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Small business profits rising despite challenges in the economy, Sage survey says

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The Sage SME Performance Pulse also highlighted continuing problems from late payments

Sage offices at Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside

Sage offices at Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

A survey by Tyneside technology giant Sage has pointed to increased profitability in the SME sector, but warns that late payment continues to be a major problem for many smaller firms.

The Sage SME Performance Pulse, which draws on accounting data from nearly 150,000 SMEs around the UK, found profit growth has accelerated consistently over recent quarters, reaching its highest level since early 2022. Sage’s data suggests profits grew by 7.4% in the year to Q1 2026, up from 5.5% the previous quarter.

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Sage said that SME growth remains broad-based across the UK, with the East Midlands seeing the highest growth and SME profits in the North increasing by 3.4%. It said strong performances were seen in the manufacturing, professional services, technology and finance sectors.

Sage has in recent years set itself up as a champion of the small business sector, which makes up much of the client base for its accounting software and other technologies.

Derk Bleeker, chief commercial officer at Sage, said: “The UK’s small business community continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience to adapt and grow. The fact that profitability has reached its highest level in four years is a testament to the determination and ingenuity of business owners across the country. It also highlights the opportunity that exists to help SMEs build on this momentum and unlock even greater growth in the years ahead.”

But Sage’s survey has also highlighted how late payments remain a significant issue for many small firms. Nearly half of all SME invoices (49%) are overdue, the survey found, with businesses waiting an average of 27 days to receive payment after issuing an invoice. The delays are creating a ripple effect across the economy, with SMEs themselves now taking an average of 37.1 days to pay supplier invoices, up from 31.9 days in the first quarter of 2025.

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Emma Jones, the Government’s Small Business Commissioner, said: “Sage’s data shows that more needs to be done to tackle late payments, with too many small businesses still waiting weeks to be paid. That’s why action to improve payment practices is so important. It gives firms greater certainty over their cash flow and the confidence to invest, hire and grow. Tackling late payments isn’t just about fairness; it’s essential to unlocking the full potential of the UK’s small businesses.”

Separately, Sage and its partner Village Capital have awarded 12 grants totalling £141,000 to entrepreneurs from the second cohort of the Sage Impact Entrepreneurship programme.

The programme supports under-represented businesses addressing pressing challenges and has recognized two Newcastle firms: Recovolt, which develops infrastructure to safely neutralise end-of-life EV, and METZero, a wastewater technology company that retrofits treatment sites with a solution that cuts pollution and energy.

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PetVivo Holdings, Inc. (PETV) Discusses Spryng Technology Adoption and Commercial Expansion in Veterinary Practice Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Andrew Eriksen
Allele Capital Partners, LLC

I think we’re live right now. So let’s jump in. Thank you, everyone, for joining today — into today’s webinar, inside the PetVivo story. What veterinarians are seeing, and how access is expanding. So my name is Andrew Eriksen. I’m a Managing Director on the Allele Capital team. We work with the PetVivo team here, and I’ll be moderating today’s call. So today, we’re going to introduce the speakers. I’ll walk through a little bit of background on the PetVivo story, talk about how their Spryng technology is being used in practice today and talk a little bit about the commercial landscape, and what they’re seeing on their side.

So we will run through the presentation. If you have any questions, there will be a Q&A chat box on either platform that you’re watching on. So submit your questions there, and we’ll make sure we get to those at the end of the call.

So without further ado, let’s jump in. I will start with some brief introductions from the team. So John, maybe you can kick things off for us and introduce yourself.

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John Lai
CEO, President & Director

Thanks for having us on here. So my name is John Lai. I’m the CEO of PetVivo. I’ve been the CEO for about 14 years, and I’ll pass it off to the next person.

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Andrew Eriksen
Allele Capital Partners, LLC

Dr. Juli, if you don’t mind, you can go next.

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Mac Squares reshapes mac and cheese for modern convenience

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Mac Squares reshapes mac and cheese for modern convenience

Startup sees opportunity in frozen, portion-controlled baked macaroni and cheese squares.

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Sebi eases winding-up norms for AIFs, introduces ‘inoperative fund’ framework

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Sebi eases winding-up norms for AIFs, introduces 'inoperative fund' framework
Market regulator Sebi on Tuesday introduced a new framework allowing Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to retain liquidation proceeds beyond their prescribed fund life under certain conditions and seek an “Inoperative Fund” status, providing greater flexibility during the winding-up process.

The move follows amendments to the existing Sebi rules, and is aimed at addressing practical challenges faced by AIFs while settling liabilities, litigation matters and residual operational expenses after the expiry of a fund’s tenure.

