DraftKings (DKNG) Is Looking Bullish as More States Legalize Sports BettingTORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- Messagepoint Inc. announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Intelligent Customer Communications Management 2024 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US51359124, December 2024) and the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Automated Document Generation 2024 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US52111324, December 2024). Messagepoint is positioned in the Leaders Category in both of these reports which focus on solutions for managing personalized customer communications. The IDC MarketScape for Intelligent Customer Communications Management evaluates vendors that natively own or integrate forms technology and artificial intelligence, or generative AI (GenAI) features for the enhancement of automation in content creation, management or insights and discusses the shift from traditional document generation to a more intelligent communication platform. The IDC MarketScape for Automated Document Generation examines the automated generation of documents and communications for multichannel delivery while highlighting the shift of document generation to a more personalized form of communication outside of traditional regulated requirements. Vendor inclusion criteria involved a comprehensive survey and investigation of each vendor to ensure their offerings were qualified by capabilities and strategies related to success in the CCM market. The report provides a comparative evaluation of the criteria that are most valuable to a company when choosing a CCM solution. We believe recognition as a Leader in intelligent customer communications management applications underscores Messagepoint’s commitment to providing modern approaches and solutions leveraging AI and machine learning (ML) to optimize the way organizations create, deliver and manage customer communications across multiple channels. For the past eight years, Messagepoint has invested in a specialized AI team focused on enhancing the capabilities of the company’s proprietary AI and ML engine, Messagepoint Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine (MARCIE), making the platform exceptionally qualified to deliver dynamic digital experiences efficiently at scale. Messagepoint stands alone in its ability to provide a flexible content system that facilitates headless CCM capabilities for supporting digital communications and seamlessly integrate with platforms like Unqork to provide codeless content management and application development hooks for creating comprehensive digital experiences. “Messagepoint’s AI-powered platform continues to change traditional customer communications management with its ability to incorporate intelligence that makes real-time, contextually relevant experiences possible. Another important element to AI/ML/GenAI is Messagepoint’s AI-based search and content intelligence features for content authors and curators to effectively leverage content snippets as a foundation for creating highly personalized communications across digital channels,” said Marci Maddox, research director, enterprise content strategies at IDC and author of the report. Messagepoint has pioneered advancements in the industry by being the first to introduce AI-powered Assisted Authoring, content rationalization and migration through its MARCIE platform. The solution provides a no-code platform for business users, offering a modern and comprehensive cloud-based approach that enhances the speed and efficiency of communications management. Messagepoint also provides organizations with the ability to utilize centrally managed and controlled content objects across various digital channels, eliminating redundant content operations that typically come with managing multiple channels. According to the IDC MarketScape for Intelligent CCM, “Messagepoint’s AI-Assisted Authoring tool optimizes content creation by identifying redundancies, improving readability, and suggesting alternative personalized phrasings while ensuring brand consistency, translation and translation accuracy, proactively identifying and addressing potential issues related to sentiment, and reading levels acting as a compliance agent to validate against standards.” The IDC MarketScape for Intelligent CCM report also noted, “Messagepoint Touchpoint Exchange acts like a communications app store to an intelligent content hub, allowing customers and partners to efficiently create, distribute, and manage content across various channels, with customizable templates and prebuilt touch points to accelerate content development and streamline communication processes.” The solution makes it possible to efficiently create, distribute and manage content across various channels, with customizable templates and pre-built touchpoints to accelerate content development and streamline communication processes. “We are honored to be recognized as a Leader in two important IDC MarketScape reports for CCM,” said Steve Biancaniello, CEO of Messagepoint. “With the market evolving rapidly, AI is set to play an even more significant role in shaping the future of customer communications, making implementing digital strategies critical to enhancing the customer experience. By staying ahead of the curve, we are able to help organizations capitalize on both of these dynamics by leveraging the power of AI and digital innovation to drive meaningful growth and customer satisfaction.” To access the IDC Marketscape report, click here . About IDC MarketScape IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors, can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. About Messagepoint Messagepoint is a leading provider of customer communications management software. Only Messagepoint harnesses AI-powered Content Intelligence to automate and simplify the process of migrating, optimizing, authoring and managing complex customer communications for non-technical (business) users. Customers rely on its award-winning platform to consistently deliver exceptional, highly personalized customer communications across all platforms and channels. For more information, visit www.messagepoint.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205538775/en/ CONTACT: Patricia Kilgore Sterling Kilgore pkilgore@sterlingkilgore.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUSINESS DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PUBLISHING MARKETING INSURANCE COMMUNICATIONS FINANCE CONSULTING SOURCE: Messagepoint Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 04:17 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205538775/en‘Christmas Light Fight’ Host Carter Oosterhouse on Holiday Traditions, Marriage to Amy Smart & More

