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Liberty Mutual Insurance Celebrates The "Rise" Of 13 U.S. Olympic And Paralympic Athletes

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BOSTON, Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Official Property and Casualty and Life Insurance Partner of the 2014 and 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, today unveiled the roster of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes the company will support for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Team Liberty Mutual will assist the insurer in their new marketing campaign, which celebrates human persistence, highlights what is possible with the support of others, and showcases the determination in all who face a setback to come back and "Rise."

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130926/NE86453LOGO )

"Liberty Mutual has been providing support, strength and hope to our customers as they attempt to come back from life's setbacks for more than 100 years and this great team of athletes reminds us that with the right amount of support, every one of us can come back and achieve great things," said Paul G. Alexander, Liberty Mutual Insurance chief communications officer. "These athletes have endured struggles, just like many of our customers, and we are proud to be an ally to them both. We know the dedication it takes to become the best at what you do and are thrilled to support them on their journeys for Olympic gold."

Meet Team Liberty Mutual

Each of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, athletes and legends selected to Team Liberty Mutual for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games reflects the "Rise" theme. Altogether, Team Liberty Mutual members have appeared in a combined 12 Olympic Winter Games, winning eight Olympic and Paralympic medals, as well as numerous national and international titles. Members of Team Liberty Mutual include:

"I am thrilled to team up with Liberty Mutual Insurance and this incredible group of athletes," said short track speedskater J.R. Celski, who won bronze medals in the 1500m and 5000m relay in Vancouver. "I have faced setback and challenges along my journey and I would not be able to succeed at my dream without the support of friends, family and sponsors, like Liberty Mutual Insurance, who help me rise up to reach my goals."

Leading up to and during the Olympic Winter Games, fans can watch a series of moving "Rise" vignettes that follow the inspirational journey of each Team Liberty Mutual athlete at LibertyMutual.com/TeamUSA. In addition to highlighting Liberty Mutual Insurance's "Rise" campaign, these videos are designed to engage Americans in celebrating the power of human persistence as well as rallying support for these inspirational members of Team USA.

An Ongoing Commitment to Team USA and Youth Sports

In addition to announcing their team of athletes, Liberty Mutual Insurance is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the USOC's Road to Sochi Tour. Visitors to Liberty Mutual Insurance's experiential footprint at the Road to Sochi Tour will be able to learn more about the "Rise" campaign and Team Liberty Mutual, meet U.S. Olympians and Paralympians past and present, and participate in the Rise social conversation by thanking someone who helped them rise from a challenge using #RISE. The company is committed to supporting Team USA through multiple other initiatives leading up to and during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games as well as the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as the official auto, home, life and business insurance partner of the USOC.

The company also supports the development of youth sports through its Liberty Mutual Insurance Responsible Sports initiative, which provides resources to volunteer youth sports coaches and parents who help children succeed both on and off the field. Since 2007, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Responsible Sports program has supported youth sports organizations across the country through partnerships with Positive Coaching Alliance, Amateur Softball Association of America, USA Hockey, USA Wrestling, US Youth Soccer, USA Volleyball and USA Water Polo.

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Liberty Mutual Insurance Celebrates The "Rise" Of 13 U.S. Olympic And Paralympic Athletes

Liberty Tax Service Reports Fiscal Year 2013 Results Including Restatement of Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012

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VIRGINIA BEACH, VA--(Marketwired - Sep 26, 2013) - JTH Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAX) (the "Company"), the parent company of Liberty Tax Service, today reported that it has completed its restatement of fiscal years 2012 and 2011 and is reporting its results for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2013.All amounts included in this press release reflect the impact of the restatement.The Company continues to expect to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2013 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2013 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by October 14, 2013, the date its plan for listing compliance is due to the NASDAQ.

"We have been working diligently and are pleased to have the restatement of our annual financial statements completed and we are reporting our fiscal 2013 results.The restatement affected the timing of when we recognized a portion of our revenues, but our underlying business and goals have not changed," said Mark Baumgartner, CFO."Now that the accounting for the restatement is behind us, we have turned our attention to completing our SEC filings, including amending our previously filed fiscal 2013 10-Qs."

