Latest news with #MEL
Morocco World
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Experts Gather at UM6P to Bridge Research and Policy on Climate, Education, Jobs
Rabat – The Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Rabat brought together researchers, policymakers, and international experts for a major conference focused on how scientific research can help create better public policies in Morocco. The event was organized in partnership with the Morocco Innovation and Evaluation Lab (MEL) and explored the theme: 'Research in the Service of Development: Climate Change, Education, and Employment in Morocco.' The conference aimed to show how research and evidence can be used to guide decisions, especially in areas that matter most for Morocco's future: climate change and agriculture, education, and employment. These are also the main fields where MEL is currently supporting pilot projects and evaluations across the country. In his opening speech, UM6P President Hicham El Habti shared his vision for the role of research in society. He spoke of the importance of connecting science with action, noting that Morocco's development challenges – climate change, education, and employment – are deeply connected. UM6P President Hicham El Habti 'We often list them as separate priorities, but in reality, they are deeply interconnected. The way we educate influences who gains employment, the jobs we create affect how we manage our land and water, and how we respond to climate stress will challenge every institution we have,' El Habti explained. In this respect, he said we must stop treating complex issues with simple solutions. Habti explained that MEL's goal is not just to produce more analysis, but to serve as a bridge between research and real decisions. The aim is 'to build a culture where decision-making is informed by more than instinct,' but guided by evidence turned into decisions that are 'politically possible, socially inclusive and technically sound.' Evidence-based education reform Following the president's speech, Morocco's Minister of Education, Mohamed Saad Berrada, spoke about the crucial role of evidence in shaping effective and lasting education reforms. 'We are now convinced that when properly used, evidence is much more than just a technical tool. It is a major lever for sustainable transformation in Moroccan education and for the development of our country,' Berrada said. Morocco's Minister of Education, Mohamed Saad Berrada, While acknowledging the challenges of running evaluations during ongoing reforms, due to logistical and organizational complexities, he admitted the importance of having a reliable system to guide decisions. 'We chose to take on this challenge in order to have a reliable compass that allows us to quickly adjust what needs to be adjusted, while maintaining the momentum of reform and ensuring steady progress year after year,' the minister explained. 'We must act fast on climate' Keynote speaker Esther Duflo, Nobel Prize-winning economist, MIT professor, and co-founder of the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), focused on how to design smart, effective policies in a world facing climate change. Duflo said that climate change is especially dangerous for low- and middle-income countries like Morocco. These countries are already very hot and dry, and as the planet warms, they will face even more extreme heat, which is harmful to both health and agriculture, she explained. She also pointed out that poor people suffer the most from climate change, because they often work outside and lack basic protections like air conditioning or stable housing. Keynote speaker Esther Duflo, Nobel Prize-winning economist, MIT professor, and co-founder of the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Duflo warned that while climate finance is available globally, very little of it goes to poor countries, and even less is spent on helping them adapt. 'Unfortunately, there is very little climate finance targeted towards poor countries. And of this climate finance, almost none of it is targeted towards adaptation and compensation,' she says. Duflo called for more research to understand which policies deliver results. 'We don't have a lot of time to figure things out by following the wrong policy for 10 years,' she said. Instead, she stated that we need to quickly test new ideas, focus on what works, stop what doesn't, and scale up successful solutions. She also noted that climate adaptation research is far behind and called on Morocco to become a hub for innovation in this field. What MEL is doing in Morocco We also spoke to Florencia Devoto, the Director of MEL, who shared more about the lab's mission and current work. MEL was launched in 2024 at UM6P in partnership with J-PAL at MIT and the Harvard Center for International Development. MEL's goal is to help improve public programs through careful evaluation, Devoto explained. 'We want to show decision makers how important it is to evaluate in order to improve the programs that we implement to foster development in Morocco,' she explained. Florencia Devoto, the Director of MEL Devoto noted the close partnership with the Ministry of Education. MEL is helping the ministry measure the impact of a new teaching reform aimed at improving student learning. 'Their goal is to improve learning, and we are working with them. We created an evaluation system that allows us to accurately tell the ministry to what extent learning is improving among children,' she explained. She added that this same approach could be used in other areas like employment and climate policy. Making research useful Rema Hanna, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and MEL's scientific director, also spoke with us during the conference. She explained how the role of researchers is changing. 'Back in the day, you would think of professors as sitting in their office and doing academic work. And I think now a lot of the younger professors like myself really want to work with policy partners,' Hanna said. She explained the importance of involving local decision-makers in the research process from the beginning, adding that if policymakers are part of the process, then the research becomes something they can use. Rema Hanna, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and MEL's scientific director Hanna was particularly excited about Morocco's efforts in education, especially the strong push to innovate in schools and rethink how students learn and how teachers teach. For her, this kind of collaboration between researchers and policymakers is the key to real progress. After the opening speeches, the conference continued with three panels focused on MEL's pilot projects in Morocco. The first panel, on climate and agriculture, featured discussions about testing and scaling up farming methods that can withstand climate stress, particularly in regions already experiencing droughts and high temperatures. The education panel showcased research experiments measuring how various types of teacher support impact student success. The final panel centered on employment, addressing job training programs, the development of soft skills, and ways to better match young people with opportunities in the labor market. These panels showed how research can be practical and useful, providing real insights into what's working and where improvements are needed. Tags: ClimateEducationemploymenypolicyresearchUM6P
Time of India
24-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Post-AI crash, pilots grounding flights over minor glitches: Experts
Bhubaneswar: Following the June 12 Air India (AI) crash in Ahmedabad, pilots are now grounding planes at the slightest hint of technical error, say aviation experts. Even a minor blink in the altimeter prompts a pilot to seek engineering help, and the flight is grounded. Experts say that unless the pilot feels safe, he or she can ground the flight and bring it back to the bay. But they also feel that too much caution may not be good. Recently, a bird hit on the side of the aircraft engine of a Bhubaneswar-Kolkata flight delayed take-off at Biju Patnaik International Airport, with passengers being shifted to another aircraft. In another case, the pilot of a Bhubaneswar-Delhi Air India flight declined to take-off as an altimeter blinked, leading him to seek engineering assistance. You Can Also Check: Bhubaneswar AQI | Weather in Bhubaneswar | Bank Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Public Holidays in Bhubaneswar "Safety is extremely important, and all rulebooks should be followed. However, there are minor incidents that may be inconsequential. Things will settle down in a month or two. The Ahmedabad incident is still fresh," airport director Prasanna Pradhan pointed out. Former Air India captain Manmath Routray said pilots follow the Master Equipment List (MEL) before taking off, and unless that is ensured, safety is not guaranteed. "By now, if not detailed, preliminary reasons behind the Ahmedabad crash should have come out. This will help boost the morale of pilots and help subside apprehension. Now, pilots seem to be experiencing some nerves during take-off," Routray told TOI.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are Poor Financial Prospects Dragging Down Meridian Energy Limited (NZSE:MEL Stock?
Meridian Energy (NZSE:MEL) has had a rough three months with its share price down 6.9%. We decided to study the company's financials to determine if the downtrend will continue as the long-term performance of a company usually dictates market outcomes. Specifically, we decided to study Meridian Energy's ROE in this article. Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors' money. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments. This technology could replace computers: discover the 20 stocks are working to make quantum computing a reality. Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Meridian Energy is: 1.5% = NZ$117m ÷ NZ$7.8b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024). The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every NZ$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated NZ$0.01 in profit. View our latest analysis for Meridian Energy So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features. As you can see, Meridian Energy's ROE looks pretty weak. Even when compared to the industry average of 12%, the ROE figure is pretty disappointing. Given the circumstances, the significant decline in net income by 5.5% seen by Meridian Energy over the last five years is not surprising. We believe that there also might be other aspects that are negatively influencing the company's earnings prospects. Such as - low earnings retention or poor allocation of capital. Furthermore, even when compared to the industry, which has been shrinking its earnings at a rate of 0.9% over the last few years, we found that Meridian Energy's performance is pretty disappointing, as it suggests that the company has been shrunk its earnings at a rate faster than the industry. Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. It's important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Is Meridian Energy fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide. Meridian Energy's very high three-year median payout ratio of 174% over the last three years suggests that the company is paying its shareholders more than what it is earning and this explains the company's shrinking earnings. Paying a dividend higher than reported profits is not a sustainable move. Additionally, Meridian Energy has paid dividends over a period of at least ten years, which means that the company's management is determined to pay dividends even if it means little to no earnings growth. Upon studying the latest analysts' consensus data, we found that the company is expected to keep paying out approximately 148% of its profits over the next three years. Still, forecasts suggest that Meridian Energy's future ROE will rise to 6.6% even though the the company's payout ratio is not expected to change by much. In total, we would have a hard think before deciding on any investment action concerning Meridian Energy. Specifically, it has shown quite an unsatisfactory performance as far as earnings growth is concerned, and a poor ROE and an equally poor rate of reinvestment seem to be the reason behind this inadequate performance. With that said, we studied the latest analyst forecasts and found that while the company has shrunk its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to grow in the future. To know more about the company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) 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.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nava Ltd (BOM:513023) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue and Strategic Growth ...
Release Date: May 16, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Nava Ltd (BOM:513023) reported its highest-ever consolidated revenue of INR 4,135 crores, marking a year-on-year growth of 4.6%. The company achieved a significant turnaround in its Paralo business, contributing to improved profits. Nava Ltd successfully completed a stock split and a share buyback, enhancing shareholder value. The company maintained a healthy dividend distribution rate, reflecting its commitment to returning value to shareholders. New projects, including Mamba Solar, Nava Avocado, and Kabamba Sugar, are showing encouraging progress, indicating potential future growth. There was a decline in profitability despite stable revenue from energy operations, attributed to a shutdown at the MEL plant. The company faces challenges in its mining operations, with some exploration activities not yielding commercially viable results. Nava Ltd's tax exemption for MCL is set to expire, which may lead to increased tax expenses in the future. The company's standalone other income increased significantly due to dividends from subsidiaries, which may not be sustainable. There are concerns about the underutilization of capacity in the federalized business in India, with no immediate plans for expansion. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with BOM:513023. Q: Can you clarify the tax provision discrepancies between standalone and consolidated figures, and provide an update on the pending receivables from NCL? A: We have $105 million pending collection with a corresponding ECL provision of $16.8 million. The consolidated tax expense for Q4 is INR 21 crores. The MEL tax exemption continues until the end of FY26, after which a 50% exemption applies for three years. Respondent: CFO, Mr. KVS Better. Q: What is the cost of the Mamba solar power plant, and do you have a power purchase agreement for the 150 MW capacity? A: The Mamba solar plant costs $90 million, with $63 million in debt and $27 million in equity. We have short-term bilateral contracts for the 150 MW capacity, committed until September. Respondent: CEO, Mr. Ashwin Evananni. Q: Could you provide an update on the 300 MW power plant expansion and its expected commissioning date? A: The 300 MW expansion is progressing well, with commissioning scheduled for August 2026. Respondent: CEO, Mr. Ashwin Evananni. Q: What are the expected timelines for the avocado plantation and sugar plant to start contributing to revenues? A: The avocado plantation should yield its first commercial crop by the end of this year, while the sugar plant is expected to be operational by March 2028. Respondent: CEO, Mr. Ashwin Evananni. Q: Can you provide details on the lithium exploration activities in Zambia and their potential impact on the company? A: We are exploring lithium concessions in Zambia, covering 11,000 hectares. It is too early to determine the commercial viability, but exploration activities are ongoing. Respondent: CEO, Mr. Ashwin Evananni. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Standard
17-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
NAVA Delivers Record-Breaking FY25 Results: Highest-Ever Revenue Up 4.6%, Net Profit Surges 14.2%
VMPL Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 17: NAVA Limited, a diversified Indian multinational conglomerate operating across multiple sectors including Metals, Mining, Energy, Commercial Agriculture and Healthcare, announced its financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2025. Financial Highlights for FY25 (Consolidated) * Total revenue at INR 4,135.2 cr - Highest ever : with YoY growth of 4.6% * Consolidated PAT at INR 1,434.0 cr - Highest ever , with YoY growth of 14.2% * Recommended Final dividend of INR 6 per share; this is in addition to interim dividend of INR 4 per share (paid before share split). Financial Highlights for Q4 FY25 (Consolidated) * Total revenue at INR 1,055.8 cr, with QoQ growth of 20.2% and YoY growth of 10.9% * PAT at INR 302.8 cr, with QoQ de-growth of 14.3% and YoY growth of 18.8% Other Highlights * Maamba Energy Limited (MEL) Board has declared dividend of US$ 50.0 Mn, subject to shareholders approval. * MEL has repaid shareholder loans and outstanding interest fully to the sponsors in Apr 25. Since Apr 24, MEL paid US$ 196.0 Mn to both the sponsors * Nava received approvals for converting the 60 MW unit CPP into IPP which shall pave way for higher operational Plant Load Factors (PLFs) from Q3 FY26 * Maamba Solar Energy Limited (MSEL) signed 20 year PPA with ZESCO Limited for 100 MW solar project at tariff of US$ 7.80 cents/kWh. Initiated works on EPC contractor Finalisation, debt funding, investment incentives etc * During the quarter received dividend of Rs. 30.4 cr from subsidiary Nava Bharat Projects Limited thereby, the cumulative dividend income from subsidiaries for the year 2024-25 is Rs. 114.3 cr. Segment wise highlights: 1. Energy * India: 114 MW power plant has significantly improved operational performance and made profit of Rs. 38.3 cr Vs Rs. 3.0 cr for FY24. * Odisha power units continue to operate at healthy PLFs and good margins owing to coal cost advantages. * NBEIL's 150 MW power plant operated at increased PLF of 69.9% Vs 63.8% for FY24 and made PBT of Rs. 126.4 cr Vs Rs. 115.8 cr for FY24. * Zambia: MEL's 300 MW power plant sustained the high PLF of 90% for FY25. ECL provision reversal for the year was US$ 17.1 Mn Vs US$ 23.5 Mn for FY24. During the quarters both units underwent planned shutdown reducing the plant availability to 80.9% Vs 95.1% for Dec 24. 2. Metals * Metals division profitability turned around from loss of Rs. 70.7 cr for FY24 to profit of Rs. 27.6 cr for FY25. During the quarter sold 42,327 MT Vs 20,068 MT for Dec 24 significantly adding to the revenue and profitability. Ferro Silicon Alloys sustained good margins in export market. 3. Mining * Mining division continues stable operations, external sales and profitability. 4. Commercial agriculture * Avocado Plantation: Approximately 168,000 avocado trees planted till date. Trees are healthy and establishing well with good growth. * Integrated Sugar Project: Seed cane nursey is ready for multiplication and more plantlets are being planted for multiplication. Land preparation works have started and irrigation system is being developed in phases. Progress is being made on debt funding, EPC contract etc Commenting on the results, Ashwin Devineni, Chief Executive Officer, said, "For FY25, NAVA Group delivered multiple milestones. Our consolidated revenue was INR 4,135 cr at a YoY growth of 4.6%, and a PAT of Rs 1,434 crore. Our revenue and profit for the year are the highest ever. All our major segments - Metals, Mining and Energy, have shown robust growth as compared to last year. Our ferro alloys business has significantly turned around and contributed to the improvement in profit in FY25. We have also seen significant improvement in MEL's receivables position. Post the close of the financial year, MEL received US$ 55.0 Mn which has helped it repay its shareholder loans in full to the sponsors. With an objective to improve shareholder value, we completed two corporate actions during the last financial year - a stock split in Q3 and a share buyback for Rs. 360.0 cr in Q4. In addition to these, we continue to maintain our dividend distribution at a healthy rate. Our new projects under Maamba Solar, Nava Avocado and Kawambwa Sugar are showing encouraging progress. We are progressing on a robust cash and capital allocation plan which sufficiently meets our expansion objectives. Finally, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Mr. K V S Vithal, who has joined us as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of NAVA Group with effective from February 8, 2025." Quantitative Table of Operational Data (Sales Qty): About NAVA NAVA (Estd: 1972, NSE: NAVA BSE : 513023 / NAVA) is a publicly listed multinational conglomerate with global footprint of mulit-faceted businesses and is a front-runner in ferro alloy manufacturing, energy and mining for over 50 years. Nava is now spreading its wings to other high-potential sectors like Healthcare and Commercial Agriculture. For more information, please visit Nava Limited will host a conference call to discuss the quarterly financial results on May 16, 2025 at 1600 hrs (IST). Investors and stakeholders are invited to visit the company's website for more details. Disclaimer: Certain statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like government actions, local, political or economic developments, technological risks, and many other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. Nava Limited (formerly Nava Bharat Ventures Limited) will not be in any way be responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