Julia Wick | (TNS) Los Angeles Times As California politicos look ahead to 2025, the biggest question looming is whether Vice President Kamala Harris — a native daughter, battered just weeks ago by presidential election defeat — will enter the 2026 California governor’s race. Related Articles National Politics | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump National Politics | What Americans think about Hegseth, Gabbard and key Trump Cabinet picks AP-NORC poll Harris has yet to give any public indication on her thoughts and those close to her suggest the governorship is not immediately top of mind. But if Harris does ultimately run — and that’s a massive if — her entrée would seismically reshape the already crowded race for California’s highest office. Recent polling suggests Harris would have a major advantage, with 46% of likely voters saying they were somewhat or very likely to support her for governor in 2026, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey co-sponsored by The Times. “If Vice President Harris were to choose to run, I am certain that that would have a near field-clearing effect on the Democratic side,” Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, said during a recent UC Irvine panel interview . Porter, a high-profile Democrat who has been eyeing the wide-open governor’s race, has yet to say whether she plans to run. Porter’s point was broadly echoed in conversations with nearly a dozen California political operatives and strategists, several of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly. Most speculated that a Harris entry would cause some other candidates in the race to scatter, creating further upheaval in down-ballot races as a roster of ambitious politicians scramble for other opportunities. “In politics, you always let the big dogs eat first,” quipped Democratic political consultant Peter Ragone. The current gubernatorial field is a who’s who of California politicians, but lacks a clear favorite or star with widespread name recognition. The vast majority of California’s 22 million voters have yet to pay attention to the race and have little familiarity with the candidates. The list of Democratic candidates includes Los Angeles’ first Latino mayor in more than a century ( Antonio Villaraigosa ); the first female and first out LGBTQ leader of the state Senate ( Toni Atkins ); the sitting lieutenant governor and first woman to hold that post ( Eleni Kounalakis ); the state superintendent of public instruction ( Tony Thurmond ) and the former state controller ( Betty Yee ). Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is serving his second term as California governor, meaning he is ineligible to run again. Several other Democrats, including Porter, outgoing Health and Human Services Director Xavier Becerra and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta have also publicly toyed with the idea of a run. They could be less likely to enter the fray should Harris decide to run. What the billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso — who has also been exploring a run — would choose to do is an open question, as Caruso might contrast himself with Harris as a more centrist candidate. The real estate developer was a registered Republican until November 2019. It’s unlikely that Harris will proffer a public decision in the immediate term, leaving plenty of time for political insiders to game out hypotheticals in the weeks and months to come. Harris’ office did not respond to a request for comment. “I think every candidate for governor is trying to get some kind of intel,” Mike Trujillo, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant and former Villaraigosa staffer, said of a potential Harris run. Trujillo speculated that Harris’ current state was probably similar to Hillary Clinton’s hiking sojourns in the Chappaqua woods after losing to Donald Trump in 2016, or Al Gore growing a beard in the bruising aftermath of his 2000 defeat. “The first thing she’s probably thinking about is, ‘Well, can I run again for president in four years?’ Not, ‘Do I run for governor in two years?’” said one political operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. Harris maintains a home in Brentwood and previously served as California’s senator and attorney general. A successful run for governor in 2026 would almost certainly impede a grab for the presidency in 2028. (Though if history is any guide, an unsuccessful run for California governor does not definitively preclude a bid for the Oval Office: Two years after losing the White House to John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon lost the 1962 contest for governor to Pat Brown . The Yorba Linda native became the nation’s 37th president in 1969.) As the chief executive of a state that doubles as the world’s fifth-largest economy, Harris would have more power to steer policy and make changes as a California governor than she did as vice president, where her job required deference to President Biden. But leading a state, even the nation’s most populous, could feel like small potatoes after being a heartbeat (and a few dozen electoral votes) from the presidency. The protracted slog to November 2026 would also be a stark contrast to her ill-fated 107-day sprint toward the White House, particularly for a candidate whose 2020 presidential primary campaign was dogged by allegations of infighting and mismanagement. “I don’t think Kamala Harris has a deep psychological need to be governor of California, or to be in elective office in order to feel like she can contribute to society,” said the operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. “I think some of these people do, but she’s somebody who has enough prominence that she could do a lot of big, wonderful things without having to worry about balancing California’s budget or negotiating with Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel,” the Encino Democrat who chairs the Assembly’s budget