Draegerwerk Q2 Preliminary EBIT Down

German medical and safety technology provider Draegerwerk AG (DRWKF.PK) reported that its second-quarter preliminary EBIT declined to 80 million euros from last year’s 102 million euros, due to the lower gross margin and higher functional expenses.

Net sales were about 841 million euros, a currency-adjusted increase of 9.0 percent or 6.7 percent on nominal basis compared to the prior year’s period.

The company had already raised its guidance on June 21, due to the better than expected order development. The company expects a currency-adjusted decrease in net sales of between 2 and 6 percent for fiscal year 2021. This would correspond to a nominal decrease in net sales of around 3 to 7 percent. The EBIT margin is expected to be between 8.0 and 11.0 percent.

The company expects pandemic-related demand to normalize in the second half of the year and does not anticipate comparable demand in the coming year.

The company will publish its full results for the first six months of the fiscal year on July 29, 2021.

FDA Panel Votes In Favor Of TransMedics’ OCS Liver System

TransMedics Group Inc. (TMDX) said Wednesday that the Gastroenterology and Urology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee convened by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a favorable vote in support of approval of the OCS Liver System.

“Today’s FDA panel vote brings us closer to potentially having all three OCS products FDA approved and commercially available in the U.S. for lung, heart and liver transplantation,” said Waleed Hassanein, President and Chief Executive Officer.

The FDA panel voted 14 to 0, in support of the OCS Liver System’s safety and effectiveness. The panel voted 12 to 1, with 1 abstaining, that the benefits of the OCS Liver System outweigh its risks.

The OCS Lung System is approved in the U.S., and the OCS Heart System is currently under review by the FDA after receiving a positive vote by the FDA’s Circulatory System Device Advisory Panel in April.

China property investment growth slows in H1

BEIJING, July 15 (Reuters) – Real estate investment in China rose 15% in January-June from the same period a year earlier, official data showed on Thursday, slowing from 18.3% growth in the first five months of the year.

Property sales by floor area increased 27.7% in the first six months, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, versus a rise of 36.3% in the first five months of the year.

New construction starts measured by floor area rose 3.8% from a year earlier, compared with 6.9% growth in the first five months.

Funds raised by China’s property developers grew 23.5%, moderating from an increase of 29.9% in the first five months.

Trump’s ‘Endorsement’ Of Jesse Watters’ New Book Is Hilariously Low-Effort

Former President Donald Trump released a statement endorsing a new book by Fox News host Jesse Watters — but apparently wasn’t inspired to write an original one.

In fact, the emailed statement on Trump’s letterhead is largely identical to the official promotional copy describing the book.

The only parts of Trump’s statement that aren’t directly lifted from the book’s details page are: “Great new book out by Jesse Watters, ‘How I Saved the World,’” at the start, and “Get your copy today, congratulations Jesse!” at the end.

In between those quotes is this distinctly non-Trumpian language: “Interspersed are his thoughtful suggestions for overcoming left-wing radicalism, maintaining American democracy, moving beyond aging hippies (like his long-suffering, loving parents), saving the world from social justice warriors and the deep state—all while smirking his way through life in only the nicest way.”

Trump’s statement did nothing to indicate it was quoting from the book’s promotional copy, which appears on Amazon and other booksellers’ websites.

Watters, a vocal Trump supporter, was trending after the endorsement, although perhaps not for the reasons he would’ve hoped. Washington Post politics reporter Dave Weigel suggested that next time, Watters should avoid “un-Trumpy” language like “interspersed” in his book descriptions.

“Future solution: Publishers of pro-Trump books need to copy his syntax in their ad copy,” Weigel tweeted.

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30 people missing after houses collapse during severe floods in Germany – report

Thirty people are missing following the collapse of six homes after heavy rain triggered severe flooding in western Germany, according to a local media report.

The properties collapsed on Wednesday night in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, broadcaster SWR said.

Around 25 more houses are in danger of collapsing in the district of Schuld bei Adenau in the hilly Eiffel region, it added.

Daimler Says Q2 Group EBIT Significantly Above Market View

Daimler Group EBIT, Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans adjusted EBIT, Daimler Trucks & Buses Return on Sales adjusted, Daimler Trucks & Buses adjusted EBIT, Daimler Mobility adjusted EBIT and Daimler’s Industrial Free Cash Flow for the second quarter of 2021 were all significantly above market expectations, German automaker Daimler AG (DDAIF.PK) said in a statement.

Daimler’s preliminary group EBIT for the second-quarter was 5.19 billion euros compared to the consensus of 4.12 billion euros. Quarterly adjusted EBIT was 5.42 billion euros compared to consensus of 4.29 billion euros.

Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans’ quarterly adjusted EBIT was 3.60 billion euros compared to consensus of 3.07 billion euros.

Daimler Trucks & Buses’ quarterly adjusted EBIT was 831 million euros compared to analysts estimation of 680 million euros.

Daimler Mobility’s second-quarter adjusted EBIT was 930 million euros compared to consensus of 653 million euros.