Business
July job cuts fall to 2-year low as AI drives workforce reductions
Osac Chief Market Strategist Phil Blancato advises investors to strip emotions from their investment decisions.
Job cuts slowed in July as companies stepped up their hiring plans, while artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be cited as a leading reason for workforce reductions, new data shows.
Companies announced 33,429 job cuts in July – a decrease of 27% from the 45,849 announced in June, and a level that’s down 46% from the 62,075 cuts planned in the same month last year, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
The total of 33,429 layoffs announced last month is the lowest monthly total in two years since July 2024, when there were 25,885 cuts announced, the firm noted. It’s also the fifth time this year the monthly job cut figures were lower than the corresponding month a year ago.

Companies announced 33,429 job cuts in July. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)
So far in 2026, employers have announced 477,033 job cuts through July, which comes as a 41% decline from the 806,383 cuts announced in the first seven months of 2025.
PRIVATE SECTOR ADDED 44,000 JOBS IN JULY, BELOW EXPECTATIONS, ADP SAYS
“The pace of layoffs fell dramatically this summer. Layoff plans continue to be announced primarily in tech, and artificial intelligence is still the story, as investments in the technology reshape organizations,” said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
“Hiring has also increased over last year by 25%, so while AI is shifting the labor market, it is not dismantling it,” Challenger added.
The tech sector announced 9,867 job cuts in July to bring the industry’s total for this year to 149,023 – a figure that’s a 67% increase from the same period last year.

So far in 2026, employers have announced 477,033 job cuts through July. (iStock)
Layoffs in the tech sector account for 31% of all job cuts announced this year, and Challenger noted that tech “remains the center of gravity for this year’s cuts, and AI is still the reason companies give.”
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Financial firms accounted for 3,157 cuts in July, ranking second among industries, which brought the sector’s total for the year to 18,626 – down 31% from a year ago.
Government agencies announced 2,962 cuts in July, bringing the total for the year to 20,752. That figure is 93% lower than last year, when the 292,294 cuts through July were largely driven by federal workforce reductions.
Across industries, AI was the dominant reason cited by employers for workforce reductions, as it was attributed to 10,970 cuts announced in July, or 33% of the total.
July was the fifth consecutive month in which AI was the top reason cited for layoffs, and so far this year it has been cited in 112,713 job cut announcements, accounting for about 24% of all cuts. Since the firm first started tracking AI as a distinct reason for workforce reductions, Challenger, Gray & Christmas has tracked AI as being the reason cited in 184,538 job cuts.

Across industries, AI was the dominant reason cited by employers for workforce reductions. (iStock)
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Challenger’s report noted that there remains ambiguity about what constitutes an AI-related cut, with some employers explicitly citing that as a reason, whereas others may point to new technology deployments and allude to AI indirectly without being linked to the cuts, which is why the firm tracks those announcements with a separate category.
“Naming AI in a layoff announcement can win over investors while pushing current and prospective employees away. That’s why the messaging has swung from hedging to aggressively citing it,” Challenger said.
“As regulations start to take shape, companies will be even more careful in their announcements, which would make tracking the impact of AI on jobs more opaque,” he added.
Business
Leading Clinical Research with Purpose
Clinical research moves medicine forward one study at a time. Behind every successful study is a team focused on accuracy, safety, and people. Natasha La Anyane has built her career around that responsibility.
She combines technical knowledge with communication, adaptability, and resilience. Her approach shows that leadership is not only about managing complex work. It is also about staying true to your values while helping others succeed.
“I define success as living according to your values while making progress toward meaningful goals,” Natasha says. “That is what guides me every day.”
How Natasha La Anyane Built a Career in Clinical Research
Natasha La Anyane earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. That educational background gave her a deeper understanding of human behavior and communication. Those skills became valuable as she entered the field of clinical research.
She chose a career where every detail matters. Clinical research requires careful planning, strong organization, and teamwork. Every step must follow strict guidelines while keeping patient safety at the center of the process.
Over the years, Natasha has built extensive experience supporting clinical research while remaining committed to professional growth. She is an active member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and has earned the Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA) credential. These achievements reflect her commitment to maintaining high standards and continuing to grow within the industry.
What Makes Someone Successful in Clinical Research?
Working in clinical research means balancing science with people. Natasha believes technical knowledge is only part of the equation.
“Flexibility, adaptability, interpersonal skills, proactiveness, and communication make the biggest difference,” she explains.
Clinical research rarely follows a perfect path. Timelines shift. Unexpected challenges appear. Teams must respond quickly while maintaining quality and compliance.