committee. Technically, Harris has until March 2026 to decide whether she enters a race. But political strategists who spoke to The Times theorized that she probably would make a move by late spring, if she chooses to do so. “People will be more annoyed if she drops in in June,” a Democratic strategist involved with one of the gubernatorial campaigns said. Sending a clear signal by February would be more “courteous,” the strategist continued, explaining that such a move would give candidates more time to potentially enter other races. Kounalakis is a longtime friend and ally of Harris’ , and the vice president also has long-term relationships with some of the other candidates and potential candidates. California has eight statewide elected offices and campaign finance laws allow candidates to fundraise interchangeably for them, meaning money already raised for a candidate’s gubernatorial campaign could easily be redirected should they decide to run for, say, lieutenant governor instead. There are already a number of candidates running for lieutenant governor, including former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, former state Sen. Steven Bradford and former state Treasurer Fiona Ma. But that office probably would see even more interest should Harris enter the gubernatorial race. It’s a largely ceremonial position, but one that has served as a launching pad for the governorship. Still, even if Harris does enter the race, Republican political strategist Mike Murphy threw cold water on the idea that she would have an automatic glide path to the governor’s office. “It’s like Hollywood. Nobody knows anything. She’s famous enough to look credible in early polling. That’s all we know for sure,” Murphy said. “Does that predict the future? No. Are there a lot of downsides (to a potential Harris candidacy)? Totally, yes.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC ( NASDAQ:PSNY – Get Free Report )’s stock price was up 4.2% on Friday . The company traded as high as $1.14 and last traded at $1.13. Approximately 3,648,542 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 49% from the average daily volume of 7,206,929 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1.08. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $3.00 price target on shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK in a report on Monday, September 30th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Polestar Automotive Holding UK in a report on Thursday, December 5th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1.25 target price on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $1.50 price target on shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK in a report on Tuesday, September 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK from $2.00 to $1.50 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $1.53. Read Our Latest Report on Polestar Automotive Holding UK Polestar Automotive Holding UK Stock Up 2.8 % Institutional Trading of Polestar Automotive Holding UK A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PSNY. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado purchased a new stake in shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Polestar Automotive Holding UK by 134.4% in the third quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 15,390 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 8,823 shares in the last quarter. Versor Investments LP purchased a new position in shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK during the second quarter worth about $47,000. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Polestar Automotive Holding UK by 125.4% in the 3rd quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 46,615 shares of the company’s stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 25,930 shares during the last quarter. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd grew its stake in Polestar Automotive Holding UK by 153.1% during the 2nd quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 150,657 shares of the company’s stock worth $119,000 after buying an additional 91,139 shares during the last quarter. 1.02% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Polestar Automotive Holding UK Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC manufactures and sells premium electric vehicles. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Polestar Automotive Holding UK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Polestar Automotive Holding UK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Julia Wick | (TNS) Los Angeles Times As California politicos look ahead to 2025, the biggest question looming is whether Vice President Kamala Harris — a native daughter, battered just weeks ago by presidential election defeat — will enter the 2026 California governor’s race. Related Articles National Politics | Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America National Politics | Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration even as he threatens massive tariffs on Beijing National Politics | Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump National Politics | What Americans think about Hegseth, Gabbard and key Trump Cabinet picks AP-NORC poll National Politics | Trump is named Time’s Person of the Year and rings the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell Harris has yet to give any public indication on her thoughts and those close to her suggest the governorship is not immediately top of mind. But if Harris does ultimately run — and that’s a massive if — her entrée would seismically reshape the already crowded race for California’s highest office. Recent polling suggests Harris would have a major advantage, with 46% of likely voters saying they were somewhat or very likely to support her for governor in 2026, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey co-sponsored by The Times. “If Vice President Harris were to choose to run, I am certain that that would have a near field-clearing effect on the Democratic side,” Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, said during a recent UC Irvine panel interview . Porter, a high-profile Democrat who has been eyeing the wide-open governor’s race, has yet to say whether she plans to run. Porter’s point was broadly echoed in conversations with nearly a dozen California political operatives