Smartoptics - Småprat

[TekBot]

NDIX chooses Smartoptics for zero-touch and scalable 100G connectivity

Oslo, Norway - December 15, 2022 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical
networking solutions, today announced that Dutch ethernet exchange provider NDIX
has chosen its open line systems to future-proof its network. The solution will
…

Vis børsmeldingen

be used to upgrade to 100G and is 400G-ready with ease of use and scalability as
key drivers.

NDIX is an international ethernet exchange with a network equivalent in size and
scope to a tier 2 service provider with over 4,000 ports connected at more than
one hundred data centers. More than 100 partners work with NDIX to reach
customers ranging from small business owners to large government institutions
Throughout the Netherlands as well as in Germany.

To meet its growing operations and capacity needs, NDIX sought a future-proof
solution. Ease of use was an important driver for supporting rapid deployment
and growth. The Smartoptics DCP-M family of open line systems was chosen for its
zero-touch provisioning and plug-and-play experience.

“We carefully analyzed several potential solutions and Smartoptics stood out
from the competition for its ease of use. In theory, it sounded very simple,
almost too good to be true. When we actually tested one of these open line
systems, we were blown away that it really was as easy in practice. Smartoptics
keeps its promises, offering a true plug-and-play experience that helps us grow
our network at scale. We appreciate their honesty and reliability as a partner
and look forward to continuing future collaboration,” says Thomas van de
Lagemaat, Manager NOC/Operations at NDIX.

The scalable solution also offers simple migration paths to 100G and 400G while
being backwards compatible with 10G.

“Our DCP-M family of open line systems is engineered to give customers the
freedom to run multiple bitrates in parallel while offering low latency and high
density across the board. Upgrading bitrates is as simple as replacing the
optics. This allows customers to continue using their existing infrastructure,
which leads to greater ROI and enables disaggregated networking. At Smartoptics,
we always aim to give our customers flexible solutions with the latest open
standards and technology,” says Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO Smartoptics.

For more information please contact:
Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO
Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics
Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,
governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom
operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows
our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize
costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that
increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a
Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and
network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global
reach through more than 100 business partners.
For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit
https://www.smartoptics.com/

About NDIX
NDIX connects businesses in the Netherlands and Germany to its network using
optical fiber connections. This allows them to connect to each other, to link
offices and/or to collaborate. They can also make use of a broad and competitive
range of ICT services from more than 140 Dutch and German suppliers. We realize
reliable and secure connections that are proactively managed 24/7 by our own
NOC.
Curious about NDIX? Visit our website www.ndix.net

Kilde

[Babbai]

Greit volum på kurs 20 i dag. Det lover bra. Denne viste seg å bli en solid vinner i 2022 med en oppgang på 90-100%, men det er det ingen som har skrevet noe om…

[riskypick]

Grattis til de få som plukket denne juvelen for 2022. Ofte er det et godt signal om en aksje har liten oppmerksomhet på div diskusjonforum og særlig blant analytikere.

[TekBot]

YouFibre streamlines 400G network upgrade with Smartoptics

Oslo, Norway - February 7, 2023 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical
networking solutions, today announced that UK-wide full fibre broadband provider
YouFibre has selected a Smartoptics solution for streamlining its 400G network
…

Vis børsmeldingen

upgrade. Optics are plugged directly into YouFibre’s existing routers for a
simple and cost-efficient solution.

YouFibre is a national FTTH broadband provider serving the UK market, delivering
fast and affordable full fibre broadband to UK homes and offices. Rapid
increases in customer uptake in the northeast region of England prompted
YouFibre to upgrade its network capacity in that region from 100G to 400G. After
comparing multiple solutions, Smartoptics passive muxes paired with DCP-F
amplifiers and 400G optics were chosen. The new network elements are plugged
directly into YouFibre’s existing routers.

“Smartoptics helped us realise that we could simply merge the optical and router
layer by plugging optics directly into the routers we already had and making use
of the available QSFP-DD ports. This was far more cost-efficient and easier to
deploy than the traditional WDM equipment we were considering. We appreciated
this strategic buying advice and Smartoptics’ on-site support for fast and
smooth deployment. This solution is easily scalable, preparing us to meet
further bandwidth surges in other parts of our network, which is crucial for
supporting our continued rapid growth across the UK,” says Sam Defriez, Director
of Networks, YouFibre.

