scenes change-ups for season 3, the most notable being the already announced exit of 'The Last of Us' game creator and series executive producer Neil Druckmann. 'The world of 'The Last of Us' is his creation, and so his voice and creative input. It doesn't just go away in season 3 because he's not as actively involved,' the actor said of Druckmann's departure. 'It will always be his creation. And we're always in everything that we do, honoring the game and Neil's creation. He'll definitely be missed on set. But his spirit is the story.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Druckmann explained his exit in a statement earlier this month: 'I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in 'The Last of Us' on HBO. With work completed on season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.' Continued Druckmann: 'Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful of the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and their continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II. I look forward to HBO and PlayStation Productions continuing Ellie and Abby's story next season.' Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
‘That cliffhanger was evil!' 7 amazing shows fans vow were cancelled too early
TV shows being cancelled left, right, and centre feels like an all-too regular occurrence nowadays. However, just because an exhilarating thriller or a world-bending sci-fi series might have been axed before it could have a satisfying ending, that doesn't mean we can't still appreciate them years later. Metro readers have shared their favourite shows that they feel should have had at least one more season – and their answers are bursting with passion. From a beloved Netflix zombie comedy to a BBC historical drama, these are programmes that not only were cherished by their audiences but have also stood the test of time. Of course, we at Metro also shared our favourite TV picks that ended way too early below, which we can't help but still be extremely sour about. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. If you want to join the discussion, you can do so on our Facebook page – otherwise, read on to discover the seven shows chosen by our readers that deserved better. When TV fans discuss shows that were ended abruptly but deserved to be on air for longer, Firefly is frequently mentioned. 'Firefly deserved 10 more seasons,' Metro reader Nazni Ali remarked. The space Western drama starring Nathan Fillion as Serenity captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds originally premiered in 2002, and only aired for one season. Yet its legacy has lived on for over two decades. One fan called Lee Luntley said that while they'd 'love' to see more Firefly in future, 'if it doesn't capture the same magic as before then it's a bad move'. Firefly is available to stream on Disney Plus. The passion for Santa Clarita Diet cannot be overstated. Starring Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore, the show follows a couple whose lives are turned upside down when it emerges that Sheila (Drew) is showing signs of becoming a zombie, and therefore develops a bloodthirsty appetite. The show – which has been described as 'brilliant', 'weird' and 'genius' in equal measure – abruptly ended after just three seasons, and fans are still bitter about it. 'At least Firefly got a film as an ending, Santa Clarita Diet deserves the same,' Metro reader Paul Ingra quipped, while Heather Louise McDonald added: 'Santa Clarita Diet deserves more than it got.' Santa Clarita Diet is available to stream on Netflix. 'Save the cheerleader, save the world.' Those six simple words captured audiences around the world when Heroes premiered almost 20 years ago, in 2006. The first season boasted an average of 14 million viewers, and it's still regarded as top-tier television. There have been attempts to revive Heroes following its initial 2010 cancellation. In 2015, a spin-off series called Heroes Reborn was released, and it's been claimed that another titled Heroes: Eclipsed is in development. Nonetheless, fans, including Jimi O'Doherty, wish there had been at least one more season of the original series. 'Wish they did volume 5 Brave New World,' they wrote. Heroes is available to buy on Prime Video. Metro's TV Editor Sabrina Barr shares the shows that she's personally gutted were axed before their time. Agent Carter It's been almost a decade, and I'm still heartbroken that Agent Carter was brushed to one side after just two seasons. As a Marvel superfan, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) instantly became one of my favourite characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe when she made her debut in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger. Following the presumed death of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Peggy is heartbroken, but jumps into action – and that's where Agent Carter picks up. It was a brilliant continuation of her story, and it's gutting that it was cut short. Agent Carter is available to stream on Disney Plus. 1899 I still haven't had a chance to watch Netflix's thriller series Dark yet. However, I did manage to catch 1899, a drama made by the same creators, Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, and it blew my mind to smithereens. At first, it seemed as though it was just going to be a chilling period drama set on an eerie ship. But there is so much more to it than that… and I'm wary of revealing too much for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. All I'll say is – if you enjoy a psychological thriller, period dramas, sci-fis, a brilliant ensemble cast where characters from different countries who might have never met cross paths, then you're in for a treat. 