and strategists, several of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly. Most speculated that a Harris entry would cause some other candidates in the race to scatter, creating further upheaval in down-ballot races as a roster of ambitious politicians scramble for other opportunities. “In politics, you always let the big dogs eat first,” quipped Democratic political consultant Peter Ragone. The current gubernatorial field is a who’s who of California politicians, but lacks a clear favorite or star with widespread name recognition. The vast majority of California’s 22 million voters have yet to pay attention to the race and have little familiarity with the candidates. The list of Democratic candidates includes Los Angeles’ first Latino mayor in more than a century ( Antonio Villaraigosa ); the first female and first out LGBTQ leader of the state Senate ( Toni Atkins ); the sitting lieutenant governor and first woman to hold that post ( Eleni Kounalakis ); the state superintendent of public instruction ( Tony Thurmond ) and the former state controller ( Betty Yee ). Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is serving his second term as California governor, meaning he is ineligible to run again. Several other Democrats, including Porter, outgoing Health and Human Services Director Xavier Becerra and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta have also publicly toyed with the idea of a run. They could be less likely to enter the fray should Harris decide to run. What the billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso — who has also been exploring a run — would choose to do is an open question, as Caruso might contrast himself with Harris as a more centrist candidate. The real estate developer was a registered Republican until November 2019. It’s unlikely that Harris will proffer a public decision in the immediate term, leaving plenty of time for political insiders to game out hypotheticals in the weeks and months to come. Harris’ office did not respond to a request for comment. “I think every candidate for governor is trying to get some kind of intel,” Mike Trujillo, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant and former Villaraigosa staffer, said of a potential Harris run. Trujillo speculated that Harris’ current state was probably similar to Hillary Clinton’s hiking sojourns in the Chappaqua woods after losing to Donald Trump in 2016, or Al Gore growing a beard in the bruising aftermath of his 2000 defeat. “The first thing she’s probably thinking about is, ‘Well, can I run again for president in four years?’ Not, ‘Do I run for governor in two years?’” said one political operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. Harris maintains a home in Brentwood and previously served as California’s senator and attorney general. A successful run for governor in 2026 would almost certainly impede a grab for the presidency in 2028. (Though if history is any guide, an unsuccessful run for California governor does not definitively preclude a bid for the Oval Office: Two years after losing the White House to John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon lost the 1962 contest for governor to Pat Brown . The Yorba Linda native became the nation’s 37th president in 1969.) As the chief executive of a state that doubles as the world’s fifth-largest economy, Harris would have more power to steer policy and make changes as a California governor than she did as vice president, where her job required deference to President Biden. But leading a state, even the nation’s most populous, could feel like small potatoes after being a heartbeat (and a few dozen electoral votes) from the presidency. The protracted slog to November 2026 would also be a stark contrast to her ill-fated 107-day sprint toward the White House, particularly for a candidate whose 2020 presidential primary campaign was dogged by allegations of infighting and mismanagement. “I don’t think Kamala Harris has a deep psychological need to be governor of California, or to be in elective office in order to feel like she can contribute to society,” said the operative who’s worked with Harris in the past. “I think some of these people do, but she’s somebody who has enough prominence that she could do a lot of big, wonderful things without having to worry about balancing California’s budget or negotiating with Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel,” the Encino Democrat who chairs the Assembly’s budget committee. Technically, Harris has until March 2026 to decide whether she enters a race. But political strategists who spoke to The Times theorized that she probably would make a move by late spring, if she chooses to do so. “People will be more annoyed if she drops in in June,” a Democratic strategist involved with one of the gubernatorial campaigns said. Sending a clear signal by February would be more “courteous,” the strategist continued, explaining that such a move would give candidates more time to potentially enter other races. Kounalakis is a longtime friend and ally of Harris’ , and the vice president also has long-term relationships with some of the other candidates and potential candidates. California has eight statewide elected offices and campaign finance laws allow candidates to fundraise interchangeably for them, meaning money already raised for a candidate’s gubernatorial campaign could easily be redirected should they decide to run for, say, lieutenant governor instead. There are already a number of candidates running for lieutenant governor, including former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, former state Sen. Steven Bradford and former state Treasurer Fiona Ma. But that office probably would see even more interest should Harris enter the gubernatorial race. It’s a largely ceremonial position, but one that has served as a launching pad for the governorship. Still, even if Harris does enter the race, Republican political strategist Mike Murphy threw cold water on the idea that she would have an automatic glide path to the governor’s office. “It’s like Hollywood. Nobody knows anything. She’s famous enough to look credible in early polling. That’s all we know for sure,” Murphy said. “Does that predict the future? No. Are there a lot of downsides (to a potential Harris candidacy)? Totally, yes.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.