The latest Smartoptics muxes, amplifiers and transceivers are fully 400ZR
-compliant allowing for flexible deployments.

“We are well known for openness and flexibility. This opens up more
possibilities for leveraging the latest technology. UX is also a core part of
our product design philosophy to ensure our products are easy to use, manage and
scale. We see YouFibre’s deployment as an excellent example of how plugging
optics directly into routers is a flexible and cost-efficient option. IP-over
-DWDM is becoming increasingly popular and we see great growth potential in this
area,” says Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO Smartoptics.

For more information please contact:
Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO
Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics
Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,
governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom
operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows
our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize
costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that
increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a
Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and
network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global
reach through more than 100 business partners.

For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit
https://www.smartoptics.com/

About YouFibre
Founded in 2019, YouFibre is on a mission to bring ultrafast internet to its
customers. Guided by the principles of flawless customer support, fair
contracts, and affordable pricing, YouFibre brings full fibre broadband to UK
homes and offices, creating the best internet experience possible.

For additional information about YouFibre, please visit
https://www.youfibre.com//

#400G #OLS

Kilde

[TekBot]

Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP): Invitation to presentation of results for the fourth quarter 2022

Oslo, Norway - 10 February 2023 - Smartoptics Group AS will publish its
financial results for the fourth quarter on Friday the 17[th] of February 2023,
at 06:00 CET.
…

Vis børsmeldingen

Investors, analysts and media are welcome to join a presentation on the same day
at 10:00 CET at Hotel Continental in Oslo. The presentation will be held by CEO
Magnus Grenfeldt and CFO Mikael Haag and will also be available via a live
webcast. Webcast viewers may submit written questions during and after the
presentation.

Date: Friday the 17th of February 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Venue: Hotel Continental, Stortingsgaten 24/26, Oslo
Language: English
Webcast link: https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20230217_6/

The report and presentation will be made available at www.smartoptics.com and
www.newsweb.no. A recorded version of the presentation will be available after
the live stream is concluded.

For further information, please contact:
Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics:

Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. The Company’s customer base includes thousands of
enterprises, governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable
and telecom operators. Smartoptics has an open networking approach in everything
it does, which allows our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain
flexible and minimize costs. The solutions are used in metro and regional
network applications that increasingly rely on data center services and
specifications. Smartoptics is a Scandinavian company?founded in 2006. We
partner with leading technology and network solution providers such as Brocade,
Cisco and Dell and have a global reach through more than 100 business partners.

For more information, please visit https://www.smartoptics.com

Kilde

[TekBot]

REMINDER: Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP): Invitation to presentation of results for the fourth quarter 2022

Oslo, Norway - 15 February 2023 - Smartoptics Group AS will publish its
financial results for the fourth quarter on Friday the 17[th] of February 2023,
at 06:00 CET.
…

Vis børsmeldingen

Investors, analysts and media are welcome to join a presentation on the same day
at 10:00 CET at Hotel Continental in Oslo. The presentation will be held by CEO
Magnus Grenfeldt and CFO Mikael Haag and will also be available via a live
webcast. Webcast viewers may submit written questions during and after the
presentation.

Date: Friday the 17th of February 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Venue: Hotel Continental, Stortingsgaten 24/26, Oslo
Language: English
Webcast link: https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20230217_6/

The report and presentation will be made available at www.smartoptics.com and
www.newsweb.no. A recorded version of the presentation will be available after
the live stream is concluded.

For further information, please contact:
Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics:

Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. The Company’s customer base includes thousands of
enterprises, governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable
and telecom operators. Smartoptics has an open networking approach in everything
it does, which allows our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain
flexible and minimize costs. The solutions are used in metro and regional
network applications that increasingly rely on data center services and
specifications. Smartoptics is a Scandinavian company?founded in 2006. We
partner with leading technology and network solution providers such as Brocade,
Cisco and Dell and have a global reach through more than 100 business partners.

For more information, please visit https://www.smartoptics.com

Kilde

[Babbai]

Fra LinkedIn. Positivt at de er med der. Blir spennende å følge Q4 i morgen.

Multinet Leads Innovation with Largest OOPT and Region’s First Open Wi Fi...

