Latest news with #IP
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
RBC Capital Sticks to Their Buy Rating for International Paper Co (IP)
In a report released yesterday, Matt McKellar from RBC Capital maintained a Buy rating on International Paper Co, with a price target of $63.00. The company's shares closed yesterday at $51.29. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. McKellar covers the Basic Materials sector, focusing on stocks such as Clearwater Paper, Mercer International, and Rayonier Advanced Materials. According to TipRanks, McKellar has an average return of 3.5% and a 44.19% success rate on recommended stocks. Currently, the analyst consensus on International Paper Co is a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $57.22, implying an 11.56% upside from current levels. In a report released on July 10, Citi also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $55.00 price target. IP market cap is currently $27.51B and has a P/E ratio of 44.44. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 44 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of IP in relation to earlier this year. Most recently, in May 2025, Holly G. Goughnour, the VP & CAO of IP sold 7,500.00 shares for a total of $336,300.00.
The Wire
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Full Text: How Did Anger Over a Roof Collapse Trigger Serbia's Democratic, Student-Led Protests?
In this episode of her fortnightly podcast Democracy in Question, Shalini Randeria, rector at the Central European University, Vienna, hosts Ivanka Popovic, professor with the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, a scholar of polymer engineering and sustainable development. She was rector of the University of Belgrade (2018-2021) and has been actively involved with the civic initiative ProGlas, which she co-founded in 2023. Their conversation recorded in April 2025 addresses the expanding wave of societal mobilisation in Serbia since November 2024, when a newly renovated railway station roof collapse killed 16 people in Novi Sad. With demands for investigating the culpability of high-ranking politicians being stonewalled by the government, the protests now threaten to shake the foundations of President Aleksandar Vucic's regime, as a student-led movement has recently demanded new elections. The following is an edited excerpt of part 1 (of 2) of the conversation: § Ivanka Popovic (IP): Shalini, I'm grateful for the opportunity to present to a broader audience what is going on in Serbia because it's not getting enough attention. Shalini Randeria (SR): Were you surprised that the collapse of the canopy could ignite such sustained protests all over the country? Or is it that the Novi Sad tragedy can be seen as the last straw, the anger against the cronyism of the Vucic regime? IP: Novi Sad sparked the realisation that all of us are potential victims. It is the shock that no one is safe anywhere because of the shoddiness of the work that is being done all over Serbia, because of the mass corruption, because the money going into any construction is minimal compared to what is formally being invested. The initial response was of deep sorrow and condolences to the families of the victims. Some students who were paying their respects were attacked by a group of hooligans that were later recognised to be active members of the ruling party. That was the trigger when the students said, enough is enough. They drew back into their faculties. They blocked the buildings. They said they would not attend classes, and they came out with four requests. They wanted accountability for those who participated in the project of the Novi Sad reconstruction, accountability of those who attacked them, and of those who have been arresting peaceful protestors and students and jailing them and charging them with criminal charges. So, it was the students' cry for a normal functioning of the state with rule of law and independent institutions. These demands have been massively supported by the population. The students have kept it a nameless protest just to keep themselves safe from persecution. They don't want to give a face to the protest, they want to have everyone participating in it. SR: But it isn't easy to mobilise citizens in Serbia as the Vucic regime maintains complete control of the media. Could you describe how the students have nevertheless managed to spread their message so successfully throughout the country? And how did they bridge the urban-rural divide to garner the support of villagers, farmers? IP: Initially, everything that the students were doing was only covered by the independent press and media [which] in Serbia do not have national coverage. The media with national coverage are controlled by the government. People outside of Belgrade in smaller towns and villages didn't know what was going on. This changed when the students started marching from town to town taking the local roads and speaking to villagers to explain what they were doing and why. And they were cheered on and very well received. The turning point was when some of the students went home for the Christmas-New Year break. Many of their parents or grandparents, who only watched state-controlled TV, didn't know what was going on or were disturbed that their children were engaged in anti-state activities. But when the students started elaborating, things started to change. And when these marches started, a broader base of support was developing. And it wasn't just Belgrade and Novi Sad that were protesting, but also other cities with universities, smaller towns. You really had a mass uprising