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ParkerVision Reports Second Quarter 2019 Results; Touts Litigation Financing of its IP Claims for Reduction in Operating Costs

JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2019 / ParkerVision, Inc. (PRKR), a developer and marketer of technologies and products for wireless applications, today announced results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019.

Second Quarter 2019 Summary and Recent Developments

  • Louis Freeh and Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan LLP joined the ParkerVision litigation team in June 2019.
    • Freeh, former federal judge and FBI Director, has been admitted as the Company’s counsel alongside Mintz Levin and Mckool Smith in the Company’s two district court patent infringement cases in Florida.
  • The District Court in the Middle District of Florida (Jacksonville division) issued an order denying Apple’s motion for summary judgment in the pending patent litigation against Qualcomm and Apple and also issued its claim construction (Markman) order, in which the Court adopted the Company’s proposed construction for two terms and the “plain and ordinary meaning” on the remaining terms.
    • A case management schedule has been submitted to the court with a proposed trial date in August 2020.
  • The District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Orlando division) granted the Company’s proposed selection of patent claims from four asserted patents and denied Qualcomm’s request to limit the claims and patents, including claims that survived Qualcomm’s validity challenges through Inter Partes Review (“IPR”).
    • The court also agreed that the Company may elect to pursue accused products that were at issue at the time the case was stayed, as well as new products that were released by Qualcomm during the pendency of the stay.
    • A case management schedule has been submitted to the court with a proposed trial date in December 2020.
  • The Company has withdrawn its pursuit of appellate actions in Germany.
    • The Company declined to appeal the April 2019 decision by the District Court of Munich Germany that Apple does not infringe the Company’s German ‘853 patent.
    • The Company recently withdrew its appeal of the October 2018 decision by the Federal Patent Court in Munich that ruled the Company’s German ‘831 patent is invalid.

Second Quarter and First Half Financial Results

  • Net loss for the second quarter of 2019 was $1.6 million, or $0.05 per common share, compared to a $4.5 million net loss, or $0.18 per common share, for the second quarter of 2018.
  • Net loss for the first half of 2019 was $3.7 million, or $0.12 per common share, compared to an $8.8 million net loss, or $0.39 per common share, for the first half of 2018.
  • Cash used for operations decreased approximately 68% in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018 as a result of the Company’s cost reduction measures.
  • The Company sold $1.64 million in five-year, 8% convertible notes during the first half of 2019. Of this amount, $1.3 million have a fixed conversion price of $0.25 per share and $0.34 million have a fixed conversion price of $0.10 per share. The majority of the proceeds were used to finance operations, with $0.15 million used for retention payments to legal counsel engaged to assist in a wide range of litigation related activities.

Jeffrey Parker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased with the recent decisions from the two district courts in Florida and are looking forward to having trial dates set in both of those cases. Our decisions to abandon our appellate actions in Germany were made based on the lengthy timeframe that this process requires, and our belief that the best return for our shareholders and the fairest compensation for the unauthorized use of our technologies can be achieved by focusing our resources on the two U.S. district court actions.”

Mr. Parker continued, “We have significantly reduced operating costs over the past year, and we believe those reductions, paired with additional litigation financing for the completion of our cases in Florida, will enable us to see these cases through to conclusion. Our longer-term goal is to rebuild ParkerVision’s innovative culture and to continue to bring new solutions to the challenges of a wireless world.”

About ParkerVision

ParkerVision, Inc. has designed and developed proprietary radio-frequency (RF) technologies which enable advanced wireless solutions for current and next generation wireless communication products. ParkerVision is engaged in a number of patent enforcement actions to protect patented rights that it believes are broadly infringed by others. For more information, please visit www.parkervision.com. (PRKR-I)

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, each of which speaks only as of the date made. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Company’s SEC reports, including the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31 and June 30, 2019. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated or projected.

Contact:
Cindy Poehlman
Chief Financial Officer
ParkerVision, Inc.
904-732-6100
cpoehlman@parkervision.com

ParkerVision, Inc.
Balance Sheet Highlights

(in thousands)
(unaudited)
June 30, 2019
December 31, 2018
Cash and cash equivalents$63$1,527
Prepaid expenses637538
Accounts receivable and other current assets51122
Finished goods inventories5898
Property and equipment, net96129
Operating lease right-of-use assets364
Intangible assets & other3,3573,917
Total assets4,6266,331
Accounts payable and other accrued expenses2,8101,833
Operating lease liabilities, current portion26486
Notes payable, current portion1,9332,437
Long-term liabilities28,30527,285
Shareholders’ deficit(28,686)(25,310)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit$4,626$6,331

ParkerVision, Inc.
Summary of Results of Operations (unaudited)