[TekBot]

Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP) - Q4 2022: Strong growth and high margins

Oslo, 17 February 2022 - Smartoptics Group AS (OSE: SMOP) today reported
revenues of USD 18.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, up 45.2 percent from
the corresponding period in 2021 (USD 12.5 million), and an EBITDA margin of
…

Vis børsmeldingen

19.5 percent, up from 14.7 percent in the fourth quarter 2021. EBIT margin was
17.3 percent compared to 11.4 percent same period last year.

“The fourth quarter was record breaking for Smartoptics both with regards to
revenue and profitability. We see a continued strong demand in the US and
European markets across all customer types, in particular communication service
providers (CSP) which grow faster than the enterprise and internet content
provider customers. This governs for continued growth, as the CSP market is by
far the largest addressable market for Smartoptics, driven by an ever-growing
demand for bandwidth and consequent network upgrades that result in a continuous
need to modernize and expand networks,” said CEO of Smartoptics Magnus
Grenfeldt.

Smartoptics maintains its ambition of USD 100 million of revenue by 2025/26,
with EBITDA margin target of 17-20 percent.

“We are perfectly positioned for continued growth in an attractive part of the
market. Our open 400G solutions have been very well received in the market, and
we see that demand is increasing from large and established players. More than
30 percent of the revenue in the second half of 2022 came from products released
in the same period. Our new products come hot out of the gate and are in demand
from day one, which is key for continued growth in the years to come,” said
Magnus Grenfeldt.

Smartoptics sources components for its network solutions on the global market
and has successfully managed the component shortage and supply chain issues
during the recent two years.

“The supply situation has continued to improve, and we have secured all critical
semi-conductor components required in the near term. During 2023 we expect to
return to a more normal operational situation with less requirement on high
inventory and thereby improved ability to generate cash,” said Magnus Grenfeldt.

---

Investors, analysts and media are welcome to join a presentation today at 10:00
CET at Hotel Continental in Oslo.

The presentation will be held by CEO Magnus Grenfeldt and CFO Mikael Haag and
will also be available via a live webcast. Webcast viewers may submit written
questions during and after the presentation.

Date: Today 17th of February 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Venue: Hotel Continental, Stortingsgaten 24/26, Oslo
Language: English
Webcast link: https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20230217_6/

The report and presentation will be made available at www.smartoptics.com and
www.newsweb.no. A recorded version of the presentation will be available after
the live stream is concluded.

Kilde

[Babbai]

Solid levert. IGJEN. Med bedre cash flow utover i 2023, skal man ikke se bort i fra at det kan bli utbytte etter hvert. Selskapet betalte faktisk et utbytte noen år tilbake. Ser frem til å følge SMOP videre. Håper flere etter hvert blir aktive her. @Barcelona1986 Husk å følge med her. Du foretrakk NOD sist (NOD 180 23. nov og SMOP 17, nå 148 vs 24), men sikkert fint om du følger med på SMOP også. Jeg synes det er vanskelig å beregne hvor høyt denne evt. kan gå. Hadde satt pris på innspill!

[Barcelona1986]

Hehe…jeg følger med og aksjen ligger på min daglige watchlist, samt at jeg får analyser, men var skeptisk til volumet i aksjen. Hadde vært en bedre havn her enn visse andre steder:) Litt forbauset over hvor sterk den er, sier vel kanskje noe om aksjonærstrukturen også? Er på en runde for å lete etter “neste generasjon” vinnere som har moderat nedside og fornuftig prising. Gikk inn i bl.a. Norbit for noen uker siden, flaks-timing. Selskaper med flere bein å stå på, solid ledelse som har levert over flere år, og et bra positivt resultat med jevn og passe høy vekst. Dvs moderat risiko til en fair pris. Skal se nærmere på Smartoptics igjen også, kan ikke noen presse kursen ned 30% så jeg kan få en fin inngang?

[Babbai]

Rekordkvartal for Smartoptics – aksjen skyter opp | Finansavisen

God video

[TekBot]

SMOP – PURCHASE OF SHARES BY PRIMARY INSIDER

Sara Heiner Asplund, board member of Smartoptics Group AS, has on February 20 2023 purchased 7,339 shares in Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP) at a price of 27.00 NOK per share.
…

Vis børsmeldingen

Kilde

[Babbai]

Ser det har blitt støvesuget greit med aksjer her siden den ble dratt litt ned for noen dager siden. Bra volum i dag, over 9mill kr. Skal bli spennende å se hvor høyt neste platå blir.