Natasha believes successful professionals remain calm and adjust without losing sight of the larger goal. Strong communication helps researchers, sponsors, healthcare professionals, and study teams stay aligned throughout the process.
Her psychology background also supports her ability to understand different perspectives and build productive working relationships.
Why Resilience Matters in Clinical Research
Every career includes setbacks. Clinical research is no exception. Studies change direction. Plans evolve. New challenges appear with little warning.
Natasha has developed a mindset that keeps her moving forward.
“Not getting what I want but being resilient and getting back up and trying again helps me overcome challenges,” she says.
Rather than viewing obstacles as failures, she sees them as opportunities to learn and improve.
This outlook has helped shape her approach to leadership. Instead of reacting emotionally to problems, she focuses on solutions. She believes consistency and perseverance often create better long-term results than chasing quick wins.
Accountability Creates Better Leaders
One lesson Natasha continues to apply throughout her career is personal accountability.
“Keeping myself accountable has made a tremendous difference,” she says.
She believes leadership starts with holding yourself to the same standards you expect from others. That includes preparing thoroughly, communicating clearly, and taking ownership of responsibilities.
Her own standards continue to guide her professional decisions.
“My own set standards keeps me focused on doing my best.”
This personal discipline helps create trust among colleagues and contributes to stronger teamwork across clinical research projects.
Balancing Performance with Health and Well-Being
Clinical research can be demanding. Projects often involve multiple priorities and strict timelines. Natasha believes maintaining personal health is essential for long-term success.
“It contributed tremendously to keep your mental and physical health intact,” she says when discussing the importance of balance.
Outside of work, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and spending time at the gym. These activities help her recharge while supporting both physical and mental well-being.
She also draws strength from her faith.
“Faith and prayer help keep me grounded,” Natasha says.
Together, these habits help her maintain perspective while managing the responsibilities that come with a career in clinical research.
Lessons from Natasha La Anyane’s Career Journey
Natasha’s career demonstrates that leadership is built through consistent actions rather than single achievements.
She believes success comes from staying adaptable, communicating effectively, and continuing to grow professionally. Her resilience allows her to move through challenges without losing sight of her goals. Her commitment to accountability helps build trust with those around her.
Most importantly, she continues to define success on her own terms.
“I define success as living according to your values while making progress toward meaningful goals.”
That philosophy continues to shape every stage of her career.
As clinical research continues to evolve with new technologies, treatments, and global collaboration, professionals like Natasha La Anyane remind us that progress depends not only on scientific innovation but also on strong leadership, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to doing meaningful work with integrity.
Business
Trump orders leak probe over reports on depleted munitions, WSJ reports

Trump orders leak probe over reports on depleted munitions, WSJ reports
Business
Laws must unlock food waste value
- Thailand generates over 10.1 million tonnes of food waste annually, with more than 40% retaining potential value as animal feed, fertiliser, or energy. Despite growing awareness, the absence of dedicated legislation, a lead coordinating agency, and legal protections for food donors leaves surplus food management fragmented and ineffective.
- Current laws focus on consumer safety and sanitation rather than food reuse, while tax rules and liability risks discourage businesses from donating surplus food. Researchers recommend donor protection laws, revised tax incentives, streamlined approval processes, and clearer regulatory standards to align Thailand’s food system with circular economy principles.
Thailand throws away food on a massive scale. Yet much of what ends up in the bin could still feed people, animals, or even produce energy. The real problem is not simply waste but a system that makes reuse difficult.
Each person in Thailand generates about 154 kilograms of food waste a year. In 2024 alone, the country produced more than 10.1 million tonnes, almost one-third of all municipal waste nationwide.
The striking thing is how much of this waste still has value. More than 40% of food waste could still be used. Even food that can no longer be eaten as it is does not have to go to waste. It can still be turned into animal feed, fertiliser or energy.
Food waste is often blamed on households. But the issue runs far deeper than the kitchen. Waste occurs throughout the food system—in the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed. It shows up everywhere: in fresh markets, retail shops, hotels, and large urban communities.
It’s clear. Food waste is not simply about consumer habits. It reflects how the entire food system works.
And when so much food is thrown away despite its potential value, the problem goes beyond eating habits or business practices. It also reveals legal and regulatory barriers that make it harder for Thailand to move towards a genuine circular economy.
The problem is particularly clear in how surplus food and food waste are managed. Together they make up a major share of the country’s waste. Public awareness has begun to grow, and some initiatives now redirect surplus food to people in need through charitable organisations.