1899 is available to stream on Netflix. Glow I'm a sucker for stories set in the 80s, and I love a fantastic female-led ensemble cast. So the minute I saw a glimpse of Glow, I knew that it'd be right up my street. I'll profess – I didn't know much about wrestling beforehand, and I'm still nowhere near an expert. But learning about the 'Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling' gave me a stronger appreciation for the sport, and made me want to find out more. It's such a shame that Glow was cancelled due to Covid, and that it couldn't be resuscitated. I will continue to hold it hope that even six years later, it could have legs in the future. Glow is available to stream on Netflix. Shadow and Bone As a devout fantasy fan, Shadow and Bone mesmerised every ounce of me. I haven't read the books (they're on my To Be Read list), but I had every faith in the show, and I wasn't left disappointed. The disappointment did come, however, when Netflix confirmed that season two would be its last, despite ending on a huge cliffhanger. What's more, this meant that the previously announced spin-off Six of Crows was also no longer going forward. If you've ever stumbled upon a Netflix post on Instagram and wondered why so many people are urging the streaming site to save Shadow and Bone, give it a watch and discover for yourself. Shadow and Bone is available to stream on Netflix. The Last Kingdom is an exception on this list, as the story did conclude in a feature-length film titled The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, which was released on Netflix in 2023. However, for some fans, that didn't suffice. 'Would have preferred another series rather than Seven Kings Must Die,' Metro reader Michael Webb quipped about the show. The historical drama originally premiered on BBC Two in 2015, before moving to Netflix for its final three seasons. The Last Kingdom is available to stream on Netflix. Lockwood and Co. had a lot of promise. So much so that one of the lead actors, Ruby Stokes, stepped away from her role on Bridgerton to commit to the project. Despite the acclaim it received from critics and fans alike, the supernatural detective series was cancelled after just one season. 'Netflix couldn't even explain their decision with any conviction 'It was one of our top-rated shows ever, but the decision was made to not greenlight season two and concentrate on making new quality content',' Kirsty Sparkman fumed while speculating over the thought process behind the decision.. Macy Macleod added that they've 'never forgiven' those who decided Lockwood and Co. would be axed. Lockwood and Co. is available to stream on Netflix. Pushing Daisies is another TV show that fans will often bring up as an example of a series that not only was cancelled too soon, but also deserves a comeback. Starring Lee Pace, Anna Friel and Kristin Chenoweth among the stacked cast, the comedy-drama is about a pie-maker called Ned (Lee) who has the ability to bring dead things back to life, and uses the unusual skill to solve murder cases. The ending of the show was altered when the creators knew that it was being cancelled, to try and provide fans with a satisfying ending. But several people admitted that they felt as though it was rushed. 'Pushing Daisies, that cliffhanger was evil!' Vicky Cosgrove wrote in frustration. Pushing Daisies is available to buy on Prime Video. There are a plethora of sci-fi shows to choose from when you're looking for a new programme to binge on streaming, but one that stands out among fans is Dark Matter. More Trending Not to be mixed up with the series of the same name that premiered on Apple TV Plus last year, the 2015 space-based drama Dark Matter lasted for three seasons. 'Dark Matter deserved season four on Syfy. Syfy cancelled it after three seasons, even though season three was the build-up for season four. Stupid,' a Metro reader going by the name SaveHolbycity David stated. Dee Lever-Johns listed Dark Matter among a list of other sci-fi and fantasy shows that have had premature ends, including Killjoys, Shadow and Bone, Warrior Nun and Lockwood and Co., adding: 'Yet they keep some total rubbish on TV.' View More » Dark Matter is available to stream on Apple TV Plus and Prime Video. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Comedy hailed as 'the best show on TV right now' is cancelled after 4 seasons MORE: Adolescence star Ashley Walters was 'basically banned from US due to criminal record' MORE: TV fans convinced heart-racing Netflix thriller shows 'Suranne Jones at her best'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Will Cost Control Measures Help NIO Achieve Its Break-Even Target?
NIO Inc. NIO has been implementing a comprehensive set of cost-cutting and efficiency-improvement measures to achieve profitability. The company has systematically reviewed all projects and organizational functions and halted or delayed initiatives that are unlikely to yield a return on investment within the enhance operational efficiency, NIO introduced the Veeco product line, an integrated R&D mechanism combining resources from its NIO, ONVO and Firefly brands. Similarly, in its industrialization cluster, NIO restructured logistics, quality and supply-chain functions by eliminating overlapping roles and optimizing workflows. Sales and service teams have also undergone performance-driven consolidated roles and responsibilities across back-end departments to boost productivity and reduce operational costs. These collective efforts are expected to reflect in improved results starting from the second has set specific cost-reduction targets. It planned to lower R&D spending by 15% in the second quarter, with a further goal of reducing the expense to RMB 2-2.5 billion by the fourth quarter, indicating a decline of 20-25% year over year. Meanwhile, the company is exercising strict control over SG&A expenses, balancing marketing investments against returns and plans to reduce these costs sequentially. By the fourth quarter, NIO targets non-GAAP SG&A expenses to be within 10% of its revenues as part of the broader breakeven target. NIO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Cost Optimization Strategies of NIO's Peers XPeng Inc. XPEV recorded seven straight months of vehicle margin improvements in the first quarter of 2025, driven mainly by ongoing cost-cutting initiatives and the benefits of economies of scale. With projected production growth and stronger volume potential in the third and fourth quarters, XPeng anticipates achieving greater scale, which should further reduce cost allocations and boost vehicle margins. XPeng expects its overall gross margin to approach the high-teens range, positioning it to reach profitability by the fourth the first quarter of 2025, Li Auto's LI SG&A expenses declined 15% year over year. This reduction was mainly caused by lower employee compensation, enhanced operational efficiency and reduced spending on marketing and promotions. Li Auto is realizing significant cost savings as its partners become more capable and engage in closer collaboration. NIO's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates NIO has outperformed the Zacks Automotive-Domestic industry year to date. Its shares have gained 10.8% compared with the industry's growth of 3.3%. YTD Price Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation perspective, NIO appears overvalued. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 0.63, higher than the industry's 0.45. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research NIO's EPS Estimates Revision The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 EPS has moved up 16 cents in the past 60 days. The same for 2026 EPS has moved down a penny in the past 30 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report NIO Inc. (NIO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Li Auto Inc. Sponsored ADR (LI) : Free Stock Analysis Report XPeng Inc. Sponsored ADR (XPEV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Here's Why Nio Stock Is a Buy Before September