[TekBot]

Hetzner Online upgrades to 400G with Smartoptics open line systems

Oslo, Norway - March 16, 2023 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical
networking solutions, today announced that Hetzner Online, a leading data center
operator based in Germany, has chosen Smartoptics to upgrade its core network to
…

Vis børsmeldingen

400G. The Smartoptics open line system solution is cost-efficient and easy to
use.

Hetzner Online, with hundreds of thousands of servers in operation, is one of
the largest data center operators in Europe. With data centers in Germany and
Finland as well as two locations in the US, Hetzner Online provides multi
-redundant network connections to important internet exchanges.

To support growth, Hetzner Online sought a cost-effective upgrade path to 400G
for interconnecting its two core sites in Germany. The Smartoptics DCP-M Open
Line System and embedded optics were chosen to run 8 times 400G on each of two
fiber links. Ease of deployment and use were important factors for Hetzner
Online.

“After carefully analyzing the best way to upgrade our core network to 400G, we
concluded that the Smartoptics embedded approach had clear cost and simplicity
advantages. We were also impressed with how fast and easy it was to turn up and
manage the units. This plug-and-play setup, simple operation and vast
flexibility of the Smartoptics open line system give us confidence that the
solution is scalable and future-proof. This is crucial as we continue to grow
and offer even more high-performance and competitive hosting services to our
customers,” says Martin Fritzsche, Head of Network, Hetzner Online.

This is a time of energy price turbulence around the world, especially in
Germany. In this environment, optimizing power consumption is important for data
center operators like Hetzner Online to remain competitive. This is well aligned
with the focus of Smartoptics on energy-efficient optical networking solutions.

“At Smartoptics, we work hard to create innovative solutions for multiple types
of network architectures. This means challenging traditional methods, such as
unnecessarily heavy transponders and line systems with unwanted license fee
costs. Sometimes, transponders are not even needed at all. In Hetzner Online’s
case, combining embedded optics with our latest energy-efficient open line
systems has the advantage of reducing the overall optical networking footprint
and power consumption. With greater urgency to cut energy costs than ever
before, especially in the heart of Europe, I’m pleased to see that we can make a
difference together with Hetzner Online,” says Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO,
Smartoptics.

For more information please contact:
Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO
Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics
Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,
governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom
operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows
our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize
costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that
increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a
Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and
network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global
reach through more than 100 business partners.
For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit
https://www.smartoptics.com/

About Hetzner Online
Hetzner Online, with hundreds of thousands of servers in operation, is one of
the largest data center operators in Europe. Since its founding in 1997, Hetzner
Online has provided private and business customers with powerful hosting
products and reliable IT infrastructure. By combining its strengths in
innovative technology, attractive prices, expert support, and flexible customer
service, Hetzner Online has expanded its market both within and outside Germany
and Europe. Hetzner Online, a German company, owns and operates its own high
tech data centers in Nuremberg and Falkenstein (both in Germany) and in
Helsinki, Finland, and it recently added new locations in Ashburn, Virginia and
Hillsboro, Oregon (USA).
For additional information about Hetzner Online, please visit
https://www.hetzner.com/

Kilde

[TekBot]

SMOP – PURCHASE OF SHARES BY PRIMARY INSIDER AND RELATED PARTY OF PRIMARY INSIDER

Carina Osmund, Chief Operating Officer of Smartoptics Group AS, has, on March 13, 2023, purchased 2,000 shares in Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP) at a price of 29.80 NOK per share.

Niclas Osmund, related party of Carina Osmund has on March 2nd purchased 1,072 shares in Smartoptics Group AS at a price of 27.50 NOK and on March 16 purchased 1,000 shares in Smartoptics Group AS at a price of 28.00 NOK per share.
…

Vis børsmeldingen

Kilde

[Babbai]

I følge “Last trades” hos DNB, gikk det 300,822 aksjer til pris 29 kl 09:36:22. Det var ikke akkurat noe lite volum. Jeg ser det foreløpig ikke på Nordnet eller Avanza, men det vises altså hos DNB.

[TekBot]

Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP) - Board proposes inaugural dividend of NOK 0.50 per share.