Yet a major obstacle remains. Thailand still lacks specific legislation to guide the systematic management of surplus food and food waste. There is also no clear lead agency responsible for the issue. Without coordination, efforts are then scattered and difficult to expand.
Surplus food refers to food produced or supplied in excess of demand but still safe and of good quality. This includes food nearing its expiry date or unsold items left on retail shelves.
At present, the Food Act of 1979 focuses mainly on consumer protection and food safety. These safeguards are essential. But the law has no measures to make use of surplus food.
Another important problem: There is no legal protection for food donors. Even when businesses donate surplus food in good faith, they can still face civil or criminal liability if something goes wrong after the food is eaten.
With that risk hanging over them, many companies choose to destroy surplus food rather than donate it. Legally speaking, throwing it away feels safer.
Tax rules create another layer of difficulty. Under current regulations, donated goods are still taxed. Businesses are required to include the value of donated food when calculating value-added tax.
There are exemptions for certain fresh foods and agricultural products. But they apply only in limited cases and do not reflect the kinds of surplus food commonly generated in the retail and food industries.
Food donations are also treated as charitable expenses. Companies can claim a deduction of no more than 2% of net profit. For businesses with large volumes of surplus food, that cap means the tax benefit often falls far short of the value of what they donate.
Food waste—surplus food that has deteriorated or expired and can no longer be eaten—presents another set of challenges. Laws such as the 1992 Public Health Act and the 1992 Cleanliness and Orderliness Act focus mainly on sanitation and the safe disposal of waste.
Local administrative organisations are responsible for waste management. In many areas, however, their waste separation systems are still lacking. Food waste is often mixed with general waste, making recovery or reuse far more difficult.
Even when businesses want to turn food waste into fertiliser or energy, regulatory hurdles remain. These activities require strict approval from local authorities. Transporting food waste across administrative boundaries can also involve lengthy approval procedures.
Not surprisingly, such obstacles discourage investment and limit opportunities to put food waste to productive use.
To tackle the problem, Thailand needs to bring its rules into line with the principles of a circular economy. That begins with a change in mindset.
Unsold or uneaten food should not automatically be treated as waste. In many cases it is still a resource—one that can be redistributed for people to eat, used as animal feed, processed into new products, or converted into energy. Only a small portion should ultimately need disposal.
Policies, therefore, need to make food donation safe, practical, and economically sensible for businesses. This means combining clear regulatory standards with meaningful incentives so that donating food becomes a better option than destroying it.
On the regulatory side, the government should establish clear standards for food donations, based on levels of risk. These should cover transportation, storage, and handling. Donors and intermediary organisations should also be registered and required to share information with regulators to ensure safety and accountability.
Tax incentives could also help change behaviour. Food donated through government-approved organisations could be treated in ways that reduce the value-added tax burden on businesses. Additional deductions could support activities such as food separation, donation, and redistribution.
Waste collection fees could also reflect how much food is thrown away. The Pay-As-You-Throw system should be used to make those who discard more waste pay more. The environmental costs will be clearer, giving businesses a financial reason to donate or reuse food instead of throwing it away.
Importantly, there should be a law to protect donors who give food in good faith unless gross negligence or intentional misconduct occurs. Many countries already have this legislation. Such legal protection would lower the risks for businesses and make them more willing to share surplus food instead of throwing it away.
Thailand also needs a clear lead agency to take charge of the issue, better data systems, and closer coordination between central and local authorities. Food waste should be separated from the start, with common standards that local administrations across the country can follow.
Approval procedures for collecting, transporting, and processing food waste should also be streamlined and clarified. That would open the door for businesses and communities to play a bigger role in reducing food waste.
Food waste does not lose its value the moment it is thrown away. What disappears instead is the chance to turn it into something useful.
Many countries are already moving in that direction. The question now is whether Thailand will do the same—or continue letting that value slip quietly into the landfill.
Chanisara Dumkum and Theerat Dejitikul are researchers at the Thailand Development and Research Institute (TDRI). Their policy analyses appear in the Bangkok Post on 8 April 2026.
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Meta told to pay another $567m in New Mexico child safety lawsuit
A US judge in New Mexico on Thursday ordered Meta to pay another $567m (£421m) for its failure to warn the public about dangers its platforms posed to children, marking the largest ruling against the company over child safety.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid said the social media giant is a “public nuisance” akin to air pollution and that it must put the money in a fund aimed at reducing future harms.
The ruling is in addition to $375m in fines Meta was already ordered to pay in the case.