Key Points Nio's stock still trades far below its IPO price. Its valuations are being compressed by the trade tensions with China. It could skyrocket if it weathers those headwinds and scales up its business. 10 stocks we like better than Nio › Nio (NYSE: NIO), a major producer of electric vehicles (EVs) in China, has been a disappointing investment over the past few years. Its stock currently trades at about $5 compared to its initial public offering (IPO) price of $6.26 per American depositary share (ADS) in September 2018 and its record closing price of $62.84 in February 2021. Nio initially impressed the bulls with its soaring deliveries, and the buying frenzy in meme stocks amplified those gains. However, its stock pulled back as its deliveries slowed down, and it racked up steep losses. Rising rates drove investors back toward safer investments. The trade war between the U.S. and China made its stock even less appealing. But as Warren Buffett famously said, investors should be "greedy when others are fearful," and there's a lot of fear baked into its current stock price. Let's take a contrarian view and see why Nio's stock could be worth buying ahead of its second-quarter report in early September. 1. Its battery-swapping network is expanding Nio produces a wide range of electric sedans and SUVs under its namesake brand. Its newer Onvo and Firefly sub-brands sell cheaper SUVs and compact cars, respectively. It differentiates its vehicles from other Chinese EVs with its swappable batteries, which can be quickly swapped out at its power swap stations as a faster alternative to traditional chargers. Its drivers can pay for those battery swaps on an individual basis or subscribe to a "battery as a service" (BaaS) plan for lower rates. At the end of June, Nio operated 3,445 power swap stations across China and Europe. That's up from just 777 stations at the end of 2021. Expanding that network is a capital-intensive effort, but it should increase the stickiness of its brand, widen its moat against its competitors, and plant the seeds for higher-margin recurring BaaS revenues. It's also been working with several major investors, including China's battery-making giant CATL, to fund the future growth of that network. 2. Its deliveries are rising Nio's annual deliveries more than doubled in 2020 and 2021 but only grew 34% in 2022 and 31% in 2023. That slowdown -- which it attributed to tougher competition, macroheadwinds in China, and adverse weather conditions -- spooked a lot of its investors. But in 2024, its annual deliveries rose 39% to 221,970 vehicles. That growth was driven by its robust sales of Nio ET series sedans and Onvo SUVs in China, which boosted its domestic market share against its rivals, as well as its ongoing expansion into Europe. Nio's deliveries rose 40% year over year to 42,094 vehicles in 2025's Q1. In the first half of the year, its total deliveries increased nearly 31% year over year to 114,150 vehicles as its new Onvo and Firefly brands attracted more budget-conscious consumers. Those rising deliveries indicate Nio still has plenty of room to expand in China and Europe in the coming years even if its days of doubling its annual deliveries are over. For 2025, analysts expect Nio's revenue to rise 37% to 90.2 billion yuan ($12.6 billion). From 2024 to 2027, they expect its revenue to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26% to 132.7 billion yuan ($18.5 billion) as it continues to roll out new vehicles. 3. Its vehicle margins are stabilizing Nio's annual vehicle margin reached a record high of 20.1% in 2021, but it plummeted to 9.5% in 2023 as it grappled with the pricing war in China's EV market and inflationary headwinds. But in 2024, its vehicle margin rose to 12.3% as it sold a higher mix of Nio's premium sedans, diluted its production costs, and streamlined its other expenses. Nio expects its namesake brand to maintain a vehicle margin of "around 15%" for 2025's Q2. That stability should offset some of the pressure from its lower-margin Onvo and Firefly brands. It probably won't come anywhere close to achieving a 20% vehicle margin again, but its vehicle margins should continue to stabilize as economies of scale kick in. That's why analysts expect Nio to narrow its net loss from 22.7 billion yuan ($3.2 billion) in 2024 to 7.6 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) in 2027. They also expect its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to turn positive by the final year. 4. Its valuation looks dirt cheap Lastly, Nio still trades at a deep discount to its growth potential presumably because the tariffs and trade tensions are driving investors away from Chinese stocks. With an enterprise value of 67.9 billion yuan ($9.5 billion), it trades at just 0.8 times this year's sales. For reference, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) trades at 10.9 times this year's sales. So if you expect Nio's business to stabilize with narrowing losses as the trade tensions wane, it might be a great idea to accumulate this unloved stock before it posts its Q2 earnings report. Any good news could force investors to revalue its shares and send them soaring much higher. Should you buy stock in Nio right now? Before you buy stock in Nio, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Nio wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $634,627!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,046,799!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,037% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Here's Why Nio Stock Is a Buy Before September was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