Under the new guidelines, AIFs and their schemes can retain liquidation proceeds beyond the liquidation or dissolution period if they have received litigation notices, regulatory communications, tax-related demands or other legal claims that may result in future liabilities. Funds can also retain proceeds for anticipated liabilities if they secure consent from at least 75% of investors by value.

Sebi has additionally permitted retention of money for residual winding-up expenses, provided the amount is supported by invoices or comparable historical expense records. Such retention for operational expenses cannot continue beyond three years from the end of the permissible fund life.

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The regulator said managers must disclose the amount proposed to be retained and the estimated retention period to investors while seeking consent for anticipated liabilities.


To facilitate closure of fund structures, Sebi has also introduced an “Inoperative Fund” category. AIFs that have retained money for pending liabilities and wish to surrender their registration can apply for this status. Funds that do not retain any money but want to continue registration while awaiting the outcome of pending litigation may also seek the designation.
Applications for obtaining the status will have to be submitted directly to Sebi in a prescribed format.Once tagged as an Inoperative Fund, the AIF will not be permitted to launch new schemes and cannot charge management fees on existing schemes. Retained money must be invested only in liquid instruments permitted under Regulation 15(1)(f) of the AIF regulations.

Sebi has simultaneously granted significant compliance relief to such funds. Inoperative Funds will be exempt from several reporting and regulatory requirements, including quarterly and annual activity reports, compliance test reports, performance benchmarking submissions, periodic investor disclosures, valuation requirements and certain certification norms for key investment personnel.

The regulator has, however, mandated annual reporting of retained monies and outstanding liabilities. AIFs and Inoperative Funds must submit a status report to both Sebi and investors within 30 days of the end of every financial year until all liabilities are settled and pending amounts are distributed.

The framework has also been extended to Venture Capital Funds registered under the erstwhile Sebi (Venture Capital Funds) Regulations, 1996.

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Industry participants have long sought clarity on handling residual liabilities after the formal investment period ends. In many cases, funds faced delays in winding up because of ongoing tax disputes, litigation or regulatory proceedings even after all investments had been liquidated.

The new circular seeks to address those concerns by providing a structured mechanism for retaining proceeds, reducing compliance burdens and allowing funds to formally transition into an inactive status while resolving outstanding obligations.

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US stocks: Nasdaq and S&P 500 slip while Dow hits record high ahead of Fed rate decision

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US stocks: Nasdaq and S&P 500 slip while Dow hits record high ahead of Fed rate decision
The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 finished lower on Tuesday under pressure from technology stocks, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average marked its second straight record close.

After rallying sharply on Monday on optimism about a U.S.-Iran peace deal, investors in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq took a breather even as oil prices fell to their lowest levels since early March. Shares of SpaceX rallied, but ‌pared earlier gains. For much ⁠of ⁠the session, the rocket and AI company’s market value was above that of Amazon and it briefly surpassed Microsoft’s value.

While falling oil prices offered some support to equities, Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia, said it was too difficult to build on recent steep gains in the heavyweight technology sector without a break. He noted some investor caution ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy update due on Wednesday afternoon.

“We had a big move yesterday in the market,” said Luschini, alluding to the S&P 500’s 1.65% rally on Monday and Nasdaq’s advance of more than 3%. “We’re just digesting some of those gains and the setup in ⁠anticipation of ‌the Fed meeting is always a little tentative.”

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Also Read | SpaceX options trading debut draws record volume as investors chase rocket stock


According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 41.85 points, or 0.55%, to end at 7,512.44 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 301.13 points, or 1.15%, to 26,382.81. The Dow Jones ⁠Industrial Average rose 345.54 points, or 0.67%, to 52,016.57.
TECHNOLOGY LAGS, FINANCIALS RISE

Investors rotated into economically sensitive sectors and sold richly valued technology stocks during the session with chip stocks falling sharply after soaring in the prior three sessions. Of the S&P 500’s 11 major industry sectors, financials and industrials rose. U.S. oil futures settled down 5.8% as some details emerged about the U.S.-Iran interim deal, which is expected to extend a tenuous ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the agreement would rule out a nuclear weapon for Tehran, while a U.S. official said ‌that it allows Iran to sell oil upon signing. The war had pushed up oil prices since it started in late February, and fanned worries about sticky inflation, which informs the U.S. central bank’s policy on interest rates. Investors are widely expecting the Fed to hold ⁠interest rates at its current 3.50% to 3.75% range on Wednesday, though they will pay close attention to new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s comments on inflation, unemployment and the economic outlook.

