LendingTree Preliminary Q4 Results Exceed Prior Guidance – Quick Facts

LendingTree, Inc. (TREE) said its fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA is now anticipated to be $24 – $26 million, revised from prior range of $13 – $18 million. Revenue is now anticipated in the range of $220 – $222 million updated from prior range of $200 – $215 million.

“Due to substantial outperformance relative to our prior outlook, and in our ongoing effort to provide increased transparency for investors in these uncertain times, we are updating our expectations for LendingTree’s fourth quarter 2020 results as we continue to work through our year-end close process,” said Doug Lebda, CEO.

LendingTree plans to formally report its fourth quarter and full-year 2020 financial results on February 25, 2021.

Giuliani May Be Expelled From New York Bar Group Over Capitol Riot

A New York lawyers group is exploring removing Rudy Giuliani from its membership over his role in the Washington protest that turned into a violent raid on the U.S. Capitol.

The New York State Bar Association announced the probe on Monday. The group does not control admission to practice law in New York, which falls under the courts’ authority. But the NYSBA, along with Association of the Bar for the City of New York, are prominent groups that speak for the state’s legal community.

The City Bar on Monday called for President Donald Trump’s removal under the 25th Amendment.

The NYSBA said it had received numerous complaint about Giuliani’s comments to a large group of Trump supporters encouraging them to fight against a vast election fraud conspiracy that has been repeatedly debunked.

“Mr. Giuliani’s words quite clearly were intended to encourage Trump supporters unhappy with the election’s outcome to take matters into their own hands,” the group said in the statement. “Their subsequent attack on the Capitol was nothing short of an attempted coup, intended to prevent the peaceful transition of power.”

Norway Warns of Vaccination Risks for Sick Patients Over 80

Norway says there are risks that Covid-19 vaccinations may be too risky for the very old and terminally sick, after 23 people died within a short time of receiving their first shot.

Of those deaths, 13 have so far been autopsied with the results suggesting that common side effects may have contributed to severe reactions in frail, elderly people, according to the Norwegian Medicines Agency.

“For those with the most severe frailty, even relatively mild vaccine side effects can have serious consequences,” the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said. “For those who have a very short remaining life span anyway, the benefit of the vaccine may be marginal or irrelevant.”

Norway has so far given at least one dose to about 33,000 people, focusing on those considered to be most at risk if they contract the virus, including the elderly. Most of the shots given are from BioNTec/Pfizer, with the Moderna vaccine now also being administered.

South African President Signs Political Party Funding Act

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South Africa’s president approved legislation that will regulate public and private funding of political parties.

The Political Party Funding Act prohibits donations by foreign governments and agencies, and precludes members of political parties from receiving donations other than for political-party purposes, the presidency said in a statement Friday. It will come into operation on April 1.

The act “will have far-reaching consequences for good governance and ethical political activity,” the presidency said. “It will strengthen the confidence of citizens in the democratic political process and enable them to assert their right to information.”

‘Let Him Go’ Director Tom Bezucha Signs With Verve

EXCLUSIVE: Let Him Go filmmaker Tom Bezucha has signed with Verve for representation in all areas.

Bezucha recently wrote, directed and produced the Focus Features western thriller Let Him Go starring Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, and Lesley Manville. Based on the novel by Larry Watson, the film follows a retired sheriff and his wife, grieving the loss of their son, as they set out to find their only grandson.

In addition to Let Him Go, Bezucha is known for writing and directing the popular holiday classic The Family Stone, which featured the ensemble cast of Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson and Sarah Jessica

His other credits include Monte Carlo starring Selena Gomez and adapted the screenplays for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society directed by Mike Newell and starring Lily James. Coming up next for Bezucha is FilmNation and Amblin’s The Good House with Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. Prior to his career in film, Bezucha spent a decade as a creative executive at Polo/Ralph Lauren.

Bezuchu continues to be repped by attorney David Fox.

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China Exports Continue To Expand Strongly In December

China’s exports continued to log robust growth in December driven by higher global demand for pandemic-induced goods, official data revealed Thursday.

Exports grew 18.1 percent on a yearly basis in December, faster than the expected growth of 15.0 percent, data from the General Administration of Customs, showed. Nonetheless, the rate of increase slowed from 21.1 percent posted in November.

Driven by domestic demand, imports growth advanced to 6.5 percent from 4.5 percent a month ago. This was also faster than the economists’ forecast of +5.0 percent.

As a result, the trade surplus increased to $78.17 billion from $75.4 billion in the previous month. Economists had forecast the surplus to fall to $72.4 billion.

In the whole year of 2020, the trade surplus surged to $535 billion, the highest since 2015. Despite trade disputes, China’s surplus with the US rose to $316.9 billion.

Exports continued to do well, as renewed lockdowns abroad ensured the shift in consumption from services to goods persisted in many of China’s trading partners, Julian Evans-Pritchard and Sheana Yue, economists at Capital Economics, said.

But further ahead, the current strength of exports is unlikely to be sustained indefinitely, especially given that consumption patterns overseas should gradually return to normal as vaccines are rolled out, they said.

And imports are likely to drop back as policy support is gradually withdrawn throughout this year, the economists noted.