Judge Biedscheid compared Meta to a factory, with advertising and content as its product and “the psychological harm and sexual exploitation of children to be the pollution that must be abated”.
Meta, which owns and operates Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Threads, has been contacted by the BBC for comment.
Regarding the earlier $375m verdict against in the case, Meta had said it intended to appeal the ruling.
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Shaquille O’Neal Says Rough Treatment of Caitlin Clark in WNBA Is a ‘Rite of Passage’ She Must Pass Now
Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal says the physical, sometimes hostile treatment Caitlin Clark has faced from opposing WNBA players amounts to a familiar rite of passage that every all-time great athlete has had to endure, offering a defense of the league’s rough handling of the Indiana Fever star as she navigates her third professional season.
“Once she passes through that, the league will belong to her,” O’Neal told CNBC Sport in an interview on the set of his television show, “Dunkman,” addressing the ongoing national debate over how Clark has been treated on the court.
A Pattern of Physical Play
Clark has been the target of a series of harsh fouls throughout her WNBA career, including hip checks, eye pokes and, most notably, a direct blow to the throat during a June 24 matchup against the Phoenix Mercury. No foul was initially called on that play, but following widespread public criticism, the league reviewed the incident and issued a one-game suspension to Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for what the WNBA described as recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area.
Clark addressed the incident publicly on July 3, saying that officiating needs to improve and that the league needs to do a better job protecting players on the court. The pattern of physical treatment directed at Clark, combined with ongoing criticism of WNBA officiating more broadly, has fueled sustained national debate, with some lawmakers going so far as to call for greater accountability from the league regarding how it handles conduct against the star guard.
O’Neal Draws on His Own Career
O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, said he experienced similar treatment throughout his own playing career, and that he witnessed comparable dynamics play out with other basketball legends, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Magic Johnson, as well as with boxing icon Muhammad Ali. He framed the phenomenon as an inevitable stage that any dominant athlete must move through before earning full respect from peers and opponents.
“All the greats have to go through what we call rites of passage. She’s a fabulous player, but we’re not giving you anything, ever. You have to earn it,” O’Neal said. “So for her, she needs to toughen up, take those licks, and show them that, ‘These licks don’t bother me.’”
In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, O’Neal went further in describing the dynamics at play among Clark’s WNBA peers, saying that a degree of professional jealousy exists toward the Fever star. He explained that other players in the league, feeling overlooked or under-covered by comparison, often respond by directing more physical attention toward whichever player is perceived as the league’s biggest star, adding that if other players are coming at Clark as a result of that dynamic, it is simply part of the competitive nature of professional sports.
A Debate Over Whether the Game Has Actually Changed
Not every prominent WNBA voice agrees that the physical treatment directed at Clark reflects a meaningful shift in how the league is played. Diana Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion who played 20 seasons in the league before retiring, pushed back on the idea that the game has grown more physical in recent years. Speaking last month at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit, Taurasi said that anyone who believes the current level of physicality is unusual should go back and watch WNBA Finals games from 15 or 16 years ago, suggesting that today’s level of contact is not out of step with the league’s longer history.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver offered a somewhat different framing of the controversy during the same July event, saying that the issues surrounding Clark are not fundamentally about officiating at all. Silver said Clark has become something of a political football in the broader national conversation, a dynamic he described as incredibly unfair to her personally, separate from any legitimate questions about how games involving her are officiated.
Continuing to Make History Despite the Physicality
Even amid the ongoing controversy, Clark has continued producing standout performances and setting new league records. The three-time WNBA All-Star became the fastest player in league history to reach 1,000 career points, 250 rebounds and 250 assists, accomplishing the feat in just 54 career games and breaking the previous record of 62 games set by Taurasi. On July 17, Clark scored a career-high 45 points in a game against the Seattle Storm.
Support From Other NBA Figures
O’Neal is not the only prominent NBA figure to publicly encourage Clark to push through the physical treatment she has faced. Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry offered similar advice earlier this summer, telling Fox News Digital that being the best inevitably invites opponents looking to knock a star player down a notch. Horry pointed specifically to O’Neal’s own playing career as an example, recalling that his former teammate eventually began responding more physically to rough treatment on the court, a shift Horry suggested Clark might eventually need to consider as she continues adjusting to the professional game.
A League Grappling With Broader Controversy
The debate over Clark’s treatment has unfolded alongside other points of controversy within the WNBA this season, including questions surrounding league officiating more broadly and a separate incident in which the league deleted a social media post referencing a wager between players Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, given that gambling of any kind is strictly prohibited under the terms of the WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement.