RestatementAs previously announced, the Company changed certain of its accounting policies in regards to the timing of revenue recognition for area developer and franchise fees.The policy changes approved by the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors that are reflected in the restatement included:

As a result of the restatement, the Company estimates that non-recurring, pre-tax costs incurred during fiscal year 2014 attributable to the restatement will be in the range of $700,000 - $850,000.Additionally, since late August, the Company has been unable to renew its franchise disclosure documents with updated financial statements and is therefore unable to sell franchises until its annual financial statements are completed and franchise disclosure documents are up-to-date, which is expected to occur in October.

At the end of fiscal year 2013, due to changes in the Company's revenue recognition policies, the Company had a balance of $39.7 million in the unrecognized revenue portion of notes receivable and $16.9 million of deferred revenue, totaling $56.6 million in unrecognized revenue.Of the $56.6 million, $38.0 million was related to area developer fees and will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 4 years, subject to the receipt of payments on the notes receivable.The remaining $18.6 million is related to franchise fees and gains on the sale of company-owned offices, and the note balances associated with that revenue will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2 years, subject to the receipt of payments on the notes receivable.

Fiscal Year 2013 Highlights

"Even with all the challenges this year presented, we are pleased that we were able to grow our market share and increase the number of customers we served during fiscal 2013 by 4%," said John Hewitt, Chairman and CEO."At our annual franchise convention in early June, we received great feedback from our franchisees on things we did well and things we need to improve on.The morale of the franchisee base is high as we prepare for another year of working closely with them to grow the business."

RevenuesRevenues for fiscal year 2013 increased 12.5% to $147.6 million compared to $131.2 million in the prior year period.The increase in revenue was driven primarily by increases in royalties and advertising fees, tax preparation fees and financial product revenue.The increase in royalties and advertising fees was the result of a 6.2% increase in systemwide revenue versus the prior year period.Tax preparation fees increased due to the higher number of company-owned offices because of the operation of Walmart kiosks and an increase in the number of returns processed through the Company's online product, eSmart.The increase in financial product revenue was a result of processing more products in-house through the Company's subsidiary, JTH Financial.

Operating ExpensesOperating expenses for fiscal year 2013 increased 13.1% to $116.8 million compared to $103.2 million in the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to an increase in employee compensation and benefits for personnel to support anticipated growth, operating additional company-owned offices and stock compensation expense.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2013, the cash settlement of certain stock option transactions caused the accounting treatment of some of the outstanding stock options to change from being classified as equity instruments to liability instruments.This caused a one-time increase in stock compensation expense of $2.6 million, pre-tax, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013.On June 7, 2013, the Board of Directors approved a new policy regarding the settlement of stock options.As a result, these options returned to being classified as equity instruments in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, which generated a one-time decrease in stock compensation expense during the first quarter of approximately $872,000, pre-tax.

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Liberty Tax Service Reports Fiscal Year 2013 Results Including Restatement of Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012

Liberty Property Pinned at Neutral

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On Sep 24, 2013, we reinstated our long-term recommendation on Liberty Property Trust (LRY) at Neutral. The move depicts the companys decent second-quarter results, strategic efforts to improve its core operations and a conservative balance sheet management. Yet, stiff competition, rising interest rates and a volatile office sector remain our plausible concerns.

Why Neutral?

Driven by improving market fundamentals, strong leasing and development activities, Liberty Propertys second-quarter 2013 FFO (funds from operations) per share of 66 cents surpassed the year-ago figure by 4.8%. However, it came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate as the positive impact was marred by a rise in operating expenses.

Nevertheless, we expect Liberty Property to benefit from its focus on metro-office, multi-tenant industrial and flex properties and markets that have strong demographic and economic fundamentals. Furthermore, with its solid portfolio repositioning program, the company is efficiently meeting the rising demand for premium quality industrial space.

In addition, this Pa.-based real estate investment trust (:REIT) aims to strengthen its balance sheet and liquidity position, which helps it fund investments. In relation to this, the recent senior notes offering and equity shares offering to finance the acquisition of the operating partnership of Cabot Industrial Value Fund III is noteworthy.

Yet, continued volatility in the office sector with job cuts and stiff competition from private and public companies remain our concerns. Also, Liberty Propertys large development pipeline and continuous acquisition spree involves significant upfront operating expenses with limited near-term profitability. Moreover, the rise in interest rates and the capital market volatility adversely affect the companys funding expenses.