Oslo, 19 April 2023 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical networking
solutions, today announced that The Board has decided to propose an inaugural
dividend of NOK 0.50 for 2022.
…

Vis børsmeldingen

The dividend proposal corresponds to a payment of NOK 48 million (USD 4.58
million, assuming a USD/NOK exchange rate of 10.47) based on the current number
of outstanding shares.

If approved by the annual general meeting 11 May 2023, this will be Smartoptics’
first dividend payment since the public listing in 2021. The Board has made its
recommendation on the back of the solid financial results in 2022 and the
previously communicated positive outlook for 2023.

“It is the Board’s view that Smartoptics following several years of strong
growth and proven profitability with consistent positive cash flow over time,
leaves room for dividend payments without reducing the planned growth
trajectory. The Board plans to present a defined dividend policy in connection
with Smartoptics’ Q1 2023 result announcement 11 May 2023,” said Chairman Thomas
Ramm.

For further information, please contact:

Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics:
Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,
governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom
operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows
our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize
costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that
increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a
Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and
network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global
reach through more than 100 business partners.

For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit
https://smartoptics.com/

Kilde

[Babbai]

Legg merke til ordet inaugural

[TekBot]

Smartoptics Group AS (SMOP) - Releases Annual Report 2022

Oslo, 20 April 2023 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical networking
solutions, today released its Annual Report 2022. The report is enclosed.

…

Vis børsmeldingen

“It is a pleasure to present the 2022 annual report showing solid progress along
our strategic path and continued strong financial development. 2022 was the
fifth consecutive year of strong revenue growth,” said CEO of Smartoptics Magnus
Grenfeldt.

Smartoptics operates in a rapidly growing global market for high-speed and high
-capacity data transmission, driven by increased demand for bandwidth as a
result of growing adoption of 5G, video streaming, internet of things and cloud
computing.

“During 2022 we continued to introduce innovative technology, the new
standardized 400G interface, increasing the attractiveness of open line fiber
optic transmission. It is a very positive signal that more than 30 percent of
our revenue in the second half of 2022 was related to these products,” said
Magnus Grenfeldt.

Smartoptics reported revenue of USD 57.4 million in 2022, a growth of 25.0
percent compared to 2021. The gross margin was 44.2 percent, 1.5 percentage
points higher than in 2021, whereas the EBITDA margin was 18.9 percent (13.6
percent in 2021). The reported revenue and gross profit figures are USD 0.8
million lower than the preliminary numbers disclosed in the Q4 interim report.
The reported EBITDA figure is USD 0.95 million lower than in the Q4 report. The
reason for the difference is that revenue from service contracts, associated
with Q3 and Q4 deliveries, that is accrued over several years in the final
accounts, were incorrectly fully recognized as revenue in the 2022 accounts
disclosed in the Q4 interim report.

“Smartoptics’ outlook continues to be very strong. The ever-growing demand for
bandwidth continues forcefully, and at the same time the movement of
disaggregation of networks benefits lean and flexible vendors like Smartoptics.
We feel confident in maintaining our ambition to reach USD 100 million in
revenue by 2025/2026,” said Magnus Grenfeldt.

DIVIDEND PROPOSAL

As announced 19 April 2023, the Board of Smartoptics Group AS has decided to
propose an inaugural dividend of NOK 0.50 for 2022, which corresponds to a
payment of NOK 48 million (USD 4.58 million assuming a USD/NOK exchange rate of
10.47) based on the current number of outstanding shares.

If approved by the annual general meeting, this will be Smartoptics’ first
dividend payment since the public listing in 2021. The Board has made its
recommendation on the back of the strong financial results in 2022 and the
previously communicated positive outlook for 2023.

The Board believes that Smartoptics, following several years of solid growth and
proven profitability, has entered into a phase of consistent positive cash flow
over time. This leaves room for regular dividend payments, and the Board plans
to present a defined dividend policy in connection with Smartoptics’ Q1 2023
result announcement 11 May 2023.

For further information, please contact:

Magnus Grenfeldt
CEO Smartoptics
+46 73-366 88 77
E-mail: [email protected]

About Smartoptics:

Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the
new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,
governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom
operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows
our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize
costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that
increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a
Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and
network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global
reach through more than 100 business partners.

For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit
https://smartoptics.com/

Kilde

[Babbai]

“With this expanded product offering, Smartoptics will be
relevant for more and larger customers and more network
applications within our existing customer base. The basis
for growth is far stronger now compared to the beginning
of 2022”