With Clark continuing to post record-setting statistical performances even amid persistent physical treatment on the court, O’Neal’s comments add to a growing chorus of prominent basketball figures weighing in on how the league and its players should handle the attention and physicality directed toward its most closely watched star. O’Neal closed his comments with a direct message to Clark, encouraging her to continue performing at a high level, saying that doing so would eventually cause the rites of passage to open up, ultimately leading her peers to fully welcome her into the league’s upper tier and, as he put it, hand her the throne.
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Joel Embiid’s Offseason Body Transformation Draws Praise From New Teammate LeBron James This Preseason
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has undergone a visible offseason body transformation, and his new teammate LeBron James is taking notice, publicly endorsing the change as the 76ers prepare for what could be one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
Photos and videos posted to social media showed Embiid working out in Sixers gear looking noticeably slimmer and more athletic than in recent seasons. James reposted one of the images to his own Instagram account, adding the caption “Trust The Process!”, a nod to the longtime nickname Embiid adopted during Philadelphia’s rebuilding era under former team executive Sam Hinkie.
A Season Riding on Embiid’s Health
The fate of the 76ers’ 2026-27 campaign is widely expected to rest heavily on Embiid’s shoulders. While Philadelphia now boasts an unusually deep collection of shot-creators, including star guard Tyrese Maxey, newly acquired forward Jaylen Brown, rising guard V.J. Edgecombe and James himself, Embiid remains the team’s essential interior presence, the player expected to hold the frontcourt together on both ends of the floor.
That makes Embiid’s health, long the central storyline of his career, more significant than ever heading into the new season. At 32 years old, Embiid has not played more than 40 games in a single season since his MVP campaign in 2022-23, and he appeared to wear down physically over the course of Philadelphia’s most recent playoff run. Injuries have persistently limited Embiid’s availability throughout his career, a pattern that has repeatedly complicated Philadelphia’s championship ambitions despite his standing as one of the league’s most talented players when healthy.
A Recurring Pattern of Offseason Transformations
This is not the first time Embiid has made headlines for reshaping his body during the offseason. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Embiid revealed at the team’s media day that he had lost between 25 and 30 pounds over the summer, telling reporters at the time that he intended to continue losing additional weight before the start of that campaign. Embiid has previously said that motivation for such changes has stemmed directly from frustration over past playoff disappointments, including an earlier offseason program that helped him shed 20 pounds after a difficult postseason loss to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors, a stretch during which he said he felt he had let his team down.
Embiid’s more recent transformation, spotted in photos shared last September, earned him the nickname “Slimbiid” among fans and NBA commentators tracking his offseason progress at the time. The rationale behind the recurring weight-loss efforts has remained consistent: a lighter frame is expected to place less strain on Embiid’s knees, which have been a persistent source of injury trouble throughout his career, while also potentially improving his stamina and durability across the length of an 82-game regular season and subsequent playoff run.
LeBron’s Reaction Sparks Fan Speculation
James’ public endorsement of Embiid’s latest transformation comes just weeks after his own free agency decision reshaped the 76ers roster and sent shockwaves through the league. James signed with Philadelphia last month on a two-year contract after reportedly considering the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat as alternative destinations. The move extended what has already been regarded as one of the best offseasons in franchise history, a stretch that also included Philadelphia’s acquisition of 2025-26 MVP candidate Jaylen Brown from the rival Boston Celtics.
Interestingly, James had actually used the phrase “trust the process” publicly once before, during an appearance at Fanatics Fest in mid-July, well before his free agency decision was finalized. That earlier comment sent 76ers fans into a frenzy of speculation about where James might ultimately sign, though James later clarified he had not intended the remark as any kind of hint about his future team. His decision to repeat the phrase now, in direct reference to Embiid’s physical transformation as an actual teammate, has added a layer of symbolic significance for a fan base already buzzing over the offseason additions.
A Roster Built Around a Healthy Embiid
With Embiid, Maxey, Brown, Edgecombe and James now forming one of the most talent-rich rosters in the league on paper, Philadelphia enters the coming season with championship expectations that have not surrounded the franchise in years. Analysts have noted, however, that the difference between the 76ers’ potential ceiling and their more modest floor may be among the largest of any team in the league, given how heavily the team’s outlook depends on Embiid’s ability to stay on the court through a full season and playoff run.
Should Embiid’s latest physical changes translate into improved durability, evaluators around the league have suggested Philadelphia could emerge as one of the most formidable teams heading into the 2026-27 campaign, given the sheer scope of shot-creation and star power now surrounding him. Conversely, any recurrence of the injury issues that have defined much of Embiid’s recent seasons would likely reintroduce familiar questions about whether the team’s roster investment can translate into sustained postseason success.