Three Months EndedSix Months Ended
(in thousands, except per share amounts)June 30,June 30,
2019201820192018
Product revenue$25$38$35$115
Cost of sales(25)(31)(35)(84)
Write down of obsolete inventory(42)(42)
Gross margin(35)(11)
Research and development expenses1,0013341,875
Selling, general and administrative expenses1,8512,9024,0075,879
Total operating expenses1,8513,9034,3417,754
Interest and other income (expense)(76)(18)(138)(32)
Change in fair value of contingent payment obligation365(538)823(987)
Total interest and other289(556)685(1,019)
Net loss$(1,562)$(4,494)$(3,656)$(8,784)
Basic and diluted net loss per common share$(0.05)$(0.18)$(0.12)$(0.39)
Weighted average shares outstanding30,88824,56430,04222,672

ParkerVision, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)

Three Months EndedSix Months Ended
(in thousands)June 30,June 30,
2019201820192018
Net cash used in operating activities$(877)$(2,775)$(2,550)$(6,126)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities2617
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities5652,6021,0804,854
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents(312)(171)(1,464)(1,255)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period3752701,5271,354
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period$63$99$63$99

SOURCE: ParkerVision, Inc.

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Australian Google Ad Tech Class Action Commenced on Behalf of Publishers

By Harry Moran |

A class action was filed on 16 December 2024 on behalf of QNews Pty Ltd and Sydney Times Media Pty Ltd against Google LLC, Google Pte Ltd and Google Australia Pty Ltd (Google). 

The class action has been commenced to recover compensation for Australian-domiciled website and app publishers who have suffered financial losses as a result of Google’s misuse of market power in the advertising technology sector. The alleged loss is that publishers would have had significantly higher revenues from selling advertising space, and would have kept greater profits, if not for Google’s misuse of market power. 

The class action is being prosecuted by Piper Alderman with funding from Woodsford, which means affected publishers will not pay costs to participate in this class action, nor will they have any financial risk in relation to Google’s costs. 

Anyone, or any business, who has owned a website or app and sold advertising space using Google’s ad tech tools can join the action as a group member by registering their details at www.googleadtechaction.com.au. Participation in the action as a group member will be confidential so Google will not become aware of the identity of group members. 

The class action is on behalf of all publishers who had websites or apps and sold advertising space using Google’s platforms targeted at Australian consumers, including: 

  1. Google Ad Manager (GAM);
  2. Doubleclick for Publishers (DFP);
  3. Google Ad Exchange (AdX); and
  4. Google AdSense or AdMob. 

for the period 16 December 2018 to 16 December 2024. 

Google’s conduct 

Google’s conduct in the ad tech market is under scrutiny in various jurisdictions around the world. In June 2021, the French competition authority concluded that Google had abused its dominant position in the ad tech market. Google did not contest the decision, accepted a fine of €220m and agreed to change its conduct. The UK Competition and Markets Authority, the European Commission, the US Department of Justice and the Canadian Competition Bureau have also commenced investigations into, or legal proceedings regarding, Google’s conduct in ad tech. There are also class actions being prosecuted against Google for its practices in the ad tech market in the UK, EU and Canada. 

In Australia, Google’s substantial market power and conduct has been the subject of regulatory investigation and scrutiny by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) which released its report in August 2021. The ACCC found that “Google is the largest supplier of ad tech services across the entire ad tech supply chain: no other provider has the scale or reach across the ad tech supply chain that Google does.” It concluded that “Google’s vertical integration and dominance across the ad tech supply chain, and in related services, have allowed it to engage in leveraging and self-preferencing conduct, which has likely interfered with the competitive process". 

Quotes 

Greg Whyte, a partner at Piper Alderman, said: 

This class action is of major importance to publishers, who have suffered as a result of Google’s practices in the ad tech monopoly that it has secured. As is the case in several other 2. jurisdictions around the world, Google will be required to respond to and defend its monopolistic practices which significantly affect competition in the Australian publishing market”. 

Charlie Morris, Chief Investment Officer at Woodsford said: “This class action follows numerous other class actions against Google in other jurisdictions regarding its infringement of competition laws in relation to AdTech. This action aims to hold Google to account for its misuse of market power and compensate website and app publishers for the consequences of Google’s misconduct. Working closely with economists, we have determined that Australian website and app publishers have been earning significantly less revenue and profits from advertising than they should have. We aim to right this wrong.” 

Class Action representation 

The team prosecuting the ad tech class action comprises: 

  • Law firm: Piper Alderman
  • Funder: Woodsford
  • Counsel team: Nicholas de Young KC, Simon Snow and Nicholas Walter

Rockpoint Legal Funding Shines at Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention

By Harry Moran |

Rockpoint Legal Funding proudly participated in the annual conference hosted by the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), showcasing its commitment to supporting legal professionals and their clients. As the only funding company endorsed by CAOC, Rockpoint Legal Funding leveraged this premier event to connect with new and prospective partners reinforcing its position as a trusted funder within California's legal community.