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 FFO per share declined 1.9% to $2.59. Also, for 2014 it moved down 0.4% to $2.72 per share. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Other Stocks to Consider

Better performing REITs that are worth a look include Sovran Self Storage Inc. (SSS), SL Green Realty Corp. (SLG) and Douglas Emmett Inc (DEI). All the stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Note: FFO, a widely accepted and reported measure of the performance of REITs is derived by adding depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income.

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Liberty Property Pinned at Neutral

First Liberty Power Finalizes Fencemaker Launch Plans

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Lovelock, NV, Sept. 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Liberty Power Corp. (FLPC), an innovative and diversified mine exploration and development company focused on "Mined in America" strategic industrial minerals, recently brought their management team together in Lovelock, Nevada to review final Fencemaker mining preparations. According to FLPC CEO, Don Nicholson, the meeting included board members as well as strategic partners.

"For the last two years First Liberty Power has developed and advanced though the efforts of a management team and strategic partners located around the world," Nicholson said. "With Fencemaker close to production, it was important that we all came together in Lovelock and at the mine location, for the purpose of an on-site, step by step review of Fencemaker progress to date as well as the timeline to mining, milling and sales."

James Vogan, of Stockpile Reserves, LLC is the operational director of the Fencemaker project. From his perspective, bringing a small mine all the way through from exploration to production is a challenge not met by many companies. "There are few small mining ventures still operating in the United States, and none of those are producing antimony," Vogan said. "The work we have done to bring Fencemaker into a mine that will soon be producing and selling a strategic industrial metal is a testament to the foresight, integrity and strategic planning of SRL, First Liberty Power and Small Mine Development, LLC."

The timetable for Fencemaker mining is contingent upon the installation of culvert drainage pipes and water management tanks, already underway, and a final operational site inspection. In addition, First Liberty CFO Mario Beckles addressed revenue and inventory cycles. "As First Liberty Power moves toward mining we are developing and implementing financial controls around revenue and inventory," Beckles said. That way, from day one of actual mining, we are fully prepared to monitor all production, costs and sales."

FLPC will continue to use Pathways of Progress announcements to inform and update all interested parties of advancements in our mining and financial operations.

ABOUT FIRST LIBERTY POWER CORPORATION (FLPC):First Liberty Power Corporation is an innovative and diversified mine exploration and development company focused on bringing to market "Mined in America" strategic industrial minerals. The FLPC corporate philosophy is driven by a dedication to Pathways of Progress (POP). It is a program of best corporate practices designed to rapidly drive the company towards mine production/milling, benefitting FLPC shareholders, investors and mining partners and ensuring safety, environmental integrity, and good governance. Presently, FLPC has interests in four properties: the Fencemaker antimony project in Nevada, the Lida Valley and Smoky Valley lithium brine projects in Nevada, and the San Juan vanadium/uranium project in Utah.

http://www.firstlibertypower.com or http://www.facebook.com/FirstLibertyPower

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This current report contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future plans of the company, the prospects for our mineral properties, and our ability to raise necessary working capital.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our most recent annual report for our last fiscal year, our quarterly reports, and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the SEC.

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First Liberty Power Finalizes Fencemaker Launch Plans

Media for Liberty Award Announces 2014 Jury Panel

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Media Corporation ("Liberty") (Nasdaq: LMCA, LMCB) today announced the 2014 Media for Liberty Award jury panel. Now in its 5th consecutive year, this $50,000 award seeks to acknowledge and promote outstanding media contributions that explore the relationship between economic and political liberty.

The distinguished Media for Liberty panel includes thought leaders in the world of journalism and media:

Eligible works must be originally published or broadcast via print or electronic media during the 2013 calendar year, and received by Liberty Media no later than January 8, 2014. For the first time this year, Liberty will be accepting online submissions of entries.

Submitted works will be reviewed by a jury panel and evaluated based on the degree to which the theme is addressed, inspirational and educational value, relevance to the public discourse, and mastery of media format.

Past recipients of the award have been those which have gone above and beyond to uncover societal and political truths. Those winners include:

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, journals, radio, television and websites, must be generally recognized in their markets and accessible to a broad audience in the United States.