A Long History of Body-Composition Storylines
Embiid’s periodic offseason body transformations have become something of a recurring subplot throughout his career, dating back to an earlier stretch in which he shed roughly 20 pounds ahead of a season in which he hoped to build on an MVP-caliber campaign. Each iteration of the storyline has followed a similar arc: offseason photos circulate showing a visibly leaner Embiid, prompting optimism among fans and commentators about his prospects for staying healthy, followed by the ongoing uncertainty of whether that optimism will hold up across the grind of a full NBA season.
With training camp approaching and James now firmly established as a teammate rather than an opponent, all eyes in Philadelphia will be on whether Embiid’s latest transformation proves durable once games begin. For a 76ers team that enters the season with arguably its most talented roster in decades, Embiid’s health may ultimately determine whether Philadelphia’s offseason additions culminate in a genuine championship pursuit or simply add to the long list of near-misses that has defined the franchise’s recent history.
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Savaria Corporation (SIS:CA) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Operator
Thank you. Good day and thank you for standing by. Welcome to Savaria Corporation’s Q2 2026 Investor and Analyst Call. [Operator Instructions] Please be advised that today’s conference call is being recorded.
I would now like to hand the conference over to your first speaker today, Sebastien Bourassa, CEO.
Sébastien Bourassa
President, CEO & Director
Thanks, Stephanie, and good morning, everyone. So today, I will start with a small recap of our Q2 results, then Steve will update us on financials, and JP will provide an update on Savaria One, followed by a Q&A session. So again, I’m very proud of the results of Q2 as it is our highest revenue ever at $246 million, with a growth of 8.4% that is well balanced between Patient Care and Accessibility.
And we achieved an EBITDA margin of 21%, which really showed that the Savaria One success over the last few years continues to be present, and I’m very thankful to our team for all the hard work that they make those great results quarter after quarter.
So today there’s three things that I would like to highlight. First, the growth. I’m happy that we have a third good quarter in a row in terms of growth, which showed that some good initiatives that we have put in place for the next five years is starting to work. In North America, we
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Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk earnings show widening divide in GLP-1 market
The Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk logos.
Mike Blake | Tom Little | Reuters
The diverging paths of two GLP-1 drugmakers were on full display this week.
Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk beat second-quarter estimates and raised their full-year outlooks. But while investors cheered Lilly’s results, sending shares higher on Wednesday, they punished Novo a day earlier — underscoring a growing divide in Wall Street’s confidence in the two obesity drug leaders.
As Lilly continues to exceed expectations and widen its edge in the obesity drug space, Novo is still racing to win back market share, restore investor confidence in its pipeline and chart a clear path toward long-term growth.
“While Novo raised guidance (as expected), the pipeline and path to sustainable growth remain less clear,” BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a research note on Wednesday.
Eli Lilly’s stock has comfortably outperformed Novo Nordisk’s U.S.-traded shares this year.
At stake is a global market that some analysts expect to be worth more than $100 billion by the 2030s. In the U.S., Lilly held a 60.9% share of the obesity and diabetes drug market in the second quarter, compared with Novo’s 38.8%, according to Lilly’s earnings presentation Wednesday.
Lilly reported another quarter of blistering growth, with resilient demand for its blockbuster diabetes treatment Mounjaro and obesity drug Zepbound pushing revenue up 48% from a year ago. The company also hiked its full-year revenue guidance, reinforcing investor confidence that its treatments can sustain their sales momentum despite lower prices in the U.S. — an issue that Novo is also facing.
“The print reinforces our view that Lilly remains best positioned to capture the majority of global incretin market growth,” Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen said in a note on Wednesday, referring to the obesity and diabetes drug space.
Novo also topped Wall Street’s expectations and lifted its full-year outlook Tuesday, citing “increased expectations” for GLP-1 product sales.
Analysts said Novo benefited from rebate adjustments and other temporary factors during the quarter. Sales of the company’s diabetes drug Ozempic and overall obesity portfolio exceeded analyst estimates for the quarter, according to StreetAccount.
But investors appeared less focused on what Novo delivered this quarter and more on concerns about what comes next.
“All in all this leaves many questions open for 2027,” said Jefferies analyst Michael Leuchten in a research note on Tuesday.
Revenue of Novo’s closely watched Wegovy pill came in slightly below analyst expectations. That disappointed some investors and raised questions about whether it can become a big enough growth driver for the company.