of discontent. And this was not something led by opposition political parties. It was truly a citizens' movement asking for change. SR: Remarkably, the momentum of protests has been sustained undeterred despite severe, brutal repression by government forces. What has this broad countrywide mobilisation been able to achieve during the past half a year? IP: Six months into this, none of the demands of the students have been met. There have been only some cosmetic moves by the government. The ruling party has also stooped to violence. Students have been beaten, they have been rammed by moving cars and threatened and there have been some very serious injuries. A young female student was bludgeoned with a baseball bat; this did provoke the resignation of the Serbian prime minister. Now in April there is a new government, but it is just a continuation of the old. But it is even more clear in its message that no dissent will be tolerated. Prolonged protests are becoming an embarrassment to the president because the students have clearly stated that the president is acting outside of what he's legally [allowed] as president to do. SR: Nevertheless, the demonstrations have only grown in size and number. In March alone, there were some 400 protests across Serbia and the largest demonstration in Belgrade on March 15 saw more than 300,000 people on the streets demanding justice, transparency and punishment for the culprits. IP: It was a very peaceful protest that was interrupted by use of a sonic weapon. The exact origins of this sonic weapon are not clear. There has been a really farcical explanation by the government; the forensics have been done by the Russian FSB, the security services. And these security services have claimed that no sonic weapon was used, but that this was a very well-orchestrated group performance using mobile phones. This is nonsense. More than 3,000 people have reported either psychological or medical issues after this incident. SR: Let's situate the current protests in a broader historical context. Serbia has a long tradition of societal mobilisation, and also of student protests. The current wave is being compared to the student-led protests in 1968. And then again in the late 1990s, Serbia saw mass rallies by students against the Milosevic regime. It took almost three years to topple the Milosevic regime and send him to trial for war crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Could you talk about this longer history of student-led protests and the role of universities in Serbia and the former Yugoslavia as focal points of social protests? Is there anything distinctive about the current protests? IP: You're right that there is a tradition. Once in a generation or a generation and a half, the students play a very important role in societal events in Serbia. In 1968, this was not a reflection of what was going on in Paris or Berlin. It was something that was related to a call for justice within a socialist regime. And this was a very important time. It also formed a generation of young people with open minds. They were the parents of those who demonstrated in the nineties against the Milosevic regime. There the trigger was election fraud. Opposition parties and the students together eventually brought about the change in October 2000. The students have not currently pointed toward irregularities in elections. Students are talking about potential elections and what we have seen in the past few elections. Vucic likes to hold elections every two years. He shows that he's in control and that he has majority support. But it's also a practical exercise because every time his grip and control of the electoral machine are becoming stronger. He has gone deeply into the electoral software where he can control the voting lists. He also has very good control of the polling stations. And we have seen a massive movement of voters within Serbia where people are being reinstated in another municipality. He has also been importing voters from Bosnia, from Montenegro, giving them citizenship, so they can vote. There has been a lot of manipulation, and some investigative NGOs realised the extent of how this scheme of rigging elections functions. And that's why any future election in Serbia is pointless unless we have a significant change in conditions of voting. Vucic will allow elections only if he's sure that he can win them. SR: Let me turn to the question of what university life has been like over the last six months. Decision-making on the course of protests by students has been the result of open discussions in a very democratic fashion in various faculties across universities in the country. Could you describe the daily assemblies, where decisions are being made? IP: They're practicing direct democracy through the operation of a plenum, which means that students gather, they discuss and make majority decisions. But because each has the right to speak and propose, these meetings take a long time. It's a slow process for making decisions and sometimes there is a time limit to these protests. If there's an incident where it's very important that the students should go to the national TV station and block it, they will be there within hours. But in order to make these political articulations, these are really long, tedious talks. First at the faculty level, then at the university level and if we're going to make a unanimous decision at the national level, that means amongst universities there must be agreement. So, the students are going through a wonderful education in democracy and active citizenship in life. I think it's commendable, it's