The winner will be notified in February 2014. An awards ceremony will be held in the Spring of 2014 in Washington, D.C.

For more information on the Media for Liberty Award, including entry forms, rules, judging criteria the most recent and past honorees can be found at:

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Media for Liberty Award Announces 2014 Jury Panel

Liberty Star Launches Online Investor Relations Program via AGORACOM

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TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. (Liberty Star or the Company) (OTCQB: LBSR) today announced that it has retained the services of AGORACOM Investor Relations ("AGORACOM") (http://www.agoracom.com) to provide online investor relations services. AGORACOM will specifically provide an online investor relations community for current shareholder communications, in addition to online marketing through search engines, social media networks and Tier-1 financial content partners for the purpose of attracting new shareholders.

Online investor relations maximizes the speed of communication, the degree of transparency and the access to company information. In response to overwhelming research data being generated by small-cap investors, the Company selected online investor relations to facilitate faster and more efficient communications with both current and prospective shareholders around the world.

Effective immediately, a customized and monitored Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. IR HUB will be available at http://agoracom.com/ir/libertystar, allowing management to communicate with shareholders anytime and in near real time through an electronic shareholder forum http://agoracom.com/ir/libertystar/forums/discussion.

Moreover, the IR HUB will provide Company management with the ability to extend communications beyond text via audio messages, video presentations, Google Hangout Interviews, webcasts and podcasts.

James Briscoe, CEO/Chief Geologist, commented, "We are excited to commence this campaign to both increase communications with our existing shareholders and to attract new shareholders to our company."

James A. Briscoe James A. Briscoe, Professional Geologist, AZ CA CEO/Chief Geologist Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp.

About AGORACOM

AGORACOM Investor Relations (http://www.AgoracomIR.com) is North America's largest online investor relations firm for small-cap companies. It has partnered with some of the world's largest internet and mobile companies to market its clients to a massive audience of new small-cap investors. It has served over 250 small-cap public companies and its industry pioneering online investor relations platform (http://www.Agoracom.com) has held an Alexa traffic ranking above the top 0.5% of all websites around the world since 2007. AGORACOM averages 1.1 million investors, 6.8 million visits and 66 million page views annually.

About Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp.

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Liberty Star Launches Online Investor Relations Program via AGORACOM

ECONOMIC LIBERTY LECTURE SERIES – George Selgin ""Free Banking and the Economics of a Free Society" – Video

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ECONOMIC LIBERTY LECTURE SERIES - George Selgin ""Free Banking and the Economics of a Free Society"
George Selgin is a Professor of Economics at the University of Georgia #39;s Terry College of Business. He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. His research...

By: The Future of Freedom Foundation

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ECONOMIC LIBERTY LECTURE SERIES - George Selgin ""Free Banking and the Economics of a Free Society" - Video

Liberty Media CEO Sees Benefits in A La Carte Proposal

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While most TV network owners have spoken out against a la carte pricing of pay TV channels, Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei on Wednesday said some kind of industry solution to recent programming disputes was needed if sector players want to avoid government intervention.

The "benign" and "positive" relationship between networks and pay TV distributors that used to exist has been strained by rising programming costs and recurring disputes, he said.

"If you don't have some market-based sensitivity, I think you do risk having intervention" from the government, Maffei told the Goldman Sachs Communacopia investor conference in New York.

Asked about a proposed bill from Senator John McCain based on the a la carte model, Maffei said "there are many positive attributes to it," even though he said he couldn't predict if the bill would pass.

Maffei also discussed the consolidation strategy of cable operator Charter Communications, in which Liberty earlier this year acquired a 27.3 percent stake. It has since been seen as potentially driving U.S. cable consolidation as Liberty chairman John Malone has always touted the benefits of size.

"I'm not sure we have to lead the charge," Maffei said. But he said high programming and network costs in the cable business make scale matter. "There are a lot of opportunities for synergies." He was asked about Time Warner Cable and smaller cable firms as possible targets, but simply said they would have different impacts.

Maffei also once again reiterated that Liberty likes Charter's outlook, management and low broadband penetration. In addition, there is the "incremental value option from M&A," even though this potential is so far unrealized.

Maffei on Wednesday also once again pushed for more usage based broadband pricing in the cable business, which he called "logical and fair" and a "reasonable proposition." He argued that "getting consumers attuned to that sooner rather than later" is important.