“Wegovy Pill launch has shown promise, but 2Q results in the US highlight that more needs to be done to satisfy investors and truly beat expectations,” Seigerman said.
He acknowledged that part of the miss was due to the company reducing inventory of the pill, but said “a massive beat would have sated many” investors. The pill’s miss and share reaction “highlight a broader need for further pipeline diversification,” Seigerman added.
Despite that, Novo said the pill has reached more than 5 million patients since its U.S. launch in January, and the industry still bills it as one of the most successful drug launches in history. The drug has also shown higher efficacy than a rival obesity pill from Lilly, which launched a few months later than Novo’s treatment. That early entry to the market gave the Danish drugmaker an edge in the oral drug space.

Novo CEO Mike Doustdar also defended the pill’s strategy and launch following the company’s results. Regional expansions of the drug in the United Arab Emirates and the U.K., among others, this year could offer momentum, he said.
“We would not be able to … show a positive growth on the top and the bottom if items like the pill were not doing well and were not profitable,” Doustdar told CNBC’s Carolin Roth on Wednesday.
The company also gave more good news for its global prospects on Wednesday, when it said the Wegovy pill would launch in Germany in September, the product’s first entry into a European Union country.
Still, Novo’s updated outlook implies the company could post a sales decline this year, a contrast to Lilly’s expectation of ballooning revenue.
Novo on Tuesday also reported mixed trial results on a key experimental obesity drug, CagriSema, reigniting investor questions about whether the company’s drug pipeline can generate long-term growth. CagriSema couldn’t deliver as much blood sugar control as Zepbound in a large trial — the second time this year the new drug has failed to match Lilly’s blockbuster weight loss treatment.
That comes just days after Novo said a late-stage heart drug failed to reduce major cardiovascular events compared to placebo in a trial. Analysts viewed that experimental medicine, ziltivekimab, as a key opportunity for Novo to expand its cardiovascular portfolio and reduce reliance on its obesity and diabetes medicines.
“As pricing in the obesity market faces continuous headwinds, a clear strategy underpinned by franchise diversity is critical” for the company, Seigerman said.
For investors, the contrast is increasingly clear: Lilly is being viewed as the market’s momentum story, while Novo remains in a show-me phase as Wall Street waits for evidence that its turnaround efforts are taking hold.
“Overall nothing to inspire,” Citi research analysts said in a note on Tuesday about Novo.
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PostNL N.V. 2026 Q2 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation (OTCMKTS:PSTNY) 2026-08-06
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
Business
How Companies Track Shifts in Consumer Behavior Over Time
Consumers’ behaviors change due to new technologies, trends, economic environment, and customer needs. Organizations unable to track these changes often experience difficulties with competitiveness, while firms capable of doing this can respond quickly and thus improve customer experience and increase revenues.
Today’s consumers expect a personalized approach, faster services, an efficient digital experience, and customized products.
Monitoring changes in consumer behaviors can help organizations to learn how customers find products, compare different offers, buy items, interact with companies, and behave after sales. In turn, this information is useful to enhance marketing initiatives, design innovative solutions, offer high-quality support, and retain customers.
What is the concept of consumer behavior?
Consumers’ behaviors are the actions, decisions, and emotional reactions of customers during each step of their purchasing journey. They include:
- How do consumers search for the required goods and services?
- What factors influence people’s choices in favor of one brand rather than another?
- Which channels are the main ones for customers?
- How do consumers react to marketing and advertising efforts?
- Why do clients stop making purchases?
- How do customers use the purchased goods or services?
- What causes them to make new orders?
Consumer behaviors involve offline and online activities. Companies examine customers’ visits to websites, social media profiles, search histories, app usage, reviews left by consumers, purchase histories, and customer service interactions to learn more about clients and their needs. Businesses often combine these insights with data collected through social listening tools to better understand customer sentiment and online engagement patterns.
Through behavioral monitoring, firms can detect changes, predict new trends, and adapt to evolving consumer needs.
Why is monitoring consumer behavior important?
Knowing customers’ behaviors allows businesses to compete successfully by providing a better customer experience, improving products, and developing effective marketing campaigns.
Improving Personalization
Nowadays, consumers require more personalized approaches. Firms use behavioral data to personalize product recommendations, marketing campaigns, emails, and other elements of their websites.
For example, streaming service providers examine video-watching behaviors of customers to come up with content recommendations. E-commerce companies use data collected about the browsing and purchasing activity of customers to recommend additional items.