The CAOC is a prestigious network of attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of California consumers. Each year, the organization hosts its annual convention, bringing together some of the brightest legal minds and innovators in the industry. For Rockpoint Legal Funding, this event was an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate its unwavering dedication to empowering attorneys and their clients through tailored legal funding solutions.

During the convention, Rockpoint operated a booth where team members engaged with attendees, offering insights into the company's services and how they benefit both legal professionals and consumers seeking justice. From new attorneys looking for funding solutions to established firms aiming to streamline their case workflows, Rockpoint provided personalized advice and showcased its comprehensive suite of legal funding options.

"Rockpoint is proud to partner with the Consumer Attorneys of California. We take a lot of pride in serving the attorneys and their clients of this prestigious organization," said Ramtin Ghaneeian, Founding Partner of Rockpoint Legal Funding. His statement highlights the company's commitment to strengthening its collaboration with CAOC and continuing to support its mission of safeguarding the rights of California consumers.

President of Rockpoint Legal Funding, Maz Ghorban, emphasized the value of building strong relationships at events like this, stating, "It's a privilege to connect with our law firm partners at the CAOC convention each year while ensuring our values align with protecting California consumers through legal recourse."

Rockpoint's presence at the CAOC annual convention underscores its dedication to fostering meaningful connections within the legal community. By being the only CAOC-endorsed funding company, Rockpoint reinforces its credibility and reliability in the legal funding landscape. This endorsement is a testament to Rockpoint's shared vision with CAOC in championing consumer rights and providing critical support to those navigating the justice system.

For attorneys and law firms, Rockpoint Legal Funding offers a variety of non-recourse funding solutions, ensuring clients have the financial support they need during ongoing litigation. This commitment aligns perfectly with CAOC's mission to advocate for justice and fairness for California consumers.

As Rockpoint continues to deepen its relationships with legal professionals, events like the CAOC annual convention remain a cornerstone of its outreach efforts. The company looks forward to future collaborations and furthering its impact within the legal community.

For more information about Rockpoint Legal Funding and its services, visit Rockpointlegalfunding.com or call (855) 582-9200.

About Rockpoint Legal Funding

Rockpoint Legal Funding is a leading provider of non-recourse legal funding solutions, serving attorneys and their clients with unparalleled expertise and care. With a mission to empower justice and support favorable case outcomes, Rockpoint is committed to providing financial assistance during critical times, ensuring no one is denied access to legal recourse due to financial constraints.

Nera Capital Secures Additional $25 million in New Funding Deal

By Harry Moran |

Top litigation finance firm Nera Capital is ending the year on a high with the announcement of yet another successfully closed funding deal, this time securing $25 million to bolster UK consumer protection claims.

The funding, secured through a US-based investment partner, reflects yet another significant milestone for the firm as it continues to build momentum and strengthen its foothold in the market. 

This recently closed funding deal builds on a prosperous year of growth for Nera Capital, further demonstrating its capabilities across the globe. The investment will be directed towards advancing claims that protect UK consumers, enabling greater access to justice for individuals seeking redress.

With offices in Dublin, Manchester, and Amsterdam, Nera Capital has consistently demonstrated its commitment to driving innovation and impact in litigation finance worldwide. This latest funding announcement underscores Nera Capital’s ability to forge strategic international partnerships that deliver meaningful results. 

In 2024, Nera have hit record numbers of settlements, deployment and company profitability but also grown major portfolio positions in Europe and the USA.

Aisling Byrne, Director at Nera Capital, commented on the announcement: “We are happy to have closed yet another significant funding deal, further cementing our position as a leading force in consumer protection litigation. We anticipate this initial facility figure will increase as our partnership strengthens and thrives over time.

She added: “This is not just about financial growth; it’s about expanding our ability to make a difference. With this funding, we are reinforcing our commitment to fairness and justice, empowering consumers, and holding organisations accountable.”

The announcement follows the recent launch of Nera Capital’s £250,000 Access to Justice Fund, aimed at providing legal and financial support to those who may otherwise face barriers to justice.

The firm’s efforts come at a time of heightened focus on consumer rights across the world, driven by evolving legal frameworks, increased attention to data privacy, and growing concerns about sustainability and corporate accountability.

“This funding is another step forward in a year of tremendous progress for Nera Capital,” Aisling continued.

“As we look to 2025, we remain committed to leveraging our resources and expertise to protect consumers and advocate for justice on both sides of the Atlantic.“ 

About Nera Capital 

·       Established in 2011, Nera Capital is a specialist funding provider to law firms.  

·       Provides Law Firm Lend funding across diverse claim portfolios in both the Consumer and Commercial sector. 

·       Headquartered in Dublin, the firm also has offices in Manchester and Holland. 

·       Member of European Litigation Funders Association

.     www.neracapital.com