Maffei also described Sirius XM Radio as a long-term investment for his company.

E-mail: Georg.Szalai@THR.com Twitter: @georgszalai

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Liberty Media CEO Sees Benefits in A La Carte Proposal

Liberty Global CEO Fries Downplays Apple TV Threat

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Liberty Global (LTBTYA) CEO Mike Fries doesn't expect Apple (AAPL) to build a TV, amid speculation that Tim Cook and Co. are working on a strategy to upend the cable TV industry.

At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference on Tuesday, Fries, who heads one of the top cable providers in Europe, downplayed the threat Apple TV poses to traditional cable bundles and said conversations he had with Cook don't indicate that Apple will manufacture an actual TV.

"I don't think they're going to build a TV. They want to be in the interface business. They want essentially to get in between cable operators and customers," Fries said on Tuesday.

"That's a tricky proposition when you think about the economics of that and who wins and who loses and how you share revenue. So I don't anticipate any bold moves in our space from them but -- so they're not a big threat," he added.

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Liberty Global CEO Fries Downplays Apple TV Threat

Liberty Mutual Coach Of The Year Returns For Eighth Season, Honoring College Football's Top Leaders On The Field And …

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BOSTON, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year college football fans around the country come out to support their teams with great passion, showing pride for their gridiron heroes and alma maters. Liberty Mutual Insurance gives fans a daily opportunity to express that fervor by opening voting for the 2013 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, the only college football award that supports both charity and scholarship through its winners by celebrating one coach at each college level who best exemplifies responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and excellence both on and off the field.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110901/NE60649LOGO)

Each of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners from four college football divisions FBS, FCS, Division II, and Division III receives $50,000 from Liberty Mutual Insurance to donate to the charity or charities of their choice. These funds have been used by winning coaches to benefit such organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Lone Survivor Foundation, local Boys & Girls Clubs, Special Olympics and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In addition, winning coaches earn $20,000 for their school's alumni association to support scholarship. Since 2006, Liberty Mutual Insurance has awarded $1.8 million to more than 100 charities and colleges across the country through its Coach of the Year Award winners.

Now through December 3, fans can visit CoachoftheYear.com to cast their vote for their favorite coach in each of the four divisions. Additionally, fans can also vote for the first time on Facebook at Facebook.com/LMCoachoftheYear, where they also are encouraged to rally support for their coach through their social community. Winning coaches will be announced January 6, 2014, prior to the national championship game.

"The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award stands for something unique, as it is not just about coaches' on-field success, but also their strong character and commitment to their student-athletes and communities," said Archie Manning, Chairman of the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame. "I am very proud to recognize, with Liberty Mutual Insurance and the National Football Foundation, some of the best leaders in the game today and welcome fans to do the same by casting their votes at CoachoftheYear.com and on Facebook."

Created in partnership with The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame, this year's campaign will also contain such new features as: voting on Facebook; exclusive video content featuring college football coaches; and original articles, photos and videos by a network of college student-correspondents.

Determining Finalists and Winners

Following the close of fan voting on December 3, the top 15 coaches with the most fan votes in each of the four college football divisions advance to an evaluation process to determine the finalists. This process utilizes an objective scoring model endorsed by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame to measure coaching excellence, sportsmanship, integrity, academic success and community commitment.

From that model, 10 FBS finalists and five each in FCS, Division II and Division III will be announced December 10 at a press conference held in conjunction with the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Class of 2013 induction in New York City. A finalist round of voting will then reopen for fans, while at the same time ballots will be cast by members of the College Football Hall of Fame and a select group of the national college football media to determine this year's winners. The 2013 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners will be announced in Newport Beach, Calif., on Monday, January 6, 2014, in advance of the national championship game.

This year's recipients will join a fraternity of college coaches who have supported their players to achieve excellence both on and off the field. Most recently, the 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners were Brian Kelly, Notre Dame (FBS); Willie Fritz, Sam Houston State (FCS); Peter Rossomando, University of New Haven (Division II); and Glenn Caruso, University of St. Thomas (Division III).

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Liberty Mutual Coach Of The Year Returns For Eighth Season, Honoring College Football's Top Leaders On The Field And ...


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