Personalized customer experience increases satisfaction and boosts revenues since customers tend to purchase products that correspond to their interests and needs.
Improving Marketing Performance
Through monitoring consumers’ behaviors, organizations get to know which marketing campaigns are more successful and efficient. Businesses may understand what audiences should be addressed by particular campaigns, on what channels ads work better, what types of marketing messages catch consumers’ attention, and which factors motivate people to buy a product.
Thus, marketing specialists are able to run targeted campaigns and save resources. For instance, a company selling vacations can find out that middle-aged women living on the West Coast react well to ads offering travel packages to Hawaii. In such a case, this firm would be able to develop targeted marketing campaigns aimed at this target audience.
Effective personalization usually brings significant profit. As recent studies demonstrate, organizations using personalized marketing strategies tend to receive a much higher return on investment than companies utilizing generic campaigns.
Tip: Small businesses may rely on basic analytics or manual research to understand customer preferences and online engagement. However, as customer conversations grow across multiple channels and regions, larger organizations often turn to enterprise platforms such as Sprinklr Social Listening tool to analyze customer sentiment, monitor brand perception, identify emerging trends, and gain deeper insights into consumer behavior at scale
Key ways businesses use to monitor consumer behaviors
Firms apply different methods to track customer behaviors in the process of researching and analyzing them.
Quantitative Research
The primary purpose of quantitative research is to measure numerical indicators. Businesses examine various metrics, including:
- Number of sales
- Conversion rate
- Retention rate
- Click-through rate
- Purchase frequency
- Average purchase size
Using this method of research allows firms to spot global trends in the behavior of large audiences.
For example, a retail company may notice that mobile sales have risen by 40% over the last year. It shows consumers’ preferences for mobile purchasing processes.
Qualitative Research
The goal of qualitative research is to uncover emotions, motivations, and perceptions of consumers. Researchers conduct interviews, focus groups, open questionnaires, and user testing to understand how people act.
For example, customers could tell why difficult navigation or slow-loading pages prevent them from finishing the purchasing process. Such insights can contribute greatly to improving customer experience.
Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics is a set of technologies used for predicting future behaviors of customers. Organizations use this tool to predict:
- Possibilities to convert leads into clients
- Chances of customers’ churn
- Product demand
- Customer lifetime value
- Clients’ response to special offers
Predictive AI systems enable businesses to take care of customer needs beforehand.
For example, a company may discover that some customers show symptoms of dissatisfaction or loss of interest. In such a situation, businesses can run a campaign aimed at retaining clients.
Customer Journey Mapping
Customer journey mapping is a technique allowing businesses to trace every interaction of customers with a firm. Such interactions may relate to:
- Ads seen by customers
- Social media interactions
- Website visits
- Contacts with customer support
- Payment process
- Interactions that occur after the purchasing process
Customer journey mapping helps firms to detect points that cause trouble for users and prevent them from completing the desired actions.
For example, a company may find out that a lot of users leave websites without buying goods because of complicated registration. To avoid losing potential customers, firms need to optimize these processes.
New AI systems for customer journey mapping analyze data coming from surveys, phone calls, client reviews, and other interactions to detect key touchpoints. Many organizations also integrate social listening tools into journey mapping strategies to identify customer concerns and trending discussions across online communities.
Cohort Analysis
In cohort analysis, clients are divided into groups based on their common traits or events and monitored for changes in behavior. Cohorts may consist of people who:
- Bought something in a certain month
- Are customers from a particular marketing campaign
- Live in certain regions
- Belong to a specific age group
- Have started subscriptions at a certain point in time
Analyzing cohorts makes it possible to see general behavioral tendencies and draw conclusions from them.
For example, an organization could find out that clients recruited via influencer marketing remain loyal for a much longer period than those obtained via paid search ads.
Cohort analysis gives businesses an understanding of how marketing campaigns affect retention rates and customer lifetime value.
Conclusion
Monitoring changes in consumer behavior has become critical for modern organizations. By discovering customers’ behaviors, businesses may be able to develop efficient marketing campaigns, invent innovative products, offer good support, and establish connections with clients.
Organizations obtain valuable data on customer behaviors from their websites, mobile apps, CRM systems, social media, interactions with customer support services, surveys, and AI-powered analytical platforms. Combining the methods of qualitative and quantitative research allows organizations to learn more about customers and their needs. The use of social listening tools further helps companies track customer opinions, industry trends, and brand reputation in real time.
Technologies, such as predictive analytics, customer journey mapping, cohort analysis, and A/B testing, help companies identify important tendencies and predict future trends.
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