Traders see the Fed holding rates through much of the year but have been betting on a roughly 42% chance of a 25-basis-point rate hike in December, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

In individual stocks, shares of Olin sank after the chemical producer said it would acquire Huntsman in an all-stock deal valued at $2.43 billion. Huntsman shares also fell as the offer stood at a discount to the stock’s recent price.

Yum Brands shares rose after the fast-food company said it would sell its Pizza Hut chain for $2.7 billion, as it struggles with stiff competition and cautious consumer spending.

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Centuria Capital Group Stapled Securities (CNECF) Analyst/Investor Day – Slideshow

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Centuria Capital Group Stapled Securities (CNECF) Analyst/Investor Day – Slideshow

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Mondelez highlights startups selected for CoLab Tech 2026

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Mondelez highlights startups selected for CoLab Tech 2026

Program spotlights startups focused on environmental, supply chain, regulatory challenges.

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John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2026 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation (NYSE:WLY) 2026-06-16

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Q4: 2026-06-16 Earnings Summary

EPS of $1.67 beats by $0.02

 | Revenue of $447.94M (1.21% Y/Y) misses by $2.06M

This article was written by

Seeking Alpha’s transcripts team is responsible for the development of all of our transcript-related projects. We currently publish thousands of quarterly earnings calls per quarter on our site and are continuing to grow and expand our coverage. The purpose of this profile is to allow us to share with our readers new transcript-related developments. Thanks, SA Transcripts Team

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World Bank readies $2 billion loan for Argentina, Ambito reports

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World Bank readies $2 billion loan for Argentina, Ambito reports


World Bank readies $2 billion loan for Argentina, Ambito reports

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General Motors announces new defense partnership with Lockheed Martin

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General Motors announces new defense partnership with Lockheed Martin

Automaker General Motors on Tuesday announced a new partnership with defense company Lockheed Martin to scale manufacturing and expand production capabilities.

The deal was facilitated by the U.S. Department of Defense, according to Bruce Brown, GM’s vice president of strategy at GM Defense, and will focus on munitions and more.

“What makes this moment especially important is that the country needs more than great technology. It also needs the capacity to build, scale and deliver reliably,” Brown said on a call with reporters. “This is where GM can help. Across our company, we bring deep experience in advanced engineering, digital development, supply chain discipline and manufacturing at scale.”

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Lockheed Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John said it was too early to say what projects it would invest in with GM Defense.

Executives from both companies said on the call that the collaboration will allow for more growth at a time when the country is ramping up its production of defense parts.

“Together, we will explore opportunities across three important areas: improving production readiness and scalable manufacturing environments; strengthening supply chains and identifying ways to increase resilience; and applying advanced manufacturing and design approaches [that] can help improve efficiency and accelerate delivery,” St. John said.

Lockheed Martin is investing $9 billion through 2030 to modernize 20 of its facilities and supply bases, St. John added. GM said it will spend $7 billion on research and development in the U.S., according to Brown.

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The executives said the partnership will be focused on “high-rate manufacturing” at scale and expanding production capacity. They added that the collaboration is still in early stages and that they need to further define what the potential for future contracts may be. They are working under a memorandum of understanding.

The automaker built tanks for the country during World War II. Its GM Defense unit is one of the company’s newer but fast-growing business segments, reestablished in 2017 with customers including the U.S. Army, Secret Service and NASA.

“America is stronger when two companies with deep manufacturing roots come together to help expand speed, scale and resilience in the defense industrial base. That is why Lockheed Martin and GM are announcing this collaboration,” Brown said on the call.

The partnership comes as President Donald Trump has been pushing for more American manufacturing to bring more production and reshoring into the country. The U.S. has also seen its defense stockpiles fall because of the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

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The White House has held discussions with Ford and GM about better supporting the country’s defense industry.

— CNBC’s Michael Wayland contributed to this report.

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Five International Dividend Growers Your Screen Is Distorting

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Five International Dividend Growers Your Screen Is Distorting

This article was written by

Dr. Joseph E. Jones is a professor at The University of Southern Mississippi. He writes independently about portfolio construction from a dividend growth investment perspective. All analysis, views, and assertions expressed are solely his own and are not made in any official or representative capacity. They do not reflect the views, policies, or financial interests of The University of Southern Mississippi or any affiliated entities. This research is produced fully outside the scope of Dr. Jones’s university employment. The University of Southern Mississippi does not sponsor, review, endorse, or influence this work, nor does it provide funding or other support related to these activities. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice or as a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Readers are encouraged to consult a licensed professional before making investment decisions.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of KOF, TSM either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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