wonderful. But I would say for some of the citizens, it's nerve-wracking because people who are older, with more experience, who remember the previous protests and the fact that they were not successful are really worrying. SR: If I understand correctly, normal life in universities has come to a standstill. Students have received a lot of support from faculty members and have been blocking faculties at state universities from functioning. And it seems as if this academic year may have to be written off. Schoolteachers also supported the countrywide protests. And unsurprisingly, the government has declared the students 'foreign agents' to discredit them. Could you say something about harsh punitive measures imposed by the government on faculty members? It looks as if this will also turn into a very important struggle for academic freedom and for the autonomy of universities. IP: Universities in Serbia have played very important roles in societal changes. This ruling party is anti-knowledge, anti-intellectual, anti-elite. They would like a very submissive population. In primary and secondary schools, you have short-term contracts. And there have been cuts in salaries for teachers, but they have been carrying this with great dignity. But it's not easy for months to receive no salary or only part of the salary. And this has also happened now with the university, but in a way that cuts into the essence of what a university is. The government has passed regulation that 85% of university professors' time should be devoted to teaching and 15% to research. And as there is no teaching going on (which is not true, there is no formal teaching but within the faculties, you've had workshops, panel discussions) salaries are cut to 15%. University professors are living from salary to salary. It's something that will undermine the protests. SR: So, the government is trying to turn universities into mere teaching machines to impart technical skills, but it no longer wishes to support independent research. What are the other legal changes introduced by the government to undermine institutional autonomy and to pressure faculty into submission? IP: Being turned into teaching institutions alone severely undermines the definition of being a university. Teaching and research together are extremely important. I'm really worried that this is a systematic approach to having complete control over universities. The ruling party since 2017 has been tweaking laws related to university operations. There's a law on student organising, there are laws on higher education that have endangered the autonomy of the university as we know it. Universities and faculties have councils, which now have a majority of representatives of the state. Before these student protests, students were also the weak link and were being utilised by the government to form a coalition against the academic part of these councils. So, it was sort of a stranglehold over universities. Now, of course, with the students playing a different role, this is not as easy. But the government is willing to strangle and starve the university out of operation. The previous minister of education even called on deans to invite police into the faculties so that they could kick students out of faculties. The government wants to break the back of universities. They want to put them in a position of submission that [one where] their only job is to do some teaching that will provide maybe skills, but not the capacity of critical thinking. The academic community wholeheartedly supports the students. But if you deprive them of their livelihood for a longer period, you're putting them in an impossible position where they have to choose between the wellbeing of their children and the wellbeing of their institution. It's a very nasty game that is being played now. Faculties are being bullied across the board in any way that the government thinks is possible. SR: And the latest episode in the series of attacks against universities and their leadership took place on Easter, when charges were brought against the rector of your university. Could you talk about the background to this latest attempt to quell the protests? IP: In its inability to pinpoint student leaders, the government has turned toward the rector of the University of Belgrade. It labeled him the leader of the protests! A very small group of government-influenced students have brought criminal charges against the rector. He was held in the police station for almost three hours, and in the meantime, thousands and thousands of members of the academic community gathered in front of this police station to show their support. After this, the rector was invited by the prime minister for talks, which again implies that the rector is the head of the protest. Being a responsible man, the rector complied and went with two of his vice rectors to this meeting. This meeting didn't bear any fruit and there was a statement issued by the University of Belgrade after this meeting saying that it was an unproductive meeting that did not lead to any constructive dialogue toward the overcoming of the students' requests and demands. One day later the prime minister wants to continue these talks. But there is a second criminal charge brought against the rector, so he had to inform the prime minister that he cannot come to this meeting because he, again, has to report to the police. SR: So, the government seems to be trying to delegitimise the protestors and divide the students by instrumentalising some of them to file a case against the rector of their own university for violating their right to education? How has this tactic by the regime affected the course of the protests? IP: It's clear that the protesting students have a very democratic way of making decisions. And if the majority of the students wanted to stop the blockade, they would vote for this. Students that are cooperating with the government are a very tiny minority, and they're being well rewarded for their efforts allegedly. Meanwhile, the students have realised that there must be a political articulation to their demands. Obviously, the way they set it up as a citizens' and student protest, requiring the system to work according to law and the constitution, is not bearing any results. Their first demand has been that the national broadcasting authority should renew the members of its board because it is this authority that is allowing the national media to support the government and not allowing independent media to be heard at a national level. SR: Mundane, though tragic events can act as a trigger for citizens to mobilise against the rampant corruption of soft authoritarian regimes marked by cronyism and lack of accountability. The courageous Serbian students have shown that principled commitment to the cause of democracy combined with creativity and the refusal to compromise on ideals can be a formidable weapon of the weak against even a well-entrenched regime and its repressive apparatus. It remains to be seen whether students, professors and other social groups that have stood with them, including schoolteachers, lawyers and farmers, will have enough strength to resist economic pressures, punitive measures and state violence. Opposition parties' involvement in fresh elections remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: by choosing solidarity and tenacity over submission and apathy, the Serbian protestors have rekindled the utopian spirit of radical democracy in an age when many have thought it had been snuffed out by soft authoritarian rulers using a mix of legal measures and police brutality.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why F5 Networks (FFIV) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Many investors also have a go-to methodology that helps guide their buy and sell decisions. One way to find winning stocks based on your preferred way of investing is to use the Zacks Style Scores, which are indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing types: value, growth, and momentum. For growth investors, a company's financial strength, overall health, and future outlook take precedence, so they'll want to zero in on the Growth Style Score. This Score examines things like projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will generate sustainable growth over time. Seattle, WA-based F5 Networks Inc, founded in 1996, provides products and services to manage Internet traffic worldwide. Its application, delivery and networking products improve performance, availability and security of applications running on networks that use the Internet Protocol (IP). FFIV boasts a Growth Style Score of B and VGM Score of B, and holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating. Its bottom-line is projected to rise 9.1% year-over-year for 2025, while Wall Street anticipates its top line to improve by 7.1% Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.03 to $14.58 per share. FFIV also boasts an average earnings surprise of 11%. On a historic basis, F5 Networks has generated cash flow growth of 5.1%, and is expected to report cash flow expansion of 16.7% this year. FFIV should be on investors' short lists because of its impressive growth fundamentals, a good Zacks Rank, and strong Growth and VGM Style Scores. 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 F5, Inc. (FFIV) : 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
NDTV
13-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
IP University Announces New 3-Year LLB Program, Application Starts July 18
IP New 3-Year LLB Program 2025: Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), New Delhi has announced the introduction of a new three-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program. The program will commence from the academic session 2025-2026, aiming to provide quality law education to students. Students will be able to enroll in three law institutes of the IP university, namely: University School of Law & Legal Studies (USLLS), Dwarka Campus, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies (VIPS), Pitampura, Delhi Chandraprabhu Jain College (CPJ College), Narela, Delhi. A total of 180 seats will be available with 60 seats for each institute. Candidates will be able to fill the application form for the program starting from July 18, 2025. Eligibility Criteria For The Program Student applying for the program must have passed graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 50 per cent marks. The admission will be done based on the merit rank achieved by the student in the Common Entrance Test (CET). The CET will test the candidates' ability in Language and Comprehension (25 questions), General Knowledge and Current Affairs (25 questions) and Basic Understanding of Law and Legal Reasoning for 50 questions. Seat Allocation 85 per cent Seats will be allotted to Delhi Region Candidates, those who have passed the qualifying examination from any school/college situated in Delhi. The rest 15 per cent will be reserved for candidates from outside Delhi. Students will be required to pay a prescribed fee of Rs. 2500 to fill the application form. Students can check the detailed notification regarding the New 3-Year LLB program here, " 3-Year LLB Program".
Web Release
12-07-2025
- Business
- Web Release
commitment to expanding international partnerships sUAE reaffirmand support its contribution to innovation IPto develop
H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, led the UAE delegation at the 66th series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The meetings commenced at the Organization's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and will continue until 17 July. H.E. Bin Touq emphasized that, under the visionary leadership of the UAE, the country has established a world-class intellectual property (IP) protection system, which serves as a cornerstone of its knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. He highlighted the UAE's comprehensive strategy to modernize IP legislation and policies, ensuring robust frameworks for trademarks, creative works, and innovations that not only safeguard intellectual property but also actively promote its development and growth. H.E. said: 'Over recent years, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism has spearheaded strategic initiatives to foster innovation and safeguard creative ideas, most notably through our comprehensive national IP system. This pioneering framework streamlines procedures, accelerates service delivery across all IP applications, raises awareness about creators' rights protection, and delivers a seamless stakeholder experience in line with international best practices.' Furthermore, H.E. highlighted the launch of the Green IP initiative – a national program aimed at fast-tracking patent examinations for sustainable technologies, underscoring the UAE's commitment to circular economy principles and eco-innovation. He also emphasized ongoing efforts to develop domestic expertise, including the trademark registration agent accreditation program conducted in partnership with the Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA). Additionally, H.E. announced a pioneering initiative to establish an intangible assets financing framework, creating a standardized IP valuation system to improve funding access and liquidity for selected SMEs and startups in the digital and technology sectors. 'The UAE has also introduced a pioneering collective license management system for music rights — a landmark regulatory advancement that brings structure to the entire music value chain, including composition, songwriting, performance, production, and publishing. The Emirates Music Rights Association was awarded the first license, followed by Music Nation. This strategic move aims to foster the sector's growth and develop a knowledge-based creative economy driven by innovation,' H.E. Bin Touq added. In addition, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the UAE's launch of its first Geographical Indications system — a historic initiative that formally protects distinctive national products tied to specific regions in the country. The inaugural registration phase recognizes four iconic products embodying the UAE's cultural and geographical identity: honey from the Hatta region; ceramics from the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah; Dabbas dates from the Al Dhafra region; and traditional palm frond products crafted across various emirates, reflecting the nation's rich artisanal heritage. His Excellency added: 'We firmly believe that intellectual property serves as a fundamental catalyst for enhancing the UAE's competitiveness and sustaining its long-term growth. Therefore, we are actively expanding our international partnerships by joining key global treaties and agreements related to intellectual property. Notable among these are the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, the Budapest Treaty, which fosters a supportive research environment in the field of microorganisms, and the Strasbourg Agreement concerning the International Patent Classification. These steps have contributed to improving the efficiency of the national intellectual property system, expanding the scope of international protection it offers.' His Excellency emphasized the importance of concluding negotiations on the adoption of the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations Treaty and the treaties on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, following the successful adoption of the Genetic Resources Treaty and the Riyadh Design Law Treaty. He reaffirmed the UAE's full support for the organization's ongoing efforts in this regard. The UAE is actively considering the proposal to host an external office of WIPO in the country, in line with its status as a regional and global hub for innovation and technology. His Excellency further underscored the importance of advancing dialogue on the inclusion of the Arabic language within the Madrid System, as this would foster greater linguistic diversity and empower Arabic-speaking communities to fully access and benefit from the Organization's services. The Minister of Economy and Tourism concluded his remarks by reaffirming the UAE's commitment to continuing constructive cooperation with the Organization and its member states to strengthen international IP protection, support the growth of creative economies around the world, and keep pace with the digital transformations in this vital sector. UAE's IP sector continues to achieve record-breaking results His Excellency reviewed key indicators demonstrating the continued growth of the UAE's national IP system. He highlighted that by the end of May 2025, the total number of registered national and international trademarks exceeded 385,774. In addition, registered IP works recorded a growth of 33.23 per cent during the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2024. In 2024, the Ministry recorded an increase in the total number of national and international trademark registration applications, which reached 33,874 from 31,288 in 2023, representing an 8 per cent growth. Furthermore, the number of registered trademarks nearly doubled during the same year, rising to 31,535 from 16,712 in 2023, achieving an impressive 89 per cent growth. Between January and May 2025, a total of 15,179 new trademarks were registered. Regarding copyrights, the UAE recorded a 28.93 per cent increase in IP registrations in 2024, reaching a total of 2,763 IP works compared to 2,143 in 2023. This growth highlights the rising public awareness on the importance of protecting authors' rights, as well as the increasing confidence of creators and innovators in the country's legislative framework. Recent indicators also show sustained growth in the industrial property sector, driven by enhanced legislations and streamlined procedures. The number of patent and utility certificate applications increased to 3,622 in 2024, compared to 3,415 in 2023, reflecting a 6 per cent growth. From January to May 2025, applications saw a further increase of 19.43 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. As for industrial designs, the number of applications grew from 1,134 in 2023 to 1,252 in 2024, reflecting an annual growth of 10.41 per cent. The sector witnessed a remarkable 70 per cent surge in design applications during the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, highlighting the UAE's attractive investment environment and the growing interest of companies and inventors in